“I was dropping some newspapers off at Old Jack Stanton’s. Saw your car blocked off, recognised Cutter’s, knew you were in a heap of shit. I grabbed the cricket bat from the back seat and came looking for you.”
“You silly cow.” Tears pricked Del’s eyes as she hugged her harder. “You could have gotten hurt.”
“You think I was going to just drive off and leave you? Are you out of your mind?” Dee kissed her cheek, smoothed Del’s hair back from her face, her gaze concerned. “You really okay?”
“I’m fine. Farris got to me first.”
Farris gave a grin, a little finger wave.
“What were you doing out here?” Dee asked him.
Jesus, am I going to cry? Del turned away, used the hem of her t-shirt to wipe under her eyes. Had to be tough. Clearing her throat, she turned back to face Farris.
“I was out checking the dams,” Ferris replied. “Was checking how much water was left in the one just over there.” He indicated the direction with a jerk of his head. “Heard a ruckus and came looking, saw Del running, saw what was happening, and just waited my chance.”
“Well, thank God for you two.” Del looked down at the unconscious men. “Now what?”
“Now we take the garbage back to the road.” Leaning down, Farris hooked his hands under Cutter’s armpits and started dragging him back in the direction of the road. “Tell me you called the cops before you grabbed the cricket bat, Dee.”
“Of course I did,” Dee replied, annoyed. “I’m not that stupid.”
Farris grunted. “Bet Ryder won’t say that.”
“Ryder can kiss my fat arse.”
Hands still shaking a little, knees trembling from the adrenaline rush, Del reached down and grabbed Fritz’s wrist. “Here, give me a hand.”
“We could just drag him by the balls.” Dee grabbed his other wrist.
Her hands were still trembling too. Looked like the adrenaline rush wasn’t just affecting Del.
From the distance sounded police sirens.
“Oh goody,” said Dee. “Here come the men and women in blue.”
Del panted, tugging at Fritz’s arm. “Come on. Geez, for such a skinny bastard he sure is heavy.”
“Dead weight,” Farris explained, yanking Cutter unceremoniously through some bushes.
Cutter groaned, Farris paused to punch him again, and then the farmhand continued pulling. “Nearly there, girls, keep on pulling.”
“Is that what you said to the girls behind the shed?” Dee queried.
Farris blushed, but snorted a laugh.
“Will you just pull?” Del demanded. “Put your fat arse into it.”
“I’m doing all the pulling. You put your skinny arse into it.”
“Both of you put your arses into it,” Farris suggested.
“If you hadn’t helped save my life, I’d make you cry for that,” Del informed him.
“I still might just for the hell of it,” Dee said.
The sirens were blazing now, the sound of tyres braking on bitumen. Voices as cops spilled out of cars.
“Del! Dee!” Kirk yelled. “Girls!”
“Del!” Another voice bellowed, deeper, rougher. The sound of bushes crashing. “Dee!”
“Over here!” Farris yelled. “They’re fine!”
“Moz!” Dropping Fritz’s wrist, Del ran right through the bushes and into Moz’s arms.
He crushed her to him, kissed her, hugged her, pushed her back to check her over, his face a picture of worry and anxiety. “Oh God, Del.” Another hug. “Did he hurt you? That bastard, I’ll kill him! Oh sweetheart, oh baby.” He looked over her head. “Dee?”
“Fine. We’re both fine,” Del replied, voice muffled from where he held her face in his shoulder. “Having a little trouble breathing here.”
“Sorry. Sorry.” A rain of kisses on her face. “Oh God, your face. He hit you?” Fury had him trembling, made his tone darker. Anxiously he scanned the bushes, holding Del tight. “Dee, thank God.”
Peering over her shoulder, Del saw Kirk appear with his arm tight around Dee, snugging her into his side.
“I’m fine,” Dee announced, but made no move to shift away from Kirk.
He made no move to release her, giving her a hug.
Four cops had moved into the bushes, appearing within seconds dragging Fritz, who was groaning. Farris appeared with Phil, both of them dragging Cutter through the bush and onto the side of the road where they unceremoniously dropped him .
“Farris saved me.” Del looked up at Moz. “Farris and Dee.”
“Come here,” Moz demanded of Dee.
Kirk neatly deposited her beside him, and Moz gathered her into his embrace, dropping a kiss on Dee’s head. “God, you women, you’ll be the death of me. Thank you, Dee, thank you.” He didn’t release her, kept her in his hold, cradled both of them to his powerful frame.
“A little awkward,” Dee confessed.
“Don’t care,” he said gruffly.
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.<
br />
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.
You're the One Page 28