Page 100 of Untamed

“Who is it?” I ask.

He hangs up the phone, shaking his head with a chuckle. “You’re not going to believe this.”

“What?” I ask.

He exhales. “Monroe Blue wants me on her security detail.”

I stare at him. We stop on the front porch while he chugs his beer.

“The country singer? The one you saved from that freak onstage?”

“That’s the one.”

“How much?”

He shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m not taking the job. I’m not a bodyguard. I’m a rancher.”

I study him for a few moments as the song of crickets fills the night.

“They’re not coming for you, and you’re not going back to jail. They don’t have shit on us,” he says.

I step into the house with him. “Once Warner files our suit against Clay Dixon, we’re gonna need those cattle sales we’re not getting.”

We walk through the living room and into the kitchen, where Cash grabs us two more beers from the fridge in the oversize pantry.

“Mayor Dickhead has run out of options. His boys fucked up when they left Jed there alone and you found him by tracking her phone. They’d underestimated us. They made the case national news, and with the calls and connections Warner has made through it all, they can’t get away with a small-town cover-up again.”

Word broke two days ago that I was released from jail due to new evidence uncovering another suspect. The media frenzy surrounding the story has only circulated more and more attention, partially due to my mugshot next to Rosie’s picture, which has turned into a meme online about how being kidnapped by certain felons wouldn’t be all bad.

Rosie has yet to make any public statements. It’s unclear if that’s because her father won’t let her or if she’s declining to. Warner and Cash have both threatened to take my phone away if I try texting or calling her. Right now, I have to lie low while the investigation reveals my innocence.

I tip the beer back over my lips as Dolly enters the room, her phone pressed up to her ear and a small smile on her face.

“Yeah, I know. I think the whole thing is bizarre. I’ve never cried so much in my life.” She rummages around in the fridge, pulling out some hummus and baby carrots, a block of cheese, and some salami.

Cash and I watch her curiously as she chuckles, shaking her head at something the person said on the other end of the phone. After grabbing a sleeve of crackers from the pantry, she starts making herself a snack plate. Her eyes flick up to meet mine, then Cash’s before she gasps, her hand covering her mouth.

“You did what?”

Her wide eyes move back to mine as her mouth forms an O. She stands, frozen in silence, as the other person continues speaking, but Dolly’s eyes stay locked on to mine.

“Who is it?” I finally whisper.

She slowly forms a smile, shaking her head. “Ew, TMI! That’s far enough. I don’t need any more details. Holy shit.”

The hair on my forearm starts to rise as I walk over to where she is, dipping my head lower toward the speaker of her phone. She swats my shoulder hard before grabbing her plate and walking out of the kitchen.

“Yeah, well, when I see you tomorrow, you and I have much to discuss.” Her voice travels from the hallway until she shuts the door of her room.

I turn to Cash, folding my arms over my chest. “Since when does Dolly have any friends besides Rosie?”

39

ROSIE

Istare across the table into my best friend’s red-rimmed gray eyes, our hands clasped together beside our coffee mugs. She sniffles, grabbing a napkin to dab at her nose. Her long black braid is resting on her shoulder. Our favorite café is decorated for Christmas with vintage ornaments and green garlands. My latte is gingerbread flavored, but Dolly opted for the Christmas-in-a-cup flavor.

“I’m so relieved, relieved for your mom’s sake and yours. I know things with her aren’t perfect, but, hell, it really sucks not having a mom at all. Maybe this whole thing was a wake-up call for her.” She lets go of my other hand to take a sip of her steaming cup.

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