You lash out with all of your strength at Wes's knees. You hope it will hurt like hell when you hit him...

...which you don't. Wes springs backward at just the right time to evade your furious swing. The weight of the rake throws you off balance, but you lunge forward, swinging again for his knees.

This time, Wes catches the shaft of the rake just beneath the head in one strong hand, and he shoves his weight to the side, wrenching you off-balance and jerking the rake out of your hands.

Wes flings the rake away. It clatters across the floorboards of the barn, the sound echoing.

"Kendall," Wes says, his voice a growl, "Now I'm angry."

[[Go to chapter 56.]]