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As in past tense.
“So you just used my sister for sex?” Liberty asked. “Is that what you’re telling me? You just used her as something to keep you entertained while you waited to kick my parents and grandmother out of their home?”
He didn’t blink. Nor did he look at Belle. “Pretty much.”
Belle had been wondering how Corbin felt. She had her answer now. She felt like a wrecking ball had just hit her square in the chest. She had never experienced a broken heart, but that was the only way to describe the pain.
Liberty growled and started for Corbin, but Jesse stepped between them. “What the hell, Whitty? Why would you do that? Belle’s family.”
Corbin laughed, but it held no humor. “Family? Yeah, sorry, but that word doesn’t hold any meaning for me. Especially when it comes out of the mouth of a brother who has been stabbing me in the back.”
“What are you talking about?”
Corbin’s eyes glittered with anger. “I’m talking about the plan you hatched up with the Holidays to get rid of me.”
Belle waited for Jesse to deny it, but he didn’t. He just sighed. “It wasn’t a plan to get rid of you, Whitty. We only wanted to make you realize that ranching isn’t your thing.”
Corbin snorted. “Please don’t act like you did it for me. The only reason you did it was to get Liberty back. You don’t give a shit about your own brother and sister. All you care about is getting some Holiday puss—”
“Watch it, Whitty. You’re treading on thin ice.”
“What? Does the truth hurt, big bro?” He laughed that humorless laugh again that made a shiver run down Belle’s spine. “Well, too bad. And here’s some more truth that’s going to hurt. Your plan failed. I’m not giving back the ranch. I don’t care if Sunny doesn’t want it. Or if I’m the worst rancher this side of the Pecos. Holiday Ranch is mine. So fuck you and all the Holidays.” He finally looked at Belle and smiled smugly. “Although I guess I already fucked you.”
Before Belle could get over Corbin’s brutal words, Jesse punched him. Corbin’s head flew back, but he recovered quickly and threw a punch at Jesse. Liberty went to join the fight, but Jesse pushed her out of the way and drove into Corbin, knocking him onto the floor where they wrestled while the dogs jumped around them and barked.
Belle stood there stunned for a few seconds before she realized that if anyone was going to take control of the situation, it would have to be her. She placed her fingers in her mouth and loudly whistled. Gilley and Buck dropped to their haunches while both Jesse and Corbin stopped wrestling and looked at her.
“That’s enough,” she said in the voice she used when kids in a wedding party got too rowdy. She couldn’t help the stab of concern she felt at seeing Corbin’s swollen eye and the blood dripping from his nose. Nor could she ignore the pain that still throbbed in her chest from his hurtful words. But she pushed those feelings down and tried to keep her voice steady and emotionless. “You need to leave.”
There was a flash of vulnerability in his deep blue eyes—or maybe it wasn’t vulnerability at all. Maybe it was disgust. She no longer felt like she could read Corbin.
Maybe she never could.
He didn’t say a word as he got up and headed for the stairs. Gilley went to follow him, but he pointed a finger and said, “Stay.”
The dog stayed, but let out a pitiful whine as he watched Corbin leave.
Belle knew exactly how Gilley felt.
Chapter Nineteen
When Corbin got back to the ranch, he saw Hank’s truck parked just outside the barn. He’d hoped he would have a little time to deal with his emotions before he had to talk to another Holiday. But that didn’t look like it was going to happen.
And maybe it was for the best.
He needed his anger to get through the next few minutes.
As soon as he was out of his truck, Hank came out of the barn to greet him. He wasn’t a smiling guy, but he was smiling today. “Looks like you did a damn fine job of taking care of things while we were—” He stopped in front of Corbin and his eyes narrowed. “You get in a fight, son?”
A piercing pain speared through his already bruised chest at the word son. He ignored it. “I found out about your and Jesse’s plan to get me to give back the ranch.”
Hank sighed and stared down at his boots. “Ahh. So I guess you aren’t real happy with him or me.” He lifted his gaze. “And you have every right to be mad. But just so you know, Jesse really thought you weren’t cut out for ranching. I did too. In the last couple weeks, I realized our mistake. A man either has ranching in his blood, or he don’t. You have it, Corbin. You might not have all the skills, but you have a love of the land. And that’s the most important part of being a rancher.” He hesitated. “We’ll pack up tomorrow and be out of your hair by noon. I’ll go tell Darla and Mama.”
Corbin should be happy that Hank hadn’t put up a fight. But as he watched the old cowboy walk away, he didn’t feel happy. He felt sad and guilty, which made him feel even angrier. Needing an outlet for his emotions, he headed for the barn and saddled up Homer.
He didn’t think about where he was going. He just gave the horse free rein to go wherever he wanted. It turned out Homer decided to take the same path he’d taken before when Corbin got lost. Corbin didn’t realize it until he glanced up and saw the fuck-you tree.
It was almost like the entire ranch was flipping him off.
