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 grumble, having a bad feeling about this. Max isn’t one for suddenly obeying drinking-and-driving laws. He’s not on the road, looking up and down it, so my next guess is he’s lurking around my ranch, looking for some way to cause trouble.
Again, this isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with him. Max is terribly boring and predictable like that. The hair on the back of my neck perks up as I ride out and begin my search. Last time he did this, he set something on fire and it could have gotten a hell of a lot worse if it wasn’t a day like today.
I sniff the air. I think I’m wrong about my weather prediction. Oh well.
I comb the area. He’s not near the fence, or the stables. More riding about, until I spot Misty, the mare Lily has taken a liking to. And then I find Max.
As well as Lily.
I swallow, fear hitting me as hard as it ever has in my life.
The bastard is holding my girl by the throat, leaving her dangling over a cliff.
“Put her down, Max!” I shout, riding up, and hopping off Rush. “Put her down, or this is going to get messier than it already is.”
He turns his head to me, sneering. “You did this! You made me a fool, Thomas!”
“Whatever you want to think, this isn’t worth committing murder over. Put Lily down, and maybe we can discuss things.”
“What’s there to discuss? Everyone is laughing at me!”
“Are they? I haven’t heard anything about that. They barely mention you when talking about Sarah’s and my engagement.”
“They’re talking about me when you ain’t looking. I know they are. And I’m a laughingstock of the entire town. It’s your fault!”
He’s delusional. Whatever he’s got going on, he’s lashing out. And that lashing out is threatening the woman I love.
I take my steps slowly and steadily. I don’t want to provoke him into making any sudden, harsh moves. “Listen, we can talk this out. Man to man. If you want to have a fight about it, we can. But let’s do it on even ground. We don’t need to bring a girl into this.”
“You know I have a bad back!” he snaps back. “It’s not a fair fight!”
Always an excuse.
“I’m sorry for however you’re feeling,” Lily hoarsely says, a desperate attempt at sympathy to penetrate his impossibly thick skull.
I grit my teeth. “Come on, Max. You’re better than this.”
“How do you know how good I am?” he says, looking at me.
Then the little firecracker I’m falling in love with strikes. One good kick, right to the shins, and Max staggers back.
I rush him and take him down with a tackle, and the three of us are rolling down the muddying hill. Lily thankfully takes the opportunity to get out of dodge, but Max doesn’t give up so easily. He claws for her, and I go for a punch on his fat cheek, but it doesn’t affect him much. He shoves me off him toward the edge of the cliff, and I feel my leg dangle off the side, but the adrenaline is pumping. Fists are flying, and I’m striking at him again and again. He tries to fight back, but he’s either not landing hits or I’m simply not feeling it on the high of the moment.
“Help!” I hear Lily scream out into the night. I pay it no mind, my hatred for this man flaring up hotter and hotter. The ground is becoming muddier as the rain turns into a downpour. Lightning strikes and thunder clashes in the sky, but God himself would struggle to stop me from keeping this man from hurting the woman I love.
“What’s going on up there?” I hear a voice in the distance call out. “Boss? Something the matter?”
“Perry’s causing shit on our ranch again! Get him!” another one calls out, once he catches sight of the situation.
Max has some semblance of sense, and hearing that more people are coming, scrambles away from me. I try to keep him down, wanting him to face more of the Desert Sky Ranch’s brand of justice, but with all the mud and water, the man is too slippery. He’s hustling away from me faster than I’ve ever seen him move before.
The wranglers give chase to him, and I pick myself up and look at Lily, who is a bit roughened up but doesn’t seem too harmed.
“Are you okay?” I ask, wanting to be sure.
“Yes. A little shook up, but I’ll be fine.” She’s breathing heavy, and coughing hard, likely glad to be breathing at all after what Max tried to do to her.
The lightning flashes in the distance again.
“Shit! The horses got out!” one of my guys shouts.
Of all the times...
Lily runs to help, always wanting to assist someone first. I hold her back. The wranglers stop giving chase to Max and go to collect the horses.