Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
And that’s when she knew . . . if she didn’t do something, then her sister would really hurt her. Or worse.
She pushed Emily away. Hard. The other woman screeched and fell back on her ass. Had anyone heard? It was probably too loud out there for the noise to get through.
“You pushed me!” Emily screamed. She got to her feet and launched herself at Lara.
She jumped out of the way at the last moment and Emily went straight through the curtains, out onto the stage.
The bar went semi-quiet, and Emily let out another screech. Lara stepped forward, trying to stop the world from spinning as her half-sister pushed her way through the crowd. She nearly made it.
But unfortunately for Emily, deputy Linc was here tonight watching Lara perform. He stopped her at the door, grabbing her arm. Emily reached up her nails to scratch his face, and he ended up securing her on the floor.
Lara slid onto her knees on the stage as she watched, barely aware of the noise around her.
He had her. She didn’t know what would happen from here. But for the moment, she was safe.
“Lara! Lara!” Butch appeared on his knees in front of her just as she started to slide onto her side.
“Hey!” He grabbed hold of Lara’s arms, holding her up. “Shit! Fuck! Your face! Someone, call an ambulance.”
“No, no, I’m all right,” she protested. “I just. I hit my head. Does he have her? He won’t let her go, right?”
“Fuck!” Tanner appeared over his shoulder, his face filled with fury. “Darlin’, you don’t look so good.”
“Tanner, go make sure that Linc knows that Lara’s sister attacked her and not to listen to any of her pleas or protests.”
“Don’t worry, that bitch has lost it,” Raid said darkly. “She’s screaming all sorts of shit. Stuff I think the Feds will be interested in too.”
“My mom was here. She said that they are fleeing the country.” She was over trying to protect her mom when she never did the same for her.
“What the fuck?” he snapped. “She was here?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have someone find her.”
She wasn’t sure if she wanted that. Oh, Lord, she was so confused.
“Butch, I don’t feel so great.”
“Just hold on for me, baby girl.” He drew her up into his arms. “I’m going to get you some help.”
“I . . . I love you, B-Butchie-baby.”
“I know. I love you as well. But just stay awake, okay?”
“She didn’t smack me into the wall that hard. I’m fine. I don’t want to make a fuss.”
“Well, I do,” he growled at her. “I want to make a huge fucking fuss of you. That fucking bitch got to you. And I was mere feet away.” He stood with her in his arms.
Raid was talking into his phone behind them. He put his hand over his phone to speak to them. “Take her out back. I’ll get the ambulance to meet us there.”
“I don’t need an ambulance. She’s done worse to me. She’s burned me, punched me, she even pushed me down the stairs once. I broke my arm and twisted my ankle.”
“She fucking what?” Butch snarled. “You never told me that.”
“It didn’t come up in conversation. I don’t need an ambulance. Promise.”
He stared down at her. “I’m fussing, remember?”
He stood with her in his arms, striding toward the back of the bar. “The ambulance is here. Let’s go, baby.”
33
“You’re fussing,” she complained as he fluffed up the pillows behind her.
The doctor had ended up wanting to keep her overnight for observation. Which had sucked. But Butch had stayed, sleeping in the room with her on a chair. And this morning, Tanner had driven over to get them and bring them back to the ranch.
“I told you I would.”
“The doctor didn’t say I needed to stay in bed.”
“He said to rest. And that’s what you’re going to do. Now, I’m going to go get you some breakfast. What would you like?”
“Coffee,” she said instantly.
“You know that’s not happening. No coffee for you with your concussion.”
“You know, you’re the sexiest nurse I’ve ever had, but you’re also the bossiest.”
“I can handle that if it means you’re healthy and safe. From now on, you’re not going anywhere without me or one of my brothers by your side. I mean it. No arguments.”
“All right.”
“I don’t care if all you have to do is pee. I’m going with you.”
“Weird, but okay.”
“And if you argue with me, then I’m going to ground you to the ranch.” He was pacing back and forth at the end of the bed.
“Uh, Butch?”
“Yeah,” he snapped.
“I’m not arguing.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Worry filled his face as he came over and sat facing her. His moods were swinging around worse than a pendulum.
Poor Butch, Emily’s attack had affected him far more than it had her. She was used to the other woman’s evilness.