anywhere ’til I say so.”
I choke back tears, she turns and walks away. I pick at the stickers in my feet.
When the barn door clunks shut, I reach into my pocket. Nothing there. Bryce chased us off so fast … left my candy wrappers behind. Tears rush out and stream down my face.
Sunlight comes through tiny cracks in the sides of the barn. My eyes are gummy. Got a headache, sore neck. The chain rattles when I move.
The barn door creaks … I freeze. A boy talks to the horses in a soft voice, calling each by name. When he stops at the bay across from me, all I can see is his red curly hair and his back. Tall and skinny. I hold my breath, hope he doesn’t see me. He turns to walk away.
I let out my breath and hug my knees. The chain clanks. No … forgot the damn chain. He stops … turns … comes into the stall … kneels next to me.
RJ
“What the f—?” A girl … chain padlocked around her neck. I reach for the lock.
She jerks away.
“Who the hell did this?”
She buries her face in her hands.
I grip the padlock. “Did Uncle … did he do this to you?”
She shakes her head.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I can help. Just tell me what’s going on. How’d you get here?”
She starts crying.
“What’s your name?” I say.
She mumbles.
“Tell me your name … please.”
She murmurs, “Amy.”
“Hi, Amy. I’ve got no idea what’s going on, but whatever it is, it’s gotta get fixed.”
“No, leave me be. You’ll just make things worse.”
“Just give me a chance to figure things out.”
I storm out of the barn, over to the ranch house, and throw open the back door. A woman’s at the kitchen sink, wearing one of Uncle Eric’s shirts. My cheeks start to burn. What the hell? Half her damn ass is showing.
She spins around and glares. I stare back, my whole face is on fire.
Uncle Eric says, “RJ, meet Tess. She dropped in last night needing a place to lay low for a couple of days.”
Tess sticks out her hand.
After we shake, she turns to Uncle Eric. “Need to teach this boy how to shake hands like a man. That was about the wimpiest ever.”
“Tess has a situation, and we’re helping her out.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” I glance toward the barn.
The woman scowls. “Not as innocent as she looks. She’s like one of those unbroken horses people bring here for your Uncle Eric to tame. Nothing but trouble. Lucky she’s treated as well as she is.”
“I can give up my room for a few nights. Don’t mind the barn.” I glare at Tess. “Long as I’m not chained down.”
With a scowl, Uncle Eric says, “Boy, this is parent business. You best stay out of it.”
“Fine. I’m just saying. She can have the couch—it seems to be free.”
Tess rolls her eyes.
He folds his arms across his chest. “That’s none of your business, either.”
“Whatever. I’ve got horses to feed.”
“Then get to it. And stay away from the girl.”
“Can I at least take her something to eat? She’s probably hungry.”
Tess struts over to the table and scrapes the leftovers from their breakfast onto a plate. “Sure. But don’t talk to her.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I snatch the plate out of her hand.
My stomach knots up when Uncle Eric calls after me. “And, boy. Give the stallion a ride when you’re done feeding him. He needs some exercise.”
“Yes, sir,” I mutter.
Once out the door, I hustle over to the barn, yank open the wide wooden door, shut it behind me, and stomp to the farthest stall. Amy cowers when I set the plate of scraps down next to her.
“Sorry, Amy. It’s the best I could do.”
She whispers, “Thanks.”
“Met the bitch. She’s a piece of work.”
“You mean the witch?”
“Huh?”
“Witch … Wicked Witch.”
“Oh. Right.”
She picks at the food.
I kneel next to her. “I have an idea how we can pull this off.”
“Pull what off?”
I glance over my shoulder and whisper, “Get you out of here.”
She jerks back. “No.”
“What do
I choke back tears, she turns and walks away. I pick at the stickers in my feet.
When the barn door clunks shut, I reach into my pocket. Nothing there. Bryce chased us off so fast … left my candy wrappers behind. Tears rush out and stream down my face.
Sunlight comes through tiny cracks in the sides of the barn. My eyes are gummy. Got a headache, sore neck. The chain rattles when I move.
The barn door creaks … I freeze. A boy talks to the horses in a soft voice, calling each by name. When he stops at the bay across from me, all I can see is his red curly hair and his back. Tall and skinny. I hold my breath, hope he doesn’t see me. He turns to walk away.
I let out my breath and hug my knees. The chain clanks. No … forgot the damn chain. He stops … turns … comes into the stall … kneels next to me.
RJ
“What the f—?” A girl … chain padlocked around her neck. I reach for the lock.
She jerks away.
“Who the hell did this?”
She buries her face in her hands.
I grip the padlock. “Did Uncle … did he do this to you?”
She shakes her head.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I can help. Just tell me what’s going on. How’d you get here?”
She starts crying.
“What’s your name?” I say.
She mumbles.
“Tell me your name … please.”
She murmurs, “Amy.”
“Hi, Amy. I’ve got no idea what’s going on, but whatever it is, it’s gotta get fixed.”
“No, leave me be. You’ll just make things worse.”
“Just give me a chance to figure things out.”
I storm out of the barn, over to the ranch house, and throw open the back door. A woman’s at the kitchen sink, wearing one of Uncle Eric’s shirts. My cheeks start to burn. What the hell? Half her damn ass is showing.
She spins around and glares. I stare back, my whole face is on fire.
Uncle Eric says, “RJ, meet Tess. She dropped in last night needing a place to lay low for a couple of days.”
Tess sticks out her hand.
After we shake, she turns to Uncle Eric. “Need to teach this boy how to shake hands like a man. That was about the wimpiest ever.”
“Tess has a situation, and we’re helping her out.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” I glance toward the barn.
The woman scowls. “Not as innocent as she looks. She’s like one of those unbroken horses people bring here for your Uncle Eric to tame. Nothing but trouble. Lucky she’s treated as well as she is.”
“I can give up my room for a few nights. Don’t mind the barn.” I glare at Tess. “Long as I’m not chained down.”
With a scowl, Uncle Eric says, “Boy, this is parent business. You best stay out of it.”
“Fine. I’m just saying. She can have the couch—it seems to be free.”
Tess rolls her eyes.
He folds his arms across his chest. “That’s none of your business, either.”
“Whatever. I’ve got horses to feed.”
“Then get to it. And stay away from the girl.”
“Can I at least take her something to eat? She’s probably hungry.”
Tess struts over to the table and scrapes the leftovers from their breakfast onto a plate. “Sure. But don’t talk to her.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I snatch the plate out of her hand.
My stomach knots up when Uncle Eric calls after me. “And, boy. Give the stallion a ride when you’re done feeding him. He needs some exercise.”
“Yes, sir,” I mutter.
Once out the door, I hustle over to the barn, yank open the wide wooden door, shut it behind me, and stomp to the farthest stall. Amy cowers when I set the plate of scraps down next to her.
“Sorry, Amy. It’s the best I could do.”
She whispers, “Thanks.”
“Met the bitch. She’s a piece of work.”
“You mean the witch?”
“Huh?”
“Witch … Wicked Witch.”
“Oh. Right.”
She picks at the food.
I kneel next to her. “I have an idea how we can pull this off.”
“Pull what off?”
I glance over my shoulder and whisper, “Get you out of here.”
She jerks back. “No.”
“What do
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