12 "save a dance for me"

"how did this happen?"

"I was doing home renovations.. hit myself with a hammer"

"On the hand too?"

"I uh"

"Please. If you are in fear for your life let me know now. I will have the cops here ASAP if your boyfriend is hurting you"

I gave a nurse a confusing look. "What?"

"Based off of your bruises on your body and the wounds on your head and hand I'm concerned for your safety. Did he-" he points to Jimmy out in the waiting room. "Hurt you?" I shook my head frantically. "No! No! He works for my dad. I just met him. He just drove me here. The bruises are from falling off my ranch horse a couple times. He has nothing to do with this" I shook my head. "Okay. You know I have to ask"

"I understand ma'am" she handed me bottles of inflammatory to take home along with my discharge papers. I stepped out to meet Jimmy. "After 7 stitches in my hand and six in my forehead I think I'm ready to go" I gave jimmy a soft smile as he helped me slip on my jacket. Jimmys smile slowly faded as he looked me in the eyes. I frowned. "You okay?" I asked as we stepped out the sliding doors. "That...Fred guy..he put those bruises on your body like that?" Jimmy was the first to realize any injuries I've ever gotten from Fred. quite honestly no one knows that I'm with Fred at all. "No..he doesn't normally get that mad at me" i refused eye contact. I got in the passengers seat of the truck. Jimmy stood in the open door. "I've seen the things he has done to you. If you need help just say so"

"I don't need no one's help! I'm not in need of a prince to save my ass. I'm not in any situation! So just drop it! Mind your own business!" I shouted. Jimmy step back from the door before closing it. He looked at the ground as he walked around the truck. I felt awful really bad. I never raised my voice to anybody and I don't need him thinking that I do. As he sat down I  looked at him. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to raise my voice. It's just I have a lot of things on my mind right now"

"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have asked" he said sweetly. "thank you for caring about me though jimmy.. you're the only one that would"

"Can I ask you something? That isnt my business?" He questioned."anything just ask"

"Those...scars..on your cheeks. Are those from-"

"Fred? No" i shook my head as I spoke to him genuinely with care "when I was really young and my sister was younger she attacked me after I made her mad. She hit me in the face with a plastic toy. She's an angry person. She's always been an angry person she's the one who threw the bottle at me cutting my hand and my face"

"She did this?"

"Yeah..like I said. She thinks I killed our mom.. she loses her mind when she sees me. I bring like a bad feeling in the room. I can tell"

"Not with me. I think you're a really great person. I think If I didn't talk to you every now and then I'd probably be losing my mind right now" I smiled softly. "Really?" "Yeah! You keep my mind off the pain I feel in my lower body" he chuckled slightly. My cheeks got hot for a moment as he spoke so gently to me. "I appreciate that Jimmy. I really do"

"Just...don't let Fred run you around okay? You're your own person. You can do much better without him"

...

Maybe Jimmy was right. I didn't need Fred. but maybe I did. I felt like I did. He made me feel good. He made me feel needed. And I liked that. "Ready?" Fred asked me as he stood Infront of my house as I stepped down the steps. I chose to be confident tonight. I decided to wear things I wouldn't normally wear. tight skinny jeans. Anything tight on my body was out of my comfort zone. I also decided on a baggy sweater cardigan. My arm was still sore from the other night, I didn't want to keep pressure of clothing on it. I ran my fingers through my hair to remove the strains from my eyes. "Ready than ever" i smiled bright. I watched as Fred's eyes gazed along my body. His teeth clung to his bottom lip. "I hope you ain't showing off to no other cowboys"

"No baby. Just you" I spoke softly as I kisses his chin. He smiled at me as he held my cheeks to kiss deeply. "Who kicked your ass this time?" He questioned as his thumb ran gently over my stitches up forehead. "Bethany" I huffed "I tried my best to cover it up with makeup"

"Looks like shit" he chuckled. I frowned a bit. "Come on let's go" I followed him to the truck. I then stopped in my tracks as I felt for my phone. "You good?" He questioned "it's fine. Forget it" "I really don't like those jeans on you" he spoke. I furrowed my brows in confusing "I thought I looked good?" "You do but them pants are too tight. Men will be all over you" I smirked "they won't be if you're there to protect me"

"That's not the point! My point is, is that you look like a hooker" he spoke loudly. I jumped a bit at his voice rising. "...do you want me to change?" I frowned. "No. No! Let's go! We're already losing night light" On the way to the bar, the entire time he continued to scold me. He scolded me about the clothes I wore and the decisions I made to go out. we entered the bar to a heavily packed bar. So packed we could hardly get in. As we walked in men smiled at me. they Smiled at me in a way I've never seen before. I was flattered. I sat down at the bar next to Fred as he ordered a beer. I scanned the room with my eyes, then glued my eyes and ears to the stage. The music was fast. Lots of rhythm. "Don't you want to dance with me Freddie?" I bat my lashes up at Fred with a flirty smile. His back was turned to the stage. His teeth and lips snickered against the tip of the glass he was sipping on "no. Not at all" I frowned a bit before looking down at my hands. "Dont have to be such a dud" Fred wrapped his arm around my shoulder "I ain't no dud. Im just not one of them dancing gay boys"

"Dancing is romantic"

"Dancing is gay. You ain't allowed to dance. It'll bring too much attention to your ass. Your body! Ain't nobody wanna see your body" I was kind of taken back by his comment. For a man who really wants my body, he sure does hurt it alot. I shimmied my shoulders as I tried to remove his arms. "Oh come on baby. I didn't mean it like that. You know that" he tilted his head down at my face. I turned my head as he kissed my face. "Willie. look at me" I looked down. I didn't even want to deal with him. The booze on his breath was horrendous. "Willie for fuck sakes I ain't playing your games!" His voice growled angrily as he gripped my face to force me to look at him. His closed fingers held down on my cheeks and his thumb on the other cheek, he pinched my jaw and teeth like a crab claw. "You listen to me when I talk" he mumbled through his drunk gritted teeth. I smacked his hands off my face. "You ain't doin this shit in public. Freaking embarrassing" I whispered angrily. I fought back. I'm not taking this anymore. Lividly he grabbed my horribly bruised arm, yanking me close to him. "Just wait till later you fuckin cunt. I'm gonna wreck your-"

"Fucks goin on here!?" Rip shouted aggressively as he yanked us apart. Rip didn't know of us dating. No one did. Just jimmy. I was very private, and quite frankly no one paid attention to anything I did, and honestly Fred was very disliked by many in the bunkhouse too. "Nothing" i spoke innocently. "Fuck your hands on her for" rips hand held against Fred's chest. "Back off rip! Mind your business"

"I asked you a question" rip repeates.

"None of your business!" I stood between rip and fred. Fred sucked the tip of a glass bottle, as rip stared me down. "Didn't you know they were lovers" beth spoke drunkenly from behind rips arm she clung to. Rips eyes shifted wide as his posture stiffened. "End it now." Rip demanded. "Mind your business" I growled "I'm a grown ass woman"

"A grown ass woman making a mistake"

"You're not my damn father. Kick rocks!"

Rips face dropped with disappointment. His jaw tensed up in his cheeks. "Come on baby. Let the cunt be a cunt" beth spoke as she flicked her cigarette at me. God my heart is racing. I've never been so mad. Fred fired me up, rip made it worse. My sister and rip stepped far down the bar. My hands were shaking over my confrontation. I eased my shakes with a quick shot of tequila As Fred mumbled evil words into my ear. I drowned him out. With thought. I gazed at the band and the rowdy crew. I looked towards the front door to witness jimmy watching me do the same. He smiles. I smiled. He waved. I smiled shaking my head. He was handsome. Slim and handsome. He was so kind, so warm to me. It felt so foreign. "Are you fuckin kidding me?" Fred spoke, breaking me out of my zone. "Huh?" I questioned. "You fuckin the rookie? Huh? You making f'fuck me eyes' to good old Jim Bob over there?"

"No I'm just looking around the room!"

"No you ain't! You're tryna fuck jimmy"

"Watch your mouth. I ain't screwing no one!" I repeated. "I'm done with you broads and your cheatin fuckin ways. Might take a whore home tonight. Then at least I'll get fuckin laid" he then spat on the wood bar floor. "Screw you. I'm done with you" I spoke before slamming my drink on the counter then storming out the front doors. "nah. Nah. you ain't walking away from me!" Fred spoke as his large footsteps followed behind me. "Get over here!" He reached out yanking my abused arm to spin me. When I was tossed to face him I punched him as hard as I could.  The sound that roared from my fist and his cheek made the smokers outside 'oooo' in shock. His face was red. I've never seen him more mad in my life. His fists were clenched ready to strike. The only thing keeping him from striking me was rip in the building behind us. "We're done fred. Done. We're over and I mean it"

"No we ain't. No the fuck we ain't. Ill say when it's over! And it ain't over!"

I rolled my eyes before turning around to head back inside "I suggest you watch your fuckin back!"

"And I suggest you wash yours" I stepped in back inside the bar with my legs shaking. I never thought In a million years I would ever stand up to him the way I did. I guess it was the tequila shots. I stormed myself back inside. My heart was racing I just needed to calm down. I sat back at the bar finishing off what was left of Fred's tab. My hands were so shaky I had to ease my anxiety. "You alright" his sweet voice spoke as he confronted me. I kept my eyes on my glass. "Did he hurt you?" He questioned. "No. I broke up with him" I stirred my drink with my straw trying to focus on sucking my tears back in my damn head. "Oh. Wow" he sat down as he watched me with concern. I finished off my drink, one after another, after another. "You gonna be okay?" Jimmy said softly. I glanced up at him with a nod "do you wanna dance with me?" I asked with zero hesitation or anxiousness. "I'm not very good at it but. Yeah. Yeah definitely" jimmy smiled. "Good." I grasped his hand then Led him to the large dancing crowd. Jimmy spun me and dipped me making me laugh so loud. I felt happy and warm on the inside. Is it weird that I wanted him. Sexually. I wanted a man. Me? Of all people wanted to physically touch a man. In my 23 years of living I've never felt like that. I've always been conservative about my body. I've never felt this feeling of myself before. Alcohol is a magical drug. OJimmy and I spent the night dancing and drinking. He didn't drink at all. I thought it was weird that he didn't have a single drink. I'm so used to Fred getting plastered that I myself couldn't even enjoy myself. I was his babysitter. Not this time. I allowed Jimmy's hands to roam my hips. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. I allowed him to sway me back and forth all night without any issue. "Told you you would get the hang of dancing" I smiled softly as we sat back down. "Who taught you to dance" he questioned breathlessly. "Rip taught me when I was like 12. He taught me some things. You caught on real well" I giggled. "Well with the best teacher anything can happen" he smiled. Nonchalantly I placed my hand on his. He watched me with his eyes glowing with the same feelings I was feeling. I gently grazed my finger along his skin. "Do you wanna like...go back home with me?" I questioned. He nodded head with reassurance. "Definitely. Oh definitely"

He took me home. He didn't try anything on the way home. I thought it was odd. We even sat on the tailgate of the truck for a couple hours. He still didn't try anything. "Whats your story Jimmy?" I questioned sweetly. "Not much of a story. I was born in Bozeman. I was abandoned by my mom. She left me with my grandfather and I was with him ever since" he looked down at the can of beer he held in his hand. I draped my legs along his lap as I listened to him speak. "What happened to her?" "She was killed. In an accident. She was dating some biker guy. The biker guy drove right into a pole and killed her. I didn't know her very much. So I guess it didn't effect me"

"Bullshit"

"Huh?" He looked back up at me from his can. "I lost my mother before I could even acknowledge that she was my mother. It changed my whole life. It effects me still to this day. I don't think a child can grow up right without a mom. Let alone a dad"

"You had a dad"

"And you had a grand dad. Same thing. Just older"

"Yeah but your actual dad was there. Mine died in jail" he huffed. "My dad killed me along time ago" Jimmy looked up at me with empathy in his eyes. "He killed the innocent child inside me when my mother died. When she died he saw me as an animal or something"

"That's how people see me now"

"Why do you say that?"

Jimmy sighed. "I used to deal crazy amounts of drugs. I would also do them. My grandfather gave up on me. I don't blame him. He tried this best to move me onto a right path but I refused. Addiction kills relationships"I looked him in his eyes as he spoke. "Well now you're able to build relationships" I said. He hummed a smile. "I guess you're right" his thumb grazed my cheek as he pondered my self being. "That means you can too will" I bit my lip in a smile as he moved a bit closer. With the force of the universe We were pushed together leaving us to a very long and powerful kiss that raised warmth over my entire body. His lips were smooth. His lips were perfect. I think I was in love. I wanted to take things further so I grazed along his lap. He pulled away with a chuckle. "I think you gotta get some rest""What? No I'm having fun with you"

"I'm gonna be honest with you willie. You're drunk as shit right now" he held my makeup covered cheeks in his palms as he spoke to me calmly. I snorted a laugh "I guess I am" jimmy slid off the tailgate with a grunt. He then held his hand out to help me down. I pulled him close to me one last time. "I really like you jimmy" i whispered. "I like you too" he carefully kissed my forehead before stepping away. "Get some damn sleep. We work bright and early in the morning" he swatted his hand at me as he smiled at my drunken footsteps. "Thank you Jim" I stumbled. He smiled wide again "go to bed!" He entered the bunks leaving me to waltz in the cold. I hugged my jacket closed as I passed the horse barn. Something wasn't sitting right with me. I had a dark feeling to run inside. I had a dark feeling to go back to the bunkhouse for my own safety. The other feeling I had was no feeling at all. I was drunk I had no feelings. I was drunk I had no strength. My mouth was covered before I could even scream. My arms were held down by the force that had taken my body. With one swift hit I was down. I was painfully down. I struggled as i screamed. I was hit I..was beaten.. Jesus Christ dial rips number. Fuck! My phone! Where did I leave my phone!...