Love Under the Western Skies

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴏɴᴇ

ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ

➵➵➵➵➵➵➵❂➵➵➵➵➵➵➵

I felt her before I saw her.

The uneasiness crept up my spine, goosebumps prickling my skin, my stomach twisting so tightly I thought I was going to puke. And I still didn't know where she was. I could hear her laugh, the sickening sweet tone of her voice as she tried to get what she wanted. I watched as cowboys and bull riders all moved to be behind me as if I was some imaginary force, like the sight of me, would keep her away. I couldn't scramble for my phone fast enough, my palms sweaty as I quickly pulled up Madison's number, I needed my girlfriend, and I needed her as both my stability and my manager. Right as I pressed send, a manicured hand fell on my shoulder and the entire rodeo ground fell silent, cameras were out, and an uneasy tension filled the arena. I looked up, not turning to face the woman behind me, my eyes landing on Craig with a pleading look, he took the hint, scurrying to the exit to go get Madison and sit with Rhett. To keep him safe.

All because Savannah fucking Bozeman decided to show her face.

"If it isn't the world's best baby daddy!" My skin crawled at the term, my jaw setting as I tried to hide the disgust on my face before I turned to look at the woman, I hated her, I hated her for leaving me with no knowledge of a son, for dropping him off without even letting me know he was there. I have no idea how long he sat on my doorstep before I damn near fell on his car seat that first day, it was mid-winter in Montana, and I'm lucky my kid didn't have hypothermia because of her poor choices.

I closed my eyes, taking a steeling breath before I murmured, "Don't call me that."

"But that's what you are!" I finally turned to see her, and she had the same beauty that landed me between her thighs nearly two years ago now, she was a beauty queen, no one could take that from her, but her personality made her unlovable to me. Well, that and the fact she decided to not have a part in her son's life. I tried my best not to recoil when she threw herself into my arms or attempted to. It was really me standing there, doing my best to not shove her away while she wrapped her arms around my neck. "And it's a good title for you!"

"I'm just Steve to you," She blinked like she was shocked when I stepped out of her embrace, "You terminated your right to my child's life when you left him on my doorstep, you haven't tried to check in on him, so please do not call me your baby daddy like you have any authority in Rhett's life, I am just Steve and I would like it to stay that way."

I needed her to leave, I was hours away from my on-camera event, something I haven't done in years, and she was rattling my confidence, there was no trophy or buckle for this event, it was just to show off Sweetwater's new arena but I wouldn't be able to get on a horse if I was shaking from nerves. No one wants to be the embarrassment on screen. I had already suffered enough at the hands of Savannah Bozeman, she trashed my reputation, my name, and everything that I worked so hard for. She tossed it in the trash because she couldn't get me to stay. I didn't ask her for anything, how could I? I didn't even know she was pregnant. But she ran with that narrative and now with her standing right in front of me, I was floundering.

I felt when Madison walked in, the tension in my shoulders disappeared at the sound of her voice.

My angel rounded my trailer, her eyes snapping to mine almost instantly and I wanted to sob, I fucking loved her, and I knew she didn't want to hear it, but she came when I needed her. And the necklace that now sat on her chest no longer held the M charm, it held an S and an R, she was claiming us, and by the set of her jaw and the anger in her eyes, I knew mama bear had come out.

I placed my hand on Savannah's waist, shifting her over after I excused myself, immediately locking on Madison. Fuck if the media knew, I needed my girl in my arms. Madison just wrapped her arms around my neck when I approached, my height lifting her off the ground while my hands curled around the back of her thighs. "It's okay," Madison whispered, one of her hands sliding through the back of my hair, nails scratching my scalp, and for once, it felt okay. Madison was here, she was letting me hold onto her like a pillar of stability and I fucking needed it. "I'll handle it."