Page 5 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

“I already called the police,” I spat, blatantly lying. My chin was still up against his arm.

He pulled in a long breath, and I felt his chest rise and fall.

“Relax.”

He sounded amused and barely bothered. Like he knew he was completely in control.

“I don’t know who you are,” I repeated slowly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Want to try?”

I couldn’t hurt him. I certainly couldn’t kill him. I was incapable of it. Mom once told me that I’d probably stop my car for a worm crossing the road. I didn’t even like killingweedson my lawn. Maybe I would hurt a fly, but I’d definitely feel sad about it.

A slow calm came over my body, like a warm, weighted blanket.

Surrender.

He might kill me, yes. But if there was nothing I could do to stop it, nothing I could force? All I could do was give into the feeling of someone else being in control.

And some sick part of me reared its head, emerging like it had been dormant.

There was a part of me that thought it feltgoodto surrender.

And for that moment only, my fear melted away, vanishing into the night air. I sank into the feeling, not giving up, but accepting that there was nothing more for me to do.

Well. Maybe there was one more last-ditch effort I could try.

If intimidation isn’t working…

I didn’t have a whole lot going for me, but I knew how to talk to people.

“Just talk to me,” I finally said, trying to sound as stable as I could. “We can justtalk.”

“Do your conversations usually begin by threatening someone with a hockey stick? Mine don’t.”

“You were breaking in. If it’s food, or shelter that you need, I canhelpyou.”

“No need for any of that,” he said.

Didn’t fucking seem like it, in your expensive black cowboy hat.

I attempted to even out my breathing. “Whatever it is you want, I can work with you. I can help you. Just talk to me.”

I felt his grip tighten, just slightly, at my neck.

Like he was reminding me who held all the power here.

“Hurting you wasn’t the plan, but now you keep tempting me,” he finally said. “You bit me.”

“Was just trying to get you to let me go?—”

“Normally I only allow people to bite me like that if we’re fucking, Max.”

Something curled tighter in my chest.

How did he know my name?

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