Rivals In Love (Love In Montana Book 4)

The next few days when Ryan didn't see Georgia at the college, he was worried. He had been expecting her reply to his message only to be disappointed every time. She still hadn't replied. What was wrong with her? He couldn't help but worry about her. 

At home, the situation was grave since they had received a call from Russell informing them about an emergency at The Imperial, their flagship hotel in Las Vegas. A wing of the hotel which needed repairs crumbled after a fire broke out at one of the guest rooms. Thankfully the room was vacant and no one was injured. Rhett and Rex would have to go with their uncle Kennedy to Las Vegas to handle the matter. It might take them long, maybe a month or so to return back home. In the meantime Sawyer, Ryder and Ryan would have to take up their added responsibilities being the next eldest sons of the family. The whole time Ryan, Ryder and their dad, Sawyer, their grand dad and uncles discussed what needed to be done at their dairy farm and also at the stables. So, Ryan had no time to check for Georgia's reply being neck deep in work.

Georgia had checked Ryan's message after having a talk with aunt Dorothy and Cameron that dreadful evening when Brian had hit out at her. His message had broken her heart and she had deleted his phone number from her contact list. Despite Brian's wrath she had opened her heart out to her aunt and had taken Ryan's side but when he termed the kiss a mistake, she was devastated. Being grounded at home, she had no way of knowing what had made him apologize for the kiss which they both had enjoyed so much. Did Brian cause any harm to Ryan or his family? This thought and fear ate her up till she couldn't control herself any longer. She had to know what happened. So when Brian left for Helena to get some raw materials for their farm, she sneaked out of the house. Driving towards Ryan's house, she had no idea that Brian had appointed Greg to follow her around. 

It was early in the morning, and she parked her car in front of Wildcreek Ranch and walked inside. She saw Ryder jogging around. He stopped in his tracks and gaped at her approaching him. 

"Hi! Is Ryan there? It's urgent, " she said shyly. Ryder came back to earth and shouted out to Ryan. 

"You shouldn't be here, Georgia. You know if anyone sees you here, what would happen?" Asked Ryder. Georgia nodded.

"I know but I need to talk to Ryan one last time," she said. Ryan appeared at the door of the house and seeing her, his eyes popped out with shock. Ryder shrugged and walked inside. Ryan walked in a daze towards Georgia, his eyes fixed upon her. 

"What are you doing here?" He whispered when near her. Georgia's scared eyes and the blue-black bruise across her cheek told a story which caused a shudder to run down his spine. "Are you alright, Georgia?" He asked, his eyes scanning the bruise closely. 

"Brian's best friend saw us kissing at Alpine the other day," whispered back Georgia. Ryan's eyes widened at the realization that what he dreaded the most had come true. Did Brian torture her? He went closer to her and touched her cheek. 

"I'm sorry, Georgia. I shouldn't have kissed you," he told her, looking away. He couldn't meet her eyes after that lie. He wasn't at all sorry that he kissed her but he was apprehensive about what lay ahead for them. Georgia stepped back, turning her head away from his touch. His words hurt her again. 

"Did Brian threaten you?" She asked with worry. Ryan shook his head. 

"No, I didn't see him after that day at the college," said Ryan with a shrug. "But I think we shouldn't go ahead with whatever is going on between us," he told her, feeling a little awkward. Georgia's face fell. She just realized that after forcefully kissing her twice, Ryan suddenly decided that she wasn't good enough for him. 

"What changed suddenly, Ryan? When you knew that we can't have anything between us, why did you forcefully kiss me? How dare you play with my feelings?" She said, looking hurt. Ryan glared at her, feeling frustrated by her accusations. 

"I kissed you forcefully? That's an absolute lie, Georgia. You wanted it as much as I did. How dare you accuse me? You're just like your brother, " he said in a growl. Georgia's face flushed with anger.

"Of course you kissed me forcefully the first time. The second time too you forced me into submission. Face it, Ryan. I'm really disappointed in you. Are you like your own brother? I'm sure you aren't. Then how dare you judge me all the time. I came rushing here because I was concerned that Brian had threatened you but you know what? You don't deserve it. Coming here was a mistake, " she said, whirling around and walking out just as suddenly as she had come in. Ryan stood glaring after her. She drove off in a frenzy and to his utter astonishment, he saw Greg, her notorious brother following her out. 

Ryan's jaws dropped seeing her brother's creepy behavior. Was he crazy? He pitied Georgia and what was in store for her. It was then and there that he decided not to have anything to do with her and her family. It was too risky. Ryan walked into his house in a foul mood. Now that both Brian and Greg knew about them, he was worried about what they would now do. After getting ready, he, Ryder and Renée went to college. Thankfully Georgia hadn't come to college and he didn't have to face her again. 

After college, he and Ryder went to their farm to help out Sawyer and their dad and uncles. Afterwards, he accompanied Sawyer to the stables when they received a frantic call from one of their ranch hands to state that Ryan's horse, Chestnut, was critical. They knew that Chestnut wasn't doing very well since morning and his mom, who was a vet, had been checking him. They reached the stable to see his mom injecting medicine in his body. His grandpa and dad were also there, looking worriedly at Chestnut who was frothing from his mouth and his eyes had pushed out alarmingly. 

"What happened suddenly, mom? He was just a little sick when I last saw him," asked Ryan, his heart sinking as a feeling of dread overcame him. 

"He has been poisoned. I've washed his stomach yet the poison has seeped through into his system. We've found ionophores in his system along with apple pieces which he might have consumed twelve hours back," said Helena Wilson. "Ionophores cause toxicosis and lead to lethargy, cyanosis, depression, pulmonary edema, myocardial degeneration and eventually death within a period of 36 hours," said her mom. Ryan felt tears pricking at his eyes and he rushed to Chestnut to stroke him and comfort him. The medicines weren't taking any effect as the poison seemed to have spread onto his system. He passed away quietly in his arms. Ryan sobbed, holding his still body in his arms. 

Afterwards, Sawyer, Ryan and their granddad returned home, looking distraught and worried. "Who could have poisoned Chestnut?" Asked Rihanna worriedly. 

"I have no clue. Georgia was the only outsider who was here. Maybe she did it to get back at us," said Ryan, with an angry growl. He could only think that Georgia might have poisoned his horse since he had hurt her. 

"Don't jump to conclusions without any proof, Ryan. It could have been anyone or no one, " said his dad. 

"No one? How?" Asked Ryder. 

"He might have eaten some toxic thing, some berry or something, " said his granddad. Ryan shook his head.

"Not possible, grand dad. I haven't ridden him since yesterday morning," he told him. 

Helena Wilson returned and announced what exactly happened to Chestnut. Everyone was silent after hearing that but the question was who could have given Chestnut that poisoned apple? No one wanted to delve into that topic. Ryan's thoughts kept going to Georgia but he knew in his heart that she couldn't do it. She fought with him but she wasn't mean. So was it her brother who came to drag her away?

"Georgia's brother, Greg, was here to take her away with him. Maybe he has done it. He knows Chestnut is my horse," said Ryan. They called the sheriff and informed him everything. He tried his best to collect evidence but strangely there wasn't any, no fingerprints, no footprints, nothing. In the absence of any evidence, there couldn't be any case filed against anyone. After the sheriff left, it was quite late and everyone went to sleep, all except Ryan who paced the floor of his room. 

He couldn't decide how he could teach the McLean's a lesson for hitting him so low. It wasn't fair that they took it out on his Chestnut. They could have hit him, abused him, did anything to him, but why his horse? Fresh tears pooled in his eyes and he decided that he wouldn't now do the project with Georgia any longer.