Page 114 of Stealing Home

“Who’s not going to help?”

My head jerks around and I see Low stumbling our direction. She has one arm wrapped around her torso, applying pressure, while the other hangs by her side holding something. When she gets close to me, she drops a bloody log at my feet. Her knees start to buckle, and I reach out and scoop her up.

I have to look away for a second. Her cheek is a dark maroon, and I know in the next several hours it will darken to blue and purple. Her breathing is shallow, and I don’t know if it’s because her ribs are broken, or if she’s lucky and they’re also bruised. Not that I’d ordinarily consider finding my girlfriend beaten and bruised in any way lucky, but she’s still alive.

“Low, baby, you look awful. Let’s get you to the hospital.”

“If she’s okay, what was that sound?” my mom asks.

Harlow winces. “I hit my ex-husband in the head with that log, and it’s possible he’s dead.”

“I knew I liked you. Welcome to the family,” my mom says.

My dad chuckles quietly and slightly shakes his head. “It looks like Ryan men have a type. Red is right, welcome to the family, Harlow.”

He walks over and hands me his keys. “Help Harlow into the car, then join me so we can go find that piece of shit.”

“Red,” he addresses my mom, “go with him and stay in the car with her.”

My mom props her hand on her hip. “You’re just trying to get me out of the way.”

“And? Of course I’m trying to get you out of the way of a psychopath. But, someone has to stay with Harlow. She’s clearly going into shock.”

He jerks his head in the direction of the house. “Go ahead son, I’ll go find something to tie him up with before we go look for him. By the sound of that hit, if he’s not dead, he’s not gonna be getting up too quickly.”

Harlow rubs her wrist, and I notice the angry red welts circling her delicate skin. “He’s got zip ties somewhere in the car.”

Gently, I tuck her hair behind her ear. “I kinda hope you killed him,” I admit.

After I get her settled into the back seat of my dad’s rental with my mom, he and I go looking for Rivera in the direction Harlow came from. My dad has a fistful of zip ties he must have found while I was getting Harlow situated in the car.

There’s a pile of wood off the side of the house, and slumped over the top if it is Fernando Rivera. Unfortunately, his chest rises and falls showing us he’s still alive. I truly believe the world would be a better place if he were dead, but it’s probably better for Harlow that he’s not. If there’s a god then he will at least be permanently maimed.

My dad cinches Rivera’s hands behind his back, a bit tighter than necessary considering he’s still unconscious. “Now what do we do?” I ask him.

“An ambulance and the state police should be here any minute. You said the local police were corrupt, so I went above them. Don’t worry, your uncle Jeremy knew someone, so everything will be taken care of. When the paramedics get here, I want you to go with Harlow.”

A few minutes later, several emergency vehicles pull into the drive. Coach Tucker follows immediately behind them, which seems to help resolve things faster than my dad’s money or my uncle’s connections. The local cops don’t try and interfere, since Tucker is now the head coach, and the team didn’t win a single game without my leadership. One look at Low, and it’s easy to see she did what was necessary to defend herself.

“I don’t need an ambulance,” Harlow protests.

“Low, you’re almost one solid bruise. The paramedics are afraid to touch you. You might think this is excessive, but humor me, please. It’ll make me feel a lot better if someone with M.D. after their name agrees that you’re fine.”

* * *

After a couple hoursof pacing the waiting room, things begin to settle down and the police presence thins out. I gave my statement no less than four times to different officers as well as paramedics. When they finally leave me alone, I’m able to track down Harlow’s doctor. “Can you tell me how Harlow Pierce is doing? She was taken back a while ago for x-rays and I haven’t heard how she’s doing, or what room she’s in.”

“Are you family?” he asks.

My mouth falls open, and it’s on the tip of my tongue to lie. That plan is thwarted when my teammates start showing up at the hospital. Joaquin means well, but the elevator doesn’t always go all the way to the top floor., like now. He bursts into the waiting room and asks, “How’s Coach’s wife? I heard she’s in here.”

Max, Will, and Taylor stroll in behind him. Max rolls his eyes, and slaps Joaquin on the back of the head, but the damage is already done.

The doctor scowls and shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but I can only release patient information to the immediate family.”

When the doctor leaves, my dad comes over to me and puts his arm around my shoulders. “You know this wouldn’t be a problem if you’d hurry up and marry her already.”

My head whips around so fast. “I’m sorry. I thought I just heard you say I should marry her already.”

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