Cloud Riders(8)

Kayden must have taken them to see the new foal as it was quiet for some time. When they finally came into the house, she could tell they must have been drinking because there seemed to be a lot of staggering and slurring going on with the one she did not know. As the night progressed they started playing cards and taking shots, getting noisier and noisier. Cassie pulled the covers over her head. As inexperienced with people as she was, she knew it wasn’t right for a young lady to be in a house with drunken men.

She drifted off to sleep but woke as the door flung open. She saw Jason gawking at her and laughing. ‘Kayden, you should have told me sooner you still have her. Seems that as I found the whore, I should have a piece of her as well,’ he said, lunging at her.

He flopped on top of Cassie and she tried to pull away from his drunken breath. He had a firm grip on her though and started to kiss her, muffling Cassie’s screams with his lips. His hands went straight down to where she did not want them to go. She pulled away, screamed and hit him across the face.

‘Come on, whore! What’s your problem? Like it rough, do you?’ He grabbed her again.

She yelled at him, ‘Stop! You don’t understand. I’m not from here. Please don’t do this.’ Cassie was now begging. She called out to Kayden but he ignored her, making her so mad she shoved his friend up against the wall, smashing a stand, just about putting him through the plaster and brick partition.

She ran out, noticing Kayden was lying on the couch, practically passed out. The other one was asleep at the table. She heard Kayden cursing as he stomped in to see what she had done. It’s time for me to find other living arrangements. Not only was she in a house full of men who drank and thought she was a whore, but she had just hurt his friend. Cassie bolted out the door and kept on running. Somehow she ended up on the track that led to the horses. At least there was water there and she could freshen up and get a drink before she found her way back to the highway.

It took a while but she finally made it. The big one with the sore hoof was lying on the ground and didn’t move when she went near him, so she curled up against him and cried herself to sleep.

It was daybreak when Cassie woke to the sound of an engine and froze as the horse stood up and left her exposed. She darted over to the river, tried to cross the slimy rock surface and slipped, cutting her foot and squealing out in pain. She kept moving until reaching the other side and then ran again. She was just about to look behind to see if she’d been cunning enough to get away when hands grabbed her roughly and swung her up into a pair of arms.

‘What the hell are you playing at? Stop struggling or I swear I will tie you up.’

Cassie realised that Kayden was holding her and the fear subsided. She stopped fighting to escape as he carried her back over the creek. At the truck he grabbed a bag from inside the cab, sat her on the back and patched up her foot. He was very gentle and careful with her and Cassie calmed down and started to breathe normally again. When he had finished, he lifted her chin and put some cream on her split lip where Jason had backhanded her.

Her face felt puffy and tear-stained but she didn’t care anymore. He had let his friend try to hurt her and her eyes filled up with anger at him. ‘I was calling for you. Why didn’t you help?’ she hissed.

‘I am not your carer, Cassie. Someone like you should know what to expect if you want to stay in a house full of men.’

‘What do you mean someone like me? I’ve never even been around men. How the hell was I to know what to expect?’

Kayden sucked in a breath and sighed. ‘How old are you?’

‘Nineteen. Why?’ she asked.

He seemed angry but controlled his voice. ‘You seem very young for your age and the way you look. You’re telling me that you’ve never had a serious relationship?’

‘None.’ She shook her head, feeling miserable and upset. ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m stupid and don’t know what feels wrong.’

‘Maybe you should realise that the grass is not greener on the other side and whatever happened or what tiff maybe you had with your folks you should suck it up and go home. How long have you been around this area for?’

‘Since the day you found me. I was just kind of left.’

He looked at her sharply. ‘What do you mean, left?’

‘Near where you found me. My parents sent me away. I’m a very bad person.’

‘You’re lying. Stop it. Tell me the truth,’ he cautioned her.

She choked back tears, outraged and indignant. She lifted her chin, squaring her shoulders and trying to control her voice. ‘I’m not fibbing. I heard my parents say they wanted me gone permanently. Next thing I know I woke up in an aluminium container of some sort, my lack of memory making it obvious they had drugged me. I travelled for a couple days by plane and afterwards by car. The container is there, near where you found me. I’m not a liar!’ She watched his disbelieving glare with tears streaming down her face. ‘They hated me, like you do now—and your friend does—and I don’t know why you do! I’ve done nothing to you except be useless at taking care of myself.’ She jumped off the back of the truck in frustration, wincing at the pain in her foot. ‘Ow!’ she squeaked, holding both hands to her reddened cheeks. She plopped on the ground, rocking back and forth, nursing her foot and her hurt pride.