“Better?”
“Yes, thank you.”She smoothed the t-shirt she had on, unable to look him in the eyes.“Why are you here in my bedroom?”
“Tomas called me concerned.He said you were wearing a long-sleeved shirt and jeans out in this heat.You’re going to get heat stroke, sweetheart.I don’t want you to push yourself so hard, or you’re really going to hurt yourself.”
She nodded and stayed quiet.She knew it had been a bad choice when she started getting dizzy and nauseous.
“Tory, the pills?”
Her fingers of one hand went to her temple, where there were remnants of pain, just not nearly as bad as a few hours before.Then, the pain had been debilitating.Add the medicine, and it scared her, made her feel defenseless and vulnerable.
“Tory,” his voice lowered with an edge of threat.
“I have migraines.”
His hand cupped her chin and lifted her face.“How often?”
“Normally, once every few months, although I’ve gone several months without them before.I’ve had them since I was a child.”
The thought of the pain she’d had to endure because her mother didn’t want to spend the money on a doctor.She had always thought Victoria was being dramatic, and it was just a simple headache.It was only when a school nurse got involved that she started to understand.Thankfully, at every school she attended, the school system was aware of her situation, and she received free medical exams and medication that helped tremendously.Her mother hadn’t liked it because it always put Victoria to sleep, and then she couldn’t do anything.
It always terrified Victoria when she was in the drug-induced sleep.What if one of her mom’s friends were able to hurt her, and she wouldn’t have been able to fight back?Every time they moved, the school would call social services, and that seemed to keep her mother from making bad decisions that could hurt her daughter.
“Now you have them several times a week?”
Her eyes widened in shock.“How do you know that?”
“Tomas called me, remember?He’s concerned for you.And it looks like he has reason to be worried.Why are you getting so many more than usual?What have you done to fix this?Have you seen a doctor or even just talked to one?”
Victoria lowered her head and watched her fingers play with the hem of her shirt.“Stress is usually what causes them, so I guess I’m under more stress than usual.”She tried to laugh it off.“I will need to ask my doctor to call in another prescription anyway.I’ll tell him about my situation then.He’ll also help me find a doctor that’s close.”
“What else are you going to do about this situation?You can’t go on the way you are.It’s unhealthy.”
“It will get better soon.The more I learn, the better I feel, and the less stress I have.”
“You’re going to kill yourself, Tory.It’s never going to get easier for someone like you.”
She lifted her head suddenly and then grimaced.“What is so wrong with me?”Her words came out pained and shallow.
“It takes a powerful woman to run a ranch.I’ve only known of one in my entire life, and she was close to my size and built like a tank.”
Her gaze slid away.
“You need to consider selling your ranch to me.With the money, you could move anywhere and do anything.”
Shock mixed with disappointment pierced her heart.She wanted to laugh but couldn’t get the sound past her constricted throat.What an idiot she’d been.She thought he was here because he cared.But no, he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to put her down and make her feel weak.Bottom line, he wanted this ranch.
Victoria started to sluggishly move away from him to the other side of the bed.The drugs were still running through her system and would for a few more hours, causing her to move slowly.
Cole lifted his arm when she pushed against it.“Where are you going?”
“I have a ranch to run.Thank you for stopping by, Mr.Conley, but I don’t want you to waste any more time with my problems or weaknesses.”
He caught her around the waist, careful not to jar her, and pulled her onto his lap.
Victoria started to struggle and then stopped suddenly, grabbed her head, and moaned when the pain in her head spiked.
“Settle down,” he whispered against the top of her head as he gently held her.
