Seconds later, a distant, piercing scream tears through the air.
Dolly.
We all take off running in the same direction out the open door of the barn. The sun is already turning the sky orange on the horizon, which means it’ll be dark soon.
“He took her,” Cash says.
Adrenaline is surging through my veins like a drug. I could rip a person in half right now. Holden grabs a hunting bow that’s mounted on the wall and tosses it to me. He and Cash both grab rifles and the hunting knife we use to skin the deer we shoot.
Duke and Sterling are running toward the closest truck—an old beat-up white one they use for ranch work. Sterling jumps into the driver’s seat while Duke hops in the bed.
They speed over to us. Holden climbs into the front seat, and Cash and I join Duke in the truck bed. Cash hands me the arrows that we shoot hogs and deer with. I have the best aim.
“We’re almost there, baby. Hold on. Try to breathe.” Cash is still on the phone with Monroe.
Duke’s gaze is on the dirt road ahead. It weaves through oak and cedar trees, so our visibility isn’t far. Finally, we see a spot of pink. Sterling slows the truck and stops beside a hysterical Monroe.
Cash hops out of the truck and wraps his arms around her. “Are you hurt? Where’d he take her?”
She’s hiccuping and sobbing, her pink tracksuit covered in dirt. Tears stream down her face, but she manages to lift a shaky hand and point toward the river bottom up ahead. “Th-that way. He took her that way.”
Cash pulls her closer and tosses Duke the gun he was holding. “Go.”
Sterling takes off toward the river bottom. It’s almost pitch-black now. The headlights are the only thing leading us on.
“Stop it! Get off me!” Dolly’s panicked screams reach my ears.
Red-hot rage courses through my veins. As the truck approaches the river bottom, we can’t see them in the darkness. Silhouettes of trees and boulders block our view until the truck pulls all the way down to the river, revealing Matthews and Dolly. He has her on the ground, holding her down by her hair while he tries to undo his pants with the other hand. Her shirt and pants have been torn off, and she’s left in her bra and a thong in the freezing night.
Time stands still. My hands move on pure instinct as I string up the bow. Sterling drives as far down as he can without the truck getting stuck in the water, but they’re on the other side. They must have crossed over on the low crossing.
I look down the arrow, pulling back the string and letting it loose before I have time to think about it. Right as Matthewsturns toward the truck lights, the arrow strikes him in the shoulder, jerking his body backward.
“Ah!” he bellows.
He doesn’t let go of Dolly’s hair. She jerks back with him from the force of his pull on her head.
She screams, falling back against him on the sharp rocks of the riverbed. I’m afraid if I try to hit him again, it could get her now that she’s right on top of him. My aim is deadly, but I won’t risk hurting her.
Matthews’s shoulder is gushing blood, but he manages to pull Dolly in front of him, releasing her hair and wrapping his forearm around her throat.
“Come any closer, and I’ll snap her neck, Redfords.” He presses his lips to the back of her head of dark hair.
I jump out of the back of the truck before stringing another arrow and pulling back on the bow string. He jerks her even closer, covering almost his entire body with her small, shivering frame. She reaches up to grip his forearm in a feeble attempt to break free. I’ve fought Matthews, and I know he’s a strong son of a bitch.
Her eyes are wide, tears streaking through the dirt on her cheeks. “Sam,” she whimpers.
My chest caves in at the sound of her trembling voice. I clench my jaw, pointing the sharp tip at the sliver of his face showing.
It’s too close. She’s too close.
Her brothers have fanned out around me, guns raised.
Holden chuckles beside me. “Is it really worth it, Matthews? All to avenge your dead, piece-of-shit half-brother?”
“Was it worth it to you? To kill an innocent man and leave two boys as orphans in the process?” His eyes shine bright in the headlights of the truck as he moves to the side so his voice isn’t muffled by her hair. His gaze moves to me. “I know he doesn’tregret taking a father from his kids, but you will regret this …son.”
My hand shakes. I stare at him, at the eyes that look too familiar. He grins. “So you didn’t know? I guess I’m not surprised your shit-hole grandfather never told you.”
