by Lee Wardlow
“She will be,” he told her. “She was awake and fighting about going to the ER, so you know she’s going to be all right.”
Ava laughed. Then she nodded because she really wanted to cry. “Why’d he do that to Momma?”
“He’s angry Ava. Sometimes people don’t always do the right thing when they are angry.”
“Cause she broke up with him?”
“Yeah baby,” he told her. “I have to go now.” The ambulance was pulling away. “You go with Uncle Brett.”
He handed Ava back to Brett. “Call me if you need anything.”
Isaac walked down the steps with Luka. “We’ve already put out an APB on our Mayor, Luka.”
He stopped walking. “Don’t let him see Ava at the station.”
“We won’t. We’ll protect her,” Isaac reassured Luka following him down the stairs.
“Thanks.”
“Go Luka,” Isaac told him. “We’ll take care of Ava.”
“Thanks man.” He got in the truck and started it up. He took one last look at Ava in Brett’s arms. He didn’t like this but he felt like he needed to be with Skylar. Then he guided the truck around the circle and down the lane. The hospital was twenty minutes away; driving speed limits. He didn’t drive the speed limits that day.
**
Luna met Luka in the ER waiting room. “How is she?” She asked as soon as she sat down next to him. The uncomfortable chairs were familiar to her. Each of her boys had gotten hurt playing sports. Jacob’s heart attack. She had waited here for each of them.
“She’s in x-ray right now. They said they would let me go back when she got out.”
He was leaning on his knees; hands clasped between them. A familiar stance for him. “Luka, she’ll be all right.”
“I know Mom. I’m pissed. This is me trying not to go off the deep end and kill Tag Richardson.”
“What did he do?”
Luka turned to his mother. He leaned in closer so no one would hear him. “He shot off two rounds from his rifle, deliberately spooking Majestic. That is how she fell off him.”
“How do you know?”
“Ava was outside with Skylar who was training Majestic. He obviously couldn’t see her.”
“Oh dear.”
“Brett and Ramona have Ava at the precinct making a statement.”
“Did you talk to Skylar about that Luka?”
He had not because there wasn’t time but he thought he had made the right decision. What Tag had done was criminal. “What is there to talk about Mom? Tag deliberately tried to hurt Sky.”
“Sky might not want Ava involved in this.”
“I don’t want Ava involved either but Tag can’t get away with trying to hurt Skylar because she broke up with him.” Luna patted Luka’s leg. She sat back in her chair knowing most ER’s they could be waiting for a while.
Forty-five minutes later an MA appeared at the entrance. She called Luka’s name. He rose and walked to her with Luna following. “Ms. Bradford is back in triage. She would like to see you. I’ll take you to her.”
“Thank you.”
Luka hadn’t seen Skylar since she left the farm in the ambulance and he was anxious. He stepped into the room and slipped around the curtain and there she was. Her hair was messed up. Her cheeks were flushed but she looked damned beautiful. “Are you all right?” He asked.
“My head hurts like hell,” she replied softly. He walked over and perched on a stool next to the bed where she laid. “They think I have a concussion. I might have to stay overnight. You have to go home and take care of Ava,” she insisted.
He shook his head no. “I’m staying with you. Brett and Ramona have her now. They can take care of her.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“I don’t want to upset you but I need to tell you something.”
“What? Is Ava all right?”
“She is Skylar. She’s fine. Skylar, she saw Tag shooting off two rounds from his rifle spooking Majestic which is why you fell off the horse.”
“You’re kidding?” He could see the confusion on her face. “You’re not kidding.” Skylar frowned.
“Brett and Ramona have Ava at the station making an official statement. The police have an APB out for Tag.”
“I don’t want him to see her.” He could see her concern and her upset. She flinched when she leaned forward reaching out to him.
“I said the same thing. Calm down,” Luka reassured her. He placed his hand over hers. “Isaac reassured me that Tag would never see Ava.” She nodded then she cringed because of the pain in her head. “Did I do all right?” Luka asked.
Skylar turned towards Luka. “You did fine,” she told him.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
“How could hurting me be worth it?” Skylar asked Luka.
He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face. “I don’t know Sky. I hurt your heart he wanted to hurt you physically. We’re a pair, aren’t we?”
She took his hand. “Luka, you are not Tag Richardson.” He just patted her hand where it rested in his.
Skylar was admitted to the hospital. She was diagnosed with a concussion and they wanted her to stay overnight for observation. She was settled in her room when Ramona, Ava and Brett showed up.
Clearly, it did Skylar good to see Ava. Luka moved away from the bed so Ava could get close to her mother giving Brett a moment to take Luka out into the hallway to speak with him. “How’d it go?” Luka asked.
Brett rubbed his hand across his neck. “Tag is saying that Ava never liked him and she’s making it up.”
Luka cocked his head to the side and stared at his brother for a second before he responded. “What’d Isaac say?”
“That it could be hard on Ava if it went to court.”
“Oh hell no. That is what Tag is counting on.” He knew Skylar wouldn’t do anything to put Ava in situation that could potentially be rough on her. “Ava having to testify would make Sky back down to keep her out of the spotlight.”
“That’s what Isaac said. Look, he’ll have his supporters because he just does but Ava and Sky are well liked in this town. People are going to believe them.”
“So what is going on?” Luka asked.
“He was arrested while we were there on aggravated assault charges.”
“Did Ava see him?”
Brett shook his head no while he spoke. “No, she didn’t and he didn’t see her but she could hear him.” Brett was troubled. Luka could see it on his brother’s face.
“What did he say?” He knew it was bad without Brett telling him Tag’s words.
“You don’t want to know.”
Maybe he didn’t because if he did, Luka’s anger would be even more fueled and he would go after Tag Richardson then he would be brought up on charges of assault too. That wouldn’t help Ava or Sky. They needed him right now.
“Ava has practice tonight,” Luka told him. “I’d like to stay with Skylar if you don’t mind.”
“She wanted to see Sky. I called her coach and explained what happened. I told him we might make practice but if not he would know why.”
“Thanks man.”
“No problem.” Brett patted Luka’s shoulder.
They turned and went back inside Skylar’s private room. There they found Ava curled into her mother’s body. Her head resting on her chest. She was softly crying while Skylar comforted her. Ramona sat next to the bed holding Skylar’s hand.
Both women looked up when the men entered the room. Brett went to Ramona’s side; he squeezed her shoulder and she covered his hand with hers. Luka just stood in the doorway staring at them all for the longest time. In his mind, he was trying to be sure that he fit into the picture. Maybe he had stayed away too long. The doubts were rolling through him. He pushed them down quickly.
Sitting in a chair beside her bed Luka extended his legs so that he was more comfortable then he gazed at Skylar holding their daughter in her arms. She turned her head and her
eyes met his. For the first time since he arrived home her guard was down. She was vulnerable. In her face, he saw that she needed him. Skylar smiled at him. He leaned forward and laid his arm across them so that he covered them both.
Ramona rose from where she sat. “Let’s go get something from the cafeteria Brett. I’m hungry.” Luka was never so grateful to her in his life. He glanced up at Ramona and she winked at him. Brett took her hand guided Ramona out the door.
Luka scooted closer to the bed and Skylar put her arm on top of his so they were encircling Ava. “Tag won’t try to hurt Momma again, will he?” She asked.
“No,” Luka responded.
“She told me what he was saying. You know how I feel?” Skylar said.
“I know,” he replied. “We can’t put her through a court battle.”
“No, we can’t.”
He shook his head. “I can’t stand the thought of him getting away with this either.”
“Maybe just the thought of getting caught will be enough to deter him,” Skylar told Luka.
“It better be or he’ll find out why men were scared when they heard they were battling me in the cage.”
“He’ll be ready to pee his pants. I’ve seen your cage matches,” Ava declared.
Luka’s eyebrow rose over his eyebrow in surprise at his daughter’s statement. Then he chuckled. “Don’t watch anymore Ava,” he told her. “They really aren’t for you.”
“Daddy,” she groaned and rolled her eyes.
“Ava, it isn’t pretty. It isn’t glamorous or easy to watch. Your uncles saw me fight once. They were shaken up. You can’t understand at ten that I don’t want you to see that side of me. I just want to be your Daddy, always.”
Ava looked up at Skylar. “Did you ever see him fight?” She asked her.
“I didn’t until one-day last week and I was shaken up about it too Ava. It isn’t a side of Luka I’ve seen before sweetheart.
“Honestly, when Brett told me what he was doing I tried to put it in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to worry about him getting hurt.” She looked at Luka. “When did they see you fight?” Skylar asked.
“Not in person, on television. They did a pay-per-view thing one night and then called me and told me I needed to retire.”
“When was this?”
“A year and half ago, maybe two years,” Luka replied. “I was starting to think that way before they brought it up. I had been doing this for a long time. My body was taking a beating. I didn’t want to end up with brain damage.”
“Are you all right?” Skylar asked.
“I’ve had a few concussions.” He moved his hair back so Skylar could see his left ear which was scarred from taking hits. “I wear my hair longer to cover my ear. It isn’t pretty.”
“Luka, was it worth it?”
He heard the pain in her voice and his eyes traveled up to hers. He had money. He had acquired a few sponsors because of his looks and he socked that money away; investing well until his bank account looked pretty damn good. Skylar had heard at the lawyer’s office exactly how good Luka had done for himself. He got out before there was long term damage. His nose was no longer perfect not that it was before. He was one of the lucky ones.
“It is worth it now that I’m back here where I belong with you and Ava,” he said. Luka lowered his lashes. “I had to do it Sky.”
Luka couldn’t explain the suffocating feeling he had experienced living in Haley Cove with no money and no future. He had no prospects except the ranch. He had felt he had no choice but to leave. The hardest thing to do was leave Skylar behind.
He glanced across the bed. Ava had nodded off. “She’s asleep.” Skylar looked down at their daughter. She kissed her forehead. “I love you Skylar. I always have. I want more with you.”
“More of what Luka?” She asked not meeting his gaze; not able to hide the tremble in her voice.
His hand snaked across her and he took her hand in his. “More of everything. I want to wake up with you every morning.” His voice was soft so he didn’t wake Ava. “I want to help you on the ranch. I want to take Ava to school and soccer. See her games. I want to have another child with you. This time I’m going to be there for you every step of the pregnancy. I missed so damn much.
“I want to get up in the night with this child and rock it when it can’t sleep. I want to see its first birthday and see it take its first step. I want everything I’ve missed the last ten years with both you and Ava.”
Tears streamed down Skylar’s face. Her eyes were closed but he knew that she was listening to him.
“You just have to let me in baby.”
“I’m afraid Luka.”
“Why are you afraid?” His tone was soft and heartbreakingly tender. She heard it.
Skylar slipped her hand from his and wiped the tears from her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and found the bump on her head where she had hit it when she fell off Majestic. She flinched in pain.
“There hasn’t been a day in the last ten years I haven’t thought of you. It would be pretty hard not to since I look at Ava and I see your face in her.”
He chuckled. “She does look like me,” he agreed.
“Luka, I knew something was wrong that night you left. If you remember I asked you if you were okay. You said you were. I’ll see you tomorrow babe, you said. You walked away from me without looking back. You lied to me Luka.”
Skylar closed her eyes. Luka rested his chin on her arm; listening to her. “I remember watching you, nothing like you are now. A lanky, kid walking away from me. That is the image I’ve carried of you in my head for ten years,” she told him. “You kept your back to me…careful not to look at me. That is what I have always remembered about that night Luka. I stood at the door until your truck was gone. I kept thinking how strange? Luka usually waves to me when he drives away.”
“I couldn’t look at you baby. I wouldn’t have left you,” he told her.
Skylar was nodding her head as if she understood. “Why didn’t you take me with you?” She asked.
“I wanted to,” he replied. “You were only sixteen. Underage, I couldn’t just take you with me. Your parents would have had the law on my ass. I had no way to support you either.”
“Why didn’t you come back for me when you started making money?” She asked. “Let me ask you this…when did you actually start making money?”
“Twenty-two, I was doing okay. I worked odd jobs between matches and trained until then.”
“So at twenty-two you were doing okay, I was nineteen and legal and Ava was only a toddler, just a baby really.”
He took her hand in his and pressed her palm to his lips. “I had been told how devastated you were when I left. I didn’t know if you would want me. I was young and stupid.”
“But you came home now for me? Or at least that is what you said.”
She wasn’t going to make this easy on him. He couldn’t blame Skylar. “Sky, I’m not happy without you. I retired from fighting. I stopped running from what I did. I knew where I wanted to be so I came home for you.”
She was shaking her head back and forth. “You’ll forgive me if I have a hard time believing in you.”
That stung…a lot. He said the only thing that he could. “You’ll have to give me time to prove myself to you then.”
There was wetness glistening at the corners of Skylar’s eyes. “You didn’t come the next day. I couldn’t figure out what had happened to you. I went over to your mom’s house.” She stopped talking for a moment; trying to collect herself. “Luka, Dalton and Benji were there with Luna. I asked where you were. You were supposed to pick me up after school. I walked home instead because Brett was still at practice,” she explained. “I asked your mom, where is he? I knew something was wrong. I could feel it in my gut.”
“I know,” he said. “You don’t have to do this.”
“No Luka. I do. You need to hear from me what you did to me,” Skylar told him. “I heard what L
una said. The shock hit me like a bucket of cold ice to my veins. My body felt numb. I just couldn’t believe it. The air in my lungs felt trapped like somebody was sitting on my chest. Then everything went black. I fainted. Dalton, fourteen years old, skinnier than me for sure, carried me inside.” She turned her head away from Luka.
“I died inside Luka. When I came to on Luna’s couch I asked Luna to repeat what she said. She was holding my hand and caressing my face, telling me everything would be all right but I knew it wouldn’t. I knew I would never be okay again.”
“I’m sorry,” Luka said. “More than you will ever know.”
“I couldn’t get out of bed for a week I was so depressed. I couldn’t figure out what had happened. What had changed your feelings for me?”
“Nothing baby,” Luka promised. “Nothing had changed my feelings for you. I loved you the day I left you as much as I do now.”
Skylar pressed her fingers to her eyes. She shook her head back and forth. “Luka, do you understand why I have trouble believing you? You walked away from me and stayed away for ten years.”
“I do understand.” He squeezed her hand in his.
She sighed. “I don’t think you do Luka. I love being with you. Having you make love to me again. I let all my defenses down but I am terrified of you. I wouldn’t survive you breaking my heart again.”
Luka was holding her hand against his cheek now. He just wanted to hold onto her and never let her go. He cleared his throat feeling the emotion choking him. “I will never hurt you again Skylar.”
“How can I be sure Luka?”
He didn’t know how to convince her. Only time would prove that he would be there for her this time. He couldn’t tell her how many times he almost came back home when one of his brothers told him how heartbroken she was without him.
How it shredded his guts because he had caused her that pain. Luka was fooling himself when he said he thought she would be all right with Brett to take care of her. Standing, Luka leaned over the bed and pressed his lips to Skylar’s. “I love you Skylar,” he whispered against her lips. “I always will. Just give me a chance to prove it.”
Brett and Ramona returned to Skylar’s room. Ramona cleared her throat. Luka continued to hold Sky’s hand but he straightened his body and looked at his brother and Ramona.
