Lucille scoffed. “Yet you got it all. The ranch, my childhood home—” She wiped her face. “Everything.”
Not everything.
After a few minutes of silence, she leaned her head against the brick wall and sighed. “I’m sorry about what I said the other day…about, well, everything.”
I placed my cowboy hat back atop my head and studied her closely. Beneath the dark clothes and makeup, she was still the same Lucille I remembered running around the ranch, playing with that silly dog. The same girl I watched every day and envied. She had it all, and I was just a stray her daddy took in. He gave me everything, and I was forever grateful, but she had the one thing I longed the most for…freedom.
“I told you.” Her head dropped as she looked at me. “Your venom can’t hurt me.” She scoffed, but I noticed the faintest hint of a smile beneath that mask she wore for everyone else.
Try all you want, you can’t hide yourself from me, Lucille. I see you.
“We wouldn’t be us if we weren’t fighting, now would we, little viper?”
Her head tilted ever so slightly, and I noticed the familiar golden flakes within her eyes return. “I guess not, old man.”
There she is.
Lucille groaned, struggling to stand. I offered my hand out to help her, and to my surprise, she took it, using it to balance herself as she stood. “Thanks,” she whispered.
“In all the years I’ve known you, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that to me.”
Lucille stopped and her eyes widened. “I haven’t?”
What is this emotion I see written across her face?
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it. I can imagine it’s difficult to show thanks to someone you hate.”
We both noticed her hand still in my grip. Her skin was so pale compared to mine, and despite how smooth it looked, I was a little shocked by how rough it felt. Despite how much she triedto hide it, she really was a country girl. And her palm was proof of it.
Lucille gently yanked her hand back and cleared her throat. “I–I don’t hate you,” she whispered in a bashful tone.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
She made a face, and I instinctively smiled. “I thought I did, but then…I just…I don’t know. It’s difficult to articulate. I spent my whole childhood envying how close you and my dad were. And I knew he talked of giving you Bone Ridge one day, but I just thought if I worked hard and showed how much I cared for that place, he’d leave it to me. His daughter.” She paused. “And then when I saw you again, hearing how he did leave it to you, all those old feelings resurfaced. Of course, hearing about how you were planning to sell Reaper was the cherry on top. And so, being as emotionally unstable as I am, I lashed out…” Lucille lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that…I was just—it was a lot. Coming back here, seeing everyone. Fuck.” She rubbed her eyes. “I just wanted to be someone my mom leaned on for once. I wanted to come back here and help in any way I can. I wanted to fix my mess and show how much I’ve changed. But it’s obvious I can’t even do that.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, for everything.”
She really had matured.
Lucille tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing numerous piercings. “I get why you wanted to sell the bull.”
So that’s what’s been eating away at her. Boone.
I stepped a little closer and tipped her chin, raising her head. Lucille’s tear-filled eyes reluctantly met mine, and for a moment, I nearly lost my damn self. “You saw your brother, didn’t you?” She didn’t have to answer as her face, the look she wore, told me the truth. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way. I should’ve said something sooner, or at least warned you. I never wanted to hurt you—” Lucille suddenly wrapped her arms around my torsoand buried her face against my chest. The motion took me back and I stumbled a bit, grasping what the hell just happened. “L-Lucille?”
Her soft sobs melted into my shirt as she held me close. “Please,” she whispered. “Just let me be here for a minute. I just need to let it out…I promise, I won’t bother you again, and we can go back to fighting later. But please, just give me this moment?”
I’ll give you whatever you want, Lucille.
The awkwardness faded away, and I slowly wrapped my arms around her, embracing her body. She was warm and comforting. Her soft, fiery hair brushed against the side of my face as her scent completely overcame me, and I found myself wishing to never let go.
You’ll be the death of me one day, little viper. I already know.
Chapter Five
Forsythe
I’m not like you,Forsythe. I can’t just wake up one day and choose to be happy or content.
Her words echoed in my mind. I kicked at the dirt, listening to the crickets chirp as the sun remained asleep. “We’re more alike than you realize, Lucille.”
