Page 2 of Discovering Daisy

“Roadside assistance,” Daisy said.

“Hey, boys, look,” the redheaded one said after peering into the passenger window. “She’s got a toy!”

He laughed as he pulled open the door and yanked the stuffie out.

“Had the damn thing wearing a seatbelt, too.”

“Well, ain’t that cute?” the leader said.

The men jeered.

“Give that back!” Daisy said, rushing toward her stuffie.

“Or you’ll what?” the redhead said.

Just when she was almost to him, her arms thrust forward grasping for her bear, he tossed it over her head and to the big man.

He caught it and then tossed it to the third guy.

“Looks like we have us a game of keepaway,” the big guy said.

“Give me my bear!” Daisy cried.

The men just laughed as they continued to throw it back and forth. Finally, the leader said, “Hey, I got an idea. You want this bear?”

“Yes!”

“Do you really want it?”

She sniffled and nodded, hating the fact that she was showing such weakness to the bullies.

“Well, girlie, maybe we could work out a little trade.”

Tears were welling in Daisy’s eyes. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing Hedy.

“A t-trade?” she said with a sniffle.

“That’s right,” he said. He wore a crooked sneer, a line of tobacco juice spilling from his cracked bottom lip. “We give you your little toy back. And in return, you give us your ass and let us take turns with you. Me first, of course.”

The men laughed.

“Why do you get to go first?” Red said.

“Because it was my idea,” the big guy said, jerking his thumb at his chest. He looked rather proud of the plan he’d concocted.

Daisy was terrified. She tried to inject as much confidence as possible, saying, “Give me my bear back! You have no right to take her! And I’m not going to do…that!”

“Oh really?” the leader said. “And who’s going to stop us if we just rip your little toy up and then grab you anyway?”

“I am,” a new voice said.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks and looked toward the tall, strong, handsome cowboy who stood just a few feet way.

Chapter Two

The stranger strode closer, his jaw set hard, his gaze even harder.

It was as if he commanded the very air around him. He looked tough, capable, and ready for a fight if the situation called for it.

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