Page 19 of Bucked By Love

I like this feeling.

It’s been so long since I felt anything except my father’s crystal cold indifference and the Promise Sisters’ numbing inauthenticity. I find myself aching for something—anything—to get my blood pumping.

Even a fight.

If Riley Ransom wants a war, he’ll get one.

14

CLAIRE

Calypso is missing from her stable. I ask around. None of the ranch hands know where she is.

By time I force myself to the threshold of Daddy’s office and knock on the door, my heart is already jumping in my throat.

“Come in,” he says, his tone hard and flat.

The door creeks as I push it open.

Daddy is hunched over his desk peering into a round eyeglass. He has one of his clocks flayed open in front of him, it’s little mechanical pieces arranged in neat chaos. When he’s not working, Daddy is tinkering. Taking things apart. Putting them back together. In his own words: there is always room for improvement.

I inch inside. “Do you know where Calypso is? I couldn’t find her.”

He turns his gaze back to the eyeglass. Using a pair of tweezers, he replaces a small, circular gear. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure out where you’ve been going?”

Ice. Freezer burn around my heart. I try: “I haven’t been?—”

“Don’t lie to me,” he interrupts. “I’ll know if you are lying.”

I shut my mouth. He fits another small piece into place and lets the silence hang between us so long, it’s excruciating.

“You’re lucky I haven’t taken your ring from you,” he tells me. “There are consequences for your actions, Claire.”

A shot rings out.

It’s a sudden, popping bang. It startles the birds outside and sends them scattering.

Through the big, arched window in Daddy’s office, there’s a perfect view of the grounds below. I can see Arris Dagney walking out from one of the barns. His head is down and a shotgun hangs from his grip.

The glass within me breaks.

“No!” I scream. I run out of the office. Down the stairs. I fling the door wide open and dash through the tall trees to the barn.

Someone is calling my name. Daddy? One of the ranch hands?

I can’t hear anything but the pounding in my ears and the prayer in my heart.

No, no, no…!

There’s a sudden yank on my arm. Arris. “Settle down?—”

I rip my arm free. I push my way into the barn.

The smell of death is this heavy, damp thing that hangs in the air. It’s spooked the horses in their pens and they’re pacing, whining.

The buzz of flies collects around the pen in the far end. My breath is tacky and thick in the back of my throat. I push my feet forward, forcing myself to approach?—

“Claire? What’re you doing here?”

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