Page 58 of A Fighting Chance

I still haven’t said anything. But maybe that’s all right, because Gentry wraps his arms around me and I return the gesture.

As the shock finally wears off, a smile begins to stretch across my face and I squeeze him tighter. “That was kind of hot,” I tell him.

“Oh yeah?”

“I’m not usually one to condone violence but the sweet crunching sound of Chuck’s face against your knee really has me thinking naughty things,” I admit.

“Do you want another shower?” he asks, and at that, we both laugh.

Nineteen

Lyla

Another week passes,and Paw’s slowly been getting back to himself. He now goes to bed with Nan in their bedroom, so no one’s camping in the living room anymore. He’s walked to the kitchen and back, to grab his own water—after the doctor approved it, of course. It’s made Nan visibly less stressed, which has been a relief to everyone else.

After Chuck’s visit last week, Harper sold the ring herself after hearing his intentions. She went shopping for new clothes with the money, and for whatever reason, the exchange with him seems to have given her some much-needed closure. The reality of Charles leaving doesn’t look like it sits quite so heavy on her shoulders anymore. Though she still has her moments.

And since that day, not a night has gone by that I haven’t been in Gentry’s room. I haven’t slept in my own bed at all. I even moved my luggage into his room, because in his words,it justmade sense.

I wasn’t sure it was a good idea at first, but I didn’t think about it too long. I didn’twantto think about it. Instead, I shoved my impending need to leave far off into the corners of my mind and ignored them.

Today, I’m in the barn with Maribelle and Lucy. I brush them and feed them, then sit with them and talk to them. Talking to cows is nice. They don’t interrupt you or talk back. They simply sit there, wanting the treats from your hand, quietly listening to you without passing judgment. They’re the best sounding boards.

I hear someone walk into the barn and stand to see if it’s Gentry but to my surprise, it’s Dean. “Oh, hi,” I say.

“Well, hello there,” Dean says. He does his best to saunter over to me and then he leans against the gate of the pin. “What are you doing out here?”

“Just talking to Maribelle,” I say. “She’s a great listener.” I gesture to her then turn back to Dean, but he’s busy staring straight down my shirt. I snap my fingers in front of his face.

“Oh, sorry,” he says, laughing. “Old habits.”

I decide to let it go, not wanting to get into it with him aboutold times. “Right.”

“Speaking of,” he says.

Here we go.

“Remember when I used to fuck you right in the back of my car?” he asks.

I don’t say anything in return, and he continues with, “Good times, good times. I just figured since you’re here…maybe we can go again, for old times’ sake.”

I cringe at the very thought. “Listen, no offense, but I’m not interested.” With that, I wave him off.

He grabs my hand and holds me in place. “What? You mean Gentry’s the only cowboy around here you’ll fuck?”

My mouth falls open, stunned by the venom in his words. “Let go of me, Dean.”

“I’ve had you before, what’s one more time?” he says.

“Dean, let go of my hand,” I demand, trying to remain calm.

He pushes the pin open and backs me all the way against the wall of the barn. “Come on, Lyla. You know you want it. You know you remember how it was,” he says, licking his lips.

I try to pull away, but the harder I struggle against his grip, the tighter it becomes. “Please, let me go.”

“You know what else is nice about this barn? No one can hear you.” He laughs after that, a disgusting laugh. One that makes my skin crawl.

In the middle of his sinister, bad-guy laugh, his body is jerked away from me.

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