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“You’re insane.”
“That’s not a nice thing to say, Shelby. I want another chance. I want us to be a family.”
“I’m already married to Cade.”
His jaw ticked. “I know. But when you’ll be a widow soon.”
I bent forward when a sharp pain stabbed me in the side of my stomach.
“Don’t get worked up.”
It felt like Braxton Hicks contractions. God, I hoped that was all they were. Someone had to have seen Jake come on the property. Cade had to be on his way to rescue me.
“I have a place for us. Had it professionally decorated just for you. Wait until you see the nursery, you’re going to love it.”
“No!” I stared at him and shook my head. “No, no, no. This can’t be real. You’re dead.”
“I’m not.” He moved closer, and I was almost to the back door.
If ran into the barn, I could lock myself in the tack room. There was a gun in the bin. Cade and I had talked about this when we thought Jake was alive. But I doubted I could outrun Jake in my pregnant state. I teared up as my hands shook, holding the knife.
“Don’t cry, babe. I’ll be good to you. Come here. Let me hold you.” He reached for me, and I bolted out the door and ran toward the barn, screaming for help at the top of my lungs.
“Shelby!” Jake shouted, running after me.
I didn’t dare look back, knowing it would slow me down.
“Stay away from me!” The barn was a lot farther than I thought. I could hear him behind me. “Lance!” I yelled. “Somebody, help me!” I was out of breath, my heart raced like a thoroughbred. The contractions intensified, along with my tears. Where were all the ranch hands?
“Jesus, I’m not going to hurt you. I love you.” His feet pounded the ground faster. He was going to catch me.
I couldn’t run anymore and turned around to face my attacker, wielding the knife in front of me.
“Don’t touch me or I will stab myself!” I aimed the point of the knife at my precious baby. “Just stay back,” I sobbed, doing my best not to collapse. But another contraction hit and bent at the knees and screamed in pain.
Jake pounced on me, knocking the knife out of her hands. I struggled to break free, but I was losing the fight.
Like the maniac he was, Jake grabbed me by the hair and kissed me for all the world to see his vile mouth on mine.
I gagged and clawed at his face.
A loud crash came from the front of the cabin and startled Jake. He held onto me as we turned around. Olivia had crashed her car into the SUV.
“Fuck!” Jake yelled.
My sister charged toward us, showing off her mad-sprinting skills. She’d run track in high school and held the top time the past decade. She vaulted at Jake and pushed me out of his grasp.
I hit the ground on my stomach and had the wind knocked out of me, but I saw Cade on Phantom. He was coming as I knew he would.
I was almost filled with relief. Then Jake flung Olivia off his back. She landed on the ground and he punched her in the face.
“Liv!” I screamed in horror.
“I’ll kill you, you son-of-a-bitch!” Cade dismounted of Phantom.
Jake came after me and grab me around my neck. I tried to pull him off, but he was stronger than me.
“You ruined my life, you fucking bastard! She belongs to me. I love her!”
