Hunter (Stud Ranch 2)

“Quiet,” Hunter hushed her sharply, turning the knob up even more.

“Take cover now. Move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

“Repeating, a tornado warning has been issued until 8:15 pm for the following counties, Natron—”

Hunter turned the knob down and then hunched over to look out the front windshield, flicking on his flashers and slowing down.

“Hunter,” Isobel rolled her eyes. “Don’t make a big deal out of noth—”

“I don’t like the look of that sky.”

Hunter turned off the road and Isobel swung around to gape at him. “What are you doing? We have to get Beauty to the hospital. Every minute counts.”

“Not at the expense of your safety,” Hunter barked, his whole body tense as his eyes focused ahead. “Weren’t you listening? That storm’ll be on top of us any second. With tornado conditions.”

Isobel’s teeth clenched. “They have to say that to cover their asses.” Was he really going to risk Beauty’s life for some stupid, paranoid—

Hunter slowed the truck and put it in park. In the middle of nowhere. Just right there, in the road. Isobel looked around. They were beside a big lake. No, it was a dam.

Which she could see pretty easily because the rain had finally let up.

“Look, it’s barely even raining anymore.” She jerked a hand toward the windshield. “Now can we please get back on the road?”

She turned back to look at the trailer. She could just make out the tip of Beauty’s head. She was still on her feet. Thank God. There was time to save her yet.

“Get out of the car.” Hunter’s voice was strained.

Isobel swung her head back around to look at him. “Wha—”

“Isobel, get out of the car. Now!”

He pushed open his door and sprinted around the front of the truck. What the hell was he—?

But then she saw it.

Holy—

Off to the right, opposite the dam, a funnel cloud was just touching down to earth.

The next second, Hunter was yanking at her passenger side door. But it was locked. Shit. Shit. She fumbled for the button to unlock it, her eyes never moving from the tornado. Hunter screamed at her and pounded on the door.

Finally she managed to get it unlocked and Hunter pulled her down from her seat. She barely landed on her feet but had no time to get oriented before Hunter was dragging her forward. She stumbled along behind him.

There was a tornado. An actual, real, bona fide tornado. Like in the movies. Holy shit. Fuck. Shit fuck.

Hunter dragged her toward a steep grassy embankment when she suddenly remembered. Beauty. She jerked her hand out of Hunter’s.

“Beauty!” The wind had started whipping around them so loudly she had to shout to be heard above it. “We have to get Beauty.”

“No time,” he shouted back. “And if you stop again, I’ll fucking carry you!”

Then he grabbed her wrist and yanked her so that she was forced to follow him. The rain had started up again and not just rain, but small pebbles of hail. She used the arm Hunter wasn’t holding up to shield herself.

When she looked toward the tornado again, her heart stuttered. Oh God. It was headed right toward them. And it seemed bigger now. At its base was a dark brown cloud. It was ripping and twisting up debris as it went.

They were going to die.

“Careful now!” Hunter yelled as they reached the steep embankment.