Chapter Twelve
Eliza
Thunder is reverberatingthrough the ground as lightening crackles across the sky and Falcon’s truck jumps and slides over the ground. His lips are tight as he drives with his fists clenching the wheel. We both scan the landscape for any sign of the escapees.
I glance at him again and sigh as he still says nothing to me. “So, you’re just going to sit there and stew because I didn’t listen to you?”
He glances at me and then focuses back on the terrain. The truck bounces on the uneven ground again and he scans the black skies before answering me. He snaps, “Yes! I told you this was dangerous, Eliza. This is not a joke. Storms like this are crazy. They pop up and can drop massive amounts of rain faster than you can imagine. I’m used to this shit and it’s still dangerous, but now I have to worry about me and you not to mention my stupid ass cows.”
He’s worried about you… He wanted to leave you behind to protect you…
So, maybe his feelings are more than you imagined they could be and everything you hoped they were.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Eliza. Me being out here with him makes me a liability.
If something happens to me, as the owner of the ranch, he’s responsible.
I’m sure that’s what he’s worried about.
I suck my lip and then say, “I’m from Louisiana, Falcon, remember. I may not have been raised on a ranch, but I know a little something about summer storms, you know. I don’t need you to constantly point out to me that I’m not from Texas.”
He constantly reminds me that I’m not from here. That I’m not in this life.
I’m a dalliance that he’s interested in because I’m here for the time being. But, he’s made it pretty damn clear that once I’m gone, he’ll just forget all about me.
Well, fine.
Lightning flashes again and the bolt cracks the land to the side of the truck. Falcon jerks the wheel and the truck teeter totters for a second before the tires catch traction on the ground. I jerk against the seat and make certain my seat belt is tight though his hand snapped out from instinct to press me into the seat back. His teeth are clenched as he quickly looks me over, “You ok?”
I nod and watch as he white-knuckles the steering wheel. Smoke is rising from the singed ground beside us and he mutters, “It’s too late.” He looks at the rolling black clouds and nods at the windshield. I look and see the sheet of rain we’re heading right into. He growls. “Hold on. We have to find shelter.” He cuts the wheel sharply and takes a left. We’re racing in front of the angry weather and I can see out of his window that the wind is picking up and flinging things like projectiles as we drive parallel to it.
This is insane. That looks like a tornado.
Are we about to get sucked into a tornado?
I don’t want to die with Falcon mad at me.
Taking a deep breath, I warily watch the weather as Falcon tries like a madman to escape from it. I stare at his profile. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’re mad that I didn’t listen and I’m sorry that you’re worried about me being out here with you. But, you’d be out here… in this either way, Falcon.
“You’d be in this weather and I’d be back at the house freaking out about you being in this weather. I’d be the one worried sick and you know what, I lied,I’m not sorry.”
He growls, “What?!”
If I’m about to die, then I’m going to die without this secret!
I snap, “I said I’m not sorry. I’m not going to say I am when I’m not. You’re right, I’m not from here. I don’t live and work on this ranch. I don’t know shit about coyotes being big ass wild dogs or the difference between a rat snake and a snake that would kill me with its bite. I don’t know how to fix a fence or tie a rope or cook enough cornbread for over two-hundred men, or, I didn’t.
“I didn’t know, but I do now. So, I’m not so different from you!”
His eyes widen and he looks at me. I can see something on his face that looks like shock before he says gruffly. “Darlin’, I’m going to need you to hold your tongue. We’re about two minutes from shelter and we’re going to have to make a mad dash for it once I stop this truck. I don’t want to interrupt you and I really want you to finish what it is that you’re trying to say, because, I have a feelin’ that it’s damn sure something I want to hear, but right this second, I need you to shut up.”
He just told me to shut up!
Glaring at him again, I snap my mouth shut before staring out the window for this shelter that he’s supposedly found. Because, heaven, or hell, whichever is currently swirling around outside, has just swallowed us whole.
The wind whips and the truck leaves the ground as the roar of the pissed off weather envelopes us. Rain slams against the windshield and the sound of something hard hitting glass and metal ricochets within the truck as hail angrily beats us.
It’s pitch black outside. It looks more like midnight than early morning and my heart is hammering away in my chest.
