by Kathy Ivan
“Bro, slow down. It won’t help Serena if we end up splattered on the asphalt.”
Antonio ignored his brother’s comments, his foot pressing harder against the accelerator. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, one he’d learned a long time ago not to ignore. “We have to find her.”
“We will. If we don’t catch up with her on the road, we’ll figure out who she’s meeting with and crash their appointment. Won’t be the first time we’ve messed up her schedule, and I doubt it’ll be the last. Now get your head on straight. I knew I should’ve driven.”
“My car, I drive.” He stared through the windshield, his eyes laser focused on the road. He couldn’t bear it if something happened to Serena, yet his intuition was clanging louder than a red alert on Star Trek.
“I’m gonna call Ridge again, see if he’s caught up to her.”
“He’d have called us if he had. Keep your eyes peeled.”
The miles sped past as he raced toward the Big House, but it was almost an hour outside of the main part of town, if he obeyed the speed limits—which he wasn’t. The urge to find her grew with each passing minute.
“Bro, slow down, there’s a car blocking the road.”
Antonio had already hit the brakes, because he’d seen the cars in the road. Three of them actually, and one of them was Serena’s. The other belonged to his brother, Ridge, who was climbing from the driver’s side. He didn’t recognize the third one.
“There’s Serena’s Camry.”
Antonio turned his head to stare at his brother. “You think I don’t recognize her car? Who’s the other one belong to?”
Rafe shook his head. “I don’t recognize it. Let’s take a look.”
While Rafe strode toward the black sedan, Antonio sprinted toward Serena’s car. Ridge squatted down by the front end, examining the damage. Though his cowboy hat shaded the upper part of his face, Antonio noted his clenched jaw and unsmiling face. He stood and tried to open the driver’s door, but it didn’t budge.
“Looks like the sedan hit the front end, forcing her off the road. There’s damage, but I’d say it’s still drivable. She probably climbed out the passenger side. Door’s open.”
“Have you seen Serena?” Antonio scanned the blacktop and the trees lining the road, searching for signs of her. Then he peered in through the driver’s window, noting the exploded airbag and powder covering the inside. He sprinted around to the passenger side, where the door hung open, and squatted down on the shoulder of the road. Covered with rocks and grass, the ground was wet and muddy from the rain earlier, and etched in the mud he noted two sets of footprints, one distinctly a male’s.
“Antonio, come look at this.” Rafe motioned him over to the sedan, and pointed to the street. “That’s Serena’s phone. Looks like somebody smashed it.”
“We’ve got footprints by the passenger door of Serena’s car. At least two sets, one of them definitely a male. Driver’s door doesn’t open, she must’ve climbed out the other side.”
“But where is she? Or the driver?”
Antonio stared at his brother, his mind racing in a million directions, and none of them were good. They had to find her. He couldn’t lose her, not this way. He’d made a promise to protect her—and he’d failed.
“Bro?” Ridge’s voice broke the silent stare down between brothers. “Looks like footprints heading into the tree line. I’m going to take a look, see if I can find her.”
“Wait for me.” Antonio turned to Rafe. “You stay here. Call in the accident and get help. I have to find her.”
“Go. I’ve got this. I’ll catch up when I can.”
Antonio sprinted over to where Ridge stood, close to the live oaks so prevalent in Texas. Dead branches were scattered along the ground, blown free during the high winds and dry summer months, and piles of scattered brown crispy leaves littered the forest floor. Ridge pointed to disturbed spots in the mud, where feet had obviously tramped through.
“One smaller set, and one larger.”
“Serena. The others must belong to the driver. Let’s go.” Antonio took off at a slow jog, trying to keep his eyes on the ground and keep from running head first into tree trunks. It was rough going after about fifty feet or so, because the trees were denser, and the ground wasn’t as wet, and the footprints began disappearing.
Ridge kept pace with him. He knew his brother felt guilty Serena had left under his watch, but he was glad his brother was helping him search. Of all his brothers, Ridge was the best tracker in the bunch. If there was a trail to follow, Ridge would find it.
He kept pushing forward, Ridge close by his side, until Ridge threw an arm across Antonio’s chest, stopping him in his tracks. When he looked at his brother, Ridge raised a finger to his lips, then closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he pointed to his right and began walking in that direction, his steps cautious and deliberate, trying not to make any noise. Antonio’s heart was in his throat as he followed his brother’s path, knowing Ridge had heard something he hadn’t.
Precious seconds passed as they continued forward, but a piercing scream had Ridge racing forward, Antonio right on his heels. Serena! The scream had come from Serena. Listening as he ran, Antonio prayed like he’d never prayed before he’d reach her in time.
A muffled curse came from up ahead, this time the voice deep and decidedly masculine. Thrashing noises, along with sounds of a struggle filled the stillness. Antonio’s legs burned with each racing step, his sole focus, his only goal—get to Serena. He sped past a stand of trees, spotting a man several yards away, standing over a prone body.
A blurred movement at his side, and Ridge launched himself at the male, knocking him to the ground. Antonio sprawled to his knees beside Serena’s prone body. Her eyes were closed, and he could see her taking shallow breaths. Blood matted her hair and splattered across her forehead.
“Serena, sweetheart, tell me you’re okay.”
She didn’t answer, didn’t move, even as his hands slid over her body, checking for injuries. He couldn’t see anything too serious, at least not to his cursory glance, but she still hadn’t opened her eyes.
“Get back here, you little weasel.”
He looked up at Ridge’s yell, and saw a man take off running, darting in and out of the trees and bushes, headed back toward the road. Right now, he didn’t care. Either Ridge would catch him, or he’d run into Rafe when he exited the tree line. All he could think about, all he cared about was Serena. She was hurt, how badly he couldn’t tell, and it worried him she hadn’t woken up.
Running his fingers along her scalp, he found a knot the size of a goose egg on the back of her head. No, no, no! Digging in his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Rafe.
“Tell me EMTs are on their way.”
“Should be here any minute. Did you find Serena?”
Antonio took a deep breath before answering. “Yes, but she’s hurt. I can’t tell how bad, but she’s unconscious and has a big lump on the back of her head. There’s blood on her forehead and her face. Ridge is chasing some guy, I guess he was the driver. They’re headed back toward the road.”
“I’ll keep my eyes peeled. Where are you, so I can send the paramedics back?”
Antonio gave him basic directions and hung up. Why wouldn’t she wake up? He needed to see her eyes open, have her tell him he was worrying over nothing, and she’d be fine.
Sirens in the distance told him help was only minutes away, yet each one seemed an eternity. He watched Serena’s chest rise and fall with each breath, but he was afraid to move her in case she was hurt worse than he could assess. His hands itched to pull her into his arms, know she was okay, and everything would be fine.
Why aren’t the paramedics here yet? I can’t lose her! I can’t!
The crunching of dry leaves and shuffling feet was a welcome sound, it meant help had arrived. Uniformed EMTs stepped through the trees, and he stood, taking one step back and then another, letting them come closer. Raf
e strode over and stood by his side, having followed the EMTs from the road.
“You okay?”
Antonio shook his head, his eyes glued to the two men checking Serena for injuries. A cervical collar was slipped around her neck, and he winced. She looked so small and helpless lying on the dirty ground. It tore him up inside, guilt and fear a heady cocktail playing with his emotions.
“Did you see Ridge or the other guy?”
“I was busy bringing the paramedics back, had to show them where you guys were. Dusty should be here any minute, along with a tow truck to haul in the wrecks.”
Antonio watched the paramedics gently lift Serena onto the backboard they’d carried into the wooded area. Bright red blood across her forehead accentuated the paleness of her skin. The dappled light through the trees cast eerie shadows, making the area dark and sinister, and he wanted her out of here. She deserved sunshine and light, not this dank, darkness covered in mud and decay.
“She’s got lacerations and bruises, and a pretty bad bump on the back of her skull. Probably a concussion. I’m a little worried she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. We’ll transport her to the emergency clinic and have them check her out.”
“I’m going with you.” Antonio kept pace with the EMTs, his eyes never leaving Serena.
“I’ll find out what happened and meet you there,” Rafe promised.
The EMTs made quick work of loading her into the back of the ambulance, and Antonio climbed on board and reached for her hand. The need to touch her, watch her breathe, nearly overwhelmed him. Somehow, Serena had wormed her way into his heart and mind in a way he’d never expected, and he was afraid he’d lose her. He couldn’t. The thought was unbearable.
The sirens blared as they sped toward the emergency clinic, with Antonio praying the whole way. The clinic served Shiloh Springs for most non-life-threatening issues, and was closer than trying to get Serena to the hospital, which was over an hour away. Once the doctor evaluated her, if needed, they’d Medevac her. Chances were good she had a concussion and nothing more serious, like internal injuries. He squeezed her hand, his eyes never leaving her pale face, and willed her to wake up.
This had to end once and for all. Serena needed peace and safety, without the threat of Big Jim Berkley and his followers or the federal government breathing down her neck. Somehow, some way, he was going to make it happen or die trying.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Serena opened her eyes, wincing at the light shining through the window. She tried raising her hand to block out the glare, but couldn’t move it. There was a weight keeping her from lifting it, and when she looked, she couldn’t help smiling. A dark, masculine head lay cradled against her palm, the hair mussed, but she’d recognize those wavy locks anywhere.
Why was Antonio lying in a chair in her room? Only it wasn’t her room, she realized, as memories started flooding back. The accident. Drury. Running for her life through the woods.
A monitor at the head of her bed beeped quietly. If she listened closely, she could hear footsteps outside the partially open door across from her bed. It didn’t look like a hospital room, so it had to be the emergency clinic. Last she’d heard, Doctor Jennings was getting ready to retire and had hired a new doctor to take over running the clinic and handling the emergency situations.
“Good morning, pretty lady.”
Serena smiled at Doctor Jennings. Guess he hadn’t bit the retirement bullet yet. His white coat was pristine, crisp and looked freshly pressed. A stethoscope hung around his neck, and his blue eyes sparkled with humor. He nodded toward the still sleeping Antonio.
“I hear he’s been here all night. Wouldn’t leave, no matter how hard the staff tried.”
Antonio raised his head at the doctor’s words, his eyes going to Serena. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. A little sore.” His brow raised at her blatant lie. “Okay, a lot sore.”
“Not surprising. You got pretty banged up.” Doctor Jennings strode over to her bedside, and turned to face Antonio. “You need to wait outside while I examine Miss Serena. Tell Betty Sue I’m ready for her.”
“I’d rather stay.” Antonio’s expression turned mulish, and Serena was afraid there was going to be a confrontation between him and the doctor.
“Son, it don’t matter what you want. There are rules in the clinic, and one of ’em is putting patient care first. Now, I need to take a gander at your gal, and then you can come back in. I wasn’t on call when she was brought in yesterday, Doc Stevens was. He’s good, but I still need to check Miss Serena myself, make sure we’ve got all the bases covered and she doesn’t need to be transferred. Now get Betty Sue, and wait outside. The faster you leave, the faster you’ll get back in here.”
Antonio hesitated and Serena touched his hand. “It’s okay. Get the nurse and let them check me over, so we can go home.”
“I’ll be right outside. Call me if you need anything.”
He spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, and Doctor Jennings gave her a wink. “He’s got it bad.”
Serena shook her head, instantly regretting the movement. “It’s not like that. He’s just a friend. There’s nothing between us. He’s protecting me…it’s complicated.”
Betty Sue, the nurse who worked the day shift at the clinic, slipped through the door and gave her a smile. He took the stethoscope from around his neck and placed the disk against her chest. “Well, if he’s protecting you, I’d say he’s falling down on the job.”
“I wasn’t supposed to leave the Big House, but I needed to meet with a client. The accident wasn’t Antonio’s fault.”
“I’m teasing you, gal. I’ve known Antonio ever since he moved in with the Boudreaus. Shoot, I’ve patched up and stitched more cuts on that boy than I can count. He’s grown into a good man.” He stared at her, his expression somber. “You ain’t gonna find anybody better than Antonio.”
Serena felt the heat rush into her cheeks. “It’s not like that. We aren’t…we haven’t…” Her words trailed off at the smirk on the older man’s face. For an octogenarian, he was pretty darn intuitive.
“He’s right,” Betty Sue added. “I got here at five a.m., and he was sitting there, didn’t budge when I was checking your vitals. You woke up, looked around, spotted him and went right back to sleep, like him being there made you feel better.”
“From what Doc Stevens told me, Antonio ain’t left your side from the moment the ambulance pulled into the driveway. Spent the night in the chair, holding your hand. Kinda hard not to think there’s more than mere acquaintanceship between you two.” He pulled out a penlight from his pocket. “Now, let’s take a look at your head.”
Serena endured the examination, all the poking and prodding. Betty Sue changed a few of her bandages, and Doctor Jennings studied the x-ray of her left wrist, before giving a final nod.
“Looks like it ain’t broken, but you’re going to have to keep it bandaged for stability and be in a sling for a while. It’s a nasty sprain. You were lucky. With a car accident, things could have been a lot worse. You do have a concussion. You lost consciousness, and didn’t come to until the EMTs got you here. We’re gonna keep you here another twenty-four hours.”
“But, I—”
“No buts, young lady. A concussion is nothing to play around with. No arguments, you’re staying.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good answer,” he grinned. “Now, I’ll send your fella back in, and give you a bit of privacy. Get some rest, maybe get some sleep, and tomorrow, if things look good, we’ll let you go home.”
“Thank you, Doctor Jennings.”
“Holler if you need anything.” Betty Sue headed for the door behind the doctor, and Antonio burst into the room the second it opened. Doctor Jennings shook his head and kept going. Betty Sue turned and gave her a thumb’s up behind Antonio’s back, and Serena bit back her laugh.
“You okay?”
“Yes, although they’re going to make me sta
y another twenty-four hours.”
He slid onto the seat he’d vacated earlier and reached for her right hand. “Not a bad idea. You were out for a long time.”
“That’s what Doctor Jennings said.”
“How much do you remember about the accident?”
She leaned back against the pillows and tried to piece together everything that had happened. “I got a call from a client.”
“Yeah, I read the note you left. What were you thinking, Serena? I thought you understood somebody had to be with you at all times if you left the Big House. Why do you think Ridge was there?”
She gave a long, drawn-out sigh, awash with guilt. “I know. I feel so stupid. When Mr. Olson called, I thought I’d only be gone for a little while. Show him a property and come right back. He’s been a client ever since I moved here, and he’s been trying to get a look at this property for a year at least, maybe longer. I didn’t want to disappoint him.”
“And you couldn’t take two minutes to call Ridge in from the barn?” Antonio’s voice held an edge to it, one he’d never directed at her before. She’d honestly disappointed him, and something inside her cringed at how horrible it made her feel.
“I didn’t think, okay?”
“We’ll get back to that. Tell me what you remember about the accident.”
She closed her eyes, picturing again the car speeding toward her, and swerving into her lane, feeling the jolt of the impact, and the airbag deploying. She detailed everything to him. “Everything happened so fast, it’s almost a blur. I couldn’t get out of the car on the driver’s side, and had to crawl across and get out on the passenger side.”
“We saw when we got to the scene.” Serena wondered what he felt when he’d seen her car at the side of the road. Had he worried about her? Right now, he seemed so detached, and she couldn’t tell if it was because he was in professional mode, wanting all the facts, or if he didn’t care. She’d thought they were getting closer, but maybe she’d read too much into things, and her feelings were all one-sided, and he really didn’t want anything more than to be friends.
