I cradle it as I fall to the floor amid the destruction. I know what I need to do. I’m not staying here. I place the figurine, unbroken, onto the bed and turn back to my bag. I stop and look at the wreckage I’ve left behind.
It’s done.
Walking out of my room and heading out of the house I never felt was a home, I hear my mother and Jon arguing. He’s defending me, and it shocks me.
“Pen, you’re going to push her away for good if you don’t stop. She almost gave her life for that sport. Are you willing to do either of those things?” He raises his voice.
“No, but…”
“Sweetheart, if you want to race yourself, we’ll figure it out. But we aren’t going to lose our daughter over it.”
My heart clenches that he called me his daughter.
I continue to the kitchen and leave a note for them. Then I head out to get everything ready. I’m exhausted, but I can stay in my trailer for the night once I hit the road. Besides, I know if I close my eyes now, all I’ll see is Callum. Part of me hoped he would show up and stop me, but he hasn’t. He said he’d chase after me, and now he hasn’t.
By the time I have my trailer hooked up to my truck, I expect everyone to be asleep.
“Hey, kiddo. Where are you taking off to?” Uncle Ethan’s deep voice startles me.
“Jeez, oh Pete, Uncle Ethan, you scared the piss out of me.” I hold a hand to my chest.
In the lights of the large barn, I see he’s dressed in his typical fare. Mom says Uncle Ethan hasn’t met a sleeve he likes. His dark jeans hug his big body. There was a time when every man I saw, I compared to Ethan. I thought he was handsome. Now, that’s only Callum.
Uncle Ethan’s cowboy hat sits low on his head, hiding his eyes. His T-shirt, with the sleeves cut off, barely contains his muscles. He doesn’t ranch full time anymore, and I know he must dress up for his security job, but this is how I know him.
“If you weren’t running away in the dark, you wouldn’t have been scared.” His voice breaks me from my thoughts.
“I need to get out of here. She’s never going to listen to me.”
I walk back through the stable where I was getting Red ready to go. I have all his tack and enough feed to cover him for the drive to Oklahoma.
“But is running away the answer? Is that what an adult does?” Ethan leans against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. “Want to talk about the guy who’s searching for you?”
My heart skips a beat. Callum is searching for me? That’s good, right?
“His name is Callum, or Cowboy. He’s part of the club with Striker.”
“He’s former military and also pretty secretive about his past.”
“And you aren’t?” I quip back before I walk to Red’s stall.
I open the door and slip the lead over his head, then guide him out to the trailer.
“You’ve gotten sassier in your mature age. I could suggest that Cowboy give you a spanking. I know your aunt needs them occasionally.”
“Yuck, Uncle Ethan. I don’t want to know about your sex life.”
His dark chuckle calms my nerves.
“Look, yes, it’s not mature, but I need to, even see if I can get back on Raine’s back. Or any horse’s for that matter before I completely tell her what my plan is. She won’t listen until I try this.”
“She’ll listen.” Jon’s voice breaks through the darkness as he walks up. “Saw your note. Kid, you do what you need to do. I’m here to support you. Your mama loves you, but she’s just scared. The police, the accident, and now the murder.”
Turning to Jon, I take in what he’s saying.
“You’re right. It’s a lot to process. That’s what I’m going to go do. I’ll be at Ty’s. You can reach me there. I’ll text, but I’m going to keep my phone off most of the time.”
“Hiding from Cowboy?” Ethan asks.
