Indebted To My Greenwood Cowboy

THIRTEEN

Its been over an hour since we got back to the house from Able's doctor office. Chaz never answered my question. Okay, he responded, but not a good enough answer for me anyway. 'Exactly what I said.' Those four words were the only response I got. I have been sitting on the couch since we arrived trying to wrap my head around his words. I am his wife, but that doesn't make me his. I am not a possession.

"Your over thinking aren't you?" I look up to see Beth walking into the room. I shrug my shoulders, but knowing I am. " She sits next to me and gives me small smile. "Chaz had a brotherly talk with my husband when he got back" she announces. "About" I say curiously. "You of course. He told him what he said to you. Chaz can be a real caveman sometimes" she chuckles. I grin at her choice of words. Caveman was defiantly a description she called Chaz in her thoughts only moments ago.

"If it was a brotherly talk then how would you know what exactly they talked about" I joke. "Well Chaz can have his not so smart moments. He came in the barn when I was helping feed the horses. He just walked up and started talking to him. Not even sure if he realized I was there too." I laugh at this and shake my head as I tried to picture it. "Chaz has never been a man of many words, but I know he didn't marry you for the reason. He loves you." My eyes widen and I tense at her words. "Don't seem so shocked Gracie. The love between the both of you could be seen miles away" she grins. "But-." "I think you and Chaz should sit down and have a talk. A heart to heart. Hopefully he won't act like a caveman this time" she jokes. I nod and give her thankful smile. 

"Gracie, may I have a word with you" I hear my father ask. We both look over to see him in a black expensive suit. Dressed like he was back at his million dollar company, ready for a meeting. Beth excuses her self after giving my hand a squeeze. 

He walks in and sits on the chair across from me, leaving a coffee table between us. "I will have your belongings shipped here" he states breaking the silence. Anger. That is the emotion coursing through me. "At off all things, that is what you want to say" I snap. "Not apologizing for the man you tried to force me to marry beat the living shit out of me" I yell. My father stiffens further. Who knew he would be even more tense! "He was angry. Vincent was promised marriage to you, but you off and married someone else" he states with no emotion. "I never promised! You did! I never even agreed to it! He should've beat the shit out of you" I yell. "What it" he grits out. I can see his rage getting the best of him.

Taking a deep breath, I realize this isn't going to go anywhere. "Leave. What ever you and Charlie have planned out is over and done with. So leave. Go back to pretending you never had a daughter. Go pretend that mother wouldn't be ashamed of all that you have done" I say exasperated. He stands up quickly and takes a step forward and raises his finger pointing at me, "You are lucky he is the man you married, because if it was anyone else he would be ten feet under the ground" he yells. "Oh, really. Not only are you a businessman, a lousy husband, and a abusive father, now you want to add murder to the list" I snap as I stand up.

He chuckles evilly, "You finally got a back bone. Took you long enough." I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest, "I only ever listened because you punishments were horrible!" "They were well deserved!" 

Those four words hit me hard. "Well deserved? Do you remember the first punishment you gave me" I ask. He takes a step back as if he was stunned at the question. "No? Well I do. I was eleven years old. I came three minutes late from a friends house. 7:03 pm. For that I could see getting grounded or time out or even taken the tv away. But what I don't understand is how for being three minutes late could have me well deserving of being locked in a basement room for three days, no food, no water. That is also after the fact you smacked me multiple times." 

"Your exagerating! This is bull shit Grace and you know it" he yells. "Bullshit?! This is bullshit" I ask lifting my shirt and showing a scar that went from my belly button to the side of my hip. "I was thirteen!"

"You need to shut up about this nonsense" he snaps annoyed. "This is what I mean! You don't give a shit that you hurt me. For years! You are not my father! I want nothing from you" I scream. "You will get cut off if you keep this up" he yells back. "I don't give a rats ass! I want to be cut off! I want nothing from you! I've made it this far without you" I continue to scream. "Only reason you made it is because you are a no good lying whore" he raises his voice even more. "How could I be a whore? That was one of your rules! Number twenty three if I remember correctly. No whoring around! This is getting us no where. Last time I am going to ask. Leave!"

"You can't order me" he states as he steps towards me. "She may not be able to, but I defiently can." My father takes a step away from me in surprise of the person who interrupted. "You have two minutes to be off my property. Ten to be out of town. If you aren't you will loose everything" Chaz takes another step forward. "If you ever reach out to her again with out her wanting it, you will regret it." I watch in awe at the power radiating off my new husband. 

My father glares at me then starts walking past Chaz, but halts at his next words. "You will give the wedding gift her mother wanted to give her. I want it sent to my lawyer by the end of the day." It was clear that my father wanted to deny the request, but instead started walking out of the house. 

"My mother" I ask realizing his words. "You mother's will it announces things that she left for you. Her request was for you to receive it on your wedding day. She wanted it to be a surprise, you will find out when I receive word from my lawyer" he explains. I nod, "oh, okay." I watch as he walks closer to me and as he wraps his arms around me. He rests his chin on the top of my head as I wrap my arms around his waist. "Thanks for coming in when you did" I say softly into his chest. He puts me at arms length, "Of course. If it was my way the man would be limping away." I chuckle, "I'm sure caveman." 

"Caveman?" He raises his brow. I wave it off, "Oh, it's nothing." I can tell he wants to know more, but decided not to push the topic further. I turn and look out the living room window to see just the dust in the air in the driveway from where my fathers cars speed off from. 

"Why did my father give in to us being married" I ask. "I get that your a, as you put it, 'a billionaire CEO' but there has to be more to it then that." He gestures for me to sit on the couch, so I do and he follow suit sitting next to me.