Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
I hear the neighing of Misty behind me, and I turn to see what startles her, hoping that it's Jack.
No such luck.
“You,” the alcohol-infused drawl calls out to me. “You, it’s all your fault.”
Max hasn’t left the ranch like he said he would. Instead, he’d followed me up to the cliff.
“Look, I came here two weeks ago just looking for work,” I explain. “That something sparked with Jack, I can’t help. Things happen when they happen.”
“I don’t give a fuck about that fuckhead. He can get gold-digged into oblivion for all I care. I care that you’ve disrespected me. You’ve made me the laughingstock of the town.”
“I think you’ve mostly accomplished that yourself,” I say, reflexively, not realizing being a bit of a smart-ass isn’t the best approach at the moment.
He keeps moving toward me. Instinctively, I take steps back. I don’t want this angry drunkard anywhere near me.
“You think you’re a comedian, too, I bet? No, not only do I gotta deal with my ranch being wrongfully stolen from me, I gotta have you disrespecting my name. The Perrys have slaved for over a hundred years, only for some bimbo from the city to spit on us.”
Bimbo? That’s a word I’d never thought to describe me.
He keeps approaching. I keep backing up. Until I realize my mistake. I’m on the edge of the cliff, the one overlooking Greenbluff. The only way out of here is past him, and he’s wide enough that I’m well within his range no matter which way I make a break for it.
“You’re worthless,” he says, lumbering up to me. The odor of his breath is overwhelming.
He lunges for me. I try to make my move, but that big, meaty hand grabs hold of me, and then he takes me by the throat with both hands. He’s not strangling me—yet.
But being held by the neck over a cliff isn’t where anyone wants to be.
“Women who make trouble, like you, used to be quietly dealt with. We’d write it off as an accident. Whoops, they fell down the cliff, the clumsy idiots they are. You’re well past the troublesome point.”
“I don’t think killing me is going to improve your reputation. What will you even accomplish with killing me?” My words are strained. I’m trying to reason out of this, because I don’t see a physical way out. He’s holding me up in a way I can kick at him, but he’s not tall enough where I can kick something particularly tender. “Sarah and Jack’s wedding will still happen. And people will still know Jack’s eye wandered away from her. You’re still out of a farm.”
“But you’ll be gone. I’ll spit on that jackass’s dreams. Break his heart. I’ll hurt him, and I think that’s all that matters to me anymore.”
I keep wriggling. The lightning crackles in the distance, thunder following. Water starts to sprinkle down on us, and it’s clear it won't be long until it evolves into a full-on downpour. I shudder. Some foolish girl coming up on the cliff, slipping on some mud, and tumbling down on the rocks below. Sure, people would be incredibly suspicious of him, but there’d be enough reasonable doubt that Max could rally his defense to get free.
I didn’t want to die. Especially after I’ve found the happiness that I never thought possible.
I’m breathing deep. This refrigerator of a man is too strong to escape. Do I try biting? What else could I possibly do?
8
JACK
I want to get to Lily, I told her to meet me at the bluff, and all I want is to pull her close, and kiss that perfect mouth of hers.
I just gotta wrap things up with the Sherriff first, let him know what was going on down here at the ranch.
“Yeah, he’s wasted again,” I say into my phone. “No, he doesn’t seem to be carrying a gun with him. He’s never been good at concealing them, so I just think he’s being his annoying, rowdy self. All right, as long as you keep an eye on him. Thanks, Sheila.”
I hang up and set my phone down. This isn’t the first time I had to call the sheriff about Max. The man has some serious problems and only knows how to take it out on people other than himself.
Although, I guess his liver takes a pretty good beating from his habits.
It’s just another reason why I wanted to help Sarah get rid of him.
I head back out and grab Rush, one of my stallions. I’m ready to put all this behind me for a while and spend some time with my girl.
God, I’m thinking of her as 'my girl’ now. Lily, what are you doing to me?
As I begin to ride out, I notice something at the edge of the ranch. I take a quick detour, and there’s an old beat-up pickup truck at the edge of my property. Max’s old beat-up pickup truck. I ride toward it, wondering if he has had an unsurprising breakdown with that old piece of crap, but no. It’s off, and no one is inside it. It’s on the side of the road, so it’s not in the way.