"I could be so much more than that, Bree," he said as he quickly bent his head and covered her lips with his.
***
"How is dad?" Austin asked as Trenton stepped through the doors.
Chad looked behind him, but the doors shut without Bree following. He stepped forward, wanting to know where she was. He waited for a minute before walking up to Trenton.
"Is Bree staying with your Dad?"
"No, she's right behind me. She had to use the bathroom. I think she just needed a minute to herself. I wanted to get out here so the next two could go back," Trenton answered.
"That would be me and Esther," Joseph said, not giving anyone else a choice. He took Esther's arm in his and they made their way through the double doors.
"I think we may be having another wedding here pretty soon," Trenton said as he watched the two of them disappear.
"You may be right," Lucas said with a smile. "You didn't say how your dad was."
"I don't like seeing him hooked up to those monitors, and he looks too pale, but he's a fighter. I know he's going to pull through."
"That's what we needed to hear," Lucas said as he patted Trenton's back.
Chad continued to watch the door. He was getting a bad feeling in his gut, and if Bree didn't get out there soon, he was hunting her down.
As he watched the clock, deciding she had five more minutes, the doors opened and Joseph stepped out with Esther at his side. She looked teary eyed, but not as concerned as she'd looked before going in.
Chad waited for Bree to come with them. The doors once again closed with no sign of her.
"Did you see Bree?" Chad asked.
Everyone turned, alerted by his tone.
"No, she wasn't in the hallway," Joseph said, his forehead creasing with worry.
"We need to do a search," Chad commanded, his body on instant alert. No one argued with him. The stalker still hadn't been caught, and they weren't taking chances.
"We'll go through the E.R." Mark said.
"I'll alert security and see if they can spot her on the cameras," Lucas said as he walked to the front desk.
"The rest of you span out. Check all the doors and the parking lot. You all have my number if you find her," Chad said as he rushed out the front doors. He tried not to panic. She most likely had just stepped outside for fresh air. He knew she couldn't stand the smell of the hospital. He tried calling her, but in their haste to get to the hospital, she'd left her phone at the ranch.
Chad tried reassuring himself that even if she had gone outside, there was no way for the stalker to know she was there, or be able to kidnap her with security everywhere. If he could shake the bad feeling, he'd feel a whole lot better.
Chapter Seventeen
Bree fought against Charlie as he defiled her lips, trying to access her mouth. She tried to tell him no, and that gave him the opening he was looking for. His tongue snaked out and slipped inside her mouth.
She gagged as he assaulted her. She couldn't figure out what had gotten into him. His hand crept down her back and gripped her backside, tugging her hard against his body, as he thrust his hips forward, forcing his arousal against her.
"Stop!" she yelled when he released her mouth. She grabbed at his hair, pulling his head so he'd get the clue she didn't want him kissing her.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
"I love you, Bree. I always have and always will," he said as if it were obvious. "I've waited so long for you to be ready for a relationship, and then you get knocked up by that complete piece of crap. I can be your husband and raise your child. He isn't deserving of you. He doesn't know you like I do," Charlie said in an impassioned speech.
"Charlie, I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't what I want," she told him.
His eyes darkened in rage and he reached his hand up and slapped her hard across the face. Bree felt fear spike through her as she fought not to black out. Who was this man she thought she knew?
"Do you think you're too good for me just because I don't have as much money as your family? I've always been there for you, Bree. We just need to get you away from here. I figured if things started happening and you got scared, you'd need me. I could be your savior, rescue you from the crazy stalker," he said. His eyes were wide as he made his speech. Bree realized he wasn't exactly stable at that moment.
"Charlie, I'm sorry. You're right, we really need to sit down and talk. I haven't been very good to you lately – too self-absorbed," she said, willing to do anything to get them back in sight of other people. She never should've walked off with him.
His shoulders relaxed at her words, but she knew she wasn't out of danger yet.