Page 9 of Rodeo Cowboy
“Do better,” Ford adds.
“I’ll ensure the Quylt sisters steer clear of your bride.” Dean jabs my side three times.
“I reckon you’re lucky we didn’t send a search party out for you,” Wheeler grunts.
“Don’t force us to chain you to the barn to ensure you don’t run off again.” Beck’s only half kidding.
The fading crunch of their boots on the dry ground indicates they’re taking off and leaving me behind, strung up like a damn animal.
“Don’t you fucking leave me!” I shout, trying to spin enough to see them. “Hey! Assholes!”
Snickers and peels of laughter are their only response.
“Fuck.” I pull, twist, and thrash in every direction ‘till I’m blue in the face. The tight bindings hold firm. My fingers start to numb and tingle.
“Fuck!” I take a deep breath to calm down, but anger resurfaces. I left Ayla and the kids to fend off the entire town. They don’t stand a chance against the gossip guild.
“What happened to you?”
“McKenna?” My head whips in her direction, and I catch her dim outline. “Hey, go get your aunt to cut me down.”
“Who strung you up?” I hear her voice circling me.
“My brothers,” I grit out.
“You pissed them off.”
“No cussin’.”
“You’re not my dad or uncle, for that matter.”
“McKenna, there’s a knife in my pocket. Dig it out and cut my feet free.”
“Uncle Sammy, I’ll make you a deal.” I sure as hell don’t want to make a deal with her. “Where’s my lighter?”
“No.”
“Good luck then.” I catch sight of her spin to trek away.
“Wait.”
Her thumping boots stop.
Ayla is going to skin me alive. Or else we’ll all burn down in my house tonight.
“Yeees.” She stretches the word out.
I inhale so hard my nostrils sting. “In my back pocket.”
I hear her skip to me. “Right or left.”
“Lighter stays in the kitchen at bedtime.”
“Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”
“Right pocket.”
She fetches it out of my pocket, and I hear the flint flicker to life.
