Page 25 of Bronco

If any of us put one foot wrong, this will all go up in smoke.

“I put you in charge and yet you’re floundering around out here when you should be at home.”

Yes! At home. That’s where I need to be.

“I’m sorry.” I hang my head. “I just wanted to help everyone.”

“That’s exactly what you do all the time,” he sounds aggravated. “Help everyone except your own family.”

I don’t meet his gaze. He’d never strike me in front of people, but he would take me by the elbow and lead me to the nearest barn where he could get his belt out and punish me for not being a good wife. It’s nothing I’m not used to, but the sting still does exactly that. The more I stand up to him, the worse he gets, and today isn’t the day to prove myself. Today is the day I get to escape and never have to listen to him again or suffer at his hands.

To hurry things along, I add, “Let me go grab the flour from the McGregor’s and I’ll start on the dough.”

He grunts. “The dough should’ve been prepared hours ago.”

I don’t remind him that the flour hasn’t even been delivered yet, that would be enough to set him off. For once, I keep my smart mouth shut because I have everything to live for now and so much to lose.

“I’m sorry, Vincent. I’ll make it up to you.”

He gives me a bored look and dismisses me. My stomach drops as I see the van approaching from the far side of the road.Crap!

I move toward the road, smiling as I leave. Trying to remain calm has never felt so hard before, but somehow I manage it. I make my way toward home, which will have me diverting once I’m out of sight from the others, but still, I know I can do this.

Erica and Olive follow me a few minutes later as they hold hands. Olive swinging her ragdoll in one hand as I wait for them behind the bushes.

“That was close,” I whisper when they approach.

“We have to hurry.” Erica looks behind her at the crowd behind us. “If he comes to check and you’re not there…”

“He won’t,” I maintain. “He’s too busy playing Pied Piper to care if I’m home or not.”

“I hope you’re right.”

We hurry along the embankment and make it to the barn before the van approaches. I hadn’t thought this through, but if he doesn’t stop here with the drop off, it means tackling him to the ground while we steal his van and force the guards to let us out. None of which I can see happening.

“Mom? I’m tired,” Olive whines.

“Just a little farther, honey,” Erica assures her. “Be a good girl now.”

Olive really is a little trooper in all of this. I just hope she doesn’t start yelling and screaming when we get her into the van. She’s a Mama’s girl through and through, so I don’t see that happening, but I’m prepared for anything at this point.

We sneak through the open gate and I feel my body relax when there’s nobody in the barn. The door is wide open because the delivery guy will need access, and for the first time I start to breathe like I’m not starved of oxygen.

“Okay, we need to regroup,” I say, pacing. “He’s going to be here any minute, so we need to hide around the side making sure we don’t get seen from the road.”

“This plan is nuts,” Erica says. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this! All it’s going to take is?—”

“What are you doing in here?” Jude’s voice rings out through the small space and I close my eyes for a fraction of a second. Oh, no. My back to her, I give Erica a stern look that says, ‘let me do the talking,’ and I turn to face her.

“We’re waiting for the flour delivery,” I say. “I’m baking today.”

She’s a suspicious little bitch by nature, but somehow I get the feeling she’s been watching us for a while. “You said you were looking for Erica.”

“Yep, and I found her, the mystery is solved.”Go the fuck away!She’s going to spoil everything. I won’t let that happen. I’ve suffered at Vince’s hands too much, and Erica has had similar treatment from my brother. It ends today.

“You were running through the village in a panic, now you’re just here waiting for flour.” Her upturned nose is aggravating, and not for the first time in my life, I want to rearrange her face.

“I didn’t want to miss the delivery, we all know how Vince can get.” Wrong thing to say because Jude doesn’t like anyone talking badly about our husbands. Not that I care what she thinks. I’m stumbling for my words now because I’m sure I can hear the van approaching.

---