“What’s the problem?”
She placed a hand on her stomach to calm her nerves. “There’s no problem.” She stepped backward, feeling a sudden urge to retreat. “I—”
“Spit it out, Carly. We have a weddin’ to get to—and a honeymoon.”
“There isn’t gonna be a weddin’.”
“What?” He tightened his fists at his sides, and she noted the anger in his eyes.
“This arranged marriage has been rearranged. I’m not marryin’ you, Chet.”
His body jerked forward before she had time to react, and his hand wrapped around her wrist tight. “You get your ass down that aisle, right now.”
“No.” Her voice was shaky, but her gaze was unmovable. He yanked her forward, but she fought him. Pulling on her wrist, she backed up. “Let go of me.”
“I don’t think so.” He stopped pulling and stepped forward. His motion threw her off balance, and she fell backward into the waist high table against the wall. His body quickly covered hers, and their flailing arms knocked over the vase. “Do you remember the first time you told me no?”
She shook her head.
“I tried to buy you ice cream, and you turned me down. That asshole Billy Ray… I saw you kiss him.”
“I was eight.” Her expression contorted with concern. She winced when he tightened his grip.
“Next was fishing… you told me no. Pizza—no. School sweetheart dance—no. High school prom—no. I asked you out so many times—no!” His booming voice echoed in the room.
“You’d think you’d smarten’ up then and take the hint.” She yanked hard on her wrist, and when she freed it, his open hand struck out and connected with her cheek. She gasped and placed her palm over the burning mark. He was crazy, and she was scared. His hands started fluffing her dress, and she realized his intent when his palm skated across her thigh.
“You’re not tellin’ me ‘no’ this time. You’re the only one—”
He paused, and she thought she saw a touch of pain cross his expression, but she could only focus on the direction of his hand under her dress. “I burn from wantin’ you. I’ve been patient. It drives me crazy.” Lust shone in his eyes. When his fingers touched the hem to her panties, she lost it. She pounded on his chest and screamed.
“Get off me!”
“I’m gonna get off all right. I’ll try not to mess up the dress before the weddin’.”
He was totally insane. She placed her hand on his cheek and pushed until his head tilted back. His free hand grabbed her wrist and brought her arm to his mouth. His teeth bit down on her forearm and tears sprang forward.
She heard his belt buckle and tilted her torso to the side. If she could get her knee up, she’d have use of her legs.
His fingers dug into her flesh and he yanked her down until her rear hung off the table and her traction was gone. He placed all of his weight down on top of her. She felt his sick erection against her thigh separated from her skin, only by the cloth of his boxers.
“Get off me!” Her throat burned. She wiggled and moved her hands frantically. Then his weight was gone. A flash of black hit her vision, and she scrambled backward, falling off the table.
“You son of a bitch. Get off her!”
“Wade?” His arm came up and punched Chet repeatedly. He didn’t stop, and Chet’s face started to bleed.
“Lawrence!” Chet’s dad stood in the doorway.
“Levi?” Carly stared at who she had thought was Wade pounding Chet.
“Lawrence Sullivan?” Levi asked, looking at the other man who had shouted Lawrence.
“Yes. Lawrence Chester Sullivan.”
Levi looked up toward the heavens and smiled. “You gotta love karma.” He reached to the cuffs hanging from the back of his jeans and clicked them around Chet’s wrists. “I think you missed somethin’, Lawrence.” He yanked him to his feet. “There’s a bounty on your head for skippin’ out on bail and runnin’ from a rape charge in Arizona.” Levi wrapped his hand around the center of the cuffs and held Chet at arm’s length. Twisting at the waist, he offered his free hand to Carly and gently pulled her to her feet, his eyes roamed over her assessing her disheveled look. “Darlin’, you are a mess. Your dress is torn and your makeup is smeared—wait a minute.” He leaned forward and pinched her chin, moving her head side-to-side. “You need some ice. You have a bruise formin’.” Moving his hand to her arm, he lifted it. His eyes widened. “You bit her?” His gaze sliced to Chet and he glared at him.
Carly looked down at the bite mark and her stomach flipped causing her to sway.
Levi steadied her stance.
“Thank you.”
“Would have been here sooner, darlin’, but I was detained. And, if I knew Sullivan was Chet’s last name you wouldn’t have went through what you just did. I take it that’s his stepmom you were weddin’ shoppin’ with?”
“No, that’s his mother,” Chet’s father said still standing at a distance. His tone clipped.
“Different last name?”
“This is my fifth marriage, no woman gets my name. Maybe I should have thought about extending that rule to my son.”
“Here’s my card.” Levi extended his hand, holding his business card between two fingers. “We’ll be back in Arizona in a couple of days.” He tugged Chet through the door.
“Levi.” Carly ran after him, and stopped by his side on the front steps. “Wade?”
“Sorry, darlin’. Your cowboy rode off into the sunset without you.”
“What is going on here?” Chet’s mother pushed her way passed the two of them and spun to lock eyes with Levi. Her gaze dropped to the cuffs and back up again. “What? You take those cuffs off my son, right now.”
“Sorry, ma’am. Can’t do… he’s wanted.”
“What’s he charge with?”
“Besides being an asshole?” Levi’s eyes sliced to Mrs. Wilson. “Rape. And I do believe this family has more money than yours.”
“Fine. But you uncuff him, now. I have a church full of people, and thousands of dollars invested in this weddin’. I will not lose face because my son had some pre-marital indiscretions.”
“Indiscretions? He raped a young lady.”
“Uncuff him!”
Carly slapped the bouquet of flowers she’d retrieved from the floor against her almost mother-in-law’s chest. “I think if anyone deserves Chet, it’s you.”
Carly turned and Mrs. Wilson grabbed her arm. “You get back here. You were promised to my son.”
“Now wait a minute. You get your hands off my daughter.” Carly met her daddy’s gaze. A swarm of emotions brewed in his eyes, and she saw regret a moment before she yanked her arm free.
Stepping down two steps, she glared at Mrs. Wilson. “Problem with that is… my heart is promised to someone else.” Snatching Levi’s business card from Chet’s dad’s hand, Carly bolted toward the parking lot.
“Get back here!” Mrs. Wilson yelled.
“Carly, wait!” Her daddy’s voice blew through the air, and she looked over her shoulder toward him. He was coming after her. His girlfriend trailed behind him and Mrs. Wilson behind her.
Carly held the dress higher and ran faster. When she reached the asphalt of the parking lot, a black car screeched to a halt in front of her.
“Get in!” The woman driving said.
“Do I know you?”
“Carly, get in.”
Carly looked behind her, they were getting closer, even though Mrs. Wilson looked as if she’d faint any second. She opened the car door and jumped in.
“Can this thing move?”
“Of course it can, honey. It’s got a Hemi engine.” She down shifted, pulled her foot off the clutch, and the car bolted forward. Carly’s heart pounded from the excitement and the feeling of freedom. She felt like she was flying. Only one other thing in her life had ever given her this feeling—Wade.
“I’ve been sittin’ in the parkin’ lot hopin’ and prayin’ you’d make a run
for it.” She reached up and adjusted the rear-view mirror. “I think I can get you to your house before the posse catches up with you. It’s your choice if you want to stay there or leave with me. I can give you a place to stay, but you need to stay hidden and be gone soon because I don’t need any trouble.
“Who are you? Why are you doin’ this?”
“Name’s Tracy. This hot cowboy left me a fifty-dollar tip the other day… I’m just paying it forward.”
Chapter 21
Uprooted
Carly stood in her room and looked around. Her heart was still beating fast even though Tracy had left her ten minutes ago. She had to decide what she wanted to take, and meet Tracy down the road in thirty minutes. Her eyes landed on each object in the room before she reached for a picture of her mama on the dresser. She placed it in the duffle bag she’d retrieved from her daddy’s room. Undergarments followed, and the box in the back of the closet. She slipped out of the wedding heels and grabbed a pair of shoes from under her nightstand. Then she dropped them as if they had burned her. She didn’t want anything. Nothing had any meaning to her and everything was tainted. She wanted a fresh start that held a bright future. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she looked around once more before she left the house.
After saying her goodbyes to Lightning, she kneeled at her mama’s grave. Unzipping the bag at her side, she removed a mason jar. She scooped some of the dirt inside the container, and placed one of the flowers Wade had left, inside before replacing the cap. Her euphoria vanished. She slid her fingers over the stone and choked on a sob. “I’ve got to leave you now, mama.” Her emotions overflowed. She placed the back of her hand to her mouth in attempt to control the anguished cry leaving her body. “I hope you understand, mama. I won’t let you down.” The wind blew in a sudden gust carrying with it a cluster of scattered feathers. Carly half laughed. Leaning forward she kissed the stone. “Yes, mama, I’m gonna fly.”
“Carly.”
She stood and turned toward her daddy’s voice. He looked tired and rundown.
“I’m leavin’.”
“I—”
“Don’t worry, Daddy, you can stay on my land.”
“Your land?”
“Yes. I bought it out of foreclosure.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry—” He threaded both hands through his hair. “I didn’t know he was like that. I… I thought I was killin’ two birds with one stone. You’d get a good husband, and I’d have the land paid off.” His gaze came up to meet hers. A tear streaked down his cheek. It should have had a bigger affect on her, but it didn’t. She didn’t feel bad for him—she pitied him.
“There’s a condition to you stayin’ on my land.”
“Don’t leave, baby girl. Let me make everything up to you.”
“You can stay on my land as long as you do not disturb my mother’s grave.”
“What?” He stared at her. A second tear fell. “I’d never do that.”
“No, but Alice would.”
“Carly…”
She threw the bag over her shoulder and started walking toward the road.
“Carly, wait!” He moved toward her.
“You follow me, and the deal is off. Bye, Daddy.” She moved faster. She felt her legs wobble, and her limbs felt numb. More emotions rocketed forward and threatened to crumble her to the ground. She moved faster and faster. The shoes fell from her feet, and she felt as if she didn’t get off the land she’d never be able to leave. Lightning… her mama, and her life was behind her. No… her life was in front of her. She saw the black car as she came from behind the clearing. She stood motionless on the hot blacktop. The heat was soaking into her bare feet, yet she couldn’t move. The door opened to a pickup truck parked in front of the car, and with quick strides, Levi approached her. He didn’t ask, he just wrapped her in a tight hug, and when he did, everything inside her let go. She gave him her weight. Tears and deep sobs followed. She was leaving behind the two things she held closest to her heart.
“That’s it, darlin’. Don’t suppress it. Let it all out.” His hand pressed between her shoulder blades, and he held her tight. She did exactly what she was told, and for the first time she didn’t argue about it. When her tears dried, she pulled back and looked at him. He looked so much like Wade. She didn’t know how long he stood there with her, but he never moved. He just held her. His lips pulled up, and his smiled revealed two dimples. “There ya go. You need ice cream?”
“You’ve saved me twice, my guardian angel.”
“Consider us even. I told you I owed you one.”
“But, how did you know…”
“I’m a bounty hunter. I was already on my way, although, my brother doesn’t know that I escaped.” Levi chuckled. “He thought I was in a therapy session outside but my truck window was down and I had a two day drive ahead of me.” He reached up and cupped her cheek. “You still need ice.”
“But the church…”
“It’s a small town, darlin’. Only one weddin’ goin’ on today.”
“Oh.”
“C’mon. Let’s get goin’.”
“Where are we goin’?”
“Well, there’s a bounty out on you.”
“What?” Her brows shot into her hairline.
“Yep, although, he doesn’t know he put a bounty on you yet.” Levi winked, and his lips drew into a mischievous grin.
“Who?”
“Wade.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for this, Levi.”
“Do you love him?”
“I… yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then you better cowgirl up, because his ass is stubborn. You need to be in this to win.”
“I can’t leave yet. I have to wait until Monday, and I need to get clothes.” She looked down at the dirty and torn wedding dress.
“Okay. I’ll tell you what. You stay at Tracy’s until Monday—I’ve already talked with her—and get your affairs taken care of here. I’ll help you get everything straightened out, and then, Carly...” He took her hand, grabbed the duffle bag, and walked to the back of the black car. “I’m bringin’ you in.”
“Levi, I think I hurt him. I’m new at this, but I know when I’ve hurt someone, and I saw it in his eyes. I did it on purpose—I had to. What if he doesn’t want me?”
“Oh, he’s gonna fight you, Carly. But I know my brother. Trust me, he more than wants you.” He reached in his back pocket. “Here.”
She stared at the rectangular object in her hand. “What’s this?”
“Spare company phone. Keep it on you at all times.”
“I don’t know how to use one of these things.” He smiled at her before he flipped it open and gave her a crash course on cell phones. All she needed to remember was his number, and that was number two. She thanked him again. When he opened the door to his truck, she noticed Chet squished and bound in the back of Levi’s extended cab truck.
A wave of relief moved over her as she sat next to Tracy in the car. Chet wouldn’t bother her anymore. Things had happened so fast not everything had sunk in yet.
Carly pulled the sides of the dress up and placed it in her lap. The layers pooled onto the dashboard, covered her view out the side window, and reached to Carly’s chin.
“That’s a lot of dress,” Tracy said, and pushed a layer of satin down to see Carly’s face.
“Tell me about it.”
“What fine restaurant establishment did they steal that pattern from?”
“I look like a large doily, don’t I?” Carly laughed.
“A purdy one, but yes.” Tracy pulled the car onto the road. “Anywhere you need to go before we head to my house.”
“Yeah. I need some clothes.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know. Last time I went shoppin’ was with my mama.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes… I guess I’ve been sheltered.”
“Held captive is more like it, so d
on’t protect any of them. I’m not one to judge. If that’s the way this town wants to live so be it, but to force someone else to their ways is wrong.”
“I know. You’re right.” Carly looked out the window as they passed the last fencepost to her property line. The wildflowers swayed in the wind; she had lounged in those flowers so many times when she was depressed.
“Anything in particular you want for clothes?”
“Um… I’d love some sundresses and skirts. That’s what my mama used to buy me. Maybe some jeans, boots, and a pair of runnin’ shoes.”
“Don’t sound so excited about it.” Tracy smiled, leaning over she nudged her in the arm. “Hey, now. Come on, honey. Everything will be okay.”
“Tracy, I’m scared.”
“You know, sugar… sometimes a tree’s roots don’t grow well where it’s planted. You have to uproot it and plant it somewhere else where it’ll get more light, love, and nurturing. Only then will you see its true beauty.”
“Southern wisdom.” Carly leaned back. Smiling, she wiggled her toes. She was uprooted. What if Levi was wrong and Wade didn’t want her? Then where would her roots grow? She couldn’t come back here. She pressed her hand against her stomach, the chance of Wade rejecting her made her nauseous.
She’d just have to form a plan to win.
Chapter 22
Cowgirl up
Wade opened the screen door to the front of his house and stepped out onto the porch. His gaze went to Levi. He shook his head at his brother, leaned back in a rocker, boots planted on the porch rail, and hands clasped over his chest.
“Did you get the bounties taken care of, lazy-ass?” His tone was agitated, but it’d been that way for a while now.
“For the fifth time, yes.”
“Fine. I guess the paperwork isn’t a priority?” He wouldn’t know who had a bounty or which ones were caught, and he didn’t care. He hadn’t paid attention to that side of the business since he left Georgia.
“I’ll get it done. Relax.”
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