Saved by the Rancher

chapter Forty-Nine


JENNA WOKE AND found Summer reading a magazine in the chair next to her bed. Her head pounded to some unknown tempo. She closed her eyes again hoping it would stop. Her tongue stuck to her desert-dry mouth and swallowing hurt her scratchy throat. She wanted to curl up and pass out again. She rolled onto her side and curled up as much as she could manage. She pulled her arms over her head and covered her eyes, unable to hold back the moan of pain and frustration.

Summer rose from the chair and clicked the button for the nurse. She ran her hand over Jenna’s hair, careful not to touch where she’d been hurt.

“It’s okay. You must be in terrible pain. I buzzed for the nurse. She’ll be here soon to give you something.”

“I need water.” The words came out on an exhale of air barely above a whisper.

Summer poured her a glass from the pitcher on the bedside table and held the straw to her cracked, dry lips. Summer put the cup down and closed the blinds on the window, turned down the lights in the room, and sat back beside the bed. Jenna concentrated on the feel of Summer’s fingers combing through her hair and tried to relax.

The nurse came in a few minutes later carrying a syringe of medication. She shot it into the IV and left as quietly as she arrived.

“Congratulations on the babies. Jack told me you’re having twins. You must be so excited.”

“I am happy, but afraid I won’t live long enough to have them and hold them.”

“Oh, Jenna. Yes, you will. Sam and Jack are working right now to make sure you’re safe from now on.”

“It’s just so hard to believe this could actually be over. I want to stay on the ranch for the rest of my life without having to worry that maybe today I’ll have to leave everything and run. You have no idea what it feels like to never feel part of someplace, of something. It’s so hard to live your life looking over your shoulder and wondering if today will be the day that everything ends.”

“Don’t talk like this. You’re the strongest person I know. You’re going to get through this, and we’ll raise our babies together. We’ll be real sisters. I’ve been stuck with those two devilish twins my whole life. It’ll be nice to have a sister.”

“I would really like that.”

Tired, she closed her eyes again while Summer sat stroking her hair. The bodyguard’s deep voice warned someone they were not allowed to enter. Several voices spoke at once and the door opened.

“Miss Caldwell . . .”

“She’s Mrs. Merrick,” David interrupted.

Summer’s hand stopped and protectively covered her head. Jenna turned to see David standing in the doorway, a doe-eyed nurse looking up at his handsome face with worship. No doubt he’d paid her many a compliment, pouring on his sickeningly sweet charm to get her to bring him in here. One of his many lawyers entered behind him, Gucci briefcase in hand.

“I’d be happy to escort them out,” the guard said, blocking them from getting close to her and shooting David a glare over his massive shoulder.

“That won’t be necessary,” David turned on the charm. “Jenna will see me. Won’t you, darling.”

“Summer—”

“Summer, is it?” the bastard interrupted again, controlling the conversation. “I’m David Merrick. I heard my ex-wife had a tragic accident. I was in Denver and wanted to stop by and check on her, since I was . . . in the neighborhood, let’s say.”

David stood stunned, unable to believe she survived out in the cold woods. He shouldn’t be surprised. Damn woman was invincible, and he admired her for it. Made the challenge that much more fun. As a child, he’d always tested the limits of everything and everyone around him. He so enjoyed taunting others, making them bend to his will. Jenna’s spirit and strength added an extra thrill. She wasn’t an easy mark, and he so enjoyed playing with her.

Jenna froze. Her whole body went on alert and adrenaline pumped through her veins. She bolted upright, pulling some of the stitches free, opening one of the gashes on her side. Blood ran down her side. She grabbed Summer and pulled her close to whisper in her ear.

“Go tell Sam to cancel the press release. Hurry. It can’t go out now.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with him,” Summer protested, unconcerned that David overheard.

David’s eyes narrowed, letting her know he didn’t like people thinking he was responsible for Jenna’s injuries. It put a crimp in his public image. She was going to throw a wrench in it if it was the last thing she did.

“Jenna and I have a lot of catching up to do. I haven’t seen her in quite some time,” he said, trying to add credence to the false alibi he’d already supplied to the police. “I’m sure she’ll tell you, we’ll be just fine together.”

An order, if ever she’d heard one. If she didn’t get Summer out of there, David might decide to punish her later for not obeying his request. Teaching her a lesson was David’s favorite pastime.

“Summer, David is right. We’ll be just fine together. Perhaps you could check with the doctor about my release.”

“Jenna?”

“It’s okay. You can go. Make sure you see Sam on your way to find the doctor.”

Summer didn’t want to leave her alone. Jenna tried to make her voice strong, so Summer knew she was all right, even though she was anything but. David had a way of making things happen. If he somehow managed to get her out of the hospital, she’d be dead.

Summer left quickly. The starry-eyed nurse followed her out. More hesitant to leave her alone with David, the guard locked gazes with her, silently asking for her decision for him to stay or go. She nodded her approval for him to resume his post outside the door. Too many witnesses in the hospital for David to do anything drastic. Right?

Jack and Sam were not going to be happy with her for sending the guard out. David gave his lawyer the same type of nod she’d given the guard and he moved outside the door too. Silence settled and they both took a moment to absorb where they were and how they got here.

David moved further into the room, so his back wasn’t to the door, yet he could block her attempt at escape easily.

“I see you’re doing well.”

“Sorry to disappoint you again.” Jenna got out of the bed to stand. No way would she look the victim or appear passive.

“You always disappointed me.”

“Yes, well, the same is true of you. What happened to you, David? You were such a lovely man when we met. I really thought you were wonderful. You turned into such a monster. Maybe you always were, and I just never saw it.”

“You wanted to get your hands on my money and my company. My family tried to warn me. I couldn’t see past that lovely face and body, or my own need for you.”

“No. I never wanted the money. I wanted you. As stupid as that turned out to be. You have no heart, David. You’re incapable of love, or seeing it when it’s given freely to you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I love you. I love you with such passion that you’re all I think about. I can’t even work for thinking about you. No one will ever love you like I love you.”

“That’s not love. That’s obsession. Go back to your new wife. End this here and now before I destroy you.”

“You? Destroy me?” His laugh turned sinister. “After all these years, you think you can do anything to me. I can find you anywhere you go. That new man of yours just might have an accident, maybe that pretty little girl will turn up missing, or perhaps that nice ranch will burn to the ground. Take your pick. They might all happen if you don’t do what I want you to do.”

His voice grew louder as his anger built. If she wasn’t careful, he just might go into a rage again, unable to control himself, even knowing they were in a hospital with lots of witnesses.

“Threats, with people right outside the door,” she warned. “Listen to me. Stop this now, or I will destroy you and everything you hold dear.”

He took three long strides toward her so fast, she didn’t have time to react before he was standing over her. Squared off, toe-to-toe, the strength she thought spent surged and allowed her to stand her ground.

“You want to end this. Come back to me. That’s all I ever wanted. I can’t live without you. If you don’t, you know what will happen, only this time you have a lot more to lose.”

Hard to sound strong when your voice rasped out no louder than a whisper, but she managed. “I’ll never come back to you. Not now. Not ever. If you even think about harming one of the people I love, I’ll do more than destroy you. I’ll kill you. Now get out.” She hadn’t realized that as she spoke, she’d actually backed him into the wall by the door.

“You’ll regret this, Jenna. My lawyer is here so you can sign over the shares. If you do, I’ll leave you alone.”

“No. You wouldn’t leave me alone just for the shares. I know that. I’ve known that from the beginning. You enjoy hunting and hurting me. You’ll keep coming back for more. I won’t allow it. I will destroy you, David. You’ll see.”

She didn’t see the slap coming, should have anticipated his instinctive reaction to lash out and hurt. Her head snapped to the side from the blow. She held her ground again.

“You can’t threaten me,” he said outraged. “There’s nothing you can do to hurt me. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“You’re wrong. I can hurt you, and I will. You’ll see. This time, I’m coming for you.”

She’d never been able to shake him. The worried look on his face gave her some satisfaction.

David moved toward the door, but stopped in his tracks at her final statement.

“That’s the last time you’ll ever lay a hand on me, David.”

He walked out without looking back.

Jenna’s heart pounded against her aching ribs. Despite the fact she was shaking, it was a powerful feeling to have stood up to him. The guard looked in, she gave him a half-hearted smile to let him know she was okay and he closed the door.

She shuffled back toward the bed, grabbed the phone, and dialed.

“It’s Rabbit. I need Ben,” she told the receptionist.

Ben came on the line within seconds.

“Rabbit. Please tell me you aren’t on the run. I talked to Sam earlier, he said you were putting your plan in action and you were due to die today.”

“Not anymore. Make sure the story about my death doesn’t go out. David just stopped by for a visit. We can’t go with that plan now. He’ll know it’s a hoax. I need to know if Mike finished my project.”

“David was there. He actually came to see you. Did Jack kill him?”

“Jack wasn’t here. I spoke to David alone. He threatened me.”

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Just a parting slap to make me understand he can get to me whenever he wants and it doesn’t matter where we are.”

“Oh, Rabbit. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. Did Mike finish my project?”

“Yesterday. After this last incident, we finished the last push to get it done. I have all the papers ready for your signature. We’ll turn all the corporations that hide the assets into your name.”

“Great. Get on a plane and meet me at the ranch. Bring everything, including my murder book.”

“You want me to come to you? I’ll actually see you in person?”

“Yes. It’s time to end this. Since my death plan didn’t work, we need to go back to the original plan. I hate to expose myself like this, but I have no choice. I hope Jack won’t mind seeing my pictures splashed across the front pages.”

“I get to see you in person.” He’d wanted to meet her for a long time. He’d offered so many times to come and get her and protect her from David.

“Ben, keep up here. Get everything ready. Oh, what is the name of that paper I own?”

“It’s called—get this—The Daily Dirt. I have no idea why you wanted me to buy a rag like that.”

“You’ll see. Bring the murder book and all the papers. Hire a private jet if you like and get here ASAP. You’ll be away from your office a few days. I’ll see you at the ranch.”

“A jet. Really? Cool.”

“Yeah, Lily thought so, too. Hurry up. Get moving. The board of directors meeting is in a few days and we need to get ready. I’m going to San Francisco.”

She hung up with Ben completely drained. In too much pain, she didn’t have the energy to climb back into the high bed. She put her back to the wall and slid to the floor. With her head against the wall, her legs outstretched, she waited for Jack, Summer, and Sam to come for her. She barely registered the stream of blood running down her side and pooling on the floor.