Freedom Ranch

Chapter 2

She piled the boxes in the truck feeling the heaviness in her heart ease with each one. She was finally going to find her own happiness. Whatever that is. She wasn't sure yet. Just as she grabbed the last box, she heard the gravel in the driveway crunch with car tires. Colin was home. She quickly shoved the box against the screen door and threw it in the backseat with the others.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" he roared behind her.

"Leaving," said Dakota simply as she turned to her husband.

Colin's shoulders were upright like a bear with so much fury. She looked up at him with a stone cold face. His intimidation techniques always ticked her off as much as him. She knew he hated how he couldn't control her with fear.

"You're not going anywhere," he seethed.

"I am. Right now. I'm tired of all of this. I've been too tolerant and I can't deal with your antics anymore."

"Mine? What about yours? You sit around the house all day collecting a check for your "disabilities"," roared Colin, sarcastically playing with the last word.

"So you going out all hours of the night doing what your heart pleases is perfectly fine?"

"I can't have fun with you. I might as well look elsewhere."

Dakota ignored the sting of those words. It was a rare occurrence something penetrated her thick skin but that did. He would never understand the guilt she feels every day. She pushed those feelings to the side and concentrated on the argument on hand.

"If you felt that way, you should have manned up and broke it off with me a long time ago."

"It's not that easy. You should know better than that."

"Really? What makes it not so easy?"

She watched Colin open his mouth a few times and close it, looking like a fish out of water. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him struggle with a complete sentence.

"Well, you know. With your money and our bills."

"Are you trying to say my money is the reason why you wouldn't break it off with me? You complain about me not working and collecting a check. But, that's the reason why you wouldn't tell me you want a divorce?"

"You make more than I do by just sitting on your ass. I work to support both of us. That should be reason enough for you to appreciate me and not leave. You can't live without me anyway."

Dakota's mouth fell open letting a small laugh escape her lips.

"You really think I can't live without you? And, that I should appreciate you for everything you have done for me? A husband who is faithful and caring is appreciated. Not a self centered asshole who thinks the world should revolve around him. That check that you can't live without is something I earned. Not you. You are a fucking prick thinking that I enjoy my time doing nothing or that I really want that check. Hell, I'll trade it anytime for a magic pill to fix me. A real husband would know this about me. You don't know shit."

Dakota turned to walk away when Colin grabbed her around the wrist. She looked down at his large hand around her wrist and growled, "Let. Go. Of. Me."

"Not unless you take your ass inside where it belongs. You aren't going anywhere."

Dakota looked up at Colin's fiery eyes. The grip around her wrist continued to grow tighter. She cursed herself for never leaving sooner. She had a feeling this day would come. His uncontrollable temper and flying mood changes have continued to grow over the past few months. That charming man she met almost two years ago was gone. Now she was faced with a raging bull.