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“Carly, if you are accusing me of anything, you better have your facts straight first.” He chuckles.
“Oh you’ll slip up soon enough you son of a bitch and when you do I’ll have you by your damn balls!”
The sinister laugh that erupts from his chest causes me to take a step back. “Oh the look on your face when you heard Brailee and Braden call me Uncle Drew was priceless.” He takes a step forward closing the space between us, his laughter dying. Through gritted teeth he sneers, “Don’t count on me giving up or slipping up. One thing our bastard Dad did teach me was to always cover my ass.” I lurch backward trying to distance myself from him. You can’t trust this bastard.
“You were clever pulling the wool over Savannah’s eyes. Making her fall in love with Josh, building their happy little family. But nothing is ever as it appears. I’ll figure out that son of a bitch’s secrets soon enough too. Now, you have two seconds to get in your car and get your ass off of my property before I call the KSP. I’m giving you the opportunity to go willingly or you can have some nice silver bracelets if you prefer.” He clutches his hand around my throat shoving my back against the Camaro, raising my feet off the ground. Nose to nose I peer into his hazel eyes, and the look of evil staring back at me causes my heart to race.
“Don’t threaten me Carly. You have one month to sign Simon Energy over to me before my wrath of hell unleashes on all that you love.” I try to pull the air into my lungs, but the grip of his strong hands around my throat is too tight. My vision blurs as I claw against his hand, and he laughs at my attempt to break free. “Such a pathetic, stupid little bitch. You disgust me,” he seethes, and the scent of bourbon on his breath causes my stomach to roll.
Suddenly, the grip on my throat loosens and I fall to the ground. My head thuds against the concrete as I fight to draw air into my lungs quickly. My vision blurs a white, foggy haze and my chest constricts tightly as fear races through my veins. I flutter my eyes up searching for Drew and see Colton’s hand braced around his throat. His right fist crashes against the side of Drew’s face as blood splatters against the rim of the Range Rover. Drew reaches out clawing at Colton’s face, swinging his arms about trying to land any point of contact necessary. But Colton’s adrenaline is wild with fury and far too much for Drew to contain. Colton continues to beat Drew in the face and head until Drew’s arms fall limp to the ground and he’s gargling on his own blood.
Something in Colton breaks when he sees me pleading with the ground for oxygen. He rushes over and gently scoops me up into his arms, carrying me quickly to his truck. Laying me in the front seat, he hurries around the hood of the truck then climbs inside roaring the engine to life quickly. He pulls his cell phone from his pocket and yells into the phone when the caller answers. I can only hear Colton’s side of the conversation and my head lulls between lucidity and dream as he speaks. Police, attacked, girlfriend, bleeding…silence.
The oxygen I’ve been clinging too over the last few minutes finally escapes me and the world falls black. Thump. Thump. Thump. I hear, slowly assaulting my ears. I feel heavy, cold; lifeless even. I just want to crawl into the peacefulness and let the darkness wash away every thought and memory that possesses my mind. I feel a warm hand encase my face and as quickly as the oxygen escaped my lungs, it now soars through me. I jolt upright suddenly panting for air. Looking around me I see a worried Colton with blood stained knuckles gripping the steering wheel as the barren trees flash by us swiftly.
“Wh-wha-what hap-ppened.” I stammer slowly.
“Lay back, we’re almost at the hospital.” He begs, worry filling his tired eyes.
“N-no. N-no ho-sp, hosp-spiittal. Pweeese.” I beg and I can’t understand why my words are so slurred.
“Darlin’, you fell. We have to have the baby checked out. Damn it, don’t argue with me woman.” He yells before punching the steering wheel, causing blood to ooze from the open wounds. I curl my legs into my chest wincing my eyes shut. The curvy roads take my stomach with them on each twist and turn and it takes everything in me not to vomit. Suddenly the truck halts to an abrupt stop, but when I open my eyes everything is fuzzy. I hear the truck door slam shut then cold air blankets my face. I feel strong, warm arms encase me and my body bounces with each step. Noise envelopes my hearing, but when I try to pry my heavy eyes open, the light sends throbbing pain through my head. Shouting, beeping, and the distinct sterile smell tells me we’re in the hospital.
“Sir, please lay her on this bed, and the doctor will be right in to exam her.” I hear the nurse state. She sounds old, but her dialect is laced with true southern charm.
“Hell no! I ain’t lettin’ her go. You scoot your ass and tell that doctor to get my darlin’ checked now.” He barks out loudly, and I wince in his arms at his thunderous tone. “Shhh, darlin’ I got ya. Just don’t go to sleep. Pinch my arm, and let me know you’re still with me.” He begs softly. I will my fingers to pinch him lightly and he sighs quietly at my tender touch.
“I’m Dr. Mayer, what appears to have happened to Ms. Simon?” the doctor asks as he enters the room.
“She was attacked and thrown to the ground. She’s pregnant, I think maybe around te
n to twelve weeks; hell, I don’t know.” Colton grumbles in a state of panic.
“Okay, son. I’m gonna need you to lay her on the bed, so I can examine her. I know you’re concerned, but you can sit right beside her and hold her hand.” I feel Colton’s chest tighten as he stands and lays me down on the thin, hard mattress. As soon as I leave his arms, I shiver from the cold that encompasses me. I feel his hand grasp mine, and the heat of his hand spreads like wild fire through my body.
“Ms. Simon, if you can hear me please make any noise.”
I straggle out a dry whimper and Colton’s hand squeezes mine.
“Good. Now, please lie still. I need to check your pupils.” He says as he shines a light in my eyes and I immediately want to throat punch him for the blinding throbs of pain that echo through my head.
“Ugggghh,” I moan out slowly.
“Is your head hurting?”
“Ugggh,”
“Nauseas?” I respond again with a whimper.
“Sir, did she hit her head?” The doctor asks Colton, who’s breathing is rushed as it rattles around in his chest.
“I don’t know. It all happened so fast.”
“From the symptoms she’s showing, I’m going to clinically diagnose her with a concussion. I won’t do a CT scan because that’s harmful to the baby. I’ll do a pelvic exam to check for any bleeding then we will do the Doppler to determine that the baby’s active before we take any further measures.” He pauses briefly and I hear footsteps growing dimmer in the background of the ER racket. “I’ll be back shortly with a female nurse to examine Ms. Simon.”
I hear metal scrape the floor then Colton leans close to my face, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Please be okay, darlin’.” He whispers softly. I turn on my side pressing the stiff pillow against my face, trying to block the bright fluorescent lights from my eyes. My head throbs intensely with pain so I squeeze his hand lightly, and revel in the feeling of his hand wrapped around mine. Just his presence has calmed my scattered heart beat and I feel a familiar safety that only he can give me.
When the doctor and nurse come back into the room, they ask Colton to step out into the waiting room while they examine me. I sigh in relief. He hasn’t heard the baby’s heartbeat yet, and I think it would be too much for him still yet.
