by Jo Davis
“She escaped,” he said, hope warring with rising fear. “He came home, realized she was gone, and went after her. We have to find them—now.”
Quickly they jogged back upstairs and headed outside, around the house to the open window. Austin directed them to fan out and search straight back from the house, reasoning that she’d be inclined to get as far from the house as possible. Beyond that, he had no idea where she would go. The countryside out here was vast, but Laura was smart and resourceful.
Hang on, sweetheart. I’m coming for you.
Austin wasn’t sure how long they’d searched before he finally started to see signs of broken brush, as though one or more people had passed that way. He was no expert tracker, but it seemed obvious. A few yards later, he spotted something dark on the leaves.
He knew what it was even before he knelt to examine the splatter on the leaves and the ground. His gut rolled with sickness. “Blood.”
“Could be his,” Shane said.
Nobody really believed that, but nobody contradicted him. Moving on, they picked up the pace.
Up ahead, a wall of rock loomed, giving them two choices: go around the ridge or over it. Just as Austin decided to skirt the ridge, he spotted Laura and Bristow. And his heart almost stopped.
“Oh Christ.” The words came out as an agonized moan.
She was climbing up the rock face, Bristow in pursuit a few yards below her. Crimson stained her right shoulder. Her progress was steady, but Bristow’s was faster. Austin knew the murderer could have shot her as she climbed and been done with it, but the bastard wanted to toy with her. That must have been the only reason he hadn’t killed her as soon as he abducted her.
Austin had too much ground to cover in order to reach her, and not enough time. His gun was heavy in his hand as he ran, trying to gauge whether he had an opening to shoot Bristow if necessary. The bastard was closing in on her, though. By the time Austin got within firing range, Bristow would be too close, and he couldn’t risk hitting her.
When he reached the base of the ridge, he tucked the gun into his holster at his waist and started to climb. The rock face wasn’t straight up, and there were handholds and footholds, but the going was still plenty strenuous. He knew he’d feel every single one of his forty-two years tomorrow.
“Better climb faster,” Bristow taunted her from above. “I’m gonna yank your ass right off there and watch you fall.”
He’d do it, too. Austin’s blood ran cold and he pushed faster. Angling his head back, he scanned the area above him just in time to see Laura finally heave herself over the top. His relief that she’d made it was short-lived. Bristow reached the top seconds later and disappeared from view as well.
With a curse, he climbed as fast as he dared. When he reached the top, he flung himself over and rolled to his feet, searching for Laura. She was sprinting toward a waterfall, Bristow hot on her heels. As Austin ran, the killer caught her in a flying tackle, taking her to the ground. Then he flipped her onto her back, pulled a fist, and punched her in the face.
“Bristow!” Austin shouted. The murdering bastard looked up just in time to see Austin barrel into him, taking him to the ground.
The fight was vicious, neither man willing to lose. Bristow’s own gun had skittered across the rocks, and now he was determined to get to Austin’s. They rolled, delivering hard punches and kicks, and Bristow finally managed to slam his fist into one of Austin’s kidneys, taking his breath away.
Before he could stop him, Bristow grabbed his gun. Austin seized the other man’s hands and a life-or-death struggle for the weapon was on. Bristow’s dark eyes seethed with hatred as he gazed down at Austin.
“Just die already, murdering cop!”
“I didn’t kill Violet! I arrested her! She got in a fight in prison and died, and I’m sorry about that.” Breathing hard, he fought to turn the muzzle toward the other man’s body.
“You kept coming after her! If you’d left her alone, she’d still be alive!”
“You break the law, you go to jail, and she knew that.”
“You killed my woman and child, and I killed yours. An eye for an eye. But I’m not done yet.” His lips twisted into a snarl. “After I finish you, I’m going to shoot your pretty lady in the head.”
“No, you’re fucking not.”
He was done talking. If Bristow overpowered him, he was dead—and so was Laura. He couldn’t let that happen. Using every ounce of his strength, he started to turn the muzzle toward Bristow’s chest.
“Douglas Bristow, hands in the air!” Shane yelled.
Backup had arrived, but Austin’s nemesis wasn’t giving up. He sneered down at Austin and continued to fight for control.
“Bristow, release the weapon! Hands up!”
“Let go of the gun or I’ll have to shoot,” Austin hissed.
“Fuck you.”
Bristow tried once more to turn the weapon back on him, and Austin had no choice. With one last burst of strength, Austin turned the muzzle and pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the hills, the silence eerie as it died—along with the light in Bristow’s eyes.
The man toppled over, crimson spreading over his chest. Shaking from exertion, Austin checked his neck for a pulse. There wasn’t one. He couldn’t have said he was sorry.
“Austin?”
At the sweet sound of Laura’s voice, he pushed to his feet and stumbled over to her. Then he dropped down and gathered her into his arms. She tried smiling up at him through her split lip, and reached up to touch his face.
“You came for me.”
“I always will, sweetheart.” His voice choked with emotion.
Her face was pale as she stared at him, eyes glassy. She’d lost too much blood, he thought. They had to get help up there somehow.
“Somebody call the paramedics,” he ordered, throat tightening. He couldn’t lose her. Not now, after all this.
“Already on it,” Tonio told him.
Using his thumb, he wiped the blood from her lip. “You’re going to be fine, okay? I’m right here.”
“Our baby?”
“He’ll be fine, too.” Tears blurred his vision. “I’m so sorry for how I reacted. Please forgive me.”
“Shh. I do. Know you were scared.”
“I am, but I want you and our baby. Don’t doubt that.”
“Good . . . love you . . .” Her lashes drifted shut.
“I love you, honey. So much. Laura?” To his horror, she went limp in his arms. A sob escaped his chest and he watched helplessly as his world fell apart. Again. “No—please don’t leave me. I won’t survive this—I won’t.”
“Cap, help is on the way,” Chris said gently, crouching beside him. “The wound is through the shoulder, no vital organs located there. She’ll be okay.”
“What about the baby? I can’t lose another child. I won’t.”
Chris’s eyes widened. Belatedly Austin realized he hadn’t told anyone about the baby Laura was carrying. They’d barely had a chance to discuss things themselves.
Chris laid a hand on his shoulder in support. “I have to believe the baby will be fine, too. I just can’t imagine that fate would be that cruel twice. You have to believe that, too.”
Turning his attention back to Laura, he nodded, hardly aware of the tears that had escaped to stream down his face. He had to think positive. She and the baby would be fine. They had to be.
If they weren’t, his friends could go ahead and bury him right next to the ones he loved.
• • •
The wait was damn near unbearable.
For over two hours, Laura had been in surgery. He’d called his mom and dad as soon as he’d arrived at the hospital, telling them not to come until he knew more. Of course, his parents were the people Austin got his stubbornness from, and they arrived a few hours after
his halting phone call.
Right now he was grateful for their support. His men from the station were fantastic, but nothing could replace family.
When he’d told his parents about the baby, they’d been surprised at first, to say the least. Understandably, they were concerned that he wasn’t ready to go through a new pregnancy, anticipating a child once again. What they really wanted to know, and weren’t asking, was whether he was on the rebound from his loss and trying to replace the child that had been cruelly taken from him.
His answer was a firm no. His folks were relieved and didn’t bring it up again. They seemed happy for him, and he knew they’d warm up to the idea of a grandchild again, too, in time. Austin wasn’t the only one who needed to heal.
“Son,” his dad said, nodding toward the double doors.
Austin shot to his feet at the sight of the doctor who walked through wearing clean scrubs. When the man smiled at him, he almost fell to his knees.
“Captain Rainey?”
“Yes. How’s Laura?”
The doctor stopped in front of him. “She lost a lot of blood, but she and the baby are just fine.”
“Thank God!” He sagged and his dad was right there behind him, along with Austin’s detectives. “When can I see her?”
“She’ll be in recovery for a bit while they get a room ready. Could be a couple of hours. Don’t expect much out of her today in the way of being coherent, but tomorrow should be a much different story. We’ll watch her for a couple of days, and if the wound is looking good, she can go home.”
“That’s great news,” he said, relief draining what little energy he had left.
“Just make sure she gets plenty of rest for a couple of weeks, and don’t let her do any heavy lifting.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure—don’t worry.”
The doc shook his hand. “I’m so glad things turned out fine. I’ll have a nurse come and get you when she’s in her room.”
“Thank you.”
Once the doctor had gone, Austin turned to his team. “Thank you, guys, too, for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Damn,” Chris said. “I’m missing Taylor’s smart-ass comments right now. This is where he’d say we need a group hug or something.”
Austin chuckled in agreement, along with the others. “How’s he doing, by the way?”
Shane spoke up. “He’s improving every day. I’m going by to see him before I leave, give him an update.”
“I’ll go by, too,” Austin said. “This evening.”
The guys said their good-byes and drifted off to go home and pass out. Austin envied them, but there was nowhere else he’d rather be than at Laura’s side.
Eventually he convinced his folks to go get some rest as well. They left with a promise to return tomorrow. Finally a nurse came and said Laura was in a room on the third floor. Heart pounding, Austin followed the directions to the room and eased quietly inside.
His girl was lying on her back, hair spilling around her like black ink. She appeared so frail and vulnerable when he knew she was anything but. She’d escaped a killer and led him on a merry chase through the hills, and had climbed up a cliff to try to evade him. She was one of the most courageous people he’d ever met.
Settling into the chair next to her, he wrapped his fingers around hers and let his head fall back, his body relax. Sleep deprivation and the knowledge that she was safe finally took their toll.
In moments, he was out like a light.
• • •
A gentle buzzing noise woke her from a deep sleep.
Her first thought was that somebody was outside using a Weed eater on the lawn. But no, that wasn’t quite right. The sound was closer. Like, in the room with her. Snoring.
Who was snoring? What room?
Her ears caught other sounds as well. An occasional beep, a whirr of some sort of machine. Her body felt heavy, too. Especially her right shoulder and arm. Wait.
The memories came flooding back, and when they did, she heard herself whimper. Partly in fear, partly because trying to move caused a shard of pain to lance through her shoulder.
“Laura? Sweetheart, it’s me. You’re safe and it’s all over.”
Licking her lips, she croaked his name. “Austin?”
“Yes, honey. Can you open those gorgeous eyes for me?”
It didn’t happen right away. But after a while her brain was awake enough to crack them open and get her first look at her lover since their argument. Quite simply, he looked wrecked.
His auburn hair was disheveled and his eyes were bruised, dark circles underneath. His clothes were wrinkled, as though he’d slept in them.
“Beautiful,” she said, giving him lopsided smile.
“Now I know the drugs are still making you loopy.” Smiling back, he clutched her hand. “What do you remember?”
“Everything,” she said, sobering. Then fear shot through her and her free hand went to her stomach. “The baby?”
“Is fine,” he reassured her, bending over to kiss her lips. “You don’t know how sorry I am or how much I regret acting like such an ass about our child. Please believe me.”
“I do believe you, but I know you were scared.” Her lips curved up. “Just don’t let it happen again.”
“I won’t. I plan to spoil you as well, make sure you get plenty of rest when we get home.”
“Um, we? And where is home?” Butterflies that had nothing to do with new life suddenly played in her belly. She wanted this, so much.
“Home to me is anywhere you are. I just want to be with you. Wherever you want to be.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I want that, too. So very much. I love you, Austin.”
“I love you and our baby. You’re both the light of my life.” He took a deep breath. “And I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you, if you’ll have me.”
“Do you mean . . . ?” She didn’t dare hope.
“This isn’t how I planned to ask you, but, Laura Eden, will you marry me?”
The tears finally spilled over. “I don’t even have to think about it. Yes! I want nothing more than to be your wife.”
“I don’t know what you see in this old cop, but I’m so glad you’re mine.”
Carefully, he took her into his arms and held her close. Cuddling into his warmth, she breathed in his musky scent and knew she was truly home.
“I see forever with the man I love.”
And she couldn’t wait to get their future started.
• • •
Austin waited almost a week after Laura was released from the hospital to spring his surprise. Then he couldn’t wait another single day.
One beautiful spring Saturday, he loaded her and their bags into his truck and took her for a drive. They had another week off together before reality intruded in their lives again. Then she’d be back at work on light duty, half days, for another week or so. He wasn’t taking any chances with her and his child.
“You’re not going to tell me where we’re going?” she asked curiously.
“You’ll figure it out soon enough.” He gave her a wink.
As he’d predicted, she started smiling about halfway to their destination. She appeared extremely pleased when he turned down the driveway to the ranch.
“I knew it,” she said happily. “We get to stay a whole week?”
“Yes, we do.”
Once he pulled into the front, he unloaded their bags, flatly refusing to let her carry anything. Her shoulder was still healing and he was adamant that she not overdo things. With their stuff stashed in the master bedroom, he rejoined her in the foyer and then led her outside for a walk.
“I just love it here” she said happily. “I could stay here forever.”
“Could you? Really?”
�
��This is what I’ve always wanted. A place in the country, plenty of room for kids and animals. I loved four-wheeling with you.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “Well, we may not be doing that this time around,” he said, to her visible disappointment. “Sweetheart, it’s not safe with your shoulder, and I prefer you not ride one of those when you’re pregnant.”
For a few seconds she looked like she was going to argue, then relented. “If it makes you feel better, I won’t.”
“Thank you. We’ll still go for long walks and visit our creek. Maybe even find some arrowheads.”
“That sounds like fun.”
They continued walking around the side of the property to the fence line, and stopped to lean on it and gaze over the rolling property. “I can almost see a few horses out there, can’t you?” he asked, shooting her a sideways look.
“That would be wonderful. Too bad we can’t have any.” She sounded so wistful, the expression on her beautiful face so melancholy.
“Who says we can’t?”
She turned to face him. “We’d have to hire somebody to feed them, and we could only see them on weekends, at best. It wouldn’t be fair to them.”
“Not necessarily, because I have a confession to make.” He paused, taking both of her hands in his. “A few weeks ago I called my Realtor and placed my house up for sale—the one I shared with Ashley. It sold this morning.”
“Oh, Austin,” she said, squeezing his hands. Her face was full of concern for him. “Are you certain that’s what you want to do?”
“Positive. I’m ready to start the rest of my life, and that life is with you. My parents said they’d give me a fair price for this place. I’ve got some money already, and with the sale of the house, we’ll be set.”
Concern slowly transformed to joy. “Are you saying . . . ?”
“I want us to make our home here, if that’s what you want. You, me, and our children. What do you say?”
Suddenly his arms were full of bouncing, excited woman. Laughing, he gathered her close and held her carefully, mindful of her shoulder. When they pulled apart, he kissed her thoroughly. Loving every second of being with her, starting their new future.
