Page 47 of Untamed

“Never slept well in prison. It was ice cold. Solitary confinement felt like being on another planet, completely isolated.”

I have no idea why I’m opening up to her, except that my guard is down with how physically and emotionally weak I feel. She disarms me somehow.

“Why were you in solitary confinement?” she asks quietly.

I tear the ham sandwich in half, handing her a piece of it.

“Fighting,” I murmur, battling the urge to let my heavy eyes close.

Her soft voice and gentle presence draw a blanket of peace over my tingling limbs.

She lounges beside me quietly, the gentle breeze blowing her hair.

Why the fuck are you opening up to her?

I drift in and out of sleep for several minutes. Every time I manage to open my eyes, I force myself to take a bite of the sandwich. Rosie sits quietly beside me, observing the leaves dancing in the breeze. Her even breathing brings a sense of calm over my shattered nerves.

Tonight. I’ll get some sleep tonight, with her.

Finally, I slap my thigh to wake myself, rising suddenly. “I need to check the fence. You should get back.”

Holden

Be here at 9.

I look at my phone, watching the message I sent to Rosie shoot through the universe. I’m lying in bed, showered and nearly drifting to sleep as I sit up against the pillows. It’s only eight fifteen. The TV mounted on the wall is playing an old John Wayne movie, McLintock! I’m so exhausted, my vision is blurry. I can barely make out the scene.

Rosie

What am I supposed to tell Dolly?

Holden

Tell her you’re trying out all the brothers to see which one’s the best ride.

Rosie

Ha-ha. I’m serious. She’ll obviously have questions if she realizes I slept over. She might bring it up to Duke.

I tap on the handle of my knife, mentally debating the issue. This is just one of several times I’ve seriously considered building my own ranch house somewhere else on the property. Even though Rosie and I won’t be doing anything other than sleeping, it’s past time for me to have my own place. I’m almost thirty years old.

Eventually, I’ll be making some girl scream my name, which would be quite disturbing for my family to witness.

Cash and Sterling have been living in the bunkhouse that neighbors the main house for years, since before I was locked up. It’s a two-bedroom, two-bath, so there isn’t room for me. It makes more sense for everyone to live on-site while we all work here. We start early, and we end late most days. We work a ton of weekends. No one wants to pay rent on a shitty apartment just to drive back here every day.

Duke was only eighteen when I was locked up. I don’t know why he’s still living at home, except that he hasn’t figured his shit out and doesn’t have a clue what he wants in life.

Dolly is sick. Her heart condition is something she can fully function with, but living completely on her own makes us all nervous. I don’t think she’d admit it, but she’s afraid to be by herself. She never has been.

Before I was charged and sentenced, my plan was to stay here to take care of the ranch, Pops, and Dolly. I was fine with hooking up with women in the barn or in the hunting cabin, which is miles away but still on the property.

Holden

Guess I’m unlocking the window. Did the mayor’s sweet little girl ever learn to sneak out?

Rosie

Wouldn’t you like to know? I’m on my way.

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