I couldn't hold back the tears. "Just kill me now and get it over with. You've already taken everything that I loved and ruined it. I hate you so much!"
"You think I give a damn about your feelings? I'm going to tell you right now, that bastard shows up at my house and I'm going to put a bullet in his head. That'll give your dumb ass something to cry about."
"Rick, he has nothing to do with this."
"Keep on talking. You're only proving that he has everything to do with it. Have you forgotten that this is my business and not yours? You have nothing you stupid bitch, you hear me? Nothing!"
He let go of my neck and picked up my purse off the desk. "You're riding home with me. You try to run and so help me god, I will find you and you will be sorry."
I wiped the tears from my face that were more for Conner than anything he was threatening. "I'll go with you Rick, just please leave him out of it. It was all me anyway. I came onto him and tonight he told me he wasn't interested. He's going back to Kentucky and not coming back."
"Walk!"
With him not giving me his word, I worried about him hunting down Conner. It wasn't that I thought he couldn't handle himself. In all honesty, Conner could take Rick down easily, but I didn't want him involved. The man had come to tell me that he loved me and instead of me saying it back, I wasn't going to ever talk to him again.
On the ride home, Rick said more degrading things to me, but I was so numb that I heard none of it. Conner's words to me were all I could think of. I shouldn't have hesitated. I should have told him the very next second that he was everything I ever wanted and the thought of being without him was terrifying to me. He needed to know that I was so madly in love with him that I would let him go to protect him.
Rick never touched me again that night. He barely said two words to me when I gave him his plate of food. Obviously, I had no appetite and chose to retire to my bedroom for the night. I just wanted to talk to him one last time and know that everyone was okay. I sat in the bathtub and cried my eyes out for the longest time. Something had happened to make Conner leave me like he did and now I had no way of knowing what it was. I was worried about him and his family. I kept hoping that it wasn't Miranda. She could have been in early labor.
I was never going to be free from this man. I knew if I called the police he would eventually get out and come after me. This was never going to end. I was stuck in this awful situation, with no family or friends to help me.
I didn't know what to do. I had two grand hidden at the salon, but running wasn't going to be the answer. He would find me and hurt me worse. I was petrified of how much worse it could get if I continued to fight him.
When I finally climbed into bed, I cried myself to sleep.
Chapter 21
Conner
Nothing could have stopped me from hearing Amy's reaction, well, nothing except hearing that my sister had been in an accident. Ty's father had made the call to me, so I could only assume that he had bolted down the road to get to where she and Bella were. I knew it was serious when he said we all needed to get there as soon as possible. I mean, nothing can prepare you for hearing that, especially when it's someone that you love.
My sister was always the constant in my life; the one person that was always there for me no matter how bad I'd fucked up. By the time I got back to the farm, they were waiting in their vehicle. I climbed in the back, shaking worse than I had my whole life. Losing my dad as a kid was awful, but not knowing how severe things were made me think that there was a possibility that I could lose my sister.
I heard my cell ringing a few times, but I couldn't answer it to explain what was happening. I just needed to get to Miranda.
You know things are bad when you get to a hospital and the person you are looking for is still in surgery. Ty's parents weren't able to find Ty, because he was back in some area that they wouldn't let us get through. We had to sit there not knowing what was happening. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the rest of the family showed up. My aunt went and got two hotel rooms to sleep in once we got some news. My mother went all apeshit on the staff and finally located Bella. We were so relieved to hear about her not being injured. Unfortunately, Bella had some news of her own.
She came out with a nurse and ran toward me first, and then my mother. She was my little buddy, especially after living with her for so long. As the family huddled around her she started to get upset. "Where did my daddy go?"
"He's back with mommy, Bells."
She shook her head. "No, they won't let us see her. He told me when we saw Jake and Jax. Daddy was crying real bad."
I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. "He's just worried. Daddy will be fine."