“Do you want me to call Kenny?”
She shook her head.
“Right now, all I want to do is go home and sleep. I have to be up by seven, and it’s already four o’clock.”
“I’m real sorry this happened to you, Lena. Those animals were so drunk and crazy.”
“They’ll be spending a few nights in jail for the damage they did and, of course, assault charges. I’m glad you gave your statement this time. Now how about I give you a ride home?” Wyatt offered.
She was supposed to get a ride home from Sissy, but she left over an hour ago.
As they drove in Wyatt’s sheriff’s truck, he told her about him and his brothers and their woman Anna.
“Abigail had mentioned her and Stacy to me. I guess Stacy is your cousin’s girlfriend, right?” she asked, trying to remember what Abigail had told her and also remain focused on the conversation despite the pain she felt.
“That’s right. They’re looking forward to lunch on Sunday and meeting you.”
Lena smiled.
“This town is very nice and so are the people, for the most part,” Lena teased.
“Don’t let Rocky’s patrons make you think the worse of this town. A lot of those people don’t even live in Pearl. They live a few towns over.”
“Well, wherever they’re from I wish they would stop trying to bother me. I’m just trying to make a living.”
Wyatt was silent a moment.
“I understand that you have a past that makes you feel untrusting or fearful to reveal too much about yourself. I know you say that you don’t know your social security number and you lied about your last name being Spright. You don’t need to do that with me or any of the other deputies in town. We’re not out to hurt people. We’re out to help them.”
Lena took a deep breath and felt the instant anxiety in her chest.
“I don’t want any trouble. I don’t feel you need to know anything about me, including my social security number or last name to resolve any of this situation.”
Wyatt exhaled then gave her a look that made her turn away from him. It was too intense.
“I think you’re going to like talking with Anna and Stacy. As a matter of fact, you may even become good friends.”
She remained quiet for the last few minutes of the ride.
* * * *
It took a few minutes for Lena to adjust her eyes. Was it morning already? Her cheek and her head throbbed beneath the pillow. She should really turn over and lie on the opposite side. She moaned from the pain, and as she looked at the clock on the bedside table, she saw that it was after seven in the morning. Soldier boy was going to be pissed off about the lack of bacon and watery eggs. She was a no–show, and it didn’t sit right with her at all.
It took her forever to doze off as her mind thought about the life she had. She was so tired. Tired of getting knocked around and being a nobody. Her heart began to ache, and that was when she heard the floor creak. Someone was in her home.
She blinked her eyes numerous times and saw the tall, bulky figure taking up her entire doorway. It looked like soldier boy, but why would he be in her home? He was a loner. He kept to himself and only stepped outside his door at night. It was wishful thinking on her part. She had been fantasizing about Bryant, Quinn, Blake, and Kenny for weeks now. They wanted to know why she wouldn’t sleep with them and take their relationship to the next level. Truth was that she was scared out of her mind. She just passed her twenty-first birthday, and she knew nothing about relationships, sex, or men. And the Joneses were superior men. Cowboys with great big attitudes.
“I’ve been waiting over an hour for my bacon and eggs, Detroit.”
Her ey
es widened, and she moaned as she moved. Sure as shit, Bryant was in her house.
“Bryant?” she whispered. He took a few steps toward her, and she used the pillow to cover her bruised cheekbone. Her eye felt a bit swollen now, too. What was he going to do when he saw it, she wondered?
“How did you get in?” she asked him, and he moved closer.
“I’m a Marine, baby.”