Prologue
Karmen
Another low sales day.
Just flippin’ great.
I turn the neon OPEN sign off and draw the shades, so I can have a good cry without fear of someone watching.
When I’d first taken over my momma’s shop, I had high hopes. Sure, sales were down, but in my eternal optimism, I thought a makeover and rebranding were all that was needed to turn things around.
I changed the name from Cowgirl Up to Trend Up and switched out eighty percent of the merchandise. On top of that, I started offering spa services, spray tans, hair, nails, and makeup.
But Perish Prosper keeps getting smaller, and with the rise of online shopping, I have fewer people coming into my shop.
Within a year, I’ll go under, but that’s not the worst of it. On my quest to save my momma’s business, I ended up in a mountain of debt.
And I have no one to blame for it but myself.
Deciding not to let it get the best of me, I wipe my tears away, sniffle, and grab my purse, so I can be home in time to watch my favorite home improvement show, but as I’m exiting out into the alley, Ben Jeffries approaches with a wobble in his step.
He looks bedraggled, like he hasn’t bathed in weeks, and his filthy nails all but confirm it.
Inwardly, I cringe, because he’s known to be unstable, and the last thing I want is him throwing a damn tantrum with no one else around.
“Hi, Ben!” I chirp, forcing a smile to my nervous lips.
“Hey, Kar,” he says, using my nickname without permission. “I was hoping I could take a look inside. Ellie Wither’s birthday is coming up, and I’d like to get her something nice.”
“Why don’t you stop by when we’re open?”
“I’m looking for a birthday gift and am in a bit of a rush.”
Knowing her birthday is nearly six months away, I say, “I’m sorry, Ben, but I was headed home for the day. Maybe you could come in tomorrow, when I’m open.”
“That’s when I’m out in the fields,” he huffs.
“Is there another day that would work for you?”
“Why don’t we head inside right now? I won’t take long, and I know you could use the business.”
His words are like a gut punch, meant to make me feel small.
They do.
“While I appreciate the offer, I’m afraid I’m expected home—”
Before I can get my words out, he steps closer, forcing me back against the brick wall.
“Hey!” I cry out, trying to sidestep out from in between him and the building, but his hands slam on both sides of me, caging me in.
“I said, I needed a gift,” he rasps, his breath laced with the scent of cheap whiskey.
“And I said you need to leave!”
“Or what?” He presses his body close to mine. “What are you gonna do, Kar? Call that big brother of yours?”
“Ben!” I gasp, turning my head, trying to escape his scent. “Get away—”
Before I can knee him in the nuts, I’m hurled forward, crashing onto the ground.
A short distance away, I see thrashing.
It takes a moment for my vision to clear, and when it does, I see Duke Prosper, my brother’s best friend, straddling Ben, pummeling him with his fists.
“If I ever fucking catch you talking to Karmen-fucking-Sanders again, I’m going to pull your goddamn intestines out through your smelly fucking mouth!”
He’s punches Ben over and over again until his face is bloody. Then, he gets up and starts kicking him.
Coming to my senses, I cry out, “Stop!” fearing it’ll escalate more than it already has.
Duke either doesn’t hear me or doesn’t care and keeps kicking the fallen foe.
“Nobody-fucking-touches-her!” he snarls, landing blow after blow. “Nobody!”
I scramble to get up and rush over to Duke.
“Please stop.” I pull his arm. “He’s not worth it!”
Duke turns to me, his eyes alight in fury, and for a moment, I’m terrified, because I’ve never seen a man look so savage before.
His hands are caked in blood, as are his shirt and neck.
All to defend me.
“Please, Duke,” I whisper.
He relaxes, his chest heaving as he struggles to regain control of himself.
Looking down at Ben, he gets up, his eyes never leaving him as he asks me, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He pries his eyes away from his foe to look over at me. When he sees my scrapped hands, his jaw tenses. “I did that…”
“No, it wasn’t your fault. You were trying to get him off of me.”
He snarls at Ben. “You better get lost right the hell now, before I call my brothers.”
Ben pulls himself up and crawls to his car, which is parked at the end of the alley.
“Come on.” I smile, nodding toward my shop door. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
To be continued…