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She shook her head vehemently, tugging and attempting to pull away from him.
He gave her a firm but gentle shake. “Hey,” he said again.
Her eyes shot up to meet his.
“You’re safe, okay? No one is going to hurt you. I promise.”
She stared at him, distrust flowing freely. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips clamped down into a tight line.
“I’m going to let you go, okay? But no taking off this time, got it?”
He didn’t think it was possible, but her eyes narrowed even more. Somehow, he knew the second he released her, she’d fly out that door and he’d never see her again. He couldn’t let that happen.
“Tell you what. If you promise not to go running off, I’ll take you to breakfast. I’d let you eat here, but I get the feeling you’d think I’m just trying to trap you.”
She huffed.
“I thought so.” Henry’s hands tightened slightly. “There’s this place called Sal’s. They have the best pies around. It’s a little early for pie—unless that’s what you want—but if you stick around, I’ll take you there and get you a good breakfast. No strings attached.”
Her expression softened if only minutely. Eyes darted this way and that, before coming back to his face. She didn’t seem nearly as terrified as she’d been when he’d first caught her. In fact, he could see the cogs in her mind whirring, weighing the pros and cons of letting him do what he’d promised.
Granted, there was no reason for her to trust him. She could also be making assumptions about what he might do to her once he got her in his truck—but he wasn’t about to put any thoughts in her head. If she didn’t give him at least the benefit of the doubt, she’d miss out on a nice free meal.
When her eyes met his again, he nodded. “I’m going to let you go now. I have to feed the animals, but after that, I swear I’ll take you to Sal’s and you can order anything you want on the menu.”
Wade would be livid if he knew Henry planned on taking some of their stash, but he’d worked hard enough around here to take some of the cut. It wasn’t like they were hurting for food anymore. In fact, they were doing pretty well for themselves. He just wanted to make sure this woman wouldn’t waste away.
Suddenly, she nodded and her whole body relaxed.
Henry opened his hands, and she scrambled back a few steps. Between them sat the boots she’d dropped during her escape attempt. One sat upright and the other, about a foot away, was on its side. He dropped down to gather them both and then held them out toward her. “You’re gonna want these.”
Her lips curled into what could only be described as a sarcastic sneer. Was she actually mocking him? He’d never met someone with this much spunk before. Most of the folks around here treated everyone else with a familiarity that was simply lost on this stranger.
In the daylight, it was easier to observe her, and he found himself staring at her eyes. They were a kind of green that could only be found in nature. They sparked and flashed with every emotion known to man, and all in a matter of seconds.
She pulled her boots on then stared at him expectantly. Henry chuckled and jolted into action, causing her to jump backward until her back pressed up against a wall. She watched his every move, her eyes burning holes into the back of his head as he worked.
Henry whistled if only to ease the tension that had developed in the air between them. It would only take him about twenty minutes to get all his early morning work completed. Then he’d see if she would trust him enough to get into his truck.
Smiling to himself, he worked a little harder to get done sooner. Every second he got, he’d check to make sure she was still there. Henry didn’t know what he would do if she took off running again, but he knew he wouldn’t let her get far.
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, he was the best thing that had happened to her. He wasn’t going to let her take off without getting her a few things first. By the looks of it, she didn’t even have a jacket. He hadn’t seen any sign that she had other clothes or shoes. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how she’d lasted this long without a bag of some kind.
Maybe he would have to take a little more from the cash stash to get her a few things from the store. As long as he told Brielle about the purchases first, Wade couldn’t get mad. His wife was nothing if not understanding when it came to stuff like that.
The second he was done, he flashed her a smile. “All set. Now, the truck is out front, but I need to grab some cash. You think you can manage waiting in the truck for me?”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms before marching out the door in front of him. Henry hurried to catch up to her, then pointed out his truck. “It’s the blue one. And it’s unlocked. I’ll be right back.”
4
Athena
Athena had broken one of her many rules.
Never return to a place after she’d left. Her heart had been working overtime and she’d not been thinking clearly when she’d darted from the barn the last night. But this ranch was out in the middle of nowhere and she didn’t think she’d make it to the next one.
So she’d waited out by the road until the party died down and then she’d slipped back into the barn. She’d chosen a different stall, and she’d promised herself she would get up with enough time to get out of there before someone came out to do their work.
