Free RattlingtheCage by Ann Cory Page A

nothing good ever happened, and
where he knew he’d be a fool to ever let someone inside.

Chapter Twelve
     
    Montana’s body thrummed. Her limbs were liquid and her body
light. She leaned back just a bit and let her eyes drift over the multitude of
scars etched along his skin. Someday she hoped to hear the story behind each
one.
    A damp lock of hair hung above his eye. She tucked it into
place and sprinkled kisses along his forehead.
    “That was wonderful,” she said and released a sigh of
content.
    His lack of a response brought her level of bliss down a
notch.
    Concerned, she asked, “What’s the matter?”
    He stared past her with haunted eyes.
    Montana placed her hands on either side of his face to try
to make him see her. “Are you…”
    “Don’t,” he snapped and yanked her hands down.
    Heaviness settled into her chest.
    Grateful for the foggy windows, she climbed off and
straightened her skirt.
    “I know you don’t think I’m much,” she said, pulling on her
top, “but I have big prospects out there waiting for me.” Montana tilted the
rearview mirror to check her hair. “I’m going to get where I want to be. No
one’s going to slow me down or tell me what to do.” The silence wore on her.
She wiped a small circle of condensation from the window and looked out at the
rusted old cars that once roared to life.
    “I’m going to be a dancer,” she continued. “What do you
think of that?”
    She craned her neck to find him still staring at the
windshield.
    “Think I have a chance?”
    “Sure.”
    His voice startled her. Wanting to keep him talking, she
blurted, “What about with you? Think I have a chance there?”
    He swung his face toward her, eyes neutral. “Like I’ve said
before, there’s nothing between us. There won’t ever be.”
    She scooted closer to the door where she hoped his words
couldn’t hurt her.
    “You like me more than you let on.”
    He cleared his throat. “Nope.”
    She didn’t believe him. Montana pushed open the door for
air. “Can’t you give us a chance?”
    “I said no.”
    Tears filled her eyes and she glanced away. “If you’d let
down your guard…”
    “I’m not looking to be used,” he snapped.
    Twisting back, she quipped, “I’m not using you.”
    “Sure you are. All you care about is getting out of here.”
    She shook her head and stared at the dashboard. At one time
that had been true. But the more they were together, the more he touched her,
made her feel like the most wanted woman in the world, the more it messed with
her head and her emotions. What she’d experienced with him had more substance
to it than a brief lust-fueled fuck. He’d filled her with more than flesh.
    “You’re wrong. I care about you.”
    “Bullshit. You like that I’m something new.”
    “I said you’re wrong.”
    He smiled as if it hurt his face. “You’re a sweet thing.
You’ll find someone who wants you back.”
    Anger bubbled from her core. She slid out from the truck,
body quivering. “You’re a goddamn coward. You’re too scared to care about
anyone because you’ve lost everyone you’ve ever cared about.”
    His face flamed. “I didn’t come here for you, and I don’t
want you with me.”
    Montana kicked at the dirt. “You plan on being alone
forever?”
    “Alone is safe.”
    “How so?”
    “It means when I die, I won’t leave someone behind to
grieve.”
    She understood that. Her mother had left her behind. “Sounds
like you’re scared.”
    Lawson slipped out from the truck and came toward her, his
arm outstretched, finger pointing. “What have you done to get out of here on
your own?”
    “Done?”
    “You whine about how much you hate this place, that you’re a
victim. Do something to change it.”
    Her lips trembled. “I don’t know what to do.”
    “The only thing I see is you helping everyone to be stuck
here just like yourself.”
    “How?”
    “You serve alcohol to people who have nothing left to live
for. They drink to