Heart of the Stone Cowgirl

Chapter 4 - Trouble

^^^^^Cinnamon^^^^^

I had two days. Ranger was having today off in preparation, he'd worked so hard the previous few days. Elijah had helped us, and we were heaps faster than before. Still not fast enough to beat the Riddell, but we were going to try. That's all that we could do, right?

On my way home from school, I dawdled, heading a different way from usual. I stared out at the fields, some with horses, some for hay, others for cattle. Every property had different ideas for livestock, it was the way of life in this part of the country.

As distracted as I was, I didn't notice a vehicle driving directly alongside me, until it was too late. They'd rolled down their windows, shouting harassments at me. Most were drunken slurs about my father, clearly older men who had a bone to pick with my old man. My heart leapt in my chest as the car rolled to a stop, two big burly, obscenely drunk, men got out, towering over me. I took a step back, finding purchase in the soil, muscles tensed for a sprint.

"Little Hurst on her own, huh? Thinks she's better than everyone else," one slurred, words so jumbled I almost couldn't understand him.

"Too bad you're on your own, could have picked off more than one Hurst," the other one added, moving closer. I gasped as they grabbed hold of my arms, calloused arms touching my sensitive skin. I hated physical contact, and this was pushing my boundaries beyond belief.

"Quiet. It's useless, there's no one around here," the first one sneered, leering down at me. He pulled my arm, jolting my body forwards, muscles locking. I grunted as I fell forwards, arms trying to catch me, but still in the intruders hold. I ended up with a mouthful of dirt, arms nearly pulled from their sockets.

"Get up and walk Hurst," the older of the two said, dark brown eyes shining with hatred. I flinched at the look. Why did the Hurst name bring such horror to the family? Why had my father managed to successfully ruin my life with only two years?

i registered the sound of thundering hooves, but thought nothing of it, clearly neither of my kidnappers thought anything of it, for they continued to drag my stiff body towards their car. I managed to get to my senses as I neared the cars, throwing myself around, trying to be as heavy as possible.

"Quit it, Hurst. You're making this worse for yourself." The younger man snapped.

"She has a name," a new voice interjected, and I gasped, in both shock and relief, as I looked up to see a beautiful black gelding looming above me, beside the road. I recognized the rider easily, as I'd heard her voice, and had never been so relieved to see Micah. That was something I never thought I'd admit to myself.

The two men looked to each other cautiously. "We're just doing you a favor here. You Riddell's hate them anyway. What's one less Hurst?" Older one said, trying to cover his tracks.

"I said, she has a name." Micah stepped closer and wrenched my arms from their hold, not hard, considering they released me as soon as they saw her approach. Her horse stood calmly beside his rider, watching the interaction but not acting out. Micah pulled me up and to her side, where she held me protectively to warn the men off. "This one's mine."

"You're protecting the Hurst?" The younger man said in complete disbelief. I had to agree with him though, I was confused as to why Micah had come to my aid. Surely, she wanted me gone as much as the next Riddell?

Micah scowled, eyes hardening, hands clenched around my sides, pressing me closer, her hold almost painful. "She's got to settle a bet with me first."

Both men laughed. "Hurst's never come clean with their debt."

"This one will." Micah said harshly. I winced as her hand dug into my side. "Leave, now. You know how much my brothers love you."