Lingerie and Lariats (Rough & Ready#7) by Cheyenne McCray Read Free Book Online

across the table. Her heart lunged into her throat as she looked up and into Jerry’s furious gaze.
    Her voice came out small as heat flushed over her. “What are you doing here?”
    “Messed up your plans, didn’t I?” Jerry’s blue eyes were like ice. He ignored Dan and spoke in a low, angry voice. “You were all set to fuck the sheriff tonight.”
    The heat of embarrassment flooded through her. She felt so mortified that she wanted to shrink and slide under the table. “Jerry, stop.”
    Dan stood and Renee felt anger rolling off of him as he spoke. “Why don’t we take this outside.” It was clearly a statement, not a question.
    Jerry grasped Renee by the wrist and jerked her to her feet. His grip was so tight that pain shot through her arm. He bared his teeth as he glared at Dan. “Mind your own fucking business.”
    “Renee is a friend which makes her my business.” Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He slipped out enough cash to pay for the drinks and appetizers then tossed the money on the table.
    “Friend. Right.” Jerry kept his grip tight on Renee’s wrist as he turned and led her out of the restaurant. “Get lost, you country hick.”
    Jerry had kept his voice down, but Renee was certain other restaurant patrons were watching them and her embarrassment magnified.
    Dan followed them outside. Jerry didn’t release her arm as he went to the passenger side of a sedan, jerked the door open, and pushed her into the bucket seat. Her feet slid out from under her as she lost her balance and she landed hard.
    Jerry turned and faced Dan. “You have no right to interfere.” With his fists clenched, Jerry took a step closer to Dan. “If you don’t stay out of our business, you will be sorry.”
    “Are you threatening me?” Dan narrowed his gaze. “Maybe I should remind you who you are speaking with.”
    “I could give a shit who you are. Fuck off.” Jerry backed up and headed for the car door.
    A moment of crystal clarity brought all of Renee’s thoughts together. She could never be with someone who had so little regard for other people’s feelings, including her own. She could never be with someone who treated her the way he had been.
    She was done with Jerry. It was over.
    But another thought went through her mind. Her money. She couldn’t let Jerry leave and clean out her bank accounts. She had to figure out a way to get to her money first, before she left him.
    Dan’s gaze rested on her. “Renee, come with me.”
    She looked at Jerry and suppressed a shudder before she brought her gaze back to Dan. “I need to go with him.”
    Dan had a hard look on his face. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
    She nodded. “Yes.”
    Jerry sneered. “Stay the hell away from us.”
    Her heart beat hard enough that her chest hurt as she slid all the way inside the car and closed the passenger door behind her. Jerry climbed in on the other side and started the engine. The car’s tires spun in the gravel as he backed up then took off.
    She looked back once and her heart sank as she saw Dan watching them leave.

 
    Chapter 5
    “You little slut.” Jerry’s words sliced through Renee like a blade as he towered over her, his fists clenched at his sides. He was so big and she was so petite that she knew it wouldn’t take much for him to hurt her physically. “If I hadn’t come back when I did, you would have been fucking that sheriff tonight.”
    “No.” She started to shake her head but he raised his hand, as if he intended to slap her. Cold washed over her skin. “Please, Jerry. He just happened to stop by the restaurant while I was there. We had a drink together. That was it.”
    “I told you to stay away from him.” Jerry didn’t lower his hand and his gaze was fierce and unforgiving. “You’re nothing but a whore.”
    She wanted to double over from the pain of the words spoken by the man she’d thought had cared for her. She should have recognized the signs