Dakota Love Me: Tiller Brothers Book 2 (18 page)

Dakota and Cody had been watching the video from the hospital over and over during the last two days.  The first twenty times he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Georgia.  After several hours, the family had made him take a nap.  He knew he needed some rest so he’d be able to go get Georgia when the time was right.  He still had drugs in his body because of his surgery and he needed to get them out of his system and clear his head.  The concussion made his head spin and throb with pain.  It would go away too.  He’d had his share of concussions over the years and even though this one had swollen his brain, he knew that pain would decrease, too, but the pain of losing Georgia forever would never go away.  He had slept through the night while the FBI and police searched everywhere for the truck.  They were trying to follow the truck on different street light cameras and had finally determined they had been heading toward Fort Collins.  That was their best guess.

Because she had made the threat over the internet on the cell phone and she had crossed the state line, the FBI had entered into the search with a full regiment of manpower who were looking for her. 

It was late in the second day and although he still felt pain everywhere, his brain was clearer and he could walk around the room without swaying.  He decided to look at the video a few more times.  There was something nagging him about the man who had grabbed Georgia.

His cell phone rang. And he jumped up so fast he almost dropped the phone.  He looked at who was calling and back to the FBI.  He took a breath before he answered, “What do you want Sharon?  Whatever it is you can have it… just let us talk to Georgia.  There will be no exchange of money until we see that she is alive and waiting for us before we drop the money off.”

“Put the intercom on and let Justin listen.”

“Talk bitch, or else!” Sharon yelled.

“Dakota, they’re going to kill our baby if you don’t do what they say.  I know you probably don’t care about me anymore since I ran out on you, but please don’t let them kill this baby, too.  The father would never forgive me if he knew I lost this baby, too.”

Dakota sunk into a chair and Justin sobbed, “Don’t hurt her,” Justin said.  “What do you want? I’ll give you anything, hell even my ranch if that’s what you want?  I won’t even press charges just give her back to us.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have thrown me away like trash, Justin.  People have been doing that to me my whole life.  I’ll text you where to drop the money.” And she hung up.

Dakota looked at the FBI.  “Did you find her?” 

“She got off too quick but we do have the signal that pinged off the satellite closest to Fort Collins.

Dakota sat quietly with the shock of knowing Georgia was pregnant and she sounded scared.  Why didn’t she understand that he already knew why she had left him?  He’d never let her go. 
Please Georgia, look into your heart and feel my love.   Fight for your life.  I love you
.

The text came in with the ridiculous amount Sharon was asking for and instructions for where the money was to be delivered.  The FBI wouldn’t let anyone from the family go with them to make the swap and they promised they wouldn’t drop the money unless they saw Georgia and she was stillalive
.

While they were gone, Dakota thought about what Georgia had said, “The father would never forgive me if I lost this baby, too.”  That was a strange statement.  What did she mean, the father?  Her father is what he had thought at first as he’d heard her confused speech.  He sat up and turned on the video again.  “Cody, come here.” He ran the video again and he pointed at the man’s hat.  “Look at the hat, Brad’s hat looks like that.  Her message about the father would be upset, she was talking about Brad.  He’s got her and he lives in Fort Collins.”  Dakota stood up.

All the brothers and Justin stood up.  They grabbed their hats and coats and headed out the door.  They didn’t tell the few remaining police where they were going.  This was family business and they were going to get Georgia back.

“Enter his address in the truck’s GPS,” Dakota ordered.  He took the keys and Cody entered the address he’d looked up online.  The rest of them climbed into the back seat.”  It was dark and they knew in their gut that Sharon and Brad would never let her go.  She would be able to identify them. When they pulled down the ranch road, they had their lights turned off and coasted as close to the house as they could.  Brad’s truck was there, but the car that Sharon drove was gone.

They quietly walked the remaining distance to the house.  The door was locked and they were about to bust in when Roy opened the door and held his finger to his lips.  He whispered, “She’s in there.  I don’t want to see Brad hurt her.  She treated me better than my mom has ever treated me.”

The five of them, resembling cowboys of the past, marched into the room. They didn’t wear guns but they were ready to give one Brad Smith the whipping that he deserved.  Dakota saw Brad crawling on top of Georgia who was naked and tied to the bed post.  She was crying. 

“Get your fucking hands off my woman, you asshole.”  Even though Dakota’s arm was still in a sling the threat of his voice made Brad jump off her.

“How’d you find us?” he asked as he moved in the direction of his rifle.

“You dumb ass, the first baby she lost was yours.  If you’d treated her better and been there for her maybe right now you’d have a son.  Now she’s going to have all my children.”

Brad whipped his head back around to look at Georgia.  Her father was there already covering her up and untying her.  When he looked back, Matt had gotten the rifle and was pointing it at him.

Matt said, “Another man tried to kill Cody’s wife Tammy and if I’d had a gun on him, I would have been the first one to shoot him.  You can bet I will not miss my turn to kill your ass.  Stay away from her.”

Dakota, Cody, and Cameron walked toward him.  Dakota hauled back and hit Brad flat out with his fist smashing his nose.  His nose looked like it had disintegrated into pieces as he dropped stone cold to the ground.

As he walked over him to get to Georgia, he kicked him in the balls.  Cody and Cameron grabbed some rope and tied him up.  Cody called the FBI and told them they had Georgia and to arrest Sharon at the drop.

Georgia looked into Dakota’s eyes, and he took his good arm and pulled her to him tightly to him.  “I love you.  I’m never letting you go again.  I’ll never put myself at risk with the bulls again, I promise.  I was going to tell you that Denver was my last ride, after the rodeo, but I just wasn’t counting on the bull winning on my last time out.  I love you, Georgia, I love you.”   He looked into her eyes and saw that her eyes shown with a warm glow that came from deep in her heart.  He kissed her with promise and a sense of urgency.

“We’re taking you to the hospital as soon as the FBI and the police get here.  Are you okay, Georgia?” his hand ran over her face and down her neck stopping as he saw the bruises at her neck left by large hands.  He kissed her before he turned to go back to Brad to kill him.  Cody grabbed him. “He’s out.  He won’t feel your fists if you or I beat him.  We need to take care of Georgia
now
; we need to get her to the hospital.  Think of your child.  If you kill him you won’t see your child grow up.  They’ll punish him in prison and no woman is ever going to want him when they see he doesn’t have a nose anymore.  Go to your woman.  She doesn’t need the stress of this when she is pregnant.”

Reluctantly, Dakota let go of his anger slowly, let out a breath and turned back to Georgia.  As much as he wanted to pick her up and carry her out of there, he knew his injured shoulder would not allow him to do it.  He looked at Justin.  “Can you carry her for me?  We need to make sure she is okay.” 

Justin was still shaking but he easily picked up his daughter in his arms. Dakota took ahold of her hand.  She looked up into Dakota’s face and saw his Bandages over his neck, his sling, and the dark bruises on his forehead.  He knew his eyes were still swollen and he probably looked tired to her but he had never felt happier.  “Are you going to be alright?” she asked softly as she ran her fingers over his forehead.

“Georgia I am better now that I got you. I never would have healed without you. I’m a little weak and beat up but now the pain is started to subside.  Honey, there was never a question to me that I would choose you over the damn bulls.  That decision was already made.  And now you’re going to have my baby?”

She looked at Dakota and then at her father, and she smiled for the first time. “Yes.  I’m having your baby and I’m not going to lose this baby.  I’ll do anything the doctors tell me to do to keep our baby.”

“You bet you will, starting with this,” he pulled her hand out and put the engagement ring back on her hand.

“When I left you at the hospital I was on my way to find a mental institution.  My mind was crashing and I was afraid I was going to slip away if I didn’t get some help.”

“The fact that you knew you needed help should reassure you that you were already on your way to recover.  I’ll get you help and I’ll go with you as many times as you need me, too, until you can cope with all this stress.  I will do everything in my power to keep in good health, and be careful in my job, but we will live our lives to the fullest and we will love having all the children you want.  Are you ready to go to the hospital now?”

“Yes,” tears rolled down her face.  Her dad kissed her cheek and Dakota kissed her lips before they headed toward the door just as the FBI came into the room. 

“We are taking Georgia to the hospital; you can get a statement from us there.  I will tell you now I hit Brad once, well twice if you count the kick to his balls, but he was about to rape my fiancé.  Now if you’ll excuse us.”

“There’s an ambulance already out front.  You can take it and we’ll call another one for Brad.  He’s breathing and is knocked out, but this time we’re going to get the victim to the hospital first.”  He shook Dakota’s hand.  “By the way, we got Sharon, and got your money back.  She’ll be going away for a long time.”

“Take care of her kid Roy.  He let us in.  He’s just a kid and needs a better parent than life gave to him.”

They had been at home in Georgia’s cabin for over two months.  Dakota hadn’t seen her today.  Last night she had kicked him out to stay at the main house.  Today was their wedding and he couldn’t wait to make it official.

It had been a long two months of healing.  Georgia had started seeing a shrink, as she called Julie her psychologist, and she was back to being her normal self again.  She smiled all the time and he caught her holding her hand to her stomach often when she didn’t know he was watching.  Her smile had always done it for him.  Contentment, oh yeah, he felt it.  He had even gone with her for couple’s therapy.  Surprisingly it had even helped him deal with the terrible grief of his father’s death which he had been hiding from everyone around him.  If anyone had ever told him that he, the tough former bull-rider, would benefit from going to a shrink, he would have had to put a fist through their mouth.  But Julie was really awesome and she made them both comfortable.  She made them both see the different stages of grief after losing a parent.  It had helped Georgia who had blamed herself for her mom’s death because she was the one who had made her go horseback riding that morning and then she had told Julie she had been in so much shock she was convinced the delay in getting help had caused her mother’s eventual death.  He knew it would take time, but now that he and Georgia knew what triggered her guilt and anxieties, it had really started helping.

Also the physical therapist had been working Dakota over and he decided that having a shoulder rehabbed was worse than being stomped on by a bull.  At first he’d gone to a physical therapist in Casper by himself, but as Georgia got her strength back she started going with him.  They had loved her at the clinic and it wasn’t long before they found out that she was a physical therapist and they practically offered her a job on the spot.  They specialized in sport’s injuries which is what Georgia specialized in.

Georgia was really elated about going back to work and she had even worked on him a few times.  She didn’t hold back on her future husband.  If anything she pushed him harder, but he always had the bring-it-on attitude with her because they were both so competitive.  Oh, she still had her fears and didn’t want him to ride much until she was convinced that his concussion was completely healed.  She had done a lot of research and told him that if someone had a serious concussion that if they had a recurring head injury that it could cause permanent damage.

He humored her because of her recent scare even though he wasn’t a cautious man and not afraid to take risks, he had two mighty important reasons to listen to Georgia.  Getting a new scat scan might be the only way to convince her he had gotten over the concussion, but for now he was willing to go along with her.  It was part of her healing, too, he knew.  He had no doubt they would both be back on horses real soon, helping Justin to run the ranch.

Cody walked in and looked at Dakota in his black tux, cowboy hat and new boots and a white rose on his lapel.  “Damn, she’s going to fuck your brains out when she sees you in that get up.  Remember how she liked the picture of you at Tammy’s wedding.  Damn, she didn’t even notice how good looking I looked, but today none of us have a chance.  Are you ready little brother?”

Dakota couldn’t help but smile.  He was too damn happy even to give Cody hell or hit him in the shoulder.  “Let’s get this done.  I feel like I’ve waited forever for her to be my wife, even though it’s just been a few months.”

“When we fall, we fall hard and fast.  We Tiller men just know what we want and we go for it.  Come on, we’re supposed to enter the newly remodeled barn from the side entrance and wait for Georgia to make her grand entrance.  You won’t believe how many flowers Justin’s dad had brought in.  He had the barn wood floors re-varnished and they are nice enough to be in anyone’s home.  The new heaters he had installed have made the room nice and warm and comfortable.  Cameron, Matt, and I put in all the chairs yesterday afternoon while you and your woman were having pre-marital sex,” they both laughed, “and wait ‘til you see the gazebo that Justin built where their preacher will marry you.  There must be two hundred people in there waiting for this shindig to get started, so what say you brother?”

“Let’s go.  I’m so damn ready.” And he hit Cody in the arm, “That’s for the pre-marital sex statement, you asshole.”

Standing at the front of the barn under the gazebo with Cody and his brothers standing by his side felt exactly right to him.

The concessional started.  First Jenny came in holding a beautiful red bouquet of flowers.  Then Kate walked in.  Dakota took a quick look at Cameron to see if he was surprised.  Georgia had wanted Kate to be one of her bride’s maids because she had been there when Dakota and she had started dating.  Cameron’s mouth was practically hanging open, Dakota quietly chuckled.  His about-to-be wife was playing match maker.  Then Tammy came in and Dakota looked at his brother.  So much love flowed between them. 

Justin had brought in a band to play for the wedding and reception, and Dakota had been surprised that Jared was leading them and playing a guitar.  He liked hearing the country version of Here Comes the Bride.

His eyes quickly went back to the doors that were opened wider so he could see Justin escorting Georgia in.  They moved in a slow march down the aisle toward him, but he only had eyes for Georgia.  She was wearing a white, pearl encrusted beautiful wedding gown that hugged her body in all the right places, and flared out gently just below her knees.  I think she had told him it reminded her of a mermaid dress or something, he couldn’t remember, or care because all he saw was her blue eyes fringed with thick brown eye lashes, and her lush red mouth she parted when she saw him.  He loved this woman so much, he wanted to run down the steps and pick her up and carry her the rest of the way.  He might have started forward but he felt Cody’s hand on his shoulder, and a little chuckle from behind him. 

The preacher asked when they got to the front of the room, “Who gives this bride away?”

“Her mother and I do,” she turned and smiled at her dad.  “She’s here you know, I feel her love for you.  Be happy daughter, I love you.”  She kissed her father and told him she felt her mother’s presence, too.

When she turned to Dakota he took her hand.  Her tiny fingers were slightly trembling and he adored her vulnerability, but he also saw the love in her gaze.  It went by so quickly, he hardly remembered anything until he heard the preacher say, “You may kiss the bride.”  This he had been waiting for and he took her mouth with pent up passion and love.  After several minutes, Cody touched his shoulder. 

He pulled back and glared at Cody.  “Kiss your own damn wife, this one is mine.”  He reached down, swooped Georgia into his arms and carried her through the waiting crowd of friends and family who were congratulating them along the way.  Cody and Tammy followed, Cameron took Kate’s arm and put it through his and he smiled cockily.  With Matt and Jenny last.  Jared had joined them and she put her arms through both their arms.

Dakota swung around with Georgia in his arms and looked at everyone.  “If you’ll excuse us, we’ll be back in a little while for the party, so please enjoy yourselves until we get back.” And he did the unconventional and headed toward their cabin to seal the deal.  There was never any question in his mind he was never going to let her go again.