He sighed, and fabric rustled as if he’d sat down. “Let’s just say I was on the other end of that type of situation last night. My friends mean well, but they were interfering, and they didn’t listen when I told them nicely to sod off. It wasa good lesson.”
It sounded like he meant it. “You’re forgiven.”
“Thank you.” He rustled again and then settled. “Shouldn’t you beout on a date?”
She chuckled and reached for a plush throw to settle over her legs. “Right. I’m a single mom in a new town. There’s no dating.” She lay down on her side, enjoying feeling her body actually relax. “What about you, Dr. Charm? Surely you could find a grad student or someone to take out.”
His chuckle was deep. Sexy. Strong. “Grad students aren’t my type.”
She could continue flirting and ask him about his type, but she knew better. This couldn’t go anywhere, no matter how safe he seemed or how freaking good-looking he was—just like a young Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones had never settled down either.
Not that she could settle down in one place herself. “I need to go, Jethro. Have a nice night.” She ended the call and turned to stare at the ceiling. She’d made a choice, and now she had to live with it. The memories rolled in faster than the snow outside.
It was a week out from her wedding, and she sat on an examination table at Cameron Medical Practice, after hours.
Tears streamed down her face, burning the bruises and cuts across her jaw. “Where is he?” Hervoice trembled.
Dr. Jack Cameron, Monty’s older brother, snipped off the end of the suture above her left eye. “I told him if he didn’t stay in the waiting room and calm down that I was going to call the police on him myself.” He stepped back, his kind face set in harsh lines of worry. “You can’t keepon like this.”
Her entire body hurt. This time after Monty beat her, he’d held a gun to her head. “He’s going to kill me if I leave. If I don’t go through with the wedding next week,” she whispered, her split lip protesting and her voice hoarse from being choked. She believed Monty. There was no doubt he’d hunt her down and kill her.
Jack sighed, sounding weary. Beaten. He lived alone and would probably always only have Monty as family. His brother meant everything to him. “What was it about this time?”
She hung her head. “He said I was faking it last week when I fainted. That I manipulated him to bring me here and wasted your time on all the tests. That I just wanted attention.” The last thing she wantedwas attention.
Jack leaned against the salmon-colored counter by the sink. His temples had already gone gray and he had a slight paunch, but he seemed like a kind man. He was ten years older than Monty, and right now he looked much older than that. “I should never have left him with our mother and stepfather when he was just a kid. So young.” Tears gathered in his eyes, and his face had gone ashen. “It’s my fault. I just left him and went to medical school, not looking back. They used him like apunching bag.”
“I know how that feels now.” Gemma reached for the bag of ice on the counter and pressed it to her aching wrist. For a moment she’d thought Montyhad broken it.
Jack watched her. “You’ve lived with him for six months and it’s only getting worse. You can’t fix him, Gemma. He’s going to kill you.”
Gemma was so tired. Monty was right when he said she’d never be able to make it on her own. She’d been raised by an alcoholic mother and she didn’t understand life. She’d been so stupid to believe that she could do anything, and she was lucky Monty wanted to take care of her.
His voice came in loud and clear in her head.
Plus, he’d given Fran money, and she loved him. If Gemma ran, her mother would actually help him find her. Gemmawas on her own.
“When he’s nice he’s so nice,” she whispered. But just when she’d start to feel safe, the other Monty would appear. It was like a switch flipped and he became somebody else. “I thought I could love him enough.”
Jack shook his head. “I have a duty to report this, but I can’t. I’ve failed you as badly as Monty has, and I’m so very sorry.” He looked toward the closed door. “Gemma? If you are ever going to run, it’s now. We’re leaving tomorrow for his bachelor weekend, and it’s the last chance you’ll get.” He opened a drawer and took out a thick envelope. “I have five thousand dollars here. It’s all I could get on short notice, but it’s yours.” He handed her the envelope.
She looked down at the money. “I don’t understand.”
He exhaled loudly. “Your tests came back and I destroyed them.”
She blinked, looking up at him, although her eyesight hadn’t returned in her left eye yet. Monty had nailed her right in the temple. Everything hurt. “Why? Am I dying?”
“No. You’re pregnant.”
The words came from very far away. A universe away. “Wh–what?” she asked.
Jack nodded.
Terror strangled her, stronger than Monty’sgrip. “Maybe…”
Jackshook his head.
No. This wouldn’t change Monty. Nausea welled up her throat and she nearly puked. If Monty hit her again, he could kill the baby. Was he even capable of love? Was this her fault? She just didn’t know anything any longer. Her hands went automatically to her abdomen. A baby.
