Chapter 31
Ryan watched as the doctor wrapped a bandage around Emily’s calf. It was so fucking white against her skin.
Emily had been stabbed in the leg. Fucking stabbed. Again. He’d been stabbed too, but the wound was shallow and doctors had already wrapped it. He barely noticed it. All his attention was on Emily.
The only good thing to come out of the last few hours was that imaging had shown she didn’t need surgery, just sutures and bandaging.
Didn’t help the rage in his chest.
“All done.” The doctor stepped back.
“What now?” Ryan asked, straightening. “Does she need to stay overnight for monitoring?”
The doctor shook his head as he removed his gloves. “Nope. She’s good to go.” He looked at Emily. “Just keep up with the pain medication and come back in if there are any problems.”
“I will.” A tiny hint of a smile from Emily. “Thank you.”
Ryan moved over to her side and slipped an arm around her waist.
The second the doctor stepped out, Emily leaned her head against his chest. “Thank God. I’m ready to go home and sleep this horrible day away.”
There was no sleeping this away for him. Shit, he didn’t know when he’d be able to sleep again. The sight of her on that roof, knife against her neck, was going to torment him for a long fucking time.
He pressed a kiss to her temple.
“How’s your side?” She looked at the place he’d been stabbed.
“It’s fine. I don’t even feel it.”
She looked at him like she didn’t believe him, then went to stand, but he scooped her up before she could put weight on her leg.
“Ryan—”
“You are not walking.”
“Okay, well, then I need a wheelchair. You got hurt too.”
“I told you, I’m fine.” He strode toward the door.
“I need—”
“Me. That’s it. And you’re also not going to win this one.”
She sighed and rested her head against his chest. “Fine. But shouldn’t we be waiting for Ward? Won’t he need to take my statement or something?”
Yeah, he would. The ambulance had made it to the scene before Ward arrived. The ambulance that Emily had claimed wasn’t necessary. It was.
“He can pay us a visit at the house.” Although, if Emily was sleeping when he arrived, the sheriff would have to wait.
Her recovery was his priority. If Ward had really wanted to speak to her, he should have moved his ass faster to get to the scene or the hospital.
They’d briefly spoken to a deputy, but Ward liked to be involved in the big cases.
Mostly so he could take some of the credit.
They reached his truck and he carefully slid Emily into the passenger seat. When he went to reach for her seat belt, she slapped his hand away. “I can do it.”
With an exaggerated exhale, he moved around to the driver’s side. He’d just slipped behind the wheel when his phone vibrated with a text.
Joel: Everyone’s done here. Ward’s heading your way. He’s not happy we didn’t call him. Went on a rant about us handling his business.
Ryan: I’m not sorry. Emi wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t done what we did.
Zac: That’s what I told him.
Ryan: If he’s going to the hospital, he’s gonna be too late. We’re already leaving.
Ethan: I’ll let him know.
Connor: Should one of us be there to make sure you don’t get your ass arrested?
Ryan: No. I’ll be fine.
As long as Ward didn’t do or say anything to piss him off.
Zac: How’s Emily?
He glanced beside him to see Emily’s head back, eyes closed.
Ryan: Tired. Luckily, no surgery needed.
Joel: Good. And how are you?
Ryan: Wound was superficial.
Connor: Get some rest. Both of you.
He dropped his phone into the middle console and pulled onto the road.
One hand stayed on the wheel as the other went to her thigh. He felt her eyes on him before he saw them. Her head was tilted sideways, gaze hooded as she looked at him.
“You look angry,” she said quietly.
He shook his head. “I hit angry when I figured out Roscoe was behind this. I’m well past that.”
“I know.”
“That fucker had cameras everywhere. He was going to kill you and film it.” Jesus, he wanted to go back and murder the guy a second time.
She set a hand on top of his. “He didn’t kill me though. He died. And everything he filmed will just be thrown into police evidence.”
He lifted her hand and kissed the back. “Thank God.”
When they pulled up at his house, a white van sat out front—and standing by his steps was that fucking journalist, Shaun.
Well, maybe he would get to hurt someone before the day was out.
He pulled into his drive, getting to Emily’s side just before she could climb out.
He slipped an arm around her as Shaun crossed the lawn. “Emily, can you—”
“Get off.”
Shaun frowned. “Excuse me?”
“Get off my lawn. Now.”
The journalist straightened. “You know I have other bits of this story. I can print those, but it’ll be less factual.”
Was the fucker really threatening him? After the day they’d had?
Ryan growled and inched forward, but Emily placed a hand on his chest before looking back at the guy.
“I’m not telling you anything, Shaun. In fact, you’re not getting another scrap of newsworthy information from me.
Ever. I’m going to contact a legitimate, professional journalist who has integrity, and share what I went through with Roscoe.
I’m going to share my and Ryan’s story and our future plans.
Now get off Ryan’s property or I’ll let him kick you off. ”
Shaun’s jaw dropped and he went white as a piece of paper.
Ryan almost laughed. When the guy didn’t move, Ryan inched toward him, but the journalist shot back. “I’m going. I’ll get my story somewhere else.”
The second he left, Ryan lifted Emily gently into his arms. “You were too nice. I wanted to hit him.”
“No. What I did hit him far harder. And you don’t need to carry me.”
“We’re back to that?”
They made it inside and he carried her to the couch, where he set her down before crouching in front of her. “I’d take you to bed but Ward’s on his way over.”
“Ah, that’s why you look like you want to kill someone.”
“It’s not helping.” He cupped her cheek, letting the warmth of her skin slip into his palm. “I can send him away and tell him to come back tomorrow. I’d actually love to kick his ass off my property.”
“I know you would. But I don’t want you getting arrested for interfering with law enforcement.”
“He wouldn’t arrest me. Too much paperwork.”
A small smile curved her lips. “I love you.”
“For a second there today, I thought…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. He could barely think it.
“I know. But I’m here. You’re here. We’re okay.”
He leaned forward and kissed her, letting her soft lips, the way her sweet breath brushed over his face, take the edge off the fury.
A knock sounded at the door.
And there it was, screaming back to life.
She groaned. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
Ward snapped his notebook shut. “Well, you really brought the trouble to Deep River, didn’t you, Miss Prior?”
She felt Ryan’s muscles contract beside her on the couch. She set a palm on his thigh. “With all due respect, Sheriff, that was Roscoe, and only Roscoe.”
“Yes, well, luckily for you, we have a mountain of footage to back up your story.”
Ryan scowled. “Or what? You wouldn’t believe her?”
“Didn’t say that.” The sheriff’s eyes narrowed on Ryan. “I said this to your boys already, but I could have you arrested for breaking and entering today.”
What?
“You mean for doing your job?” Ryan asked.
Ward scowled. “You should have called me.”
“I—”
“Sheriff,” Emily interrupted Ryan, tightening her fingers around his thigh. “If Ryan hadn’t acted so quickly, I would be dead.”
“Hmph.” Ward slapped the notebook into the deputy’s chest. “We’re done here. You get some rest, Miss Prior.”
As Ryan walked Ward and his deputy out, her phone rang. She sucked in a sharp breath when she saw it was her mother.
“Mom, are you okay?”
“I’m okay.” Her mother’s voice was different. Low. Almost defeated. “I had to get some stitches in my head, and I’m staying in the hospital overnight for a concussion. How are you?”
“I’m at home, on Ryan’s couch. I got some stitches in my leg, but I’m on some pretty strong pain meds. I’m mostly just tired.”
“Me too.” There was a short, almost awkward pause before her mother spoke again. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“You too. Get some rest, Mom. We can talk again tomorrow.”
She hung up as Ryan crouched in front of her. “Your mom?”
“Yeah. She’s spending the night in the hospital but says she’s okay.”
“That’s good. Did she say anything about inviting that asshole into the house?”
Emily shook her head. “She didn’t know.”
His gaze shifted between her eyes. And even though he didn’t say it, she knew there was a lot he could have said. About her mom. Roscoe. Ward.
And yeah, she was feeling it all too.
“I’ll make us something to eat.” He went to stand.
She grabbed his arm. “Wait. I want you to do something first.”
He lowered again. “Anything.”
Without a word, she tugged him onto the couch.
He went easily, the cushion dipping as he sat beside her.
Then she leaned into him and closed her eyes.
The feel of his strong arm wrapping around her, holding her close, almost allowed her to forget the day from hell.
Or at least, allowed the tension in her shoulders to ease.
“How’s your leg?” he asked softly.
“Honestly? My knee hurts more than the stitches. But at least it’s all the same leg, so I didn’t damage the good one.”
He growled.
“That was a semi-joke.” She looked up. “Too soon?”
“It will always be too soon.”
God, he was beautiful. Even when angry. Even when his eyes were so dark they were black, he was still the most beautiful man she’d ever laid eyes on.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “For what?”
“Finding me. Saving me.”
“I didn’t—”
“You did. Thank you.”
“Let’s never do that again.”
“Never ever. I want a quiet life, tending to my Indian paintbrushes and eating mac and cheese. Deal?”
“Deal.”
She smiled and kissed him, and that kiss was everything she needed, and everything she’d been trying to find her way back to for so long.