CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Hey there!” I heard called out and the accent took me out of my thoughts. I looked and saw Shane heading my way just as I opened Starla’s stall door.
I Shane only came here in the mornings, sometimes afternoons, but his later visits had slowed down quite a bit. I supposed he figured that, with me here, it wasn’t necessary. He could call on me if something needed to be checked out. I didn’t mind at all and it was the least I could do for him. I could have kissed him for giving me so much leeway with Starla’s treatment.
“How’s our girl this morning?” he asked.
“Looks like she’s toughing it out. Our girl here is a fighter,” I said as I went back to the task at hand. I hooked on her reigns and walked Starla to the riding ring as Shane followed. When one of the stable boys came out and offered to walk her around for me, I met Shane on the opposite side of the white wooden fence and stood next to him. Shane was already leaned over with his forearms resting on the fence.
“How’re things with Shannon?” I asked quietly.
He shrugged. “She hates me and I don’t blame her. She’s hiding something, but she won’t talk about it and for some reason, I can’t stop hurting her. She’s still working for me though. I keep finding ways to guilt her into staying.”
I froze. Shane and I talked every day, but it was always me that whined to him about Tony. Shane rarely discussed anything personal about himself.
“She’s never going to tell you anything if you keep making her feel unsafe. Just tell her how you feel.”
Shane shook his head. “She’s too young for me.”
I thought on that.
“Ummm… say what?”
“She’s twenty-five and I’m thirty-four. She’s too young for me,” he said, but he wouldn’t look at me.
“Please tell me you’re joking,” I asked incredulously as I stared up at him in complete disbelief.
Shane shook his head. “No, I’m not.”
“Tony’s five years older than me, but he still acts like a kid sometimes. Age is just a number, Shane, and I think Shannon’s been through a lot. She’d no kid. The way she’s handled herself by not just up and leaving your ass at the clinic shows just how mature she is.”
“Maybe,” he replied softly.
“Just don’t hurt her anymore, Shane. Some people can only take so much before they break,” I whispered and he faced me then. I looked away.
“Is that where you are right now? Your breaking point? You know, I still can’t figure out why you let him do this to you.”
“I’m not breaking; I’m already broken,” I whispered, tormented.
Suddenly, I felt a hand under my chin and my face was lifted to meet Shane’s gaze.
“Don’t do this to yourself,” he ordered as we gazed into each other’s eyes. His thumb caressed my jaw tenderly; not with desire, but with concern.
I broke down into tears and he pulled my into his embrace. He whispered comforting words in my ear as I clung to him. It was innocent, but I was desperate to make the pain go away.
Too bad it didn’t look innocent to the violent man heading in our direction.
“Get your fuckin’ hands off her!” I heard shouted and Shane’s arms instantly fell away. I twisted my neck just as Tony charged.
“Stop!” I screamed through my tears when Tony swung. When his fist connected with Shane’s face, he shouted, “Motherfucker!”
The hit looked so hard I thought Shane would go down, but he shifted his feet just in time to catch his balance. He lunged, met Tony head on and they wrestled before they finally took it to the ground. Arms and dirt were flying everywhere, but neither of them backed down.
They’re going to kill each other.
Luckily, two of the stable workers ran our way, and when they made it, both men pulled Tony and Shane apart.
“You fools!” I heard Larry shout as he made it to us as well.
They were both covered in dirt and grass stains. Both continued to glare each other and their breathing was labored. Shane’s nose was bleeding. Tony’s beautiful bottom lip was busted.
When I took a step towards him, he shouted, “Stay the fuck away from me!”
I froze.
“I knew you were nothing, but a dirty little whore,” he shouted at me.
“But that wasn’t what it looked like,” I cried softly because everyone was staring at us. Even Shane was frozen.
“Really? Just like those pictures weren’t what they looked like?” he shouted again.
I shook my head because I couldn’t speak past the tightness in my throat.
“You know what? I want you out of here. Get the fuck out of my house and stay out of my life! I was only using you while you were here, but found someone better last night. You were a good fuck, but that’s about all you were good for.”
“Please stop,” I whispered.
“I don’t even know why I bothered keeping you here. I hope Zacharias finds you. Then the world would have one less bitch in it.”
“Boy--” Larry started, but Tony cut him off with a glare so potent that Larry snapped his mouth shut.
He walked up to me then, grabbed the crown charm necklace around my neck with both hands and busted the chain.
“Get the fuck out of my house,” Tony barked. He emphasized every word. “I’m giving you four hours to get the hell out and you better be gone by the time I get back,” he warned before he turned away.
I collapsed to the ground beneath my feet as a sob ripped through my body. I felt arms wrap around me, they comforted me, but I couldn’t move. The arms around me moved and my lifeless body was lifted.
I bawled against Shane’s chest until I had nothing left. I wasn’t even in pain anymore. I was numb to the world. I begged Shane to leave, but he refused to go until he knew someone was on their way to get me. So, as soon as I composed myself, I called Adam. I couldn’t say anything other than, “Adam, please come get me,” my voice was so faint, I was surprised he’d heard at all.
“I’m on my way,” he’d said in a rush and didn’t ask me one question before he hung up.
I had no idea how much time had passed, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before Tony returned. I’d finally managed to kick Shane out, which was good, because Adam knocked on the front door only minutes after he left.
But when I opened the front door, it wasn’t Adam.