Page 30 of Ashes of the Past
Jack’s eyes flit to mine just as my stomach drops with the mistaken name. Tears prick at my eyes, and I try my best to fight them back.
“Dad,” I start slowly as I reach toward him.
He shrugs me off, and Jack takes a step closer to him.
“You sure you’re okay?” Jack asks him again. He looks Dad directly in the eyes, as if he’s surveying the damage.
“Yeah, just a little sore already.”
“I think he’s going to be fine. Just rattled his cage a bit,” Jack says.
“So you’re a doctor now?” I hiss.
“No, but I’ve been around enough injuries to know when one is serious or not.”
“I’m not putting him at risk because you think you know everything.”
I’m so angry as I look between Jack and my father. I can feel how hot my face is right now, the tears threatening to escape as they always do when I’m mad. My dad’s eyes are glassy, and he looks more confused than normal. I’m not going to take a risk on this being worse and him dying in his sleep or something because this audacious bastard thinks he’s God.
He blows out a breath slowly as he glances back at my dad.
“Olivia,” Jack says over his shoulder. “Take your grandpa inside. Get the first aid kit and clean him up.”
“She’s twelve,” I snap as I take a step toward my dad.
He waves me off, muttering something about being fine, but he leans on Olivia as she guides him toward the house. I check my pockets and realize that I left my phone inside.
Shit.
I start to follow behind them and I feel Jack’s hand on my wrist, tugging me back.
“You need to calm down,” he says quickly.
I spin around on my heel. “Don’t tell me to calm down!”
“Brynn,” he growls.
The flash in his eyes immediately sets my entire body on fire, in a good way, not the cowering way you’d expect.
Umm, what’s that about? Why is my body betraying me right now?
The tension in my chest eases slightly, but my hands are still shaking. I clench my fists, trying to regain some of the fire I had earlier. I’m not going to let him run the show; he’s here to run the ranch, and I will not allow him to bully me, especially concerning my dad’s health.
“He’s okay,” he says, stepping closer. “It’s just a scratch.”
“It’s not just a scratch!” I hiss. “I’m calling 9-1-1, and I’m going to have a professional check him over.”
“Yeah, that’s a waste of money,” he chuckles drily. “They’ll get out here, and he’ll refuse to go with them. So, you’ll be wasting everyone’s time, too.”
“You have a lot of nerve,” I say just as my chest tightens worse. My breath is coming too fast, and I can feel the panic pulling me under fast.
“Hey,” Jack says softly, reaching out to touch my arm. “Look at me.”
I do, my eyes locking onto his.
“He’s fine, Brynn. I promise. Olivia’s got him, and he’ll be back out here grumbling about something before you know it,” he continues.
My shoulders start to shake, and before I know what I’m doing, tears are pouring down my cheeks. He instinctively pullsme into his arms. I stiffen for a moment, then melt against him, my hands clutching at his shirt.
