Champion At Heart (Sequel of Breaking Ice)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Marshall couldn't believe his eyes. Cassie Sanders, standing in front of him, her big brown eyes shining with the morning sun, and her blonde hair looking just the same, with waves that rested over her buttocks.

Nothing had changed about her.

He balled his hands into a fist at his side as he felt his blood boiling hotter than the summer sun.

"Aren't you going to say hi?" she asked with a smile, extending her arms as if expecting a hug.

"What are you doing here?" Was all he could say, feeling the anger seeping in like a scorpion's sting on his skin.

"I came to visit my parents," her smile faded. "And to visit our baby's grave. Also wanted to check on you." Looking up at the jewelry store sign, she smiled again. "Oh, are you buying something for someone special?"

Marshall stood stiff in front of her, trying to find the right words to say without coming off as a jerk. "As you can see, I am doing fine, and I'd appreciate it if you..."

"Daddy, are you coming into the store with us?" Abilene called from the open door, getting Cassie's attention.

"Daddy? My, oh my. You sure moved on," she chuckled. "Who is the unlucky lady to give you such a beautiful girl? Did you want to forget our son that easily?"

How dare you? You're the one who abandoned me after our son died. Marshall tried to keep himself from saying those words out loud, especially in front of his daughter.

Cassie crouched in front of the little girl. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Abilene," she giggled, twirling around.

"Oh, beautiful name. I had a son who would have been your age, but not anymore," her eyes were sad, but Marshall knew they were only a plot to make Abilene feel sorry for her. His fists were still tight at his side, and he was ready to explode.

But his body was frozen on the spot, and his heart was running marathons inside his chest.

"What happened to your baby?" she asked curiously.

"Okay, that's enough," he snapped. "Abilene, go back inside with Aunt Bexley."

She nodded and joined her aunt–who hadn't realized she had stepped outside without her–inside. Marshall faced Cassie as the woman stood straight, staring at him with innocent eyes and a pout on her lips.

"I just wanted to get to know your daughter. She's beautiful. Is she even yours, though?" Losing his patience at her doubt, he grabbed Cassie by the arm, squeezing it hard, making her wince.

"Stop it, you're hurting me," she cried as he dragged her away from the store and into a small alley between the Diner and the Feed store. As soon as he made sure they were alone and no one was listening, he loosened his hold on her.

"What the hell are you really doing here, Cassie?" he asked again, this time his voice raised a tone, staring at her with so much hate and pain in his eyes. Cassie looked around and smiled nervously, rubbing her arms.

"You sure hadn't forgotten how to manhandle a woman..."

"What the hell are you doing here!" he shouted, making her wince again.

"I just wanted to see you and see how you were doing."

Marshall scoffed, putting his hands on his hips as he looked down, taking deep breaths before he started to laugh, louder with each second. Cassie frowned at his attitude.

"Did you think I would receive you with open arms after what you did? Six years, Cassie. Six damn years I suffered with the loss of our son, and you come back looking as if you had the best life and none of that affected you?" He looked down at her clothes. Expensive brand, he thought, and expensive purse and shoes. Even if he didn't know fashion, as he was just a mere rancher, he could tell they were not clothing the town offered.

"Dealing with the pain had been the worst, and you dared ask for a divorce, just when I needed you the most," he added. "So, what are you doing here? Were you by any chance expecting for me to take you back?"

After a moment of hesitation, Cassie nodded, making him laugh harder, getting the attention of a few passersby that noticed them alone in that alley.

"Is everything okay, Redd?" one of them asked.

"Yes, everything is just fine," he replied to whoever had spoken to him, but his eyes were on Cassie, who stared back at him with a solemn gaze. The couple walked away, minding their business.

"I was hoping we could start over. My ex left me for a buckle bunny, and I feel alone, Marshall."

"You have some nerves. So, you meet a rodeo cowboy and think your life would be perfect? That's Karma, Cassie. And I am not, hear me, I am not taking you back. I am trying to be happy with my girlfriend and my daughter. So, you better go back to where you came from."

As he tried to walk away, Cassie chuckled mockingly. "You mean, Brooklyn Evans? The woman who left you years ago, and comes back with a little girl–who as I asked–is probably not yours? Don't you love small town gossip?"

That just did it. "Come on, Marshall. That girl could belong to any man, and maybe she is short of money and wants you to give her some."

"So, you're talking about yourself here, right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You forget that the only snake here is you."

"Snake? I was miserable in our marriage, Marshall. You, flirting around with every buckle bunny at the rodeo shows. Do you think that didn't hurt me? Leaving you was the best thing to ever happen to me. So, what if I left our son. He was dead anyway!"

"How dare you?" he shouted.

"Daddy, don't yell!" He heard Abilene cry from the end of the alley as Bexley stood behind her, her hands on her niece's shoulder while giving the cowboy a you-need-to-stop glance.

"Go to the truck," he ordered, but when they didn't move, he repeated the order louder.

"You're a mean lady. Stop making my Daddy upset!" Abilene said as Bexley tried to take her away. "Mean lady!" her voice faded as soon as the truck's door had been closed. Cassie put a strand of hair behind her ear and checked her nails, her face changing from innocent to a selfish expression. As if what happened was none of her concern.

"Are you sure you want to be stuck with that?" she asked, still looking at her nails. Marshall looked up, asking God for patience. He didn't need to lose it further, not when he needed to think about the two most important people in his life.

"Visit our son's grave, visit your parents for all I care. After what you've done, I don't think I can forgive you, Cassie." Marshall turned around to face her again, looking at her with a steely gaze. "And if you decide to stay, you better pray that I am in a good mood when we cross paths. Because to me..." he breathed, calming his anger. "To me you're more than dead."

With that, he left Cassie in the alley, joining his daughter and sister-in-law in the truck. He felt the urge to let go of the tears he was holding at bay; punch something. But when he felt Abilene's little arms around his neck, hugging him, he counted himself lucky.

"I love you, Daddy," she whispered in his ears, just as Bexley held his arm, squeezing it reassuringly. "No matter what that mean lady says, I love you."