Page 84 of Caruso
The way the sun is high in the sky and bathes the mountains in splendor. The rugged terrain mixed with the landscaped finery of the Freedom Ranch.
Aside from the luxuries the brothers have insisted on, the trails, the horses and the hiking is what interests me.
Giorgio aspires to be a cowboy, well saddle me up, honey, and watch me ride into bad decisions like it’s my full-time job.
I wander into the closet and, once again, my eyes widen at the array of outfits already in place. It’s as if I have always lived here. They have thought of everything, and I’m happy to report that none of it resembles designer elegance.
Everything is more practical here. Plaid shirts, jeans, cowboy boots and shorts. T-shirts, sweaters and sneakers take pride of place among baseball caps, bikinis and sportswear.
I almost can’t wait to pull on some jeans and a t-shirt and shrug a hoodie on against the chill in the mountain air. I’m guessing we’re walking somewhere, so I wear sneakers, and once my hair is pulled back in a ponytail, I’m ready to meet Tommaso.
He’s a strange one for sure. One minute I’m terrified of him and the next craving his attention, no matter his mood. I can’t figure him out, and he’s a mystery I must solve.
He’s hiding something; they all are, and yet I shouldn’t be concerned because after today, they won’t be my problem anymore, and I hate how sad that makes me.
But how can I stay? This life isn’t for me. I haven’t earned it, and I don’t intend to earn it by lying on my back. I value myself more than that. I’m not a whore. No matter how they dress this arrangement up, I would be the Caruso whore and one thing Jason said resonated with me.
‘We’re survivors, you and me. We came from nothing but will leave with everything.’
He’s right. I am a survivor, and I’m done trying to fight for the right to a normal life. If I stay, I lose; if I leave, as Jason said, I will leave with everything. I will leave with my dream of a normal life, and to achieve it, I must remove myself from an extremely abnormal situation. Move away from Vegas to a small town where normal is expected and take a job in a diner or restaurant and start again.
I find Tommaso waiting at the bottom of the stairs, and my mouth dries as I feast my eyes on perfection.
He has changed out of his customary suit and is wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans and black cowboy boots. His leather jacket is hardly cowboy but is seriously hot, and as he glares at my approach, I detect a softening in his expression as I head toward him.
“Come.” He holds out his hand, and I wonder why it’s as natural as breathing to take it. I should be awkward around him; he sure doesn’t make it easy, but it’s as if my hand belongs in his.
As his huge fist curls around mine, my heart thumps with anticipation. Will I make it three brothers in as many days? A parting gift to myself. I guess I already know the answer to that.
We head outside, and I breathe in deeply because away from the city the air is sharper, cleaner, healing even.
The sun kisses my upturned face, and the slight breeze is refreshing, and as we head to the steps leading down to the landscaped lawn, I wonder where we’re going.
Tommaso is brooding about something, and I guess that concerns me. Everything I do annoys him in some way, but I’m too wired to care. It’s this place. Freedom Ranch is aptly named because this place comes with a lightness of spirit as standard.
His gruff voice interrupts my thoughts. “Around the property are trails leading into the mountain. As I said before, make sure you have a guide because they may look tempting, but there are hidden dangers.”
“Like what?”
“Nature, and I’m not just talking about the snakes and wildcats that prey on these mountains. Loose rocks play a part, and there are many ravines with no fencing to stop you from slipping and tumbling down them.”
I shiver as he paints a grim picture of a beautiful place, and he tightens his hold. “There is a great deal of danger in beauty, Taylor. It disguises itself well and strikes when you least expect it.”
I say nothing because every sentence he speaks appears to hold another meaning, and I wonder what happened in his past to corrupt his soul so badly.
We wander across the lawn and reach a gate, and as we head through it, I note a stone path leading upwards.
He pulls me along, and as we climb up a steep trail, my breathing intensifies, and he says abruptly, “The oxygenis light up here. We have an oxygen bar at the ranch. You get used to the altitude, but it takes some getting used to.”
“You don’t say.”
I must be super unfit because I’m already panting, and we haven’t even ventured far, and Tommaso says with concern, “It’s not far. I want to show you the view from the first ridge.”
We carry on, finally arriving at our destination about ten minutes later, and as we move to the edge, my breathing is forgotten as the view steals it away.
“Wow!”
I gaze with delight at the view below us. We are surrounded by nature, no cars, no houses, just breathtaking magnificence.
