Page 74 of Fall to Me
“You think the dining room table is safe for Thanksgiving or did they fornicate on that too?” I ask.
“We’re definitely avoiding the couch and the dining room,” she says, holding my hand as we rock side by side. “Maybe we should throw a blanket down onto the floor and have a picnic in the living room for Thanksgiving.”
“Fuck, if they’re anything like us, nothing in that house is safe.”
We look at each other and bust up laughing.
“Oh, god. This is so fucked,” she wheezes. “That’ll teach me to surprise my mother.”
Howls echo around us, and Rhett walks out of the house with a rifle, placing a ball cap on his head. Marcy follows, her cheeks heating when her eyes meet mine.
Rhett leans down and gives River a kiss on top of the head. “I’m glad you’re home, bug. I gotta go take care of these coyotes. Make sure they don’t get close to the cows.”
My eyes widen in shock. “Did he . . . did he just say coyotes?”
River laughs. “You’re not in New York anymore, City Boy. Welcome to the farm.”
Rhett studies River, rubbing his hand across his jaw. “Actually, Carter, why don’t you come with me?”
The pack of coyotes sound like they’re getting closer. To be honest, I’m a little nervous about a pack of wild dogs, but I’m not about to look like a pussy in front of her dad, so heaving to my feet, I bend down and kiss River on the lips.
“If I don’t make it back, my sister gets my Porsche. She loves that thing, but everything else is yours,” I joke.
River laughs as I trot down the stairs behind Rhett, following him out to his truck where he grabs a spotlight. He turns it on and starts toward the back of the house. We’re about a hundred yards away when an old barn comes into view. Sliding the doors open, he reaches around and turns on the light, then makes his way to an expensive looking side-by-side and hops into the driver's seat. I jump in beside him, and we take off.
The cold air hits my face as we race toward the pasture, hitting bumps and splashing through mud puddles at full speed. He doesn’t slow down until we stop at a gate. Without him asking, I jump out and open the gate for him. He drives through, and I close and latch it back. Rhett hasn’t said a word to me this entire time. He shines the spotlight back and forth, looking for the cows or the coyotes. We’re deep into the pasture when he stops and turns off the ATV.
“Get the fuck out,” he barks—the air shifting around us.
Twenty-Four
Carter
Umm. What?
My brows dip in confusion, but I step out of the side-by-side, the headlights shining in front of us and the spotlight resting in the seat, lighting up his face. I see pure rage in his eyes.
“What did I tell you when we first met?”
I blink.
What is he talking about?
“Don’t play coy with me, boy. I warned that if you hurt my daughter, I would ruin your fucking life, you piece of shit. You turn up here, and she has a goddamn bruise on her cheek?”
“Rhett . . .”
I didn’t even think about the bruise on her cheek that’s starting to change from green to yellow. I swallow hard, my lips parting to explain, but before any words come out, he lifts his rifle and fires a shot. I jump at the pop and hear the bullet whiz by my head. Warm blood trickles down the side of my neck, and the tip of my ear feels like it’s on fire.
“What the fuck?!” I yell, holding my ear as he aims his gun at my knee. My heart slams in my chest. “Goddammit, Rhett. Jaxon broke into our home and attacked River. I thought she told you.”
Eyeing me skeptically, he lowers the gun. Holy shit. He was seriously gonna take me out. Crazy fuckin’ bastard.
“You were gonna kill me.”
“Don’t be dramatic. I told you I wouldn’t kill you,” he sighs. “Fuck. No, she didn’t tell us. Knowing her, she probably didn’t want to worry me or her mother.”
Pacing back and forth, I tell him everything. I still feel uncomfortable with the gun in his hand, even if it’s not aimed at me.
