on pure, blind instinct. She shoved her worn snea

her shoe. A sharp, blinding spike of pain sho

tly, all the blood draining from her cheeks, b

tely stopped pushing the door and pulled it back

dark eyes flashed with genuine anger at

low growl as he asked if she had a death wish, or

ght off the throbbing toes. She stared up at

ulder heavily against the wooden doorframe, using her own

ve, corded biceps strained against the fab

s chin toward the dark, spartan interior o

med he was just an ex-con with no future, barely surv

imple iron wood stove, a bare wooden table, and a

ly that she ate very little, needed almost nothing

ugh. The sound was dry and completel

to suffer. He declared he had absolutely no interes

she looked down, her eyes landed squarely on Harris

d leather. They were impeccably clean and polished, c

d dollars, she thought, her heart skipping a beat. A starving, destitute ex-con who barely survives out here couldn't possibly afford custom leather footwear

onsistency, Harrison stepped forward. He used his massive

he instinctively retreated from his overwhelming ph

o home to her daddy. His tone drippe

allic click of the deadbolt echoed sharply in

y at the closed wooden door, the harsh reality of

s the open porch. It cut right through her th

errifying woods. She knew walking back down that pit

down and grabbed the strap of her ca

e porch. It was shielded slightly from the biting

She pulled her knees tightly to her chest, trying de

ling shoulders. She buried her face deep in her fold

window. He watched her small, shivering shadow curl up o