Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas #1)(79)

He nodded. “I know.”

“They trapped me up in a tree.”

“I know that, too.”

“The big one looked weird, and he was mean.”

“Most wild hogs can become aggressive if cornered, but if you stay away from them, they’ll usually leave you alone.”

I shook my head, though he couldn’t see because his back was to me. “I wasn’t messing with him. It was the other way around. He charged me, and I don’t mean by asking for my credit card.”

He grinned back at me. “Why do you think he looked weird?” I gave him a quick description of the females and babies. “The sows sound like wild domesticates,” Junior said. “Some of the locals call them Piney Wood Rooters. They’re leaner because they don’t pick up weight easily. What about the boar?”

“Gigantic, probably like four-hundred pounds,” I told him. “And he had a big nose.”

“You mean a long nose?”

“Whatever. But smaller ears. His back sloped like this,” I said, using my hand to demonstrate an uphill motion. “He had this short, straight tail with hair or something on the end that looked funny, like…oh, I know! Pumba’s tail on The Lion King. Oh, never mind. You probably don’t even know what movie I’m talking about… Anyway, he was different than the others. Much scarier and way more aggressive.”

Junior stopped, walked up beside the horse, and glared at me, his face serious. “You’re trying to tell me you went up against a pure Russian boar weighing four-hundred pounds?”

“Is that what he was?”

He shrugged, then started leading the horse again. “It’s not like I’d call your description a reliable method for identification.”

“Hey, I got a good look at him while stuck in the damn tree. Wasn’t much else to do.”

Junior flicked another grin over his shoulder.

After that, we drifted in and out of silence. The dark night air and the rocking motion of the horse made me groggy. Junior tried to keep me awake by talking. It must’ve been some chore, since I never saw him as someone who did much of it.

“Open your eyes, Emily, or you’re not going to stay upright on that horse much longer,” he ordered, stopping for a moment. “It’s close to daylight.” The blue tinge of morning happened upon us, so Junior extinguished the lantern and stowed it on the side of the saddle.

Up to this point, I hadn’t had the courage to inquire about Jake, but I needed to know before we got back to the house. “Okay, how pissed off is Jake at—”

“Shhhh!” Junior stood motionless for a second more, then reached for his rifle.

He stepped in front of the horse and motioned with his hand for me to stay put. He walked toward a sound I couldn’t hear, guarding me from an unknown evil. Both his hands cradled the weapon in a defensive position, ready to react at a moment’s notice.

Like a cannonball, the boar shot out of the brush straight toward him. Junior raised the rifle and aimed, but he didn’t shoot. I wanted to yell, but wouldn’t dare risk distracting him, which would inevitably endanger his life—and mine. The hog was closing in fast.

Now! Damn it, shoot him now!

I opened my mouth to scream, but he fired. The sound ricocheted off the surrounding trees. With a bullet hole between the eyes, the boar collapsed, hitting the ground and sliding to a dead stop next to Junior’s booted feet.

The horse lurched skittishly under me. I grasped a handful of its mane and held on in case it bolted. A click of Junior’s tongue settled the stallion instantly.

The sight was ridiculous. Junior stood over the massive boar as if it were a harmless puppy. The man had steel cable nerves and a pair of brass balls.

My eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Holy shit!”

Junior shrugged. “Hakuna matata.”

…

Junior had parked his truck and horse trailer two miles downstream from where he found my tracks on the bank. Once he trailered his horse, we drove toward the house.

“I can’t believe you found me,” I told him, the hero worship written all over my face. “Especially at night after it rained. You must be good at tracking.” He smiled at me, but didn’t say anything. “I don’t really know how to thank you.”

“You just did.”

I lowered my eyes. “I thought Jake would be looking for me…but I guess…well, he must be mad…”

“Nobody’s mad, Emily. Worried, but not mad. Jake and the other boys found the spot where you fell into the river and called me. I picked up my horse and parked my truck farther downstream while they all split up searching the banks from there on foot. Over the years, I’ve taught each of them boys how to track, and they’re good”—he gave me a wink—“but I’m better.”

I offered him a smile. “Should we call and tell them I’m with you?”

“Cell phones don’t work back here. Too many trees, no clearings. When we hit the highway, we’ll call Floss and let her spread the word. They’re carrying two-way radios to stay in touch with Hank.”

“It was kind of you and the others to help. You guys hardly know me.”

“I know you, Emily. Better than you think. You are so much like my daughter, Lucy, in personality. The two of you could’ve passed for sisters.”