Page 34 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

She pivoted and raced back toward her car, slipping but righting herself before she went down.

The truck doors popped open and slammed closed. Footsteps pounded toward her.

Her heart was beating out of control. If she pulled out her phone and called 911 would anybody come in time to help? Could she reach her car and get inside? Drive away? At least have a barrier? If she screamed loud enough, would Rhett hear her over the sounds of construction equipment, nail guns, the thick forest, and the rain?

She slid in the mud, banging into the side of her car with her hip and fumbling for her keys in the pocket of her flannel.

“Help!” she hollered at the top of her lungs, afraid no one would hear her.

“Pretty cousin,” Jaxon taunted. “Nobody will hear you.” Reaching her, he yanked her keys out of her hand just as she clicked the unlock button. He hurled her key chain off into the trees.

“Hey!” she yelled at him, her fear mingling with indignation. “You are such an imbecile.”

“Oh yeah?” Jaxon crowded her against the car, pushing his big body against hers.

Her stomach rolled over. Having him close was worse than a stinky skunk and a dangerous grizzly bear.

“You want to take that back?” Jaxon asked, glowering down at her.

She wanted to get far from here. He smelled like rank body odor and sour milk. His body was big but not as firm as Rhett’s. She prayed inside her heart and head that Rhett could please, please come.

“We hear you’re sweetening up the contractors,” Preston said. He picked up her box of dropped pastries and opened it. “Yum. Thanks for these.”

“You two are scum that have nothing better to do than harass me. Why don’t you both get a life, and take a shower? You stink.” She said all of this bravely, but her pulse raced, her hands trembled, and bile crawled up her throat. These two would hurt her first and explain their twisted purposes later.

“I don’t know why you were always Grandpa’s favorite. You’re a witchy little beast, even if you are beautiful.” Jaxon flipped her wet hair. “I’m gonna teach you some lessons while Preston eats your treats.”

Preston laughed and held up a glazed donut. “I’m gonna enjoy this show.”

Jaxon leaned down closer to her. His breath smelled of rotted tobacco and the sour milk she’d identified earlier.

“You are going to run scared out of town,” he snarled. “This property is meant to be ours. If you don’t listen and give it to us, we’ll track you down and kill you. Consider this your only warning.”

He lifted her off her feet and slammed her back into her car. She screamed as pain radiated through her upper back.

“I’m just getting started, pretty cousin.” Jaxon released his grip on her and lifted his hand. He glared down at her. “This is the part where you cower and cry.”

“I’ll never cower to you,” she screamed in his face, even as her stomach twisted in knots and her legs felt too weak to support her.

“Hey!” a voice yelled as footsteps thundered toward them.

Jaxon whipped around to face the man sprinting around their truck.

Preston dropped the box of donuts, squealed, and ran for the truck.

Sloan’s heart raced with joy and the dreary day lit up as she saw Rhett racing toward her and Jaxon.

Jaxon backed away from her, holding up his hands. “We were just talking.”

Preston jumped into the truck, slamming the door.

“Oh yeah?” Rhett said. “I’ll teach you to never talk to Sloan again.” He flung himself at Jaxon and drove his fists into her cousin’s face.

Jaxon was driven back into her car, his body slamming into it much harder than he’d done to her.

Preston started the truck and spun past them in the mud.

“Hey!” Jaxon cried out at his brother ditching him.

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