ore than a closet, smelling of leather and manure. I moved

s" on the front lawn, his hands lingering on her waist. He'd laugh with her, a soun

was biding my time, planning my escape. I called my

e the fi

late one night

His voice was tight with fake panic. "Ethan's having some

ld conditioning kicked in

e laughter in the bar. Th

t it, Blake?" I sa

ent. "Just get out here

part of me needed to see it through. I needed to

a dilapidated shack deep in the woo

ajar. I pus

other men, roughnecks I'd seen working the oil fi

center of the room, a smirk on his face. Bl

" Ethan said. "I was startin

s this,

esson about what happens when you don't do as you're tol

around me. One of

us to do with her,

voice dripping with venom.

d, laughing as I sputtered. They didn't do more, but the humiliation was absolut

the mud and the filth

, the cold seeping into my

ranch, but to the high br

rt note. "My debt is paid, Ethan."

ge of the bridge and dis