Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“Jaxx, I don’t remember his real name but you look a lot like him.” They got to giggling again and I jumped in the truck and got the hell outta there.
6
T-Bone
* * *
As I drove along on my way to my little mission, I got to thinking about those women and their reactions. You see I know I’m not what people think, though I don’t try to dissuade them from their way of thinking.
I never was the ignorant hick I pretend to be, and it wasn’t because of the money. Mama had been a real beauty, a woman of great taste, with a good head on her shoulders, and she’d loved daddy something fierce before she died.
They’d met at a horse show way back when daddy was doing the Rodeo circuit and daddy had brought her home and married her when he found out she was on the run from an abusive ex.
She’d given up her city life to settle down here in the middle of nowhere to have a family. Because they’d kept mostly to themselves, people came to their own conclusions, all of them wrong.
I knew all about the finer things in life. What mama hadn’t taught me I’d learned from books and now the Internet. I also knew that with my money I could go anywhere in the world, be anything I wanted. I just didn’t have any interest. The land was in my blood.
All I want is to live out my days right here on this little piece of heaven with a family of my own. And for that I’ve decided that I need Ms. Melanie Dewitt to make it happen. She was the only woman to ever make me feel and I knew that counted for something. One day, she’ll be making eyes at me the way mama had with daddy.
I pulled up outside the correct building with a few minutes to spare and after locating her car, parked just one car over. When it was just about time for her to come out, I rode around the lot slowly as if searching for a parking space.
Barring an emergency the coast should be clear. I’d chosen to move now because she should be leaving any minute for her job at the all night diner outside of town. It meant I wouldn’t have to go inside and risk being seen.
My pulse picked up when I saw her come out the door with her head buried in her bag probably looking for her keys. “Oh baby that’s dangerous, you should always be aware of your surroundings.”
I watched her walk to her car in the poorly lit lot and eased my truck into place. There wasn’t a lot of light back there and the place was empty except for the two of us. I opened the truck door as quietly as I could and snuck up behind her.
She turned just as I reached her but it was too late. There was barely a sound as she went out from the slight pressure on the pulse point in her neck. I’d thought of using the chloroform I kept around the farm, but decided against it in the end.
I made short work of tying her up once I had her safely in the truck. I knew I couldn’t hang around there too long, so I just threw the sack over her head. I made sure she could breathe okay, before pulling out with her head resting on my leg. I was whistling by the time I turned the corner.
* * *
I rode well within the limits until I reached the far end of my property. I let himself relax as soon as the tires hit the dirt road that ran along the back of my place. She started making waking noises so I took the sack from over her head.
“Hello Angel.” She screeched and tried moving off my leg but her bound hands and feet had her a bit encumbered. “Stop that before you hurt yourself.” Her eyes turned up to mine and I saw the question in her eyes seconds before recognition hit.
“Why?” It was all she said as the fear clouded her eyes. I didn’t like seeing it there, but knew it would take time before she understood.
“Why not?”
We drove on in silence partly because I refused to answer any questions and I’m sure she wasn’t saying much because she was doing her best to come up with a plan of escape. It’s what I would do. But there was no way out for her.
* * *
Melanie
* * *
I remember where I’d seen him before, that day in class. It was hard to miss the man with the hairy face and ponytail. Now all the times I’d felt as if I were being watched made sense.
I sat as close to the passenger door as possible once the strange man helped me sit up, but with my hands and feet tied I knew it would be pointless to try anything. I’d have to keep my eyes and ears opened for my first chance.