True Love Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan

Jon hated leaving Trinity’s side. Seeing the blood drenching her hair, the thick pad on the back of her head, the bandages around her hands because she’d literally tried to claw her way out of the closet, and her wide eyes filled with desperation as she struggled to understand what was happening. They’d restrained her to keep her from hurting herself more. It was all too much to bear. But she needed him to hold on, take care of Emmy, and be there for her when they brought her back.

If he was going to do that, he needed help.

And it arrived just in time. He glanced up when the hospital-room door opened. His father stared at him, then Emmy, and back in the dim room they’d moved them to because the noise in the ER agitated Emmy and they wanted to keep her calm.

“Dad.” He’d never been so relieved to see his father.

“How is she?”

Emmy lay curled up on her side in the golden glow from the single light at the head of the bed. She twitched and made odd noises in her sleep, but she didn’t wake up. The pediatrician who examined her warned him about nightmares and Emmy being afraid and feeling unsafe for a while.

He’d managed to change her into a tiny hospital gown and held two ice packs on the bruises on her back and bottom. He couldn’t believe Steph had spanked her hard enough to leave such bruises.

His father stared at his hands on Emmy. “What happened?” he whispered.

Jon kept his voice low. “I couldn’t get ahold of Emmy after school. I asked Trinity to drop by and check on her. Steph didn’t answer my calls because she was too busy getting drunk and stoned.” He glanced at Emmy, thought of all she’d been through, and tried to breathe through it and tell his father everything he knew about what happened.

He let go of one of the ice packs and brushed his hand over her head. “The pediatrician said physically she’s okay. Bruised, but no broken bones or anything. He’s concerned about the emotional trauma she’s suffered. We’ll know more in the morning when she’s awake and hopefully able to talk to us. He said it’s not unusual for children her age, exposed to such violence, to stop talking for a while.”

When Jon looked back at his dad, he found Tate standing next to him. “How is Trinity?”

Tate sighed. “Two cracked ribs, a skull fracture, she’s got a brain bleed and swelling they’re monitoring, two broken fingers, one missing fingernail, the others broken and bloody, and a very questionable mental state right now. She seems to flip between the past and present. She doesn’t know if she should try to save me and Liz or Emmy.”

Jon wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I sent her there.”

Tate shook his head all through that. “This is all on Steph. She did this. To Trinity. To Emmy. That’s where the blame belongs.”

He wished he could believe that, but his gut was tied in knots with guilt.

Tate stepped closer, but still kept his voice to a whisper. “Do they have your ex in custody?”

He nodded. “I expect the cops to update me soon. She should be going away for a very long time after what she’s done.” He hoped they locked her up and threw away the key. He had a lot of other dire wishes for her, but didn’t voice his anger-fueled thoughts.

“And the guy who hurt Emmy?” his dad asked, looking like he’d like some retribution there, too.

“Also in custody,” Jon confirmed, wishing he could get his hands on the guy and beat the shit out of him for laying a hand on his daughter.

Tate slid his hands into his jeans pockets. “We’ve got the whole McGrath crew here. I’ve spoken to our mom and dad. They’ll be here as soon as they can. But I know Trinity would want you there with her, so whenever you can get away, you’re welcome to come to her room. Three-zero-two. She’s mostly awake because of the concussion, but not very lucid. They’ll be taking her for hourly CT scans to check the brain bleed, so if you miss her, just know she’ll be back shortly. All of us will be keeping vigil either in her room or the waiting room.”

Jon desperately wanted to see her now.

His dad walked to his side of the bed and put his hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Go check on her. I’ll sit with Emmy.”

Jon glanced at his daughter, torn about staying or going.

Tate read his mind. “I’ll stay here with Mr. Crawford. If Emmy wakes up, I’ll come get you right away.”

Jon set the ice packs on the bedside table, covered Emmy with the blanket, and stood. “It’s probably enough ice for a while. The nurse will be in to check on her soon.”

His dad touched his arm. “She’s going to be okay.”

He knew that, but the reassurance helped.

Jon checked Emmy one last time to be sure she was sleeping, then let his dad take his seat. He tapped Tate on the back in thanks and headed for Trinity.

He had no trouble finding her room. He recognized two of her sisters-in-law and her brother Declan outside her room.

They saw him coming and Declan came forward. “It’s good you’re here. Drake and Adria are in with her, but she keeps asking for you.” Declan held his hand out. “Nice to see you again by the way even under these circumstances.”

Jon didn’t expect to be welcomed. He took Declan’s hand and shook. “You too. Um, I don’t know what to say about all this, except I’m sorry.”

“Tate filled us in on what he knew, and Trinity’s said enough about your ex that we understand what you’ve been dealing with. None of us thought it would end like this, but . . .” Declan shrugged. “How’s your little girl?”

“Not great, traumatized and bruised.”

“I hope she’s better real soon.”

“We all do,” one of women said, probably Declan’s fiancée, Skye.

He guessed the other one was Tate’s wife, Liz, based on the baby bump. She gave him a soft smile. “She’s waiting for you.” She pushed the door open and held it for him.

Jon stepped in and came up short against her big brother Drake, who looked fierce and concerned all at the same time.

“Jon.”

He nodded and heard the possible threat in Drake’s voice, but his attention was on Trinity lying with her eyes closed in bed in the dimly lit room. The second Drake said his name, her eyes fluttered open.

“Why are you here?” She looked around the room. “Am I late for dinner?”

He stared blankly at her. “What?”

Drake went to Trinity and put his hand on her leg. “You’re in the hospital. Remember? You have a concussion.” Drake turned to him. “The neurologist said her brain isn’t working properly right now. Her short-term memory is short-circuited.”

“I’m right here.” Trinity glared at her brother, then focused on him. “Where’s Emmy?” The simple question came out easy enough but a split second later, her eyes glassed over and her chin trembled. “Where is she?”

Jon rushed to the other side of the bed, put his hand on her arm, and leaned in close. “She’s here. She’s okay. She’s sleeping.”

Trinity’s wide eyes met his. “Something bad happened.”

“I know. It’s all okay now. You’re going to be okay.”

A tear slipped down her cheek. “Why does it hurt to breathe?”

“You’ve got two cracked ribs, sweetheart. Your voice is raw because you were screaming.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know this is very confusing for you right now. You have a head injury, but you’re going to be okay, too.”

“We were supposed to have dinner.”

He leaned back and stared down at her.

She sucked in a gasp. “You’re trying to steal Almost Homemade.”

He shook his head. “I can’t steal something you own, sweetheart. It’s yours. And Adria’s.”

Adria stood across from him next to Drake. She touched Trinity’s leg to get her attention. “No one is stealing Almost Homemade from us. It’s safe.”

“But she said this is what you do.” Trinity looked at him, so confused and trying to piece things together it broke his heart over and over again.

“She wanted to make you angry with me.” He’d like to kill Steph for trying to turn Trinity against him with her lies.

“I took you from her.”

“No, sweetheart, you didn’t. Steph and I weren’t together. And I only want to be with you.”

“She’s a terrible mother.” Trinity sank down into the bed and crossed her arms, tears flowing down her cheeks now. “She hurt Emmy.” She shook her head back and forth but stopped because it appeared to cause her a lot of pain. “She can’t have Emmy back.” She leaned her face close to his. “No! Emmy can’t go back there.” And then Trinity went very quiet, her face went slack, and she stared into space.

Jon looked to Drake, hoping he had some answers.

“It’s the head injury mixed with the trauma. Her brain is trying to sort things out but she can’t make sense of it, so her brain sort of shuts off. It should clear up as the swelling goes down.”

“How long will that take?”

“They’ll CT her again and see if the brain bleed is subsiding or getting worse.”

“You’re talking about me like I’m not here again.” Trinity listened to them, but the confusion in her eyes worried him.

“I’m so sorry, Trinity. I never thought something like this would happen.”

“Clint is dead now. Everything is going to be okay.” She touched the scar on her temple. “I’ll be fine.”

Drake shook his head. “She’s got sixteen stitches in the back of her head. We’ll know more in the morning.”

Tate burst into the room. “Emmy’s awake and screaming her head off for you.”

Jon gave Trinity a quick kiss and ran out of the room and down the hall to get to his little girl, but he left part of himself in the room with Trinity.