Love Revolution (Black Cat Records Shakespeare Inspired trilogy) (26 page)

“What’s the rush? We have a lot of catching up to do after seventeen years. Let’s have a little family time before we get down to business.” He grinned wickedly.

“What’s there to talk about?” Sara asked, knowing that she had no choice but to let this play out according to his twisted rules.

“Oh, I can think of a couple of things. Don’t you want to know what your old Papa’s been up to all this time?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I’ve been rotting in a shithole, that’s what. Staring at the same four walls every day. Biding my time. Planning for the day when I could set things right. And now that day has finally come. The day of judgement. It’s time to atone for your sins, Sara dear.”

She shot him a questioning look.

“Oh, yeah. I know about you and all those men. You’re a little Jezebel, aren’t you?
Just. Like. Her
.”

“You’re a fine one to talk about sins,” she responded, unable to contain her contempt for him. He was on her before she could react. The backhanded blow stung her face like fire, staggering her.

“Shut your lying mouth!” he spewed.

He’d hit her just like that the night it had all come down. She looked past him at Samantha lying on the ground and remembered her mother’s dying plea.
Oh, Sam, I’ve failed you
, she silently confessed. “Papa, you don’t have to do this,” she told him, knowing in her heart that he was unhinged and beyond reason or mercy. “At least let Sam go now. You’ve got me. We had a deal.”

“I don’t owe you anything, bitch. You ain’t even my own flesh and blood.”

Dumbfounded, Sara’s jaw dropped.

“Your momma was a sweet little grey eyed looker just like you. And just like you she was a faithless slut. I never let on that I knew, but any fool could do the math. She was way too far along when I came back from a three month stint out in the Gulf. I don’t even think she knew who your daddy was, but it sure as hell wasn’t me. To think I raised you as if you were my own daughter. And how do you repay me?”

He drew a pistol from his waistband, leveling it at her head. Her heart palpitated. She knew the end was upon her.

“I’ll tell you, you stupid whore. You sold me out. That’s why I’m going to take great pleasure in sending you to meet your Momma right now.”

Suddenly, his head snapped around at the sound of rapidly approaching vehicles. Turning, Sara saw three RCMP cars blazing up the road toward them. They screeched to a halt in a spray of gravel.

A voice shouted over the loudspeaker. “Daniels! Drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head!”

“Ahhh,” Sara exclaimed with pain as Pace grabbed a handful of her hair. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arm around her neck. He brought the gun up to her temple. Helplessly pinned against his chest, his arm squeezed tighter, restricting both blood and breath. She fought down panic as her face began to turn purple. She clawed at his arm in futility as officers poured from the vehicles, weapons drawn.

“Back off or I’ll kill her!” he shouted.

“Now hold on, Daniels,” one of the officers warned. “Stay out here and we’ll talk this out. Just lay down the weapon. There’s no need for anyone to get hurt.”

“You are dead, bitch.” Pace’s voice was harsh in her ear as he pulled her back toward the cabin. “One way or another. They shoot you or I do. No way are you walking out of here alive.” He cocked the gun.

Sara didn’t doubt him for a second. She knew she was as good as dead already. There was nothing to lose. In one last desperate act of defiance, she kicked backward, her boot connecting with his shin. He howled in agony and his grip loosened. Mustering every last bit of her strength, she shoved his arm off and stumbled forward.

She heard the report of the weapon. Oddly, there was no pain, but she felt a warm spray of blood and wondered where she’d been hit. She turned, still unsure what had happened until she saw the ruin of Pace Daniels’ face, his body lying lifeless on the ground before her.

“Sam!” Sara immediately scrambled over to her sister’s side.

Sam’s eyes were huge in her swollen and bruised face. Sara untied the gag and pulled it out of her mouth.

“Sara,” she croaked in a dry voice.

“It’s over, Sam. It’s all over.” Sara carefully smoothed the curls away from her sister’s face and whispered a prayer of gratitude as hot tears spilled from her eyes. Clutching her sister to her chest, Sara began rocking back and forth.

Showered and wearing borrowed hospital scrubs, Sara sat stiffly in a plastic chair amidst the hustle and bustle in the emergency room lounge giving her statement to the RCMP officer when she heard a familiar voice.

“Sara!”

Standing, she turned towards the sound of his voice, tension bleeding out of her shoulders when she saw Chris striding urgently toward her. His features were etched with concern. He sidestepped around the RCMP officer and pulled her into his arms. Sara heard him struggle to contain a sob. He held her for a long time before he finally spoke. “Thank God,” he rasped against her neck. Her hands tightened on his arms and he clutched her to his chest. “Don’t ever leave me like that again. I was scared to death.”

After a moment, he leaned back to look at her. “Are you ok? They wouldn’t tell us much.”

“Sam has a minor concussion and is pretty dehydrated. They’re giving her IV fluids and want to keep her at least overnight for observation.”

His fingertips gently brushed across her cheeks, wiping away the tears that had fallen. He frowned, noting her bruised cheek. “He hit you.” His jaw visibly tightened. “If he wasn’t already dead, I’d kill the bastard myself.”

“Ahem,” the officer spoke up, raising a brow as he glanced at Chris. “I think we have everything we need, Miss Daniels.”

“Thank you, David,” she told him, placing a hand on his arm. “We’d both be dead if you guys hadn’t come when you did.”

“Just doing our job.” The officer nodded, tucked his clipboard under his arm, and departed.

“How’d you get out here so fast?”

“We procured a helicopter.”

“We?” Sara asked, grabbing for Chris’ arm as JR shuffled into view.

“I need to see Samantha,” JR said, shoving his hands deep into his jeans pockets.

“No way,” Sara told him flatly.

“Please Sara. I just want to see her for myself. And I need to tell her how sorry I am,” JR pleaded.

“You sure are,” Sara said callously.

Chris stepped between them. “Sara, don’t you think that’s Sam’s decision to make?”

Sara frowned, taking her time before she answered. “I think I already know what she’ll say, but I’ll go ask her.” She squeezed Chris’ hand. “I’ll be right back.” She gave JR a cold glance as she passed him.

“I don’t know why,” Sara said through clenched teeth when she returned, “but she’s agreed to see you. Come on.”

Exhaling with relief, JR fell into step beside her. Sara didn’t say another word to him as they walked through the long sterile corridor under the glaring fluorescent lights. When she stopped outside one of the rooms, she glared up at him. “You upset her and I’ll twist your balls off.”

He winced. “I swear, Sara, I would never…”

“Don’t,” she scowled. “You broke your promise to me once. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a complete loser. But I’ll promise
you
something. You hurt her again and I’ll make it my life’s purpose to destroy you.”

JR nodded. She had every right to be angry with him. He had enough regret where Sam was concerned to fill a concert stadium. “I love her, Sara.” Moisture welled in his eyes. “The past few days I’ve had to live with the fear of losing her forever…” He trailed off as emotion thickened his throat. “Nothing you could do to me would hurt worse than that,” he said quietly before turning and entering Sam’s room.

JR stilled at the sight of her, inhaling sharply. She had a long cut over her right eye that disappeared into her hairline. It was almost swollen shut and the surrounding skin was a camouflage pattern of black, green, and yellow. Her eyes were filled with unmistakable pain and sadness.

She looked away, her hands fluttering up as if to cover her face from view.

Imagining the violence that had produced that kind of damage sickened him. Moving closer, he hesitantly reached out his hand.

She flinched away from him, clutching the hospital sheet to her chest like it was a shield.

Her response stopped him in his tracks. He couldn’t say that he was surprised, though. “I’m so sorry.” He gestured at her. “This is all my fault. If only…” he trailed off, looking down at the linoleum floor. When she didn’t say anything, he lifted his gaze to find her watching him with wary grey eyes. His own brightened with unshed tears. “I was so stupid. I would do anything to be able to take it all back.”

She continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable.

JR shifted uncomfortably. Before he’d entered the room, he’d have bet his drum kit that they’d be able to work things out, but now, he wasn’t so sure.

Sam reached with an IV taped hand for the glass of water on the stand. After taking a sip, her gaze returned to his. Her eyes were twin pools of stormy grey. “What we had together, I thought it was special. I told you I loved you. Those words may not mean much to you, but I’ve never said them to a man before.” Her voice cracked. “Ever.”

She blinked back tears before continuing. “Let me be clear. I didn’t agree to see you so that you could try to defend your actions. I just wanted there to be no further misunderstanding. We,” she gestured back and forth between the two of them, “are through.”

 “Sam, no.” JR’s heart sank to his feet. “Please. You’re tired… hurt. Don’t be rash…”

“Really, John?” she interrupted, her voice and expression deadly serious. “Really? You’re telling
me
not to be rash?” Her eyes filled with angry tears. “You were the one who jumped to conclusions. You didn’t love me enough to trust me. And you certainly didn’t care enough to ask for my side of the story. There’s nowhere else for us to go after that.”

Her words were a bitter wind that chilled his soul. “No,” he protested. “No. That’s not it at all. I
do
love you. I
do
care. I was just so fucking insecure about our relationship. I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, either. I…”

“Enough, JR.” She shook her head, tears falling unhindered down her cheeks. Scooting back in the bed, she folded her hands tightly together in her lap. Her gaze was steady and sharp as it sliced across his. “I’m tired. I don’t want to hear anymore. It doesn’t change anything.” She took a deep breath. “I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything, Sam.” Hope filled his heart. “I would do anything for you.”

“We still have to work together. But from now on, it has to be strictly business between us. Promise me,” she shook her head solemnly, “that you’ll
never
approach me in anything but a professional capacity. I want you to stay away from me, JR. I can’t risk the consequences the next time you get the wrong idea.”

With her words sadness and loss seeped into his bones like a disease for which there was no cure. He rubbed a hand across his jaw. He couldn’t look her in the eyes. How could she ask him to say those words? It cut him up to even think them.

“I can’t, Sam,” he said with resignation. “I
won’t
promise that.”

“Then there’s nothing left to say,” she said impassively, looking away.

“If that’s the way you want it,” he replied stiffly, turning and ripping back the privacy curtain to the room.

Sara was waiting outside in the hall.

His gaze met hers briefly before sliding away. “Sara,” he acknowledged, jaw tightening.

“JR,” she replied, softly.

“Take care of her.”

“I always have, JR.”

He nodded once and ducking his head strode down the hallway.

There really was nothing left to say.

Sara watched him go for a moment before entering Sam’s hospital room.

“Is he gone?” Sam whispered.

Sara stuck her head outside the door and then came back. “Yes, he’s gone.”

“Oh, Sara,” Sam sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand. “Tell me it won’t always hurt this bad.”

Sara scurried to her side. “Let me call a nurse.” She reached for the call button.