You're the One (37 page)

Tension seeped
through him and Del glanced up, following the direction of his gaze
to see Fritz being handcuffed, a groaning Cutter being hauled to
his very wobbly feet.

“I’ll kill
him,” Moz growled. “I’ll rip his bloody head off.”

Oh yeah, there
was no doubt he’d do it, too, no doubt at all.

Del and Dee
took one alarmed look at each other and clung to him.

“Don’t let me
go, Moz,” Del whispered.

“I’m a little
shaky,” Dee added.

“Damn it.
Shit.” He flexed his hands against their backs, tightened his hold
again. “It’s all right, I’m here.”

Kirk cast Dee
and Del a bland look, a small nod of his head. Oh yeah, the cop
knew Moz was fully prepared to carry out his threat, knew Del and
Dee’s plan. Approved.

It wasn’t
actually far from the truth, Del didn’t want Moz to let her go,
felt safe with his strength surrounding her. Felt a little like
crying now that the adrenaline was seeping away and reality was
rearing its ugly head.

If Cutter had
got hold of her… She shuddered.

Immediately
Moz hugged her closer, big hand running up and down her back,
leaning down to brush his lips across her hair. “It’s all right,
baby, I’ve got you.”

Another car
hurtled up, brakes slamming on, door flinging open. Ryder burst
out, coming at them in a dead run.

Moz released
Dee, who went straight to him. Ryder wrapped her up in his arms,
brushing her hair back from her face in a similar gesture to that
Moz had done not so long ago to Del. Ryder kissed Dee’s lips,
hugged her, pushed her back to check her, hand running over her
body, asking questions.

“Del got
chased, not me,” Dee finally managed to squeak when Ryder hugged
her tight again. “I did the chasing, she did the running.”

Immediately
Ryder was beside Del, Dee in one arm still, wanting to check
Del.

“I’m fine.”
She pushed his hand away.

“You’ve been
hit,” Moz said stonily. “Let Ryder check you.”

“What if he
wants my blouse off? Won’t that upset you?”

“Just get your
smart-mouthed body to his car and let him check you both out.” Moz
propelled her over to Ryder’s car.

“I don’t need
checking,” Dee insisted.

Moz’s gaze
went to her wrist. “What happened to your wrist?”

“Goddamn it.”
Ryder held Dee’s arm gently, studying the bruises forming. “I’ll
kill those bastards.”

“Not before I
do,” Moz stated grimly.

Del tightened
her hold on him. He recommenced those soothing strokes to her back,
easing her. He did it so easily. She didn’t care, leaned into him,
welcoming the soothing motion.

Glancing up,
Ryder saw Farris talking to one of the cops. “Farris.”

“Yeah?”

“Get over
here, I want to check your eye.”

“It’s swollen,
there’s nothing more to check.”

“Jesus, am I
surrounded by argumentative women or what?”

“I’m not a
woman!”

“Then stop
arguing like one and get your arse here.”

“I take
offence,” Dee said mildly.

“You just do
as you’re told.” Ryder kissed her forehead, eyes softening for a
few seconds. “For once.”

Leaning back
in Moz’s arms, Del suffered Ryder checking her eyes, her pulse, her
abrasions which he cleaned using a huge First Aid kit he pulled
from the boot. He then cleaned Farris’s lip, skinned knuckles and
dabbed carefully around his eye.

“You’re going
to have a beaut black eye,” Ryder informed him.

“No kidding,
doc. I’m so surprised.”

“You saved
Del,” Moz said. “You and Dee. You took on those men.”

“No big deal.”
Farris shrugged. “It’s what friends do, right? We stand beside each
other.” He grimaced. “Plus I never could stand to see a girl
getting hurt.”

Moz held out
his hand. As soon as Farris took it, he pulled him in for a hug, a
quick, gruff, manly hug. “Thanks. Thanks so much.”

Del watched
Moz, seeing the emotion in his eyes, the way he looked at both Dee
and Farris with such gratitude.

“No worries.”
Farris stepped back, winced a little. “I think I have a cracked
rib.”

Immediately
Ryder was on the alert. “The fight?”

“Moz’s girly
and slightly embarrassing hug.”

Ryder’s face
turned sympathetic. “Oh yeah, I hear you, man.”

Cuddled up
once more to Moz’s side, feeling oh so safe, Del watched Kirk walk
up.

Kirk looked
down at her, tousled her hair gently. “All right, honey?”

“Fine.
Absolutely fine.” She glanced up at Moz. “Really fine now.”

His squeeze
was gentle, his eyes soft.

“We’re taking
those two to the station.” Kirk looked at Del, Dee and Farris. “We
need you to come to the station as well, give us your
statements.”

Moz moved
away. “Be back in a minute, baby.”

Ryder nodded,
joined him. “I’ll be back soon, too, babe. Just wait for me.”

“Like I’m
going anywhere,” Dee replied, but she smiled as she said it.

Kirk gestured
to the cars. “I need you to leave your car here for now, we need to
get photos and things of the situation.”

Del
nodded.

Hands on hips,
Kirk took a deep breath, cut his eyes to Dee. “You got out of the
car.”

“Yep.”

“With a
cricket bat.”

“Yep.”

“You know you
should have waited for us.”

“Not gonna
happen.”

“I
figured.”

There was a
sudden yell, the sound of fists hitting flesh, and they all swung
around to face the paddy wagon to see Ryder and Moz appear from the
back of it, their faces bland.

“Shit,” Kirk
said with uncharacteristic feeling. “What did you two do?”

“Just trying
to be helpful,” Ryder said. “Why?”

Del had a
sinking feeling.

“Phil,” Kirk
called. “What happened?”

Phil’s head
popped around the side of the paddy wagon. “Shocking, Sarge. Ryder,
being an ambo, came to see if Fritz and Cutter needed First Aid.
Very inconsiderately, they tried to jump Ryder. Luckily Moz was
able to help us control them.”

“Are you
serious?”

“Absolutely.”
Maggie’s head popped up beside Phil’s. “Ryder just asked if they
needed a hand, both Moz and Ryder peered around the door, and these
two blokes went gonzo. Had to subdue them.”

Kirk pinched
the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes. “Are they conscious?”

“A little
groggy, but sure.” Phil disappeared.

“Have to add
attempted assault on an ambo and RSPCA inspector to their charges.”
Maggie smiled brightly before disappearing as well.

Oh no. Del
looked at Moz, saw the way he flexed those big hands, felt her
heart clench. Shit, if he got done for assault, if he lost his job
because of her, she’d never forgive herself.

Coming up
beside her, Moz bent down, brushed a kiss on her lips. “Don’t fret,
baby.”

“But-”

“All we did
was offer help. They were the ones who took it personally and
attacked.” His eyes gleamed. “It’s all good.”

“You knew
they’d attack at the sight of you.”

“Can’t help it
if they don’t know how to accept some help.”

Dee and Del
looked from Moz to Ryder. Both looked innocently back at them.

Cripes, how
did they manage that?

“They got off
lightly.” Moz’s expression darkened. “Those bastards were out on
bail, apparently. Would have been good if we’d known.”

“And they just
bought themselves a whole lot of trouble assaulting you three,”
Kirk said. “Forcing Del off the road, assault, possession of an
illegal weapon, threatening bodily harm-”

“Doing bodily
harm.” Ryder’s face was grim. “Let’s not forget that.”

“Like I said,
on top of the charges already facing them, they are in a shit-load
of trouble. Oh yeah, and now have to add attempted assault on an
ambo and inspector.” Kirk nodded to them. “Right, let’s go to the
station and sort this out.”

Chapter 12

Screaming rent
the air. She tripped, wrenching her ankle, screamed again as
something loomed in the dark.

“For crying
out loud, lady,” Dee groaned. “Twisting your ankle? Really?”

“Yeah,” Molly
snorted. “Why don’t you use a cricket bat?”

“Dee can show
you how,” Elissa added.

“Don’t
encourage her,” Ryder growled.

Simon threw
popcorn at him. “Quiet in the peanut gallery.”

“Are you
calling me an ape?”

“If the name
fits...”

Ryder flipped
him the bird.

Sitting back
on the sofa, legs spread apart so that Del could sit between his
legs with her back to the sofa, Moz idly twirled her ponytail
around his finger.

All was right
with his world once more. Del was safe, his friends were gathered
in their home for movie night, Mozart and Missy were sitting on the
back of the sofa watching everyone, and everything was warm and
friendly.

Even better…he
angled his head to the side to see the diamond ring on his woman’s
ring finger. Looked good on her. Proclaimed to the world that she
belonged to him. Yep, that engagement ring looked good on Del’s
hand. It would look even better once his wedding ring also
encircled that slender finger.

Symbols aside,
Del was his, he was Del’s, they were a couple.

Smiling, he
leaned forward, kneading her shoulders lightly.

Tipping back
her head, she smiled up at him. There was no bruise on her
cheekbone now, it had faded a long time ago, but the memory still
had the power to make his gut clench.

He dropped a
kiss on the tip of her nose, winked. She mouthed ‘I love you’ and
looked back at the TV.

Jesus, when
he’d heard that Del was in trouble, when she’d screamed over the
phone to him that Cutter was with her, he’d frozen. Then he’d
burned rubber getting to her, frantically yelling at Kirk on the
phone, so terrified he’d get there too late.

But her
friends had shown up. Damn it was good to have friends, friends who
stood beside you through thick and thin.

He looked
around the room once more. Kirk sat on the floor, back against the
sofa beside Molly’s legs with Lily asleep in his arms. Simon was on
the sofa with Elissa on the floor between his legs, his forearms
resting on her shoulders as was his habit. Ash sat in an armchair
with Scott sitting on the floor next to her, absentmindedly
trailing his fingertips along her ankle as he watched the movie.
Man was going to be a father in seven months time. Ryder was
sitting in the opposite armchair, Dee leaning against his legs.

Yep, good
friends. Grant was missing, caught up at a farm where a prize
stallion had colic. But he’d catch up with him tomorrow, have a
coffee. Poor bastard would have his eyeballs hanging out and need a
strong one to get through the day. He really needed to get another
vet to help him.

Mozart
stretched, hopped down and strolled across to Ryder.

“Good grief,”
Ryder said. “He’s parking his arse on me. He’s naked. Someone get
him some pants.”

Dee reached
over, grabbed a nappy from Lily’s bag and handed it up to him.

“Very funny,”
Ryder said, while everyone else sniggered. “Wait until you see what
I’ll do to your bare arse.”

“Full of
promises, babe,” she drawled. “Better start putting them into
action.”

“What’s wrong,
Ryder?” Scott asked. “Not delivering? Need some pointers?”

“Pointers?
From you? Don’t make me laugh.”

There was a
short volley of traded insults then everyone turned back to the
movie.

Ryder stroked
Mozart affectionately. Man might like to talk tough but he had a
soft heart. Just don’t tell him that, he’d deny it until he was
blue in the face.

A knife
flashed on screen, dropped out of sight, came up again dripping
blood.

That had
happened to Cutter. Been in the prison yard, made some bad enemies
apparently, been done in by a homemade knife. Man like Cutter made
enemies everywhere. Moz couldn’t honestly say he was sorry to hear
it. Personally, he silently thanked the unknown crim who’d ended
the bastard’s life. After what he’d tried to do to Del, it was good
riddance.

His hand
tightened on her shoulders. He’d been so close to losing her.

Del again
looked up questioningly at him.

Leaning down,
he dropped another kiss on her nose.

“Everything
all right?” she whispered.

“Great.” He
stroked his thumb down her cheek.

Reaching up,
she slid her hand into his.

“Love you,” he
whispered in her ear.

She winked.
“You’re The One for me, baby.”

“Ditto.”

If it wasn’t
for all their friends gathered in their lounge eating his homemade
cake and biscuits, the remnants of the takeaway dinner on the
coffee table, he’d have pulled Del up onto the sofa, rolled her
beneath him, buried himself inside her.

Had to
wait.

But that was
okay.

Because he was
The One for her, she was The One for him.

He could wait
another hour or two because they had their whole life ahead of
them.

With a sigh of
contentment, he looked down at the small hand still in his, brushed
his thumb over the diamond engagement ring.

Yep, she was
The One.

####

BIO

Angela
Verdenius lives in Australia where she is ruled by her cats, adores
reading, and thinks a perfect day is writing and drinking Diet
Coke, followed by reading or a good horror movie.

To date, she
has written numerous novels in sci-fi romance series and BBW
contemporary romances, 2 novellas, and several short stories, one
of which is a zombie story she had great fun writing. Her books
have won many reviewers’ awards, as well as having been on the
Fictionwise best-seller list and winning the Golden Rose Award.