Beckett (Robinson Destruction #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,66

He might well give up if he figures out that he should love you, not what you have.”

“I hope so, Dad.”

As it turned out, he only loved what she could have given him. It had taken her another four years to harden her heart against him. To turn what could have been the most monumental love that had ever been created into nothing more than tolerance and disdain. Hitting her today was going to cost him more than he figured she had in her bank accounts when she’d met him.

Gathering up what she needed, Sissy called the police. As soon as she had them on the phone, she told them what had happened. Since her family pretty much funded all their endeavors when it came to food and toy drives, she knew they’d come right away. She also told them where her soon to be ex-husband would be.

Then she called her dad. “He’s hit me again.” Dad told her he’d be right over. “I’m going to go to the hospital so they can take pictures and record what he’s done to me. Can you just meet me there?”

She felt her eyes well up with tears when her dad told her how much he loved her. “Honey, I’m going to call Ginger too. It’s time for her to come home anyway. Once she’s here, we’ll band up together and take care that he gets what he deserves.” She told him she didn’t want to bother her sister. “She’s going to be mighty upset when she figures out what you’ve been through, don’t you think?”

“Yes. She’s always been my protector. But she also has a life that she loves, Dad. She’ll come home, but I know she’ll just be gone again when she starts that itchy thing she calls her job.” They both laughed. “All right. Call her, but don’t let on that I’m upset or anything. Just tell her what’s going on and let her decide if she wants to come back here or not.”

Sissy decided that she wasn’t going to tell her dad about her sister-in-law and her children. If she could convince Ginger to go with her, then that would be that. Sissy had always wanted a large family. This would be the best way to get one without having a man hanging around all the time. Sitting in the chair when she’d gotten all her things gathered up, Sissy called the locksmith to have every lock on the property changed out. He wasn’t going to get to sleep in the fucking shed if she could do something to keep him from it.

The police showed up when the ambulance did. She answered all their questions and asked a few of her own. Yes, he’d been picked up. And no, she’d have to press charges herself or get her attorney to do so. Calling Dad while they were loading her in the ambulance, she asked him to call Mr. Beagle. He said he’d get right on it.

By the time her dad showed up, she’d had X-rays showing that she had a concussion. Also, they’d put fifty-four stitches in the back of her head where she’d hit something on her way down, and twelve on her face where he’d not just busted open her lips, but her cheek as well. The doctor told her it was a good thing she had a hard head, or it might have been a lot worse than it was.

“I’ve left a message for Ginger at the last place I heard from her. The man that answered said that she was going to be gone and without cell service for another few days, but he’d have her call.” Dad pulled his pillow out of his bag he’d brought. “I don’t want to hear a thing about me not staying. If I were to go home, all I’d do is sit up and worry. You and Ginger are all I have in the world, and I won’t be fine with one of you laid up in the hospital.”

“I’m glad to have you here, Dad.” They didn’t talk much. Her head was pounding now, and she asked for something for the pain. Once they gave her that, she was able to relax more and tell him what she wanted to do. “I’ve thought about this a great deal, so I’m set up so that he can’t take more from me. I still laugh when I think of you getting him to sign that prenup when we were married.