Saved by the Rancher (32 page)

“I’d be happy to escort them out,” the guard said, blocking them from getting close to her and shooting David a glare over his massive shoulder.

“That won’t be necessary,” David turned on the charm. “Jenna will see me. Won’t you, darling.”

“Summer—”

“Summer, is it?” the bastard interrupted again, controlling the conversation. “I’m David Merrick. I heard my ex-wife had a tragic accident. I was in Denver and wanted to stop by and check on her, since I was . . . in the neighborhood, let’s say.”

David stood stunned, unable to believe she survived out in the cold woods. He shouldn’t be surprised. Damn woman was invincible, and he admired her for it. Made the challenge that much more fun. As a child, he’d always tested the limits of everything and everyone around him. He so enjoyed taunting others, making them bend to his will. Jenna’s spirit and strength added an extra thrill. She wasn’t an easy mark, and he so enjoyed playing with her.

Jenna froze. Her whole body went on alert and adrenaline pumped through her veins. She bolted upright, pulling some of the stitches free, opening one of the gashes on her side. Blood ran down her side. She grabbed Summer and pulled her close to whisper in her ear.

“Go tell Sam to cancel the press release. Hurry. It can’t go out now.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with him,” Summer protested, unconcerned that David overheard.

David’s eyes narrowed, letting her know he didn’t like people thinking he was responsible for Jenna’s injuries. It put a crimp in his public image. She was going to throw a wrench in it if it was the last thing she did.

“Jenna and I have a lot of catching up to do. I haven’t seen her in quite some time,” he said, trying to add credence to the false alibi he’d already supplied to the police. “I’m sure she’ll tell you, we’ll be just fine together.”

An order, if ever she’d heard one. If she didn’t get Summer out of there, David might decide to punish her later for not obeying his request. Teaching her a lesson was David’s favorite pastime.

“Summer, David is right. We’ll be just fine together. Perhaps you could check with the doctor about my release.”

“Jenna?”

“It’s okay. You can go. Make sure you see Sam on your way to find the doctor.”

Summer didn’t want to leave her alone. Jenna tried to make her voice strong, so Summer knew she was all right, even though she was anything but. David had a way of making things happen. If he somehow managed to get her out of the hospital, she’d be dead.

Summer left quickly. The starry-eyed nurse followed her out. More hesitant to leave her alone with David, the guard locked gazes with her, silently asking for her decision for him to stay or go. She nodded her approval for him to resume his post outside the door. Too many witnesses in the hospital for David to do anything drastic. Right?

Jack and Sam were not going to be happy with her for sending the guard out. David gave his lawyer the same type of nod she’d given the guard and he moved outside the door too. Silence settled and they both took a moment to absorb where they were and how they got here.

David moved further into the room, so his back wasn’t to the door, yet he could block her attempt at escape easily.

“I see you’re doing well.”

“Sorry to disappoint you again.” Jenna got out of the bed to stand. No way would she look the victim or appear passive.

“You always disappointed me.”

“Yes, well, the same is true of you. What happened to you, David? You were such a lovely man when we met. I really thought you were wonderful. You turned into such a monster. Maybe you always were, and I just never saw it.”

“You wanted to get your hands on my money and my company. My family tried to warn me. I couldn’t see past that lovely face and body, or my own need for you.”

“No. I never wanted the money. I wanted you. As stupid as that turned out to be. You have no heart, David. You’re incapable of love, or seeing it when it’s given freely to you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I love you. I love you with such passion that you’re all I think about. I can’t even work for thinking about you. No one will ever love you like I love you.”

“That’s not love. That’s obsession. Go back to your new wife. End this here and now before I destroy you.”

“You? Destroy me?” His laugh turned sinister. “After all these years, you think you can do anything to me. I can find you anywhere you go. That new man of yours just might have an accident, maybe that pretty little girl will turn up missing, or perhaps that nice ranch will burn to the ground. Take your pick. They might all happen if you don’t do what I want you to do.”

His voice grew louder as his anger built. If she wasn’t careful, he just might go into a rage again, unable to control himself, even knowing they were in a hospital with lots of witnesses.

“Threats, with people right outside the door,” she warned. “Listen to me. Stop this now, or I will destroy you and everything you hold dear.”

He took three long strides toward her so fast, she didn’t have time to react before he was standing over her. Squared off, toe-to-toe, the strength she thought spent surged and allowed her to stand her ground.

“You want to end this. Come back to me. That’s all I ever wanted. I can’t live without you. If you don’t, you know what will happen, only this time you have a lot more to lose.”

Hard to sound strong when your voice rasped out no louder than a whisper, but she managed. “I’ll never come back to you. Not now. Not ever. If you even think about harming one of the people I love, I’ll do more than destroy you. I’ll kill you. Now get out.” She hadn’t realized that as she spoke, she’d actually backed him into the wall by the door.

“You’ll regret this, Jenna. My lawyer is here so you can sign over the shares. If you do, I’ll leave you alone.”

“No. You wouldn’t leave me alone just for the shares. I know that. I’ve known that from the beginning. You enjoy hunting and hurting me. You’ll keep coming back for more. I won’t allow it. I will destroy you, David. You’ll see.”

She didn’t see the slap coming, should have anticipated his instinctive reaction to lash out and hurt. Her head snapped to the side from the blow. She held her ground again.

“You can’t threaten me,” he said outraged. “There’s nothing you can do to hurt me. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“You’re wrong. I can hurt you, and I will. You’ll see. This time, I’m coming for you.”

She’d never been able to shake him. The worried look on his face gave her some satisfaction.

David moved toward the door, but stopped in his tracks at her final statement.

“That’s the last time you’ll ever lay a hand on me, David.”

He walked out without looking back.

Jenna’s heart pounded against her aching ribs. Despite the fact she was shaking, it was a powerful feeling to have stood up to him. The guard looked in, she gave him a half-hearted smile to let him know she was okay and he closed the door.

She shuffled back toward the bed, grabbed the phone, and dialed.

“It’s Rabbit. I need Ben,” she told the receptionist.

Ben came on the line within seconds.

“Rabbit. Please tell me you aren’t on the run. I talked to Sam earlier, he said you were putting your plan in action and you were due to die today.”

“Not anymore. Make sure the story about my death doesn’t go out. David just stopped by for a visit. We can’t go with that plan now. He’ll know it’s a hoax. I need to know if Mike finished my project.”

“David was there. He actually came to see you. Did Jack kill him?”

“Jack wasn’t here. I spoke to David alone. He threatened me.”

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Just a parting slap to make me understand he can get to me whenever he wants and it doesn’t matter where we are.”

“Oh, Rabbit. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. Did Mike finish my project?”

“Yesterday. After this last incident, we finished the last push to get it done. I have all the papers ready for your signature. We’ll turn all the corporations that hide the assets into your name.”

“Great. Get on a plane and meet me at the ranch. Bring everything, including my murder book.”

“You want me to come to you? I’ll actually see you in person?”

“Yes. It’s time to end this. Since my death plan didn’t work, we need to go back to the original plan. I hate to expose myself like this, but I have no choice. I hope Jack won’t mind seeing my pictures splashed across the front pages.”

“I get to see you in person.” He’d wanted to meet her for a long time. He’d offered so many times to come and get her and protect her from David.

“Ben, keep up here. Get everything ready. Oh, what is the name of that paper I own?”

“It’s called—get this—
The Daily Dirt
. I have no idea why you wanted me to buy a rag like that.”

“You’ll see. Bring the murder book and all the papers. Hire a private jet if you like and get here ASAP. You’ll be away from your office a few days. I’ll see you at the ranch.”

“A jet. Really? Cool.”

“Yeah, Lily thought so, too. Hurry up. Get moving. The board of directors meeting is in a few days and we need to get ready. I’m going to San Francisco.”

She hung up with Ben completely drained. In too much pain, she didn’t have the energy to climb back into the high bed. She put her back to the wall and slid to the floor. With her head against the wall, her legs outstretched, she waited for Jack, Summer, and Sam to come for her. She barely registered the stream of blood running down her side and pooling on the floor.

Chapter Fifty

S
AM’S HEAD SNAPPED
up as Summer burst into Doctor Weber’s office panting. “Where the hell have you two been?” she demanded of him and Jack. “He’s here. He’s in there with her.”

“Who’s here?” Sam asked.

“David Merrick. He’s with her right now.”

Jack and Sam bolted to their feet and ran for the door. Summer stopped Sam. “You need to call off the press release. He won’t believe she’s dead now, he’ll know it’s a trick.”

“Shit! No wonder the agents helping me haven’t been able to find him. He’s been here the whole time.”

He grabbed the phone and canceled the press release. As Sam issued orders, Summer left the office, running after Jack back to Jenna’s room.

J
ACK BURST PAST
the guard and into Jenna’s room. The empty bed set off a wildfire of panic through his system, squeezing his heart, nearly stopping it cold. He rushed further into the room and found her sitting against the wall next to the bed. Head back, eyes closed, her whole body trembled.

Relieved beyond measure, he exhaled and the fear washed away. He kneeled in front of her and put his hand to the red outline of David’s hand imprinted on her cheek. He bent and kissed it gently.

“Jenna?”

She didn’t respond.

“Are you okay?”

“I stood up to him. I told him I’m going to destroy him. He thinks I’m bluffing. I’m not. I will end this. Ben is on his way. Take me home, Jack. I want to go home.”

“Come here, I’ll help you into bed until we can get you checked out of here.”

He helped her stand, noticing for the first time her blood-soaked gown and the blood running down her leg. He didn’t panic. He’d seen a lot worse, but he hated seeing her hurt. It did something to his heart that he felt echo through his whole being.

“Jenna, you tore your stitches. You’re bleeding.”

“Will you fix it?”

“I’ll get the doctor to stitch it for you. I’m not poking you with needles anymore. It hurts me too much to do that to you.” He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb across her soft skin.

“I love you. You’re so sweet.”

“That bastard comes in here, slaps you, threatens you, and you still try to make me feel better. I’ll kill him. And the guard for letting him in.”

“I told the guard to leave. As for David, you don’t need to kill him. I’m going to take away the one thing he can’t live without.”

“You already left him.”

“Not me. I’m taking the company away from him.”

“Can you do that?”

“I couldn’t before, but I can now.”

“Whatever you need, I’ll help you. I know I haven’t done a very good job protecting you . . .”

“Jack, stop. Just stop it. You haven’t let me down, and none of this is your fault. You’re the best thing in my life. If you keep blaming yourself for what’s happened, I don’t think I can take it. I need you to take care of me. Do that, and I’ll be happy.”

“I love you so much. When Summer said he was alone with you, I thought I’d lose you forever. I was so afraid he’d take you, and I’d never find you again.”

“Don’t. Don’t think about it anymore. I want to go home, now. We have a lot of things to prepare for, and I want to be with you in our bed tonight.”

“I’ll get the doctor to stitch you back up.”

Summer came barreling through the door. “Jenna, he hurt you,” Summer said, disbelieving what her eyes saw. “You’re bleeding. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you.”

“It’s okay. I tore my stitches. Don’t feel bad. I made you leave. I couldn’t have the press release go out. Did Sam stop it?”

“Yes, I think so. You’re okay, really?”

“I will be once Jack gets me home.”

“Sis, get the doctor. I’m not leaving Jenna.”

Summer left the room just as Sam came rushing in, a pained look on his face. Jenna pointed a finger at him and said, “You did not let me down, so stop thinking that. Did you stop the press release?”

“How did you know what I was thinking?” Sam asked surprised. Jack laughed.

“Because you and Jack are exactly alike. He’s feeling guilty, and now so are you. Stop it, both of you. The press release?”

“Canceled. Now what are we going to do?”

“He never makes anything easy,” she complained. “Looks like we do things the hard way. It’ll be more dangerous, but it’s the only way. I’m taking over the company.”

“Whatever you want, I’ll take care of it,” Sam said, and squeezed her foot to reassure himself she was okay.

“We’ll make all the arrangements when we’re back home. Go away, Sam. Jack’s going to kiss me, and I want to be alone with him.”