Page 7 of Unmasked Rivalry
“Well,” Nia says, popping up from behind the tree. “We can at least find somewhere safe to put your tent, so you can sleep at night.”
We all stare at each other, and I know we’re all thinking the same thing.
There isn’t anywhere we can put a flimsy tent that will keep these things out.
I’m screwed.
“I think I’m going to need a gun,” I exhale.
“Someone say gun?”
We all spin to see Knox and another biker walking up the drive. I didn’t even hear them come in, but judging by the smirks on their faces, they saw the whole damn thing. Great.
“You ladies scream real fuckin’ loud.”
The biker who speaks is gorgeous, like knock-your-socks-off gorgeous. His patch says he is the President, whatever that means. Mera leaps off the porch towards him, so I am guessing he belongs to her.
“Callie, this is Wolfe; he is the club president and my guy.”
I nod in Wolfe’s direction, and he nods back, a grin on his face.
I turn my attention to Knox.
“I’m going to need you to leave a gun with me, because there is no way in hell I’m losing this bet.”
Knox looks to Wolfe, then back at me. “Nah, that wasn’t part of the deal.”
My mouth drops open.
“Don’t be such a douche,” Sable crosses her arms. “That’s just nasty.”
Knox doesn’t take his eyes off me. “City girl can handle a few nights, right?”
Oh.
I’m going to make him work so damn hard when I win this bet.
He can laugh now; we’ll see who is laughing when it’s all over.
I HAD NOT REALIZEDwhat exhaustion was until I spent six hours on just one damn room in the house. It was such a mess, it took all four of us that long just to get it looking somewhat livable again. The girls left with promises to return, and I couldn’t help but lay on the porch swing, exhaling loudly, a cold beer in my hand. I smell really bad, and I know I’m going to have to use the public showers up the road because I’m too scared to even look at the one inside.
One baby step at a time.
It’s dusk when I finally force myself up and decide to take a look at the paddocks before going for a shower. I put my beer bottle down and head towards them. There’s a gate leading me to them, nearly rusted shut, but I’m stubborn and unafraid of tetanus. Beyond it is grass that is far too long for me to be trudging through it like this and a barn in the distance in a paddock that is a little tidier.
The wind carries a weirdly sweet smell I can’t place. It makes me think of childhood and old melted popsicles. I make my way to the nicer paddock to check out the barn and see an automatic filler keeping the water going, even though the trough needs a damn good clean. I guess that’s how these cows are still kicking. The grass is lush, but they’ve mowed it down pretty low.
I try to count them, but lose track at twelve and head to the barn. I don’t even notice a large cow approaching until I’m just stepping inside the barn. A shadow blocks the sunlight, and I turn to see it standing at the only exit, large and angry. It doesn’t have horns, which makes me think it’s female. It looks like it very likely might kill me if I take even a step wrong.
It snorts.
Oh shit.
“Ah, hello cow,” I mutter, smiling as if that will do anything. The cow stares. I stare back.
I try to take a step towards the exit, but it snorts at me in a way that tells me if I take one more step, it will charge. I put my hands up, but it starts moving towards me, forcing me to move back. The thing pins me in the corner so close I can feel the heat radiating off her with a faint barnyard musk undertone. No matter how much I nudge and coax, she’s not budging, and the other cows seem to have formed a semi-circle, silently amused at my predicament.
Twenty minutes pass. I am now sitting on an upside-down feed bin, staring at my phone, with one bar of reception and only three percent battery. I contemplate texting Sable or Mera, but deep down I know who I have to call. When Knox picks up, he sounds like he’s underwater or in a wind tunnel, but that doesn’t stop me from blurting, “I’m trapped in a barn. By a cow. I’m afraid if I move, she might actually kill me.”
