Page 12 of Rooster


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“Call her that again,” I said, my voice sharp. “And I’ll hit you so hard, you’ll choke on your own goddamn teeth.”

Pruitt shoved away from me, taking a few steps back to get out of reach. Then he pointed his pistol at Lou.

For one heart-stopping moment, my stomach plummeted to my toes. Without me to shield her, Lou was exposed. Even if she managed to get a shot off to defend herself, Pruitt’s bullet could still cause damage.

“You’re going to pay for this, bitch,” he said. “You aremywife. Mine. And youwillrespect that.”

I waited until Pruitt was out of sight before I turned toward Lou. She gripped the shotgun like her life depended on it. Then I noticed her legs trembling.

“Lou, darlin’,” I said softly. “It’s okay. He’s gone.”

She tore her gaze away from the horizon and looked down at me. Slowly, she sank to the steps of my trailer. When I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the shotgun’s barrel, she squeezed it tighter.

“Let go, baby,” I whispered.

Gently, I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, brushing my thumb against her cheek. Lou had a backbone of iron and enough fire in her belly to make most men think twice about crossing her. To see her so shaken up and pale had me sick to my stomach.

For several long seconds, Lou didn’t loosen her grip. Gradually, her fingers opened. I pulled the gun free, set it aside. Then I scooped an arm around her waist, tugging her close.

“I hate this,” she said, her voice cracking. “I just want him to leave me alone.”

I squeezed her tighter, burying my face in her neck. The sweet scent of her skin filled my lungs. Then I pulled back and smoothed Lou’s hair away from her face, looking her in the eye.

“You’re safe here. With me. I promise.”

“But I can’t…stay here forever.”

I shrugged. “As long as your car remains out of commission, it looks like you’re going to get cozy in Merry Field.”

Lou breathed a faint laugh, heavy with fatigue. Pruitt had put a strain on her that I hadn’t noticed before. She was stuck in a marriage that was wearing her down and all she wanted to do was run away.

“I’m a big girl, Rooster. I could get a new set of tires myself and change them out.”

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She sighed, melting into my arms.

“I know you can take care of yourself, Lou. But I walked away when you needed me before and it was the biggest mistake of my life. I’ve regretted it every day for the past twelve years. I’m not doing that again.”

Lou was quiet. Then her arms came around me, her palms warm against my bare back. I could feel the tension ease from her body. Guilt kicked me in the chest for putting her in this position. For pushing her into another man’s arms who didn’t love her the way she deserved.

I held Lou a little tighter, knowing that all the apologies in the world wouldn’t mean a damn thing if I didn’t find a way to make this right.

Chapter Six

Lou

I should have known Jed would track me down. Maybe some part of me had suspected it already but I didn’t want to admit it. Seeing my slashed tires was nerve-racking enough. To come face to face with him outside Rooster’s door had left me rattled.

As I moved around the trailer, gathering my clothes and getting dressed, I kept stealing brief touches from Rooster. Trailing my hand around his middle when I passed him in the bedroom. Hooking one finger in the belt loop of his jeans.

I felt like a toddler afraid of losing her parent in the middle of a crowd.

In the back of my mind, a small voice whispered that I should leave. Rooster didn’t need this kind of trouble. Especially when Jed had threatened him with a gun in his face.

But I was selfish. Now that I’d found my way back to Rooster, I didn’t want to leave again. It felt good to face trouble together, knowing I wasn’t alone, knowing nothing would stop Rooster from protecting me.

That thought scared me though. If anything happened to him because of me…I would never forgive myself.

I stood in the tiny bathroom before the mirror, staring at my reflection.

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