Page 26 of Whispers of My Skin

“Don’t you dare hang up, Cassie,” Joel orders. “Tell them we need all available emergency services here ASAP.”

But since it’s going to take them a while to get here, and it’s three against one, it still looks as if this is not going to end well. Just like in the movies, my whole life flashes before me. Memories, laughter, regrets, tears. Everything the future might have held for me, for us, is about to be wiped out. Suddenly it’s all too much and I can’t take any more.

Joel sees I’m about to fall apart, but his eyes plead with me to hold on, not to lose hope.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see several ranch hands lining up behind Joel.

He has back up.

In the next instant, all hell breaks loose, and the mother of all fights is going down.

In one fluid movement, Joel launches himself at Walter to grab the arm that’s holding the knife at my neck. Walter still tries to lash out at me before he’s forced to drop the knife and relinquish his grip on me. Joel punches him to the ground, while behind him the other two guys are also taken out. The bullies may have been able to easily overpower me, but in truth, they are flabby and out of condition, and the fight soon goes out of them once they encounter some real men.

As soon as Walter’s lying on the floor out of contention, I launch myself at Joel, needing his strong arms around me to convince me I really am safe. Joel catches me as I grab his shirt, melting into him to escape from this hell I walked into. His arms tighten around me and I lose myself in his warmth, his scent, his everything.

My rock.

My Joel.

“The police are on their way, ETA less than five minutes.” Cassandra’s annoying, irritating voice snaps me out of my cozy cocoon, reminding me that I am furious, both with her, but especially with Joel.

“Let me go.” I shove away from him, but he stands firm and won’t let me out of his arms.

“I need to take a closer look at that cut on your neck, honey. It might need stitches,” he says, brushing my hair out of the way.

Adrenalin means I’ve forgotten about my injury, but when I tentatively reach up to touch my wound, my fingertips discover blood.

“Let me go, Joel,” I still insist, my pride kicking in. “I need some space. I can’t breathe properly and you’re crowding me.”

Joel reluctantly lets me out of his arms, but we have a face off instead. His eyes appear to be filled with concern and something else I can’t quite pin down. I could almost believe he actually cares for me... don’t fall for his act, Tara. However convincing it may be, it’s still an act. You can’t trust him. Remember what you heard with your own ears just a short while ago? He’s made plans with Cassandra and they don’t include you.

Renewed rage courses through me. He’s been deceiving me all along, not only about Cassandra and the baby, but about my ranch, and his plans to sell it.

“Tara, come on, honey, let me take care of you...” he gently croons, approaching me cautiously as if I were a cornered animal.

“No. Keep away. Don’t touch me, Joel,” I warn.

“Tara...” he says evenly, but the tight clenching of his jaw muscle gives away his frustration. “Let’s go back up to the house while we wait for the police, and then I can take a proper look at that cut. You’ve been through one heck of an ordeal and you need to calm down and rest.”

“Rest? Yeah, actually that’s right, I do need a rest. From you. And her. Especially her.” I glare and point at Cassandra. “So, I’m going back to the house, where I’m going to take a long, hot soak in the tub, and afterward, I expect her gone, and I don’t ever want to see her on my property again.”

“Actually, Tara, as a matter of fact, I should point out that you have no authority to ban me from the ranch, since this is now Joel’s property,” the bitch challenges me, standing there gloating with her hands on her hips.

Who the hell does she think she is? I’m about to launch myself to deal her a good bitch slapping, but Joel steps in between us and restrains me. At least he seems to think she’s overstepped the mark too.

“For God’s sake, Cassandra, back off! This is neither the time or place! Tara has more than enough to deal with. Plus, the police will be here any minute to take her statement and deal with those pieces of shit.” Joel glares at Walter and his cohorts where they’re trussed up on the floor.

Right on cue, loud sirens and flashing blue and red lights announce the arrival of all kinds of emergency vehicles and patrol cars. They’ve obviously gone all out in their response, so much so that all that’s missing is a helicopter hovering overhead with a SWAT team abseiling down. I giggle hysterically at the absurdity of it all—talk about one extreme to the other.

Uniformed officers scramble out of their vehicles, weapons drawn as they make a quick assessment of the situation. Joel fills them in with a succinct summary of how events unfolded, about the injuries I sustained, how Cassandra and the other ranch hands can verify events.

“We need to get you checked over as a matter of priority,” the police officer in charge orders, indicating the house porch. “A doctor is waiting over there for you, Miss.”

“This is my wife, so it’s Mrs. Sadger,” Joel immediately corrects the officer. Possessive much?

“I see. Well, Mrs. Sadger, let’s get you seen to, shall we?” The officer rolls his eyes at Joel’s correction before leading me to where the doctor is waiting.

Joel sticks by my side the entire time, watching like a hawk as I’m checked over. The doctor takes photos of my injuries as supporting evidence, and Joel frowns angrily when he sees the ugly bruises already appearing on my arms, frowning even more deeply when he sees the cut on my neck close up, which has at least stopped bleeding.

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