Espino, Stacey - Hardcore Cowboys [Ride 'em Hard 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free Page A

eat him up every day for not being there when his father had needed him. Then his mother. He supposed he was destined to let down everyone he loved in his life.
    It was too late to make amends now. He needed to stop running from the past, man up, and deal with the here and now. It was all too easy to let his feelings of guilt eat away at him. He knew he had to stop blaming his lifestyle and actions on events of the past. All he could do was hope his brothers were in good health and the family business was thriving. And hope to God they hadn’t disowned him. Without them, he had nothing in the world of importance. Drifting, traveling the rodeo circuit was for young men. Not thirty-five-year-old washouts. Wyatt’s body had begun to protest the physical demands he subjected it to in the ring, and his heart was no longer satisfied with fast women and long nights with his buddies. He needed more—but what?
    It must have been by some miracle that he glanced out the passenger side window when he did, or he’d never have noticed the stalled vehicle. He wouldn't have guessed the large snow-covered hill to be a car, but these roads were imprinted on his brain, and there wasn’t a hint of a slope in the topography on this long stretch of prairie.
    The hazard lights were faintly noticeable under the thick snow cover. Wyatt couldn’t imagine anyone being stranded in this weather. The vehicle was probably abandoned, but to ease his conscience, he had to check to be sure. He pulled his truck alongside the car, zipped up his jacket, pulled on a tuque, and took a breath before braving the unforgiving wind and sleet. With his flashlight in hand, he plodded through the storm.
    As expected, the air was sharp and merciless against his exposed flesh, beating at his cheeks like a thousand pinpricks. He rounded the front of his pickup, cutting across the headlights towards the driver’s side door of the abandoned car. Wyatt had to brush away the snow just to find the metal and glass beneath. When he had a section clear, he aimed the flashlight into the interior. He hoped to find it vacant so he could be on his way and out of the elements. He could already envision a warm fire and hot chocolate like his momma used to make. But instead of an empty seat, he saw a bundle under a blanket. All he could spy were some brown curls peeking out from a thick black hat.
    Shit! The person didn’t move, and it terrified him that he may be looking at a dead body. No way could a human survive that long in a stalled car. Could he have made a difference if he left The Bucking Bronco an hour earlier? Familiar guilt welled up inside him as he planned his next move. The door was snowed in, and when he tried the handle it was locked. Knocking on the glass with the flashlight didn’t awaken the lone occupant, which only confirmed his suspicion that this wouldn’t be a rescue.
    Wyatt navigated the thick snow to the rear of his truck, where he dug in his utility trunk for his compact shovel. He was always well prepared. He had to be when he was on the road as much as he was. His truck always had a full tank of gas, with extra in canisters, along with everything he’d need in an emergency. He began to shovel the area outside the driver’s side door, going as fast as he could with the punishing sleet whipping his face and stealing his breath.
    Once the way was clear, he still couldn’t get inside due to the locked door. He pounded his fist on the window in a futile attempt to wake the driver. There was no other choice. He had to break the window. Glass would land on the person, but their face was covered in case they were still breathing, which he doubted. He fished out his monkey wrench from his tool box, turned his head, and used his full strength against the glass. It shattered on contact, breaking into thick bits. He pulled the broken safety glass that remained out of the way and leaned into the car. The first thing he noted was the absence of a foul smell. He