Page 162 of My Cowboy Freedom
Then I saw Rock’s face go purple with rage.
And realized Elena had been hit by a car.
“Hijo de puta!”Elena was screaming at the driver.Draggingherself off the pavement in front of a late-model Chevy truck. “Youhitme.”
She limped over, legs covered in road rash, bruises already mottling her golden skin—all along one arm. The truck had skidded to a stop. Now it hissed like a monster.
“You motherfucker!”Thud. Wham.Rock kicked a massive dent in the passenger door. “You ignorant, redneck motherfucker. You could have killed her just now!”
The driver and I exchanged angry glances and my whole world went on tilt.
Lefty Wheelerjammed his foot down on the parking brake and flung open the driver’s side door.
“Did you just kick my car? Is there a dent in the side of my truck? You retard motherfucker! Imma kill you.”
“Wait.Rock.”Elena’s voice held shock.
She’d probably never seen him angry like that.Icouldn’t have imagined his fury if I’d tried, but this was Rock protecting his godmother, and Lefty didn’t stand a fucking chance in hell.
“It’s okay, baby.” Elena tried again to get Rock’s attention. “I’m fine. I’m just rattled. I’ll be fine.”
“He hit you!” Rock shouted, still kicking Wheeler’s door. “You could have been killed by that”—wham!—“that”—wham!
“Calm down, honey. I’m okay,” she said desperately.
“Don’t talk to me about calming down,” Rock hollered. “I am not going to calm down until that inbred fucking—”
“Jee-zussss!” The boss had somehow opened his door and he was now standing, swaying,clingingto the car’s roof. Grinning widely with only half his face. It was awful hard for him to talk, but apparently he needed to repeat the word.“Jesus!”
This time, he thumped his fist on the roof of the car for emphasis.
Bam, bam, bam!
“You wanted a piece of me, Lefty Wheeler?” Rock was in a blind rage. “I am right fucking here. Come and get it.”
“Rock, c’mon.” I tried distracting him. “We need to take Elena to the ER.”
“I appreciate your support,” Elena said over me, “but I don’t need anyone to tell me to take some ibuprofen and that I’m going to feel like shit tomorrow.”
“You’re paying for that dent,” Lefty shouted at Rock.
“I’ll pay it,” I offered. God, I’d let Rock burn Lefty’s POS fucking truck to the ground. Even if I had to pay for a new one out of my wages forever.
Lefty turned to me with a sneer. “I don’t need your fag money.”
“My fag money spends just as well as your asshole money,” I shouted.
Not helping, I know.
Rock’s pastor hurried over, all breathless and out of sorts.
“Elena, my gosh. I called nine-one-one. Are you all right?”
Elena wasn’t looking at him. She was looking behind me, eyes wide and full of fear. I spun around.
Lefty Wheeler was coming straight for Rock holding an aluminum baseball bat. The look on his face was murderous.
Chandler paled.
