My Cowboy, My Hero

Chapter One

Twenty-five year old, Ryhe Collins stood outside the dark home. A rusty old sign sitting in the front yard was the only thing letting him know it was a group home for young women. He couldn't place his finger on the reason, but the house gave him an uneasy feeling. It could have been the overgrown lawn and garden with ivy crawling it's way up the rotting wood or the way the trees made it look secluded from the real world, but whatever the reason he was filled with dread. He wanted to step away from the darkness of the house, but he couldn't. It was like an unknown force held him securely in place.

He jumped as an old bell rang, obviously signaling the end of some unfamiliar activity. He studied the young women as they came out. They were happy, despite the condition of the place. They walked through the overgrown garden, stomping over trash in the grass as they passed. He winced at their worn clothes and wrapped his denim jacket closer around him.

He decided he was interested in the older house only because of the history that went along with it, he was almost sure he was rooted in spot only because of his appreciation for the structure of the once lovely home and nothing more. Not wanting to seem strange for standing outside in the shadows, he stepped back and turned in search of his men. They would need to be heading home in the next few minutes if they hoped to make good time. Just as he was making his way over to the curb, he heard it. It was a soft cry, not one for melodramatics or attention, but one of a broken heart. He turned back in the direction of the cry and listened again. A gentle breeze blew over his body carrying the soft sobs with it. He followed the tugging of his heart through the shadows and stopped behind an overgrown shrub. He peeked out and quickly determined the cry to come from a young woman. She sat alone, cross legged in the grass. Her red angry hands covered her pale face as she sobbed brokenly into them. His heart clinched as he studied the large patches of missing hair on her head. Rhye fisted his own hands to keep from approaching her. He hated to see a lady in distress. He let his eyes linger on her small form and wondered if she was malnourished. She was much too tiny in his eyes. He tried to learn more from her appearance, but he couldn't see anything but the sores on her skin.

His ears picked up on the sound of crunching leaves and he stepped behind the shrub once more.

"Kat?" a young girl asked.

He watched as she lifted her head and turned to her.

"Are you ok?"

The woman, whom he now knew as Kat, nodded. He frowned at her lie. She was obviously far from "okay".

"Why were you crying?" the younger girl asked her as she sat in the long grass.

"It has just been a long day." Kat assured her. Rhye noticed the way she said long, as if she couldn't think of a better way to describe her day.

"Did you speak to Ms. Justice about your birthday?"

Kat nodded.

"What did she say?" the young girl hesitantly asked, obviously trying not to pry.

"She said that I would not be a-allowed to stay in the home." she replied. Rhye's noticed her voice break with her emotions. Even though his heart was heavy at her distress, he didn't see why being asked to leave was such a bad thing; It seemed like a horrendous place to be.

"Where will you go?" the young girl asked as she reached up and straightened out Kat's skirt.

"I don't know. I have no family." Kat said. Rhye's heart beat with adoration at her attempt at calmness, but his conscious was troubled by her statement.

"Did you tell Ms. Justice that?"

Kat nodded. "She said that she was sorry, but because I couldn't pull my weight, they were unable to keep me." she said as she took a deep breath. "It would be against protocol anyway."