by Alice Ward
“Do you have any idea how amazing you are?” he asked, planting a soft kiss behind my earlobe.
“We’re amazing together,” I corrected him with a smile. “Although, you completely ruined my plan. I was determined to make you come at least once before we made love,” I confessed.
James blazed a trail of kisses to the opposite earlobe. “I’d rather come making love to you. When we’re connected, it just makes everything better.”
I nodded, turned my head, and softly kissed his lips. I gave the lower one a gentle nibble before pulling away. “As soon as we get home, I’m getting on the pill,” I told him. I held his flaccid cock in my hand and stroked it back to life.
“That’s a fantastic plan,” James agreed, his eyes rolling back in his head. “Until then, I have an economy size box of condoms in my suitcase. Want to see how many we can use before the sun comes up?”
I kissed him again and stood up. “I’ll race you to the bed.”
CHAPTER 8
Early the next morning, I was startled awake by the hotel phone. I rolled over, stretched, and looked at the time.
Jesus, I’ve only been asleep for a couple of hours. I know I didn’t request a wakeup call. Maybe there was a mix-up at the front desk.
I pulled the receiver out of the cradle and groaned “Hello?”
“Willow, thank God,” Renee said, her voice thick with worry. “I’ve been trying your cell, James’s too. I’m sorry to wake you up, but something’s happened. You all need to get home as soon as possible.”
I sat up straight in the bed and James stirred beside me. I held a finger to my lips to keep him quiet.
“What’s wrong, Renee? Is it Daddy? Is he okay?” My stomach tied in knots as I waited for her answer.
“Your father is fine,” she assured me. “It’s the horses, Willow. Someone snuck on to the ranch last night. Blaze and Buttercup are both sick and Thunder is missing.”
Panic raced through my body as I repeated her words. James sprung to action and started throwing our things into bags as Renee continued.
“Doctor Moon is with the foals. He’s doing what he can, but it looks like they’ve been poisoned. All of the guys are out looking for Thunder. But I don’t think he’s here, Willow. We put everyone in their stalls last night. None of the fences are down and he’s the only one missing.”
“Clementine and Glory are fine?” I asked.
“Yes, they seem to be,” she replied.
I sighed. “So if it’s poison, the foals were probably injected. Either that, or whatever made them sick was mixed in their feed and it wasn’t strong enough to hurt the moms. Have you called the police? Or the security company? The cameras in the thoroughbred barn should have captured everything.”
“The police are here and they’re reviewing the footage now. I don’t know who could do something like this, Willow. Your father is just beside himself.”
“Thank you for calling me, Renee. I’m going to get off here and see if I can arrange for an earlier flight home. I’ll let you know as soon as I have an arrival time. Don’t worry about picking us up. We’ll take a car from the airport.”
“I’ll arrange for one to meet you there,” she offered. “And I’ll keep you posted as things progress here. Hopefully, Thunder will be back where he belongs before you touch down in Colorado.”
“Thank you, Renee.” I hung up the phone and sprang out of bed.
“That stupid fucking bastard,” James growled. “You know Bradley was behind this. What did Mom say?”
I grabbed my cell phone and called the airport. “She said that Doctor Moon is doing his best to save the foals and the police are reviewing the security footage,” I told him as I paced the room, waiting for someone to answer.
“Thank you for calling Delta. My name is Judy, how can I assist you today?”
I explained to the ticket agent that I had an emergency at home and needed all four of our tickets to be transferred to the next available flight to Colorado.
“We have a flight scheduled to leave at ten o’clock, but there are only two seats available on the plane,” she told me.
I glanced back at the clock. If we had any hope of making the flight, we’d need to leave the resort in the next twenty minutes. “We’ll take them,” I told her. “Transfer the reservations for Willow Rogers and James Parker. Our friends can keep their original flight.”
“Okay, Ms. Rogers. I’m going to put you on hold for a few minutes while I finalize your arrangements.”
I threw a few things into my carryon bag and filled James in on our plans. He pulled his phone from his pocket, hit a few buttons, and held it to his ear.
“Matt, sorry to wake you,” he began. “My mother just called. Someone snuck on to the ranch last night. Thunder is missing and it looks like the foals were poisoned.”
I cringed as James relayed the information. I thought about my sweet, innocent babies suffering in their stalls and vowed revenge against whoever had hurt them.
“Yes, Willow just called the airport. They have a flight leaving at ten, but there were only two available seats.” He paused, listening and pacing, looking around the room for anything he’d missed. “That would be fantastic, thanks. We’ll let you know if we hear anything from home.”
James ended the call and stuck his phone back in his pocket. “Just grab your purse,” he directed. “Matt and Lucas are going to pack up our room and bring our stuff home. We need to get going if we’re going to make that flight.”
I felt completely overwhelmed and was relieved that James was taking control. I let the gown I was holding fall to the floor, slung my purse strap over my shoulder, and followed James out of the suite. We reached the elevator and he wrapped his arms around me while we waited for the doors to open.
“Race horses aren’t exactly easy to fence ,” James assured me. “There’s no way Bradley will be able to sell Thunder. And everyone in Durango knows what he looks like. I’m sure he’ll turn up once word spreads that he’s missing. Unless the police find him first... either way, Bradley won’t be able to hide him for long.”
The elevator doors opened and we stepped inside. “I know you’re right,” I told him, punching the button several times with my thumb, as if willing it to magically make things alright. “But it doesn’t make me feel any better. And when I think about Blaze and Buttercup…” My voice broke and I couldn’t stop them, the tears that had been on the brink rolled down my face. James wrapped his arms around me again and pulled me close.
“Everything is going to be okay,” he promised.
I laid my head on his shoulder and prayed that he was right.
***
“I still don’t understand why Bradley would do this,” Daddy said, his voice cracking with his words. He gripped Renee’s hand and stared blankly at the coffee table. “That boy was like my second child. I never knew he could be so… evil.”
It was Sunday afternoon and James and I had just arrived home. Mason picked us up at the airport and filled us in on what had happened during our flight. As we’d hoped, the new security cameras had captured everything that had happened in the thoroughbred barn. And as we’d expected, Bradley’s face came through clear as day in the footage.
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the films, but Mason had explained all of the important details. The camera mounted at the end of the driveway showed Bradley parking near the main road and walking towards the house. The camera in my barn captured him pulling syringes from his pocket and injecting the foals. After that, the bastard attached a rope to Thunder’s halter and led him off the property. When Mason left to pick us up from the airport, the police were searching for Bradley. By the time we arrived home, Thunder had been safely returned to his stall.
“This just goes to show that you never really know what someone’s capable of,” Renee said, shaking her head, her mouth tight in anger. “I could understand taking Thunder if he was hurting for money or something. But how anyone could hurt two innocen
t foals, I’ll never understand. Thank God they’re both pulling through. It was close.”
Blaze and Buttercup had survived the poisoning, but whether or not they’d have any lasting damage was yet to be seen. Bradley had been exercising his right to remain silent since the police picked him up and we still didn’t know what he’d shot them up with.
“I’m sorry I ever tried to push you towards him,” Daddy said, his eyes full of defeat. His skin was ashen and his body looked frail.
“You don’t have to apologize,” I insisted, worrying running through me. “You look positively exhausted, Daddy. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
He waved off my concern. “Yesterday was a long day and I’m not as young as I used to be. I’ll be fine, pumpkin. I’m just tired and to be honest, a little devastated.”
“Why don’t I make us all a nice pot of tea?” Renee suggested and began to stand.
“Let me,” I insisted, needing something to do.
“I’ll help,” James said, following me to the kitchen. The moment we were out of sight, I collapsed into his arms.
“You were right,” I sighed and hugged him close. “I’m so relieved that they’re all okay. Thank you for staying so calm. I don’t know how I’d have gotten home without you.” I pulled away and set a kettle to boil on the stove.
“I’m glad everyone sees Bradley for who he is now,” James said, his words tinged with the bitterness his face showed. “But I feel awful for your father.”
I nodded. “Your mom said that Dale called right after Bradley was arrested. He demanded that we drop the charges since he convinced Bradley to do the same for you in Kentucky. Daddy told him to go to hell.”
“I can’t say that I blame him,” James said. He pulled mugs from the cabinet while I fetched tea bags from the pantry.
“Look Willow, with everything that’s happened today, I’ll understand if you want to keep our news quiet a little longer,” he offered.
I shook my head. “I’m sure that Bradley will have plenty to say, when he finally starts talking. I want to get everything out in the open. That’s what we should have done from the beginning.”
“Cole! Oh my God, Cole!” Renee screamed from the living room.
The tea kettle whistled as James and I raced out of the kitchen. Renee was hovered over Daddy, screaming and crying. He held his chest, gasping for breath.
“Get out of the way,” James barked. He gently moved his mother aside, helped Daddy to the floor, and felt his pulse before starting chest compressions. “Someone call 911. Tell them that Cole’s having a heart attack and we need an ambulance right away.”
I stared down at the scene before me, unable to move.
No! This can’t be happening. Daddy’s healthy. It isn’t time for him to leave me. I’m not ready for this.
“Willow, call 911 now!” James screamed, sweat streaming down his face. “Mom, go to the medicine cabinet and get an aspirin. Come on, move!”
Renee ran for the bathroom while I fumbled in my purse for my phone. I dialed 911, spouted off our address, and told the dispatcher that my father was having a heart attack. He assured me that an ambulance was on the way and offered to stay on the line until they arrived. I accepted his offer, but was too upset to speak. I listened to the dispatcher breathe and prayed the ambulance would get there before it was too late.
THE END
Continue on to read Part 4 in the next page.
Love All Out
PART 4
CHAPTER 1
“This is taking too long… we’ve been here for hours, someone should have told us something by now,” I insisted as I paced the floors of the Durango emergency room.
It felt like days had passed since the ambulance delivered me and Daddy to the hospital. The EMTs had immediately wheeled Daddy through the double doors and a nurse had stopped me from following. Renee and James arrived ten minutes later. James tried to comfort me, but nothing he said registered. Terror consumed me and my heart grew heavier with each moment that passed without news.
James slumped in a hard plastic chair, his elbows resting on his thighs. Renee was curled up beside him, her feet on the edge of her seat and her arms wrapped tightly around her chest.
“I’ll see if I can get an update from the nurse,” James offered. But he didn’t stand. The burly male nurse behind the desk had already made it pretty clear that our desperate need for news wouldn’t speed up its delivery.
“Don’t bother,” I said, wringing my hands. “We both know he’s not going to go check for us and I think we’re wearing on his patience.”
“If he doesn’t have enough patience to deal with worried families, he’s in the wrong line of work,” James insisted firmly. He stood up and walked to the desk with his hands on his hips. I couldn’t hear what he said, but the nurse nodded at him and disappeared through the double doors.
“He’s going to see if he can find anything out,” James promised, returning to his seat.
I forced my lips to turn up into a show of gratitude and continued pacing. Renee didn’t respond at all. In fact, she hadn’t said one word since she and James arrived at the hospital.
She feels guilty… she should feel guilty after all of that deep fried garbage she’s been feeding us. It’s a wonder we’re not all lined up in beds next to Daddy.
I pushed my hair from my face and pressed my fingers in my temples. Deep down, I knew Daddy’s heart attack wasn’t Renee’s fault. His diet had always been heavy with red meat and he’d never been easy on his body. He’d always been fond of scotch after dinner and a good cigar while riding through the pasture. But I couldn’t bring myself to direct my anger and blame at my father. Not when he was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life. It was easier and much more satisfying to cast Renee as the villain.
I heard the doors swing open again and turned to see the nurse approaching us.
Please God let him have good news…
“Mrs. Rogers?” he said as he approached Renee. She didn’t correct him, just looked up with sad, heavy eyes.
“Yes,” she replied, her voice full of defeat.
“My name is Clark. I’m one of the emergency intake nurses. I just spoke with one of your husband’s trauma nurses and she said that Dr. Mains, the cardiologist on call, will be out to speak with you in just a few more minutes.”
Renee nodded at him with tears in her eyes and then quickly turned away. Clark started back towards his desk and I stepped in front of him, blocking the way.
“Surely that’s not all you know,” I insisted. “Is he stable? Is he conscious? What’s being done to fix him?”
Clark studied my face for a moment. The look in his eyes was an odd combination of sympathy and impatience. “He’s stable, for the moment. I’m sorry, but that’s all I’m at liberty to tell you.”
I opened my mouth to argue. Scream. Something. Instead, I nodded and stepped out of his way.
“Willow, why don’t you sit down?” James suggested softly. “You’ve been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours… and it looks like we have a long night ahead of us. You need to keep up your strength. Can I get you something to eat… please?”
I shook my head. “I can’t even think about eating right now, James. If you want to help me, call home and check on the foals.”
It seemed surreal that so much had happened in such a short time. Mondo won Preakness, then Bradley poisoned the foals and stole Thunder, and had been arrested for his horrible crimes. Now Daddy… I stifle a sob… Daddy collapsed. It had been one hell of a weekend.
James reached for his phone just as a man in a white lab coat stepped through the double doors. He approached us, his back straight and his eyes serious.
“Are you the Rogers family?” he asked, his green eyes darting back and forth between me, James, and Renee.
Renee cleared her throat and extended her hand as we all rose to our feet. “Yes, we’re Cole’s family,” she said. “I’m Renee and these are our childre
n, Willow and James. Please tell us that he’s okay.”
If I hadn’t been so anxious for news, I’d have clarified our family situation a little for Dr. Mains. But I didn’t care if he understood how we were related. All I cared about was Daddy.
“Cole suffered a pretty severe heart attack,” he said, furrowing his well-wrinkled brow. “The good news is we were able to stabilize him. I apologize for taking so long to update you, but there were several tests we needed to do to determine the best course of action from here. Cole’s angiogram showed some significant blockage in the main artery that pumps blood to his left ventricle. That’s the most dangerous area for blockage to occur, and we have a couple of options on how we proceed.” Dr. Mains paused for a moment and then opened his mouth to continue. Renee didn’t let him.
“Can we see him?” she asked. “If there’s a decision to be made about what to do next, Cole should be the one who makes it.”
“I’m sorry, but we’ve sedated him for his own comfort,” Dr. Mains replied. “And time is of the essence. It’s best we proceed now.”
I was relieved that Daddy was stable, but completely overwhelmed by the fact that we’d have to make decisions for him without his input first. I bit my lower lip while James wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders.
“What are our options, Dr. Mains?” he asked.
“If you’d like to take a conservative approach, we can take Cole back to the cath lab. I’ll perform balloon angioplasty to clear the blockage and place a stent to keep the vessel from narrowing again. The procedure is fairly noninvasive, but it does leave a greater chance of the blockage reoccurring.”
“And then he’d have another heart attack,” I said, horror tinging my voice.
Dr. Mains nodded. “Cole would be very closely monitored. In the best worst-case scenario, we’d catch the new blockage in time. But in the worst worst-case scenario, he could go into cardiac arrest again.”
James tightened his grip on my shoulder. “What’s the other option?”