His large palms covered my belly. As I laid there and tried to relax, I could feel tiny movement. Conner buried his face into my hair. “There is a little me inside of you, Blaze.”
“I think I’m already in love with it. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s healthy.”
“You know my grandmother had six fingers on each hand. It was some kind of genetic abnormality.”
I sat up and looked over at him. “Are you serious?”
His laughter could probably be heard from the next room over. “Nah, she only had five, but you should have seen your face. Damn woman, you are so easy to mess with.”
I propped myself up on my elbow and gave him a dirty look. “I think we should call Heather.”
Conner sat right up out of bed. “Fuck no!”
“Hear me out, Conner. She came to warn me. I hate her just as much as you do. Actually I am pretty sure I hate her even more than you. It’s just that a part of me feels bad for her. Rick played her too, in some ways. Sure, she shouldn’t have gotten involved with the asshole, but she did. Now her life is in danger, too. I think we need to make sure she is still alive, at least.”
Conner rolled on his back and rubbed his face. “I don’t give a shit what she did. I ain’t doin’ a thing for her.”
“I gave her money. She was driving around in her car with a window busted out. The poor girl left her house with the clothes on her back. I gave her the cash I had in the safe.”
“I can’t believe you gave her money. What were you thinkin’?” He paced around the room. “You don’t help her, not ever. Do you understand?”
I got up on my knees and looked right at him. “Conner Healy, don’t you dare tell me what to do! She came to warn me about Rick and had I not been so upset about everything, I could have been in that salon today. I love you and I respect you, but I can make my own decisions.”
“Like goin’ to work when your lunatic ex is trying to harm you? Yeah, you make great fuckin’ decisions.” He walked over and grabbed his jeans and pulled them on without his boxers. Then he grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. “I can’t believe you could be so stupid, Amy.”
“What are you doing?”
He was grabbing his boots and sliding them on his feet. “I need to take a walk before I say somethin’ I might regret.”
“Conner wait!” I ran towards the door, just as he was closing it. I wasn’t wearing any clothes to be able to run after him. By the time I got dressed and ran outside, he was pulling away in his truck. I grabbed my phone and tried to call him, but it kept going to voicemail.
Conner, please come back to the hotel. I am so sorry. Please don’t leave me here alone. I won’t call Heather, I promise. Just come back to me.
He had to come back for me. I didn’t even know where I was.
Chapter 18
Conner
Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have left her there like that, but I was pissed off. How could she think that communicating with Heather was a good idea? Right away my phone started ringing. I knew it was Amy, I just chose to ignore her. Both of us were too stubborn to admit one was wrong and with everything going on, I figure it would be best to walk away and cool down, instead of taking my frustrations out on her.
I was only gone for about fifteen minutes and I didn’t really leave the parking lot. I pulled my truck around back and just sat there. Back before I met Amy I had a bad temper. I had learned to control it, but sometimes, if things frustrated me enough, it would send me over the edge.
Heather was a big problem for me. Yes, I’d slept with her to gain her trust and get information to save my sisters marriage. I don’t regret what I did, because every single time I look at one of those three kids and see how happy they are, I know it was worth it. The only part I regret was the part where it had hurt Amy. You have to understand, I wasn’t used to being responsible for other people’s feelings. Amy was the first real relationship I had ever had. She was different from all the others, but I still somehow took that for granted.
At the time, we weren’t exactly in a situation to call what we had a relationship. It was more an affair. It wasn’t like Amy could be with me when I wanted her to. My fight then had only just begun. A part of me did think that sleeping with Heather would finally set Amy over the edge enough for her to want to leave her husband for good. Little did I know he would turn out to be a complete whack job.
After the truth all came out, I made it clear to Heather just how much I hated her. I told her to stay away from my family. Maybe she didn’t understand that Amy was included in that threat. By that time, Heather was already involved with Rick and I was sure she soon found out that Amy was involved with me. I don’t know how she figured things out. Maybe Rick was just using her for some sick master plan? We may never know, and I really didn’t care, either. If both of them were to get hit by trucks, it wouldn’t have bothered me in the least.
Even if what she was claiming to Amy was the truth, I still didn’t want to reach my hand out and do something nice for the girl. Maybe I was an asshole in Amy’s eyes. I didn’t really give a damn. She needed to understand that you can’t dance with the devil for free. There are always consequences. It wasn’t a coincidence that as soon as she went to see Amy, the salon was being vandalized. Either she was in on it, or Rick was following her too.
Secrets were coming out about the man and the more people learned, the more danger Amy was putting herself in. It was my job to protect her and that was just what I planned on doing. After I waited long enough, I pulled back around front and made my way back to our room. I knocked and waited for Amy to let me inside. I saw her checking out the window before I heard the door opening. She didn’t even wait for me to get all the way inside when she threw her arms around me. I could tell that she had been crying and immediately I felt like a dick.
“I am so sorry, Conner.”
I wrapped my arms tightly around her. “Nah, I’m the one who should be sorry. I lost my temper. I just didn’t want to argue with you, so I walked away. If it means anything, I parked out back and sat in my truck. I couldn’t just leave you like that.”
She backed away and smacked me on my chest. “Jerk! I thought you really left me here.”
I laughed. “Seriously? You think I would do that?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that you got mad and you left. Do you have any idea how bad my marriage was? It was so bad for so long. Do you know I couldn’t have my own money? I couldn’t go anywhere without permission. I wasn’t allowed to ask what Rick was doing or who he was doing it with. I was his little slave. As far as what you’re capable of, well, you will have to forgive me, because I have no idea what you could be capable of. I clearly have terrible character judgment when it comes to men. I just want this all to be over with. I’m tired of feeling this way.”
Her phone started to ring and we both turned in its direction.
Amy walked over and answered it with the speaker option. Her worst fear was on the other end.
Hello?
Do I have you scared yet, bitch?
I walked over and grabbed the phone out of her hand. Listen here you mother fucker. The police are lookin’ for you. They know what you did to the salon.
No! You listen here, kid. I will find Amy and when I’m done with her, they won’t be able to identify her body. She took everything from me and she is going to pay. All she had to do was listen, but no, she had to run out and get herself knocked up by some little redneck.
This redneck is a better man than you could ever be. You won’t get near her. You hear me? I will kill you with my bare hands if you even try to come near her.
Enjoy your time together. It isn’t going to last.
A loud dial tone was the next thing I heard. The bastard had hung up. Amy sat down on the bed and started crying. I reached over and touched her shoulder. “Get your shit together. We ain’t stayin’ here tonight. I need to get you home to Kentucky. My aunt has the best security syst
em money can buy. You will be safe at the ranch. Besides, I need to get my hands on my rifle.”
“Conner, I don’t want you walking around with a gun. My God, what in the hell is our life turning into?”
Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the gun. “I am just tryin’ to keep you safe. I ain’t goin’ to use it, not unless I have to.”
I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and called Ty.
Hey man, you alright?
Yeah, we stopped at a hotel, but I just decided we are going to just head to the ranch tonight. I just got a call from Rick. He’s still threatenin’ her. I was just callin’ to make sure ya’ll are safe.
Yeah, yeah. We’re fine, dude. Your sister is still in a bitchy mood, but we are all fine. I pulled Amy’s car into the barn so it looks like neither of you are here anymore. I’ll call and check on my parents, but I’m sure they’re fine too. I guess you guys didn’t catch the news?
No. Why?
They did a story on the salon. You believe that shit? They had photos of the scene and even listed a picture of Rick, asking anyone that knew his whereabouts to come forward.
Damn. All this after the police said they couldn’t help us.
I think they may have changed their minds.
They need to get out there and find this asshole.
Yeah, they really do.
Alright, bro. I’ll call you tomorrow.
Later, dude.
I sat down next to Amy and grabbed her by the hand. “The news did a story on the salon bein’ vandalized. They asked anyone with information on Rick’s whereabouts to come forward.”
“Fat chance of that happening. His best friend is named Jack Daniels.” She handed me her phone. I sent a text to my step-daughter. I don’t know if she will talk to me, but I have a feeling that she can piece together some information that we don’t know. I really don’t want to throw her under a bus, but something has got to be done. I can’t live my life worrying if some crazy man is coming to hurt me.”
“You shouldn’t have to. It really pisses me off that the police haven’t caught up with him yet. Did they even try his old place of employment?” I wanted that fucker caught, so Amy and I could get back to planning our future.
When Amy’s phone started to ring, I noticed that the number was blocked. I didn’t even give her a second to think about answering.
Look here, you common mother fucker, you need to turn yourself in, before this gets ugly.
Conner? Conner, it’s Heather.
What the hell? You have two seconds to tell me what you want or I am hangin’ up.
I am in real trouble here. I have no place to go. He said he was going to kill me. I shouldn’t have gone back to my house, but I wanted to try to get some things and at least leave my mother a note. He was there, Conner. I saw him force his way into my house. He hit my mother.
Call the police.
I did. While I was on the phone, he saw me in my car. I think I lost him, but there is no telling. Please, you have to help me. I am so scared.
Amy was looking at me, waiting for me to say something. The phone was loud enough that she could hear what Heather was saying. As much as I hated doing it, I knew what had to be done.
Take the highway about a hundred miles out. There will be a diner on the right hand side. Make sure you ain’t followed and call this number when you get there.
Oh, thank you so much, Conner. I know you don’t want to help me.
You’re right, I don’t. But my girlfriend thinks that it’s the right thing to do. I will tell you this. If this is some kind of setup, Rick won’t be the only person you are runnin’ from. You hear that?
Yes. Loud and clear.
I hung up the phone and tossed it into Amy’s lap. “This is a terrible idea.”
“We don’t even know what has that man so angry. What could he be trying to prevent us from finding? Obviously, we have to be close to something, or else he would just back off. This thing with that first wife has to be the key.”
Now she wanted to be her own detective. This was getting out of hand. “This ain’t a Scooby Doo cartoon, Amy. This is some real shit and we need to leave it up to the cops to find out. I don’t understand how you leavin’ has created this spiral. He treated you like ass. It makes no sense.”
She grabbed my hand. “That is why we need to find out. He is obviously hiding something. What if he’s done something so terrible that it would put him away for the rest of his life?”
I shook my head. There was no stopping this woman. She was going to pursue this with or without me.
“There ain’t no way I am drivin’ a van with flowers and wearing a ascot. I’m just tellin’ you that right now.” Sure, it was meant to lighten the ill feeling I was having, but at least I got Amy to smile. We were in over our heads and I feared that the worst was yet to come.
“I guess that makes me the red head you have the hots for?” She finally giggled.
“Pretty much.”
Chapter 19
Amy
Conner and I loaded our bags into the truck and checked out of our room. He wanted to get on the road and be close for when Heather called us back. We pulled into a parking lot near the diner. It had a couple of tractor trailers parked where I assumed the drivers were resting.
“I really hate that we are meeting that bitch.”
“I do too, but none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for my being married to Rick.”
“I’m goin’ to give her the number to a friend of mine. After that, we don’t have to deal with her anymore. Why don’t you lay down in the backseat and try to get some sleep? I’m going to call my farmin’ buddy and let him know that he’s goin’ to have a guest. That bitch better be grateful for this. It’s the last favor she will ever get from my family.”
I watched Conner climb out of the truck and get on his phone. I could hear him talking to someone. He didn’t give the guy any real details involving us, just basically that he had a friend in trouble that needed a place to crash. I climbed over the front seat and into the back. Conner’s bag served as a good enough pillow and I used his coat to cover myself up. I was over exhausted from everything that was happening and knew the baby needed me to take better care of myself. Maybe Conner had been right about things.
I didn’t fall asleep until after he had climbed back into the truck. He leaned against his window and put his hat over his face. Once I heard him snoring, it was easier for me to fall asleep. Somehow, the reminder of him being so close gave me the security to know it was okay to rest.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been asleep, but I woke up to Conner saying my name.
“Amy, wake up, darlin’.”
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?”
“Two in the morning.”
I looked around the parking lot. A few more trucks were parked. “She should have called us by now. What if something happened to her?”
“Maybe she realized that askin’ us for help was the wrong thing to do.”
I raised my eyebrow. “We aren’t turning our backs on her. This isn’t about what she’s done to all of us. We are good people and we are going to do the right thing.”
He put his head on the steering wheel. “Damn, woman, did you have to play that card?”
“Obviously, I did.”
He looked around the parking lot. “Well, I ain’t waitin’ here any longer. If she calls, you can just give her my friend’s address. We need to get on the road and get you a nice bed to sleep in.” I didn’t argue with him when he started his truck and pulled out of the parking lot. I looked out the window, feeling guilty about leaving even Heather without helping her.
A couple hours later we were pulling up at the magnificent ranch. Conner drove us straight to his mother’s house and much to our surprise she wasn’t home. We went right in and got comfortable in his room.
“Are you worried about your mother?”
He climbed into bed next to me. “Nah, she
spends the night at John’s sometimes. It’s probably better that she wasn’t home. She may have thought we were an intruder and tried to shoot our asses.”
I was sure the look on my face was priceless. “That would have just been an unbelievable story. Guy brings his pregnant girlfriend home and the mother shoots them.”
He put his arms behind his head and started laughing. “She’s a shitty shot. I’m sure it would only be flesh wounds.”
I rolled over and tried to ignore his crappy joke. There were some things that weren’t that funny. Being mistaken for breaking and entering wasn’t exactly something I made a habit of doing.
The next morning we were awakened by Conner’s mother knocking on his bedroom door. I think she thought that we’d been fighting and he came home to get away from me. “Conner, what’s going on? What happened with Amy… you’re here…together?”
We both sat up and looked at each other and then back to his mother. “Of course she’s here with me. I wouldn’t come without her.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean to imply…I just assumed that since you must have come in the middle of the night, something had to be wrong.”
I wanted to explain myself, but Conner didn’t give me a chance to start. He stood up from the bed and grabbed his jeans. Apparently, he wasn’t bothered by his mother seeing him in his underwear. “Let’s go in the other room and let Amy sleep. I can explain everything in there.”
Conner leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Go back to sleep, darlin’. You’re safe now.”
It was easy falling asleep and by the time that I woke up, I found Conner and his mother in the kitchen. They were sitting at the table with coffee cups and what was left of their breakfast in front of them. I could immediately smell the syrup, even before I saw the remnants on the plates. “Good morning. Would you like some pancakes, sweetheart?”
Saving Us Page 11
