Stone Cold Cowboy(61)
She leaned back into him. He wrapped his arm around her middle and pressed his hand to her stomach, holding her close.
“Promise me when this is over, we’ll make more moments like this.”
“Count on it.”
They walked back to the room. Sadie stood at the end of the bed, staring at her father’s still form. “He liked you.”
“What’s not to like,” he teased, hoping to keep her spirits up. “I like him, too. I wish I’d gotten to know him better. He loves you.”
“Yes, he does. I miss him already.” She placed her hand on her father’s foot and rubbed softly. “I’m here, Dad.”
Mr. Higgins didn’t acknowledge her. Rory felt her disappointment.
Sadie tossed her bundle of clothes on the floor next to her purse. Rory set the bag next to both. Sadie squatted and dug through her purse, pulling out her phone.
“You called me.”
“Twice.”
She listened to her message and smiled softly at him. “You’re sweet.”
“On you, yes.”
That earned him another soft smile. “Did you threaten to kill my brother?”
“Several times,” he admitted.
“And you tried to strangle him?”
“I thought some of the blood in your father’s room might be yours, so yeah, when he showed up and I couldn’t find you, I demanded to know if he had something to do with your disappearance. You’ll remember how I found you the first time we met.”
Sadie put her hand on Rory’s chest. She needed that connection. “I’m sorry. That must have been scary to see all that blood and not know what happened.”
“I thought you were dead. That’s twice now. I can’t do that again, Sadie.” Rory pulled her into his arms and held her close, his cheek pressed to the top of her head.
“Let’s hope there won’t be a next time.”
“There better not be, or I won’t be so nice to your brother.”
“You choked him.”
“I didn’t kill him. In fact, I let him go.”
“He wants to talk to me.”
“I thought he shut his phone off or tossed it so the cops can’t track him.”
“He gave me a number to call.”
“Call him. He’s probably worried about your dad.”
Sadie stepped back just enough to look up at him and see the sincerity in his eyes. “You mean that. You’re not going to demand I call the police and give them this number?”
“If it was me, I’d want to know about my dad, no matter the circumstances. He’ll probably ditch the phone as soon as he speaks to you anyway.”
“So we’ll get him another day, is that it?”
“Today is about what you need, Sadie. This is about your dad and family. We’ll deal with everything else your brother has done another day.”
She pressed her hand to the side of his face. His beard stubble scraped her palm. “You’re a really good man.”
“Doesn’t mean I still don’t want to kill him for what he did to you.”
“And for stealing your cattle.”
“I can live without the cattle.”
Sadie held her breath. Difficult to do with her heart growing ten sizes in her chest with his unsaid I can’t live without you. Maybe he didn’t speak the words, but she knew he meant them. The intense way he stared at her implied how much he wanted her to hear what he couldn’t quite bring himself to say.
“Call Connor. Tell him what’s happened with your father.”
“I wish he could come here and . . .” Say goodbye. She couldn’t speak the words, because she didn’t want to say them herself.
“Maybe this will make him realize there is nothing more important than family. This is where he belongs.”
“You think that. I think that. Connor only ever thinks about himself.”
“Remember that the next time you try to help him and it turns out you’re the one who really needs the help. He’s proven he’ll save his ass over yours. I have two brothers of my own. I’d do anything for them, just like you’ve tried to do for Connor.”
“But.”
“But I know sometimes the best thing I can do for them is knock their heads together and shake some sense into them.”
“Your brothers can be reasoned with. Mine’s got a brain addled by drugs. He doesn’t see reason, or even right from wrong anymore. He only sees what he wants and does things without thought to consequences or how it affects others. He’s got a false sense of being invincible.”
“Unfortunately, he’ll learn he’s not the hard way, because talking to him does no good.”