rotten
family?”
“Clint was the one who shot my mom and sister. He has the
same evil that ran through his family’s blood. It would seem that so far he has
been carrying on the Mitchum legacy.” He took the silver dollar out of his
pocket, flipped it and caught it in his palm. “When my grandma died, I swore
I’d return to Rattler City and hunt down Clint and anyone else who helped bring
Cage Crossing to ruin. And then burn the place down.”
She took a few minutes to absorb it all, wrestling in her
mind for anything of comfort to say. It dawned on her that while she understood
his motivation, she still didn’t understand the man.
“You know, the more you tell me, the more mysterious you
become. I don’t know what makes you tick.”
“I’m a man who learned that there isn’t room for friends in
life. Enemies are easier. You take your enemies out. Everyone’s better off.”
“Am I an enemy?”
“No. And you’re not a friend.”
Montana pushed off the bed to her feet and approached him.
He stepped away, his head shaking.
Her skin bristled at the blatant rejection but she played it
cool.
“So what’s the plan once you leave here?”
“Headed to Washington.”
“Got a girl there?” She regretted the words once they were
out. He didn’t belong to her.
“I’m going to pay Bremmer Dubois a visit.”
Her brows knitted. “Who’s he?”
“A low-life who shot my grandma while holding up a store.
He’s getting out of jail because of overcrowding. Or so he thinks.”
She cringed. “So, you’re going to drive your way around the
world knocking off everyone who did you wrong?”
“It’s my life to do as I please.”
“People do change.”
“Not anyone I know.” He cut her off with a sharp look. “I
grew up with the knowledge that you couldn’t wait around for the law to serve
up justice. If you waited around for every Tom, Dick and Harry Hard-On to
finish out their sentences, or get their asses behind bars, you’d find yourself
an old man.”
“You can’t go and kill everyone blindly,” she said.
“Justice is blind. Rather than find protection, my family
lost their lives at the hands of the law. They didn’t do anything wrong, but
they paid dearly, and everyone who loved them paid, and continues to pay.”
“Yes but…”
“I’m not a good guy, understand? Whatever you’ve built up in
your head about me, it’s an illusion. I know you see me as your ticket out of
here, but sugar, it’s not going to happen. I ride alone and I sure as hell
don’t have time for skirts. Much as I loved the feel of your body beneath me,
it’s not going to lead to anything more.”
“You could at least take me to the next state. I haven’t had
it so easy.”
“Oh boo hoo, you had a whore for a mother. I’m not sure how
traumatized you can be when you—”
She slapped him so hard she swore her hand cracked.
“Fuck you! You’re an insensitive jerk who doesn’t have a
clue about the real world. You’re missing the big picture if all you care about
is an eye for an eye.”
Montana bolted for the door.
“It’s four in the morning,” he called out. “At least wait
until the sun is up.”
She whipped around. “I’m not staying here another second.
You got what you wanted from me. Leave me the hell alone. Bastard. I should’ve
kicked you out of the bar instead of taking you between my thighs.”
“Gotta love the beauty of hindsight.”
Montana slammed the door. Her body quaked. She took a few
steps, turned, turned back and kept walking. There’d be no going back. No
begging him for second chances. His words hurt. They stabbed her heart into
tiny pieces. Not only was Lawson born a Cage, he was a rattling cage. And
dangerous. The stray bullets should’ve been enough warning for her to keep
away. But it seemed men made her stupid. Traits of her mother.
The scent of rain marked the air. Thunder rumbled low in the
sky. Her situation became clear. Like her mother, she’d die
family?”
“Clint was the one who shot my mom and sister. He has the
same evil that ran through his family’s blood. It would seem that so far he has
been carrying on the Mitchum legacy.” He took the silver dollar out of his
pocket, flipped it and caught it in his palm. “When my grandma died, I swore
I’d return to Rattler City and hunt down Clint and anyone else who helped bring
Cage Crossing to ruin. And then burn the place down.”
She took a few minutes to absorb it all, wrestling in her
mind for anything of comfort to say. It dawned on her that while she understood
his motivation, she still didn’t understand the man.
“You know, the more you tell me, the more mysterious you
become. I don’t know what makes you tick.”
“I’m a man who learned that there isn’t room for friends in
life. Enemies are easier. You take your enemies out. Everyone’s better off.”
“Am I an enemy?”
“No. And you’re not a friend.”
Montana pushed off the bed to her feet and approached him.
He stepped away, his head shaking.
Her skin bristled at the blatant rejection but she played it
cool.
“So what’s the plan once you leave here?”
“Headed to Washington.”
“Got a girl there?” She regretted the words once they were
out. He didn’t belong to her.
“I’m going to pay Bremmer Dubois a visit.”
Her brows knitted. “Who’s he?”
“A low-life who shot my grandma while holding up a store.
He’s getting out of jail because of overcrowding. Or so he thinks.”
She cringed. “So, you’re going to drive your way around the
world knocking off everyone who did you wrong?”
“It’s my life to do as I please.”
“People do change.”
“Not anyone I know.” He cut her off with a sharp look. “I
grew up with the knowledge that you couldn’t wait around for the law to serve
up justice. If you waited around for every Tom, Dick and Harry Hard-On to
finish out their sentences, or get their asses behind bars, you’d find yourself
an old man.”
“You can’t go and kill everyone blindly,” she said.
“Justice is blind. Rather than find protection, my family
lost their lives at the hands of the law. They didn’t do anything wrong, but
they paid dearly, and everyone who loved them paid, and continues to pay.”
“Yes but…”
“I’m not a good guy, understand? Whatever you’ve built up in
your head about me, it’s an illusion. I know you see me as your ticket out of
here, but sugar, it’s not going to happen. I ride alone and I sure as hell
don’t have time for skirts. Much as I loved the feel of your body beneath me,
it’s not going to lead to anything more.”
“You could at least take me to the next state. I haven’t had
it so easy.”
“Oh boo hoo, you had a whore for a mother. I’m not sure how
traumatized you can be when you—”
She slapped him so hard she swore her hand cracked.
“Fuck you! You’re an insensitive jerk who doesn’t have a
clue about the real world. You’re missing the big picture if all you care about
is an eye for an eye.”
Montana bolted for the door.
“It’s four in the morning,” he called out. “At least wait
until the sun is up.”
She whipped around. “I’m not staying here another second.
You got what you wanted from me. Leave me the hell alone. Bastard. I should’ve
kicked you out of the bar instead of taking you between my thighs.”
“Gotta love the beauty of hindsight.”
Montana slammed the door. Her body quaked. She took a few
steps, turned, turned back and kept walking. There’d be no going back. No
begging him for second chances. His words hurt. They stabbed her heart into
tiny pieces. Not only was Lawson born a Cage, he was a rattling cage. And
dangerous. The stray bullets should’ve been enough warning for her to keep
away. But it seemed men made her stupid. Traits of her mother.
The scent of rain marked the air. Thunder rumbled low in the
sky. Her situation became clear. Like her mother, she’d die
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