“No,” I said.
Annoyed, I turned around and walked back inside. I was anxious to lock the door and make sure he was gone. Before I could shut the door, he was standing there with his hand on it. He pushed he way inside before I could close it.
“Hey! This is a private residence.” I objected. “You can’t just barge in here.”
“Barge in here? I’m here to do business,” he said innocently. “This is a place of business, is it not? You can’t call it a private residence and an office. I see desks. I see chairs for clients.”
“You’re not a client,” I insisted. “They’re never going to sell to you. Why are you really here? I don’t think you’re interested in helping me. Who are you kidding?”
“Helping you is just a side benefit of me getting what I want. I also need furniture for the resort,” he insisted. “I could cut the brothers a very lucrative deal, if you’ll help me. I just need them to consider my offer. You get your information. This way everyone wins.”
“I find that outcome highly unlikely from anything you would propose,” I said suspiciously. “You want to manipulate me. I think there’s a reason I always see you alone.”
“You saw me with my date at Spanky’s,” he reminded. “The lovely Julie. A bit plain for me, but she was a fun date for the evening.”
“She was just arm candy to you, wasn’t she? You don’t have a relationship with her because you’re incapable of a relationship.” I concluded. “You need everything to be about you. Poor me. I have limp. Ash Barrett hurt me in high school. Pathetic!”
Tanner made an annoyed face. Perhaps I was finally pushing his buttons instead of the other way around. He suddenly started laughing. It was one of those empty, bitter laughs. It was one I was familiar with.
“You don’t know anything about me,” he chuckled. “I’ve done more for the people of the town down there than any of the Barretts have. They live in the past, up here on a mountain. I live in the real world and make thousands of people happy with my resort. I employ hundreds of people. Half the town is dependent upon me. Who would miss Barrett Handmade Furniture if it closed tomorrow? They make furniture everywhere. You can buy it in Costco.”
“Don’t you dismiss what they do,” I said, defending them. “They’re craftsmen. They’re keeping alive a tradition that goes back years. Their furniture will last way longer than anything you would buy at a store. That stuff is completely disposable.”
“Well, maybe I’ll just sit here and wait until the brothers return from harvesting trees,” he suggested.
“Wait a minute,” I said. “If you knew they weren’t here, then why did you drive up here? To talk to me? For all you knew, I was with them. You’re up to something.”
“You know what? Fine. Fine!” he ranted. “You people don’t want to make money? Fine. Stay up here. Live in an old cabin like it’s the early 1900’s. Freeze your asses off! What do I care?! The Barretts are a bunch of backwood, mountain hillbillies. You’ll fit in right along with them.”
He barged out. Much like Ash, Tanner had a way of pushing my buttons too. After he got outside, I finally thought of a comeback. I rushed out side to yell at him. I found him bent over near the same truck. He was holding a pair of needlenose pliers, which he quickly put away.
“What the Hell were you doing? ” I demanded. “Were you sabotaging that truck? ”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he sneered. “Why would I? You’re crazy.”
“You’re the one that’s crazy.” I snapped. “You’re obsessed with Ash and his brothers all because of what happened to you. All because of an accident! Move on with your life!”
“In case you haven’t noticed,” he said angrily. “I can’t move on because I can’t move very well. Thanks to Ash. Every time it’s cold? I get pains. Since I was 18. You don’t know what it’s like to be permanently injured!”
“Get over it.” I snapped. “Life is hard. Deal with it!”
“Oh. Think it’s that easy?! I was addicted to pain pills for three years.” he snapped. “You don’t just get over pain. You have to cope with it.”
“Getting revenge isn’t coping!” I yelled back. “You were just kids playing football!”
“That was my life he ruined. He cost me everything. My career. My college degree. If my family wasn’t rich, I’d be dead!” he screamed like a madman. “My father died thinking I was a junkie! That I was nothing! I’m going to crush the Barretts. Especially Ash. He should’ve been punished 12 years ago!”
I didn’t understand. That football game have to had happened more than 12 years ago. What was 12 years ago?
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about anymore,” I said confused. “What was 12 years ago?”
Tanner’s face suddenly went pale. He had said too much, I think. He finally lost his cool and let something slip out.
“Nothing,” he suddenly said. “I’ll leave you be. And you can forget about finding out about that information on your mother.”
He turned around and started walking, but I wasn’t going to let him off the hook. I marched over and grabbed him by the arm.
“Wait a minute.” I demanded.
“Get off me.” he snapped, pulling away. “Don’t you touch me. Do you know how much this jacket costs?!”
“You’re the one that trespassed here. I should call the cops.” I threatened. “Now what the hell did you mean by 12 years?”
He tried to get in his car, but I pushed the door shut. He lost his temper and backhanded me. Tanner was a powerful guy. The hit sent me reeling and I fell against the truck, then to the cold pavement of the parking lot.
“You asshole!” I screamed. “I’m calling the cops!”
“Go ahead. Your word against mine.” he assured.
I could tell I was bleeding. I touched my head where the blood was coming.
“Oh, yeah? Who do you think they’re going to believe? An injured woman or an ex-junkie?” I snapped.
That last part was too much for Tanner, he marched over with his cane. He was going to hit me with it and who knows? Beat me to death in the parking lot? I had to do something. I kicked out and hit his bad knee. He grabbed it in agony and dropped the cane, which rolled under his car.
“Ah! Dammit! You bitch! I’ll kill you!” he screamed.
Hobbling forward, he fell on the icy parking lot. I was trying to get to my feet, but I was unsteady after the hit. I rushed and slipped falling down on the icy cement. I could see Tanner crawling after me. He claw at my pant leg, trying to grab me by the ankle. I twisted away.
Finally, I got to one knee and was about to stand up, when Tanner lurched forward and grabbed me by the leg. He knocked me down and I rolled, hurting my elbow and knee. I screamed, trying to kick him away. He was trying to get a grip on my belt and he pulled out the needlenose pliers. He held them like a weapon. Was he going to stab me?! Oh, my God! I wasn’t going to lay there and find out.
“Get the fuck off me!” I screamed. “Get off! You asshole! You’re going to prison!”
“Shut up. You’re nothing to me. You’re nothing to anyone!” he ranted. “I run this town.”
I kicked and kicked finally striking his hands. The pliers went flying across the lot. I struck him in the face and it sent him reeling back.
“Ah. You bitch!” he snapped. “You fucking bitch!”
I crawled as fast as I could toward the cabin. I knew if I could just get inside and lock the door, there’d be no way he could get inside. I made it to the edge of the lot. Unfortunately, Tanner had used one of the trucks to get up on his good foot. He started hopping in my direction.
“No-no-no-no.” I said.
I was trying to get up and do the same. I got up on one foot and he just leaped and tackled me. We went rolling down the incline of the parking lot. Tanner’s head struck the pavement and the cold was monumental. I stopped first and Tanner rolled a few more feet, coming to rest on a guard rail. I was now completely on the other side of the parki
ng lot. I looked around. The boys were nowhere to be seen. I had to do this on my own. I had to warn them. Even if it cost me my life.
“You bitch!” Tanner yelled. “You think I’m going to just destroy the Barretts?! I’m going to do the same to you! You’ll be easy though! You’re nothing to no one! Not even the Barretts!”
I got on my hands and knees. Standing up at this point seemed to be too much. My head was swimming a little and the cold was making my whole body numb. I knew I had to get to the cabin. Even if I died inside with the note taped to my chest of what happened. Something inside me told me I would make it. Guys like Tanner couldn’t be allowed to win.
Crawling halfway across, I could hear Tanner trying to catch up. He got on his foot again, but fell over. He was stuck on a steeper incline, so the best way around him for traction was to stay in the snow and skirt the edge of the parking lot. He started doing that, but I was going straight a cross. I could see drops of blood dotting the parking lot. It was my blood. I felt it dripping out of my nose.
I reached the edge of the parking lot and now all I had to do was climb up the steps and get inside the cabin. I could hear Tanner struggling off to my right. He was still about twenty feet away, slipping on the snow. I was exhausted, but I had to make it. My very life depended upon it.
With a great push, I got up the steps and grabbed the railing. Tanner was getting to his feet. Maybe the cold had finally numbed his other knee enough so the pain didn’t matter, I don’t know. I was in pain, however, but I didn’t care. I struggled to my feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Tanner limping my way. I pushed into the cabin and fell inside.
I could hear Tanner coming up the steps. I pushed the door closed with my feet and held it. Struggling, I reached up and locked the door. He pounded on it fruitless for a few seconds, cursing my name.
“Ha-ha!” I said victoriously. “Go fuck yourself.”
I crawled over to a couch by the window and peeked out of the blinds. Tanner was getting out. He recovered the pliers and his cane. He got inside his car and it started right up. I watched him pulled out of the lot and drive down the mountain. He was probably going to contact his lawyer before I had the cops arrest him.
Before I did anything else, I had a good cry. Tanner was scary and I had beaten him, but that ordeal had really tested me. Physically I had been tested sexually, now I had been tested the complete opposite way. I had come out on top, but it was still frightening. I would be more vigilant in the future and I was definitely going to have a gun next time.
My head was throbbing now and my heart was racing. I didn’t know if it was from the ordeal or just out of sheer anger. I had to let the boys know, but I needed to control the situation. If Ash suddenly found out, there’d be no telling what he’d do. Oak was the youngest and probably the most laid back. I decided to start with him.
Before that, however, I searched the cabin until I found the first aid locker. No ice packs. Then I realized, that to stay cold they would have to keep them in the freezer anyway. I went to the freezer, searched around and found them. The cold felt good against my head. I looked in the mirror and the side of my face was red. I was all banged up and bleeding from various scrapes. Some of my clothes were ripped where I had skidded on the harsh surface of the parking lot. I was going to have a bruise and maybe a black eye. That was definitely going to set the boys off. Tanner really stepped in it when he messed with me.
There was a radio in the office that the guys sometimes used instead of the phones. It was quicker and free. I decided it would be safer to radio rather than call. I didn’t want my signal to drop out half way through this explanation.
“Oak, it’s Lila, do you copy?” I asked.
“Hey, Lila, what’s up?” he replied cheerfully.
“Look, I need some help, but don’t tell the other guys, okay?”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to tell you why,” I said unsure. “Look, can you just slip away and come back here? For me?”
“Sure,” he said equally unsure. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
My head was pounding now. I went back to the First Aid locker and looked for a solution. There was a bottle of ibuprofen, so I took a couple. That would ease the pain, hopefully. I tried to clean up my wounds and put on some Neosporin and Bandaids.
I started planning what I would tell Oak. The first thing he had to do was to check that truck. I didn’t think Tanner had finished whatever he planned, but there was no sense taking any chances. If he was crazy enough to hit me, he might be crazy enough to tamper with the brakes or something. I guess I really would have to go to the cops and report him. I wished I had more evidence. Maybe the guys had a security camera system they hadn’t told me about yet.
Oak opened the door and I was about to tell him the story, when the other four brothers barged in. I’m so stupid. He was too young to handle this. Of course he told the others.
“Jesus,” gasped Oak.
“What the Hell happened to your face?” demanded Alder. “You look like someone beat you!”
“Were you assaulted?” asked Elm. “Did you call the sheriff yet? We should take pictures of the injuries, document and call the sheriff.”
“Everyone calm down,” said Ash. “What happened?”
I hesitated. I almost considered lying to him, but I couldn’t.
“Hear the whole story,” I pleaded. “When I was on the phone with you I heard that noise, right? When I went outside, I found Tanner in the parking lot.”
“Tanner did this?” Ash snapped.
It was almost too much for him. Ash seemed like a gentle guy overall, but Tanner brought out the worst in him. He put his fist right through the wood paneling on the wall. Thankfully, it gave way. The cabin was really well built. The office had been a slightly cheaper addition.
“You have to calm down,” I pleaded. “Something really weird is going on.”
“I’m gonna kill him,” growled Ash. “I’m going to kill this motherfucker.”
“I’m with you,” offered Elm. “With you to the end, all the way, but we should hear her out, okay?”
Ash managed to calm himself just enough to nod. I continued. I got a little teary eyed, which made things worse.
“I heard the noise and went outside. He said he fell on the ice in the parking lot,” I explained. “Made noise about suing the business. Then said he was up here to make another offer on the mountain.”
“Which we’ll never take,” continued Teak.
“Right,” I agreed. “And I thought it was weird, like why didn’t this guy get the message? How many times do you have to say and he drove all the way up the mountain just to hear another no? So I’m like, get lost, and I go into the office and he follows. He says help him, I say get lost, you can’t come in here. He says since this is an office and he’s here to do business he can. Eventually, he finally gets the message and leaves.”
“So he just barges into the office?” repeated Alder. “I’m getting pissed too, Ash. What the Hell? That has to be illegal. Is that illegal, Elm?”
“It depends,” sighed Elm. “We are a business and we have taken walkins in the past, although they are exceedingly rare. If his lawyers convinced the court he had a legitimate reason to be here. But that part is meaningless if they hit, Lila. That’s definitely illegal. Get to that, Lila.”
“Okay,” I said continuing. “So he goes back out and I think of the perfect comeback, so I rush outside to tell him off and he’s back at the truck where he fell on the ice. Only now, I don’t think he fell because he’s holding a pair of needlenose pliers. I think he was messing with the truck.”
“Oak,” Ash ordered immediately.
“I’m on it,” he said standing up and rushing outside. “Back in a minute.”
“So I see the pliers and now I know he’s up to something, but I can’t put my finger on it. He goes to get into his car, but I grab him.”
“Wait, you touched him first?�
� asked Elm.
“Yeah, so?”
“Well, we can’t call the cops now,” he explained. “He’ll say you assaulted him and he was merely defending himself.”
“I just grabbed him to talk to him.” I explained.
“It doesn’t matter.” insisted Elm.
“Look at her, man!” said Alder. “He beat her up. That’s not a normal response to that.”
“I’m just telling you how it looks to cops,” said Elm.
“Look, let her tell the damned story,” said Ash. “Keep going.”
“So then he starts ranting and raving about how much he hates you, right? He wants to buy the mountain, but the Barretts are bad and Ash is the worst. Then he said Ash escaped punishment 12 years ago, which I didn’t get,” I explained, confused. “Next thing you know, he pushes me to the ground. Tries to come at me. I kicked him in his bad knee and it really set him off. I thought he was trying to kill me.”
“Wait,” said Elm. “12 years ago. He said that? Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Why? What happened 12 years ago?”
“Everything’s fine,” said Oak returning. “What happened? What? Why is everyone so quiet?”
“Our parents died 12 years ago,” explained Elm. “They went to drive downtown, their brakes were damaged and they went off the road and down a cliff. Kind of like your car.”
“Oh, God,” I said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“He did it,” said Alder horrified. “Tanner did it. He was trying to sabotage the brakes to get back at Ash, but our folks go in the truck. Could he be that much of a bastard?”
Teak put his hand to his mouth and tears rolled down his face. Their parents’ death was still a sore spot.
“Are you sure? I mean, that’s a big leap even for a jerk like Tanner,” I gasped.
“The investigation sited brake failure as a major factor in the crash,” explained Elm. “I’ve looked over the police reports. We had no reason to suspect anyone else. I mean, Tanner was just a kid.”
Loved by the LumberJacks_A MFMMMM Reverse Harem Romance Page 14
