“That right?” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Uh yeah, have you looked in the mirror? You’re a fucking tank.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
“Didn’t intend for it to be, but whatever gets you off.”
Her face flames as she looks away, realizing what she said and I hide my laughter, turning back toward the mess in the stall. When I’m not looking at her I’m able to share a little more. Especially since she shared something so vulnerable with me, which coming from Bailey is even more disconcerting.
“I wanted to have a career in the Army, it was the only plan forme. I was an Apache pilot, and there was an attack that took my future away.” I can’t look at her, just focusing on mucking the dirty ground and not allowing my mind to go back to the dark place it drifts to.
She doesn’t speak right away, maybe she won’t at all, and that’s fine. I can do silence. I’m comfortable in the silence.
When she finally does, there’s a sense of relief washing over me, and the feeling is both unexpected and frightening.
“Maybe it wasn’t taking away your future, but putting you on the path you were really meant to be on instead.”
CHAPTER 23
Bailey
I’ve never beenas personable as Brynn. Never as in control as Brent, and never as fun as Bryson. And I’ve sure as fuck never been as careless as Brandon. I’ve always just been the one that everyone forgets about. The extra Collee who isn’t anything special. The one who wanted to protect her sister from the horrors of the house they lived in, but could never protect herself.
Yet, for the first time in that barn with Wes while he was scooping horse shit from stalls and I pet his dog—because Bruno is his, I don’t care what he says—I felt like someone who mattered. And that might be ridiculous, but Wes not knowing a single thing about my past or my family, especially Brent, made me feel like I could breathe for the first time.
To him I’m just me, and he asked me to come with him. He wanted to be around me, even in that moment. It all terrified me, and as soon as I realized what was happening I panicked. I had to get away, but of course he drove me so I found an excuse to go somewhere else.
I decided to feed the goats because the cows look like theywant to bulldoze me. Turns out the goats have the same plan because they keep ramming their horns into my legs as I try to feed them.
“I’m the one with your food, you know? Being mean to me is not the way to get it.” I try to reason with the feral little things, but they don’t seem to care.
I manage to get them their food, and as I walk back to the entrance of their pasture the giant man making me feel things I don’t want to feel is standing there waiting for me.
“That was entertaining,” he teases.
“Don’t start with me,” I mumble, keeping my head down as I walk past him through the gate, embarrassed because I can’t believe I shared what I did with him.
I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t like him, and despite what he may have said he also doesn’t like me. That’s something I’m sure of.
We end up finishing the tasks around the property mostly in silence. Which is because of me since I do everything I can to keep my distance. Though, he’s never far and Bruno sticks by us both.
When we get back in the car to leave it feels even more crowded than it did on the way here. The tension between us is so thick, I swear even Bruno can feel it.
Once Wes parks in front of his house, and the loud engine cuts off, silence surrounds us. I can’t get out of the car fast enough.
“Whereare you running off to?” Wes asks. I pause but don’t turn around to face him.
“I have stuff to do,” I lie. I have no stuff. Not a single thing. I just can’t be around him much longer for my own sanity.
“What do you have to do?” His tone is suspicious and it instantly makes me defensive.
“Stuff that doesn’t concern you.”
He’s in front of me before I’m able to move; his hand is around the back of my neck holding me in place. “Want to try that again?” he practically growls.
I bite my bottom lip, stifling the urge to sass him even more. Stuck between wanting more of his punishments and finding out what a reward would feel like from him.
The fact that I’m even considering either of these options has me more concerned for the current state of my mental health.
