Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #2 (2 page)

A third bullfighter, Rhett Jamison, grasped the rope he'd use to pull open the gate when Seth gave him the signal. Tonya met his gaze then gave him a slow nod. The timekeeper held the stopwatch next to Seth's head. He'd press the button as soon as the gate opened. His muscles bunched and he forced them to relax. He'd have to move with the bull, not fight him. He nodded to Rhett.

Rhett pulled the rope and the gate opened. The bull shot out and went into his rocking north-and-south bucking motion. Seth kept his free arm up, his stomach tight, his weight centered over the hand that gripped the rope, muscled legs clamped against the beast's sides.

Eight seconds. Just do it for eight seconds.

He knew what he was doing. The ride felt right. Good. The fear fled. Exhilaration filled him. He let his body flow with the movement. Time slowed; the roar of the crowd faded. It was just him and the bull.

The bell sounded. Elation zipped through him. He'd done it again. He'd stayed on. The rope slipped. He frowned and felt himself falling. No, this wasn't supposed to happen. Wha—?

Seth was on the ground, his lungs straining for air. The past rushed back to hit him and he steeled himself for the pain, for the bull to trample him. He tried to breathe, to roll, and couldn't move.

A hoof hit his newly healed leg. Pain ricocheted through him and blackness descended.

* * *

“Seth,”
Tonya whispered even as she, Rhett and Mia went into action. Mia moved, flapping her arms. The bull turned in her direction and galloped toward her. She ran for the barrel, then dived inside. The bull stopped and turned back to focus on Seth and the men who'd already jumped into the arena to grab him. But there was no way they'd get him over the fence in time if the bull charged.

Tonya raced forward, her brain whirling. She had to buy the men time. She yelled and snagged her horn from her pocket. A fierce blow loud enough to hurt her ears confused the animal. He stopped and turned to look at her for a brief second.

Then ignored her and charged back toward Seth. The men almost had him over the fence.

Tonya dashed over to slap the bull on his hindquarters, then dart off to the right since he had his head lowered and to the left. The animal roared, pivoted in the direction she'd anticipated he would. It bought her some time, but not much. He finally came after her. Mia, who'd climbed from the safety of her barrel, waved her hands and yelled, but the bull had Tonya in his sights and wasn't being distracted.

Tonya didn't hesitate. She was dead if she did. She ran for the fence, grasped the top rail and flipped herself over. She hit the ground on the other side as the bull's horns hooked through the fence. With a snort and a few bucks, he stomped off, back to the pen. Mia jumped over the fence and collapsed down on the ground. “You okay?”

“Yeah. You?”

“Yeah.”

“I'm all right,” Tonya gasped. “And Seth... Did they get him out? Is he okay?”

“Thanks to you, he is,” a deep male voice said. Tonya felt hands grab her, pulling her to her feet, and immediately her mind went to her stalker. She released a quavering sigh. The man who had her was a stranger to her, but somewhere in the crowd, Hank Newman waited.

Was he still here? Her eyes darted from face to face. Too many faces. He could be hiding behind any one of them. “That was some move you did there over the rail. Never seen anything like it,” another voice said.

Tonya focused on the speaker. Monty Addison, Mia's brother. “Gymnastics,” she muttered. She took several long, deep breaths. “Where's Seth now? How bad is he hurt?” She whirled around, still scanning the area, grimacing at the twinge in her lower back. She might have made it over the fence, but her form could have used a little work.

She saw the EMTs hovering over Seth about ten yards down. She rushed toward him, concerned. “Please, God, let him be okay,” she whispered.

Monty stayed with her. She could almost feel his worry as she came up to the edge of the crowd. They now had Seth on a stretcher, his leg in splints. The sight of his pale, colorless face grabbed her heart, and she nearly buckled as the past rose up in her mind once again. “Daniel,” she whispered. “Not again.”

“He's going to be all right, Tonya,” Monty said, gripping her arm. “It's not like Daniel this time. Seth is going to be fine. Maybe banged up and sore, but okay.”

She blinked back tears. “How do you know?”

“They didn't pull the sheet over his face.” He turned and walked away.

Tonya swallowed hard. Daniel. Her friend, the man who'd wanted to marry her. Grief welled up again and she shoved it aside. The EMTs carried Seth through the silent crowd and to the ambulance. While they maneuvered him inside, she glanced around, eyes probing. Rhett gave her a two-fingered salute. She nodded and kept looking. Where was Hank? She didn't want to leave town just yet; she wanted to stay and find out how Seth was doing. But she couldn't take a chance that Hank would find her and try to kill her again.

She raced toward the ambulance and grabbed one of the EMTs' arms before he could swing into the driver's seat. “Let me go with him,” she panted.

“Sorry, ma'am.”

A glance over her shoulder sent terror slashing through her as her eyes collided with Hank Newman's. He lifted a hand and she saw his lips form the word
“Wait.”

She looked for an escape route. The crowd pressed in, so she couldn't run fast enough to get away from Hank. He would catch up to her. She did a one-eighty, eyes searching, desperation filling her. She looked back, made a split-second decision and leaped into the back of the ambulance just as the other EMT reached to close the door. “I have to go with him. Please.”

“Who are you?”

“A friend,” she said softly.

He studied her for a second. “Sorry.”

“Let her come,” Seth rasped.

The paramedic turned back to Seth. “You're awake?”

“Let her come.” He let out a pained groan and rolled his head on the pillow. The EMT grasped his stethoscope. “Come on, then.” He held out a hand.

She latched on to it and scrambled up into the nearest seat. She glanced back and saw Hank closing the distance. “Hurry,” she pleaded.

“Tonya!”

She glanced left, panic-stricken, but that wasn't Hank calling her. Jake Foster sped toward her. He seemed dead set on stopping them before it was too late, but impatience to get the doors shut hurtled through her. Moments later Jake reached the back of the ambulance and tossed an object at her. She caught it in midair. A phone. “It's Seth's cell,” he told her. “I want to be able to call. Keep it on. Tell him I'll clean out my truck if he needs a ride home from the hospital!” He disappeared as the doors slammed shut in his face. She shoved the phone in her back pocket and let a relieved breath escape her.

The EMT looked at her funny. She ignored him and glanced at Seth. He still looked awful and she thought he might have lapsed back into unconsciousness. Within seconds they were moving. Through the back window, she saw Hank standing still, watching them, the frown on his face shouting his displeasure.

And Tonya knew, whatever she did, she'd better not wind up within her ex's grasp ever again.

Because this time he wouldn't just leave her for dead—he would finish the job.

TWO

S
eth stirred, then pushed himself into a sitting position on the gurney and winced as his leg throbbed. Intense anger burned through him. Two months back on the circuit and he found himself injured again. This was not how he'd planned to spend his Thursday evening.

“Hey, hey, no sitting up.” The paramedic on his left frowned at him. Seth ignored him but closed his eyes until the surge of dizziness passed. When his head stopped spinning, he opened his eyes and the EMT shrugged. “Okay, then, sit up. How do you feel?” The man bent over him, concern knitting his brow.

“Like I've been trampled by a bull.” He waved a hand. “I'm fine.” He gestured to his splinted leg. Someone had split the denim from hem to midthigh. “Is it broken?”

“Don't think so, just a very nasty bruise. You're fortunate you weren't hurt worse.”

He grunted. “I'll give God—and Tonya—the credit.” Fatigue swept over him. He turned his head and his gaze collided with a pair of sky blue eyes. Eyes that he'd not been able to get out of his head from their very first encounter. “Tonya? What are you doing here?”

The paramedic frowned. “You said to let her come.”

“I did?” He didn't remember that...but
okay
. He lifted a brow in her direction and was intrigued at the flush that darkened her cheeks. But what really caught his attention was the haunted skittishness in her eyes. He reached out and clasped her fingers in his. “I'm glad you're here.”

The flush deepened. From the corner of his eye he saw the EMT relax a fraction. The blood-pressure cuff tightened on his arm. “Why did I pass out? Am I bleeding anywhere?”

“No, sir. Probably passed out from the pain.”

“Right.” He remembered the pain. Vividly. “That pain wasn't as bad as my break, though.” Close, but not quite.

“That's a good thing.”

“Which hospital are we heading for?”

“Vanderbilt University.”

He nodded and leaned back, fighting the pain and the nausea. But he didn't let go of Tonya's hand. He liked the feel of her fingers in his. It helped him focus on something besides the throbbing in his leg.

When the ambulance pulled to a stop, he blinked the fog from his mind and tried to focus. They'd given him something for the pain and he felt groggy. Tonya's worried face kept going in and out of focus.

They wheeled him into the emergency department and he lost his grip on her hand. “Tonya?”

“I'm here.” She slipped her hand back in his.

“Ma'am? You're going to have to wait in the waiting room.”

“No.” He didn't want her to leave, and while that shocked him, right now he didn't care. He tightened his grip. At least, he thought he did. “Stay. Let her stay.”

They must have decided to listen to him. Tonya followed them back into the room.

* * *

She paced the floor, her gaze constantly going from a now-sleeping Seth to the small window in the door to check the hall. They'd rolled him to X-ray about thirty minutes after they'd been shown to the room and she'd been a nervous wreck until they'd returned. She slipped up to his side and covered his hand with hers. Even though he was pale and still, his strength was evident. She wanted to trace his square jaw and full lips. He had cheekbones a lot of women paid good money for. She allowed a faint smile to cross her lips. He had a good reputation in the bronc-busting world, and she had to admit every time he turned those smiling blue eyes in her direction, her knees went a little weak. She pushed a dark curl from his forehead and sighed when he didn't stir.

The nurse had explained Seth was on some powerful painkillers. “He'll be a bit loopy, dear,” she'd said and checked his vitals one more time.

Tonya had nodded as she tried to decide what to do. She'd thought about slipping out of the hospital and disappearing, but where would she go? Home wasn't an option. Hank knew where she lived. He'd threatened her family once four years ago and she wouldn't give him the opportunity to do it again. She shuddered. It hadn't been proved, but she knew he'd been the one to run her youngest brother, Jacob, off the road and fire shots at his car. Jacob hadn't been hit, but Hank's point had been well made. No, she couldn't go home. She crossed her arms and moved to the small window once again.

Hank hadn't shown up at the hospital yet—as far as she knew—but that didn't mean he wouldn't. There were several possible hospitals in the city, but Vanderbilt was the best. He'd come here first. But surely he wouldn't get past security. Right? He might come in the same entrance as she and Seth, but that was as far as he would be able to get.

Unless he faked an illness or injury.

But he'd have to wait in the waiting room. They wouldn't bring him back immediately. She closed her eyes and dragged in a deep breath. She had to calm down. Stop her spinning thoughts.

“Tonya?”

She turned to find Seth watching her. “Hey. You're awake.”

“You're still here.”

She blinked. “I'm sorry... I can leave.” But being in his room felt relatively safe. More safe than the outside world right now. And she realized she wasn't ready to leave, to give up the small measure of security she'd unexpectedly found in the hospital room.

“Leave? No, that's not what I meant. I'm just surprised you stayed.”

“You asked me to.”

“Oh. I did?”

She laughed. “Yes.” Her laughter faded as quickly as it had bubbled up. She checked the window one more time.

“You should do that more often,” he said gruffly.

“What?”

“Laugh.”

Was he flirting? He'd just fallen off a bull and was laid up in the hospital—and he was flirting? She studied him with a small, uncertain smile. No. He was serious. She was almost disappointed.

She shook her head and, for the first time since entering the hospital, considered how she must look.

Clown paint on her face. Her hair tied up in a loose ponytail underneath the wig she still had on. Her cowboy hat dangled down her back. She had on a shirt that would rival one of Hawaii's brightest tucked into jeans that were covered with pink chaps. Cowboy boots finished the ensemble.

And the hospital staff hadn't blinked.

She started to respond to Seth, then saw his eyes were closed again and his chest rose and fell in a steady pattern. She sighed, pulled the bright red wig from her hair and dropped it on the chair. She went to the sink and grabbed several paper towels from the bin on the wall. She soaked them, added soap and did her best to get rid of the makeup.

When the door opened ten minutes later, Tonya felt halfway human again. The doctor entered. Tonya touched Seth's hand and gave him a gentle shake. “Seth?”

He stirred and opened his eyes. The doctor approached and Tonya moved toward the door. “I'll just wait outside.”

“No,” he murmured. “Stay. I might not remember a word he says.”

Tonya caught the doctor's eye and he nodded. “All right.”

She shut the door with one more glimpse out the window. She caught her breath and stared harder.

Was that Hank?

“Tonya?” She jerked and spun to find Seth's eyelids fluttering, his struggle against the desire to close them looking like a losing battle. “You okay?”

“Um...yes. I'm sorry. Someone caught my attention. I thought I might know him.” She snapped her lips closed to quit jabbering.

The doctor held out a hand. “Dr. Jackson Mobley.”

“Hi.” Tonya shook his hand, her mind on the man she'd seen walk past the door. At Seth's curious look, she cleared her throat and tried to pay attention.

Dr. Mobley shook Seth's hand, then pushed the X-ray slides onto the machine and flipped the switch. Seth's leg popped up in black and white. The orthopedist pointed to an area with his pen. “Here's the former break. Nicely healed. The good news is that you didn't reinjure that. Nothing broken, just a bad bruise. I think you should pick back up on the physical therapy just to play it safe and you should be fine.”

Seth leaned back, the relief on his face evident. “So I can ride tomorrow.”

The doctor lifted his brow. “I don't recommend it. The muscles, tendons and ligaments are all bruised. You're very fortunate—I really expected to see you heading into surgery for something a lot more serious than this.”

Seth sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “I need to finish this rodeo. I had a good ride right before I fell off earlier. I'm in the running for the finals in December.”

Dr. Mobley shrugged and gave a small smile. “I understand. I've followed your career and am a fan. I'd love to see you go to the National Finals Rodeo. We missed you last year after that bad break.”

“But?” Seth nearly growled the word.

“But like I said, you can stay off of your leg for a couple of weeks and let it heal...or you can risk further injury.”

Tonya eased toward the door one more time and glanced out. The workstation for the doctors and nurses was directly opposite. Everyone seemed busy. She glanced left, then right. No sign of Hank.

Wait. Was that him? She looked closer. The man talking to the nurse turned and she sucked in a deep breath. No doubt about it—that was
definitely
him. The shaggy hair and goatee couldn't hide his chillingly familiar features.

The doctor tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped with a high-pitched squeak. The man raised a brow and settled his hands on her upper arms. “Are you okay?”

Tonya felt the heat climb into her cheeks and nodded. “Sorry, I'm a bit jumpy today.”

“No problem.” He slipped out the door and she turned to find Seth appearing a little more alert.

“What are you looking for?”

“Nothing.”

“Something. Or
someone
.” Seth narrowed his eyes. “You've been looking out that window just about every other second—and you nearly just came out of your skin when the doc tapped your shoulder. What's going on, Tonya?” he asked, his voice lowered. “Is it the guy from earlier? The one you were hiding from in the supply room?”

“Yes.” She twisted her hands together in front of her and debated how much she should say. What would he think if she told him the truth?

Then again, did she need to warn the hospital staff that a potential murderer had come through their doors? Hank wasn't predictable and he was here in the emergency department looking for her. Could everyone around her be in danger? “I'm pretty sure he's here at the hospital. It's been four years since I've seen him, but I think he was just talking to one of the nurses. I need to tell them to be on the alert and to warn security about the potential danger if he shows up.”

She glanced through the window and, not seeing Hank, slipped out of the room before Seth could ask any more questions. She quietly told the nurse at the desk about Hank, waited for her to call security, then made her way back to Seth's room.

As she stepped inside, she heard a buzzing. One that she'd heard several times since arriving at the hospital. Seth noticed it, as well, and frowned. “What's that?”

Tonya pulled the buzzing phone from her back pocket and held it out to him. “Jake tossed this to me when I got on the ambulance.”

“That's my phone. He was holding it for me while I rode.”

“You probably need to call him,” she murmured. “It's been ringing for a while now.”

Seth took it from her. “Okay, I'll call him in a few.” He looked at the screen. “It's my mom.” He pressed the button and lifted the phone to his ear. “Hello?” His eyes still hadn't left hers. “Yes, I'm fine. It's just a bruise.” Tonya turned her back to give him the semblance of privacy even though she could hear every word. “No, Mom, you don't have to come to Nashville. It's not broken again, I promise. I'll call you later. Love you, too. 'Bye.”

Tonya looked at him as he hung up. “She heard, I guess.”

“Word travels fast. I've been doing rodeos for a long time. Some of the people have become like family. Extended family, anyway. One of the judges called Mom and Dad.” Tonya nodded. “So who's the guy from the storage room? How do you know him?”

She sighed. “Earlier, at the arena, I went looking for Mia. She was getting her dogs ready, and as I was walking toward her, I recognized an old boyfriend.” She glanced at the door.

“Old boyfriend, huh? Who?”

“Hank Newman.”

“And why does his showing up make you skittish as a new colt?”

She crossed her arms. “A few years ago he tried to kill me.”

Seth gaped at her. Then snapped his jaw shut. “Well, I guess that would do it.”

“Indeed.” His shock made her look away. This wasn't something she liked to talk about.

“Why?”

She forced her eyes back to his. “Why what?”

“Why would he try to kill you? That's insane.”

Tonya huffed a short laugh. “Yes. Quite. We met my senior year of college. We had a couple of classes together. He asked me to marry him after three dates and I told him no. I'd already decided I didn't want to see him anymore and the marriage proposal sealed it. He asked me to reconsider. I wouldn't.” She swallowed hard, then said, “This continued for the next several weeks. He'd show up at my apartment. If I refused to answer the door, he'd leave a gift.”

“What kind of gift?”

She shrugged. “Flowers, chocolates, whatever he thought I might like. I finally had a restraining order taken out on him, but it didn't matter.”

“Why? What happened?”

“He showed up at my apartment one day and caught me carrying groceries inside. I barely had a chance to shut the door before he kicked it in, furious and raving at me. He threw the restraining order in my face. I screamed at him to get out. He shouted he loved me.” She'd shouted back that he didn't know what love was. “He finally calmed down a bit and tried reasoning with me. I got my phone out of my purse to call for help. He snatched it and threw it through a window. I raced for the door. He grabbed me, wrapped his hands around my throat and tried to strangle me.”