cut into her windpipe.
Hank felt his heart skip a beat when Bella began to turn red. He really wanted to pummel this guy, but first he had to get Bella away. He took another step forward, but George backed up. “I think you’ve been busy,” Hank said, forcing his voice to obey and stay calm. “I think you’ve been causing accidents around here, or at least hoping to.”
“Oh, yeah?” George asked. “And just why would I do that?”
“Because you’re trying to make Claire look incompetent,” Hank guessed, trying another step forward. The lawsuit had been on his mind lately, the more he mused over Claire’s accident and the nature of the problems still occurring at the inn. “You’re trying to show the courts she’s neglectful, and the only way to do that is for someone to get hurt on the property. That’s why you left all the tools lying around, and towels on the floor. Not to mention the ice on the sidewalk.”
Hank met Bella’s surprised eyes as the pieces fell into place. He was glad to see she was breathing again, but when a determined look came into her eyes, he grew scared all over again.
George was talking again, but Hank couldn’t drag his eyes from Bella.
“You can’t prove I did any of those things,” George argued. “Not to mention, none of them are illegal.”
“Maybe not, but slashing tires means we can bring you downtown for destruction of property,” Hank continued. He’d noticed several flats when he was trying to follow George earlier, and with the razor blade in his hand, Hank was throwing out another guess. He stiffened when Bella mouthed something to him.
“I love you,” she said, her lips over-exaggerating the words.
Hank didn’t know what she was planning, but it wasn’t going to be good. He started to shake his head, but it was too late.
Slamming her head backwards, Bella crushed George’s nose with an awful crunching sound.
He howled and jerked away from her, but Bella wasn’t done yet. She elbowed his sternum, causing him to bend over wheezing. Spinning on her bare feet, Bella kicked George right between the legs, which proved to be the final blow for the man.
Whimpering and crying, he fell to his knees, then onto his side, leaving Bella free to run to Hank’s arms.
He opened them and welcomed her in, nearly crying in relief that she was alive and well. “I think I’m going to kill you myself,” he muttered into her hair.
“Ha! Just try and I’ll show you what I showed George,” Bella shot back, but Hank could feel her trembling against him.
She might still be able to talk big game, but he could tell the situation had frightened her more than she was letting on.
CHAPTER 15
BELLA COULDN’T SEEM to get her body to stop shaking. She was freezing, weak from her adrenaline rush, and scared out of her mind.
“If you ever pull something like that again, I’ll make you cook me dinner every night when we’re married,” Henry whispered hoarsely as he held her tightly. His strong arms were nearly choking her, but Bella didn’t care. They were the only thing still holding her upright.
“What do you mean, when we’re married?” she asked, latching onto the words that she hadn’t heard before. Bella leaned back to confront him, but Henry wasn’t ready to talk yet.
His mouth met hers in a voracious kiss that took the very air from her lungs. Rather than pull back and tease him, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life.
The tension and anxiety of the situation was making her emotions more volatile than usual, and she found she couldn’t quench her thirst for the handsome detective.
His hand slid along her jaw, going into her hair, and Bella winced as he passed a sore spot.
Henry jerked away from her, gasping. “What? Are you hurt?”
Bella shook her head. “No. Sorry. But I’m probably going to have a few—”
Henry’s large hand grabbed her head and turned it sideways. “Bella...you’re bleeding!”
“What?”
“We need an ambulance,” Henry continued, his fear palpable and his eyes wild. “Bill! We need an ambulance!”
Bella fingered the cut on her jawline and frowned. It didn’t feel that bad, though by the wetness, she could tell there was blood.
Sheriff Davidson walked their way, holding up a hand. “Hang in there, Hank. If you’ll just calm down, I think you’ll find everything’s going to be okay.”
“She’s bleeding,” Henry growled.
Sheriff Davidson nodded. “Yes. His razor gave her a little cut. Wipe