up, rubbing the back of his head.
“Oh. Dear. God.” She swallowed back the fear that crept into her throat. Don’t let him hurt Reed again.
Sheriff McCoy and Henry tackled Johnny. Henry ripped the bat from his hands and tossed it aside, while the sheriff handcuffed his son.
“Dad, why the fuck are you doing this to me? You can’t arrest your son.”
“I can and I am, son. You’ve thought you’re above the law for too long and it’s time someone showed you you’re not.” He lifted his son off the floor and held him by the handcuffs.
He turned to Sierra.
“I’m terribly sorry for what my son has done. We’ll pay for all the damages he’s caused and it’s likely you won’t be seeing him for a long time.”
Reed stood and staggered over to Sierra.
“Are you okay?” she cried.
“I think so but my head is pounding.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “I was afraid he killed you.”
“Nothing is going to keep me from you.”
“You plan on pressing charges?” the sheriff asked Reed.
He nodded. “I sure do.”
“We’ll see you at the station then.”
“Yes, you will.”
The sheriff dragged Johnny out. He cursed and threatened until they couldn’t hear them anymore.
Sierra turned to Henry.
“What were you doing with Sheriff McCoy?”
“When I was leaving I saw Johnny’s car parked down the road. So I circled back and waited to see what he was up to. When I saw him heading for the back of the bar with a baseball bat, I called the sheriff and told him to get here immediately. I was afraid of what Johnny would do.”
“I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t seen his car.” The thought of him possibly raping her sent a chill down her spine. “I owe you my life and Reed’s.”
“Don’t think anything of it. I’m just glad the two of you are okay. We have some cleaning up to do but all that stuff is replaceable. You aren’t.”
“I second that,” Reed said. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”
“We should get you to the hospital,” Sierra said, feeling the lump on the back of his head.
“I’ll be fine,” Reed insisted.
“I’ll start cleaning up around here. You two run off to the hospital and get that bump checked out.”
“No one is cleaning up right now. You go home and get some rest,” she chastised Henry. “And you. I’m taking you to the hospital for an exam.”
Both men looked at her sheepishly.
“Fine,” Reed said, humbly.
“You’re the boss.”
“That’s right I am. And it’s about damn time you got that through your thick skulls.”
Together they locked up the bar, before heading off in separate directions.
Chapter Five
“I’m so glad you didn’t have a concussion,” Sierra said, as she gazed up into his eyes.
They’d been lying in her bed for an hour since they returned from pressing charges at the police station, after their trip to the hospital, where Reed was diagnosed with having a nasty bump. All the tests came back normal.
“You have a thick head,” she teased.
“I know someone with a thicker head.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Yeah and very stubborn.”
“I’m not stubborn.” She pouted.
“No?” He eased himself onto his elbow. “Why are you still wearing this t-shirt? Why won’t you let me take it off?”
She lowered her eyes afraid to see the pain written all over his face. Yes, when it came to getting fully naked, she was stubborn. She didn’t like her body or the reactions it caused.
“Sierra, look at me.” He lifted her chin.
“Reed, you’ve seen the scars. And I’ve seen how they affected you. Why do we have to torture ourselves by the constant reminder?” She could spend the rest of her life being in his arms, having sex with him, as long as she could keep a shirt on.
“Sierra, I want to cherish every inch of your body, including your stomach. Do you think it’s fair to cheat me out of loving you completely?”
She knew he was right but that didn’t change
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