“So what do you say?” he asks.
I hold his eyes.
He doesn’t want to hear no. He came up here when he knew I’d be alone, because he’s prepared to coerce me.
Will he leave if I lie and agree?
A ring pierces the air, my phone vibrating in my hand, and my heart stops.
He bolts for me, and I throw the rake at him before spinning around and dashing for the house. I splash through puddles, rain pummeling my head, the storm heavier now, and I don’t look behind me as I cry out and race through the open bay doors, into the dark shop, and up the steps to the house.
Swinging the door open, I barrel inside and answer the phone, seeing Jake’s name on the screen.
I hold it up to my ear but see a dark form in the kitchen and stop, dropping my hand.
My lungs empty.
“Hello?” I hear my uncle on the other end of the phone.
But I look around, my attention only on the two other men in the kitchen whom I don’t know. I can’t get a good look at them in the dim light.
“Hello?” Jake calls out again.
“Get out!” I shout, more to alert Jake than order the strange guys.
My stomach churns, and I circle the island, pushing pots and pans at them to keep them back. Why would he bring back-up? What is he planning?
I don’t want them to know someone is on the phone or they’ll take it. I stick it in my pocket, leaving it connected.
Terrance charges in the same way I came, breathing hard and his blue eyes look at me, almost amused. I stare at the three of them.
“Just think about it,” he presses. “You’ll control the purse strings, meaning you’ll control me and my racing. I’m good for other things, too… when you want.”
I shake my head. He thinks that’s where this is going? I’ll support his endeavors, because I’m a pathetic, rich little orphan who needs some love?
“I’m not romantic.” He gazes at me, determination on his face. “I won’t be faithful. But I’ll be at your beck and call. You can push me around all you want. Don’t you want to be the one on top now?”
A boy toy is what he’s proposing? Someone to use for affection without any romantic hassles. Without getting my heart invested.
In exchange, all I have to do is pay him.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” he croons.
But I straighten, never more disgusted. I know what perfect feels like. I don’t want anything less.
“I’m thinking you remind me of my father.” I grab a knife out of the butcher block. “People like you hurt the soul.”
“Tiernan de Haas—”
“I’m a Van der Berg,” I growl, correcting him and launching the knife.
He dives out of the way, shielding himself, and I pluck out two more and throw those, as well, the guys stumbling into the living room.
I don’t waste time. I run back into the shop, keeping the lights off and the bay doors open.
“Get her!” I hear Holcomb shout.
My heart leaps into my throat, and I go to make a run for it, but think better of it.
If I can just get them out of the house…
Slipping behind the wardrobe in the shop I’d painted months ago, I freeze, tucking my arms in tight, so they don’t see me.
Footfalls hit the small set of stairs, and I hear shuffling on the cement floor of the shop.
“She can’t go far!” Holcomb shouts. “Get her the fuck back here!”
I see one of the guys dash outside, and I pull myself in tighter, afraid he’ll see me.
But then he’s gone, and the lights in the shop turns on, the other two moving around.
What does he think he’s going to accomplish? I guess if he gets what he wants then he wins. If not, I can’t prove he did any more than scare me. He hasn’t laid a hand on me yet.
I put my palm over my mouth to silence my breathing.
“Take the bikes,” Holcomb grits out. “They owe us.”
“What about her?”
“I’m gonna fuck that bitch, just as soon as I send her crazy-ass boyfriend to jail,” he fires back. “Dumb cunt is going on my wall.”
His wall. The scoreboard Jake warned me about. Jesus…
“You sure there’s not a warrant out for us?” the guy asks instead. “I saw Jake in town earlier, heading into the station with Kaleb and Noah.”
“They can’t prove that fire was us.” Tools shift, cabinets open, and something slams shut. “And if I can’t find the fucking keys again, I’m burning down the stable this time, with the horses inside.”