Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #7)(4)
I just feared it would backfire. My father was a relentless man. People didn’t cross him. He meant business, and when he said he was going to do something, he did it. Much like Brant, he wouldn’t back down. The two of them had that in common at least. They’d fight to the death for me, and it scared the shit out of me to think about losing either of them.
“Why do you keep looking back there?”
Keeping watch out of the rear car window wasn’t my idea of a good time, especially after what I was giving up to be with him. Brant seemed to think we were in the clear, but ditching our phones wasn’t going to stop them from seeking another way to hunt us down. “I’m afraid they’re going to find us,” I admitted. “Dad is probably already coming after us.”
“Baby, chill the f*ck out. We’re good.” He took my hand and raised it to his lips. My tolerance level was wearing thin. “I love you. Don’t be such a downer. If I wanted to feel like shit I’ll do it on my own terms.” He smiled, displaying a dimple in the corner of his creamed toned skin. His dark hair was blowing with the breeze coming in the open window. “When we get to Vegas I’m going to buy you something nice. I know this is hard. I get it. Just give us a chance, Cass. We’ve planned this for a long time. Don’t back out on me now. I need you.”
Like my father, Brant always felt his way was the right way. I however, had a different opinion, though I hadn’t yet voiced it. Now he was making me feel guilty. The idea of slipping away to Vegas seemed exciting, but in hindsight I knew it was a terrible idea. Nothing good was going to come from it, but I didn’t have the gall to go against what my boyfriend had already decided. He wasn’t keen on someone standing in his way, and he’d planned this move for far too long to reconsider. He’d made plans, found us a place to stay, and arranged for a job. He’d kill me if I ruined it because of being homesick, not to mention how many hoops he’d gone through to convince a stranger to give him a chance. It wasn’t like he had fantastic references.
“Sorry,” I whispered under my breath. While looking in the upright mirror at my reddened green eyes, I wondered if I’d ever be the same carefree girl again, or if this crazy move would change me. “I know this is what I want. You’re right, Brant. I can’t wait to see what life has in store for us.” In the pit of my stomach I felt a need to continue to worry. This was new for me – all of it. I’d never lived anywhere else than my family home. I didn’t know the first thing about being independent enough to start a whole new life, and Brant hadn’t yet been forthcoming about his new job, which had me a bit concerned. He wasn’t exactly the poster boy for employment opportunities. Since he was being so secretive, I was worried if what he was going to be doing would even be legal. If it wasn’t I didn’t know what I’d be able to do. He wouldn’t listen to me, and I couldn’t exactly call the cops on the only person who was taking care of me.
I’d have to get my own job, and since the only experience I had was working on a ranch, I knew I’d have a hard time finding something I was good at.
Maybe I should have finished college. A few night courses didn’t exactly leave me with a degree in anything. For the life of me I couldn’t ever remember wanting to be anything more than a housewife, much like my mother. Sure, she had a hair salon with my aunt, and both my sisters enjoyed working there in the past, but it wasn’t for me. I pictured having a bunch of kids and homeschooling so I could spend all my time with them. I’d been raised to love and appreciate my relatives. Us children were taught nothing is stronger than the bond between family.
Turning my back on them was excruciatingly hard, especially not having any clue what we were getting involved in.
This was the choice I made, and I couldn’t turn back now. I wasn’t willing to give up my relationship with Brant, and I certainly didn’t want him leaving me behind. This was our future. Like it or not, we’d made the decision to leave and I wasn’t going back.
I thought about my family as I stared out the car window. The faithful group of people who raised me and taught me right from wrong were probably freaking out. I knew they were frantic by now. I was sure they contacted the authorities, or at least my great-uncle who’d been the sheriff in Kentucky for many years. There was little he could do now, since we’d exited the state hours before.
Then there was someone else who filled my mind. I’d treated her terribly. I’d taken out my frustrations on her, knowing it was crushing her heart. I’d said things I’d been taught to never say to someone. My mother didn’t deserve to be told off in her own home, nor did she appreciate watching me walk out the door with no intentions of ever returning. I regretted our last moments together, and I wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to see me again. If my father had been there things would have gone down differently. He probably would have got out his rifle and sent Brant to heaven with no regard for how it would affect me. He hated him with a passion, and it showed. He was quite open regarding his feelings for my boyfriend. Maybe it’s why I was determined to be with him. Maybe my rebellious ways led me right into his arms. Maybe I didn’t deserve a surreal life in the country. Perhaps I was bound for bigger and better things, or maybe I was in way over my head.
The mere thought of that made my stomach feel queasy. I came from something good. Most people would do anything to be raised by two loving parents under the same roof. It wasn’t just my mom and dad who took care of us kids either. We lived on a large piece of property in North Carolina, where my father and my uncle ran a cattle ranch. Sure, we also had a few chicken houses, and even grew produce for the local grocers, but we mostly were known for raising the best steeds around.