She borrowed a wheelbarrow to put their things in, preventing her from making more than one or two trips to the bunkhouse.

She was carrying out one last bag of hers when the black dog she had seen running around came around the barn.

It was tall but thin, almost mangey in appearance, and it froze when it saw her. Its tail between its legs in fear

"Oh, come, come her," she knelt into the grass motioning for the dog.

She had seen Rex pet it at least once. She hoped it would learn to trust her as well. It watched her carefully but didn't move.

"Wait, wait here," she urged before hurrying into the bunkhouse.

She rummaged in the fridge and found some old steaks near the back of the fridge. They didn't smell spoiled but were past human consumption.

Taking the plate and the steak back outside, she again dropped to her knees in the dirt. Forgetting she was still in her makeshift white wedding dress.

"Look, food." She set the plate away from her slightly.

The dog hesitated and then lifted its nose in the air, sniffing slightly. Its ears lifted as it looked at the plate, clearly intrigued.

Slowly, it took a few steps closer and then grabbed the steak from the plate. It backed away slightly as it devoured the meat quickly.

"You poor thing," Flora cooed.

When the steak was gone, they moved closer, and she stretched out her hand.
Its cold wet nose made contact with her fingertips, sniffing deeply. It took two more steps towards her.

A truck driving towards the barn instantly had the dog on the run, and it was out of view before she could do anything.

She stood as her fathers truck rolled closer.

She backed up, instantly afraid if he would find her there alone. She glanced around but saw nobody to help her.

He parked a few feet away and climbed from the truck rounding the hood as she froze in place.

"Well, look at you all dressed up fine and pretty," her dad said.

She ran a hand through her hand and down over the front of her dress. She felt stupid and exposed, and his tone was mocking.

"You got your things packed, I see," He motioned to the bags behind her.

Her voice lodged in her throat, and she wanted to scream for help, tell him to leave, but fear choked her.

"Go on, get in the truck, I'll grab the bags."

"...no."

"What did you say to me?" He asked, stepping closer.

She swallowed and took a deep breath, her right hand spinning the band on her left ring finger.

"I said no. I won't go."

"Now you listen here, I've entertained this stupid charade of yours long enough. Thomas is ready to marry. You will do as I say."

"No, I won't."

He grabbed her arm, his fingers hurting where the bruises from Colby had yet to heal.

"Don't make me do this here," his hand went to his belt.

She tried to pull away, and he used the distraction to pull her off her feet. Propelling her towards the truck.

"No!"

She screamed as he began dragging her across the ground.
His arm went around her waist, lifting her off her feet even as she kicked her legs and screamed in his ear.

The dog began to bark from near the barn but seemed too afraid to get close.

They reached the truck, and her father pulled open the door and began trying to shove her inside. She resisted.
Kicking at him and twisting as he forced her onto the seat. 

He backhanded here, and the world spun. She rolled off the seat and onto the filthy floor.

She heard the glove box pop open and then felt a jarring pain in her shoulders.

Using bailing twine, he began tying her hands behind her back, his weight holding her down.

"I've had enough of this wildness Flora, you're just like your mother. You think the rules don't apply to you."

She heard a noise in the distance but was unsure of what it could be. A tear rolled down her shining cheek.

"What the fuck is this?!" Her father demanded twisting her left wrist even more to eye the ring on her hand.

"Whay is this?!" He demanded again.

"It's my ring," a deep voice said from behind her father.

Her father spun, and a second later was splayed in the dirt.

"Get the fuck off my ranch," Rex warned leaning down to her father's level.

"I don't want no trouble," her dad insisted as he tried to stand.

Flora twisted and turned until she could see Rex standing just outside the door, her  father slowly standing up between them.

"Get out of here," Rex warned again.

"Alright, I'm going."

Her dad closed her door and started for his side of the truck. A second later, the door opened.

"Hey, you can't get into my truck! That my property!" Her dad yelled. Turning and going towards Rex.

"And she's mine," Rex replied, turning to keep his body in front of hers.

"That's my daughter."

"She's my wife, Bubba."

"The hell she is."

"She is. I married her yesterday morning, I'm really sorry you couldn't join us. Give my regards to Thomas."

Her dad lunged at Rex, who side stepped, her dad falling onto her inside the truck.

She wiggled, trying in vain to free her hands. She knew her dads temper and fear had her panic stricken.

He pushed off her and turned lunging again at Rex, who again moved slightly this time, grabbing her dad by the shoulders and kneeing him hard in the stomach before pushing him to the ground.

"I'll tell you one more time. You get out of here," Rex said.

Her dad's hand went to his boot, and the knife he kept inside.

"Rex!" She yelled just as her dad swiped at him.

Rec moved her father barely missing him, and then he swung, his fist connecting with the older man's jaw.
He swung again and again and again. She lost count of how many times his fist connected with her father's face, but when he was finished, Rex was sweating, his knuckles busted open, and her dad nearly unrecognizable laying in the dirt.

She struggled to sit up, a whimper escaping her.

It was then Rex turned his attention to her. His blue eyes met hers as if seeing her for the first time.

He walked towards her, and she backed away as far as she could on the cramped floor.

He reached for her, and she flinched away. Terrified of what she now knew, he was truly capable of.

He paused and seemed to hesitate, then reached for her again. Her arms burned in their sockets, and her chest constricted painfully, and she struggled to breathe against the panic attack rising in her throat.

"Honey, are you hurt?" He asked his hands, carefully framing her face, his fingers tracing where her father had slapped her.

She could do nothing to reply, her panting breaths the only sound.

He pulled a switchblade from his pocket, and when it popped open, she jerked away a sharp pain shooting into her shoulder.

"Shhh, let me get you loose," He said softly.

His hands weren't shaking, his breath was slow and steady other than his busted knuckles, and you'd think this was a perfectly normal interaction.

He cut the twine on her wrists, and she pulled her hands to her front, noticing now that her wrists were raw where they'd been bound.

She rubbed was shaking when Rex took her hands in his. Her turned them over to examine her wrists, both of them, and then he did something that shocked her.

He leaned down and kissed each wrist where they were raw and sensitive.
She froze but didn't try and pull free. Her heart began to pound even harder, but this didn't feel like fear.

He lifted his head, his hands still holding hers only more gently. He reached up with one hand to push her hair from her face.

"Are you hurt?" He asked again.

This time she managed a feeble nod, her eyes not leaving his.

"Where else?" He asked.

She swallowed, her stomach felt tight. Her heart beat so loud she was sure he could hear it.

Carefully with her free hand she pointed to the spot on her cheek where he father slapped her.

The truth was it wasn't that bad, it wasn't the worse he'd ever done and she barely felt it now but something compelled her to show him.

His hand moved to the back of her head pulling her closer then he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

His beard tickled slightly it wasn't scratchy like colbys, his lips weren't cold and harsh it actually felt kind of nice.

She let out a small gasp when he pulled away to look at her face.
This time she didn't wince away when he looked at her.

He tipped his black hat back a little further on his head and leaned forward again, she realized this time he intended to kiss her and not on the cheek.

He leaned in and she didn't move, didn't breathe.

"What the hell happeend!?" A voice interrupted from behind them.

Rex froze and the pulled away, he dropped her hands and pulled his hat back down. Grabbing his sunglasses from the seat of the truck he put them on quickly.

"He came after my wife. Had her tied up in his truck," Rex said turning to Roy.

"Is he alive?" Roy asked.

Rex nudge her dad with his boot and he groaned.

"I guess so," Rex shrugged.

"Rex...come on you know better. You promised no fights when you started here."

"He tried to kidnap my wife."

Roy glanced back at Flora she had moved so she was sitting on the edge of the truck floor. Her feet dangling to the ground.

"Alright, go get cleaned up. I'll drive him into town and leave him at the med express parking lot," Roy said.

"Have someone follow you to drive you back," Rex said.

"I will, is she okay?" Roy asked motioned at Flora.

"She will be fine," Rex replied.

Flora didn't have the strength to reply, she looked at her wrist the red angry marks of a man trying to possess her and the tiny gold ring from the man who already did.