Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,69
need an ambulance, and I need to see Cora,” Ashlyn said, shifting his attention back to her. Not that it had strayed too far away, but Eli was keeping watch to make sure Dominick didn’t try to get back in the house.
“Soon,” Eli assured her.
Because he thought they could both use it, he brushed a kiss on her cheek. That’s when he noticed the bruises already forming on her temple and throat. Both were reminders of what Dominick had done to her. That caused a whole new round of anger to slam through him.
“How soon will the ambulance be here?” she pressed, and Ashlyn ripped off part of his sleeve to form a makeshift tourniquet on his arm.
“After Kellan and the hands find Dominick and arrest him.”
She looked up at him, and he saw her blink back tears. “They have to find him, Eli.”
Yeah, they did. And while Eli was certain that would happen, he also knew that Ashlyn and he wouldn’t be breathing easier until the man was in custody. As long as Dominick was out there, he could manage to escape and get away from the ranch. Maybe even get help and recover from his gunshot wound, and that meant he could try to come after Ashlyn and Cora again.
That sent a new round of anger through Eli. Ashlyn and Cora had been through enough, and he didn’t want them having to live out their lives while keeping watch for a snake like Dominick.
“The danger has to end,” Ashlyn said, her voice more breath than sound, and she put her arms around him, pulling him close to her.
He didn’t have any trouble making the contact even tighter. He looped his good arm around her, and this time when he kissed her, it wasn’t on her cheek. He really kissed her, pouring all his anger and relief into it. It helped. Well, it helped him, but it caused his wound to throb. That didn’t make him let go. Just holding her like this gave him another of those realizations like the one he’d gotten when Dominick had her hostage.
Eli wanted Ashlyn and Cora in his life.
He was about to tell her that when his phone dinged with a text. “It’s from Kellan,” he told Ashlyn, and he read through the message. “No sign of Dominick yet, but Gunnar’s going to pull the cruiser right up to the door. Kellan wants you and me to get in it. Then Gunnar can get us out of here.”
Eli didn’t add that his brother was concerned about Dominick trying to double back and sneak into the house. Best not to put that idea in Ashlyn’s head, especially when she already had enough bad memories and nightmare images there.
“I can see Cora,” Ashlyn muttered. “And if there’s a first aid kit in the cruiser, I can take care of your arm until you can see an EMT.”
There was that, and Eli wanted to be closer to Cora so he could make sure she was safe. But Eli also knew this meant having Ashlyn go out into the open. Even if it would only be for a few seconds, it was still a risk. A risk that Kellan must have thought was worth taking. Maybe because Dominick was still close to the house?
Hell.
Eli hoped not, but if so, he would have to stay on guard and be ready. He watched as the cruiser drove up, moving as close to the house as the driver could get. The ranch hands hurried to flank the car, one on all four sides, and each of them was armed.
“Move fast,” Eli told her.
Though the reminder wasn’t necessary. The moment the front passenger’s door opened, she took hold of Eli and started running. Ashlyn scrambled in first, moving to the middle of the seat next to Gunnar, who was behind the wheel. Eli got in right after Ashlyn.
The first thing Eli heard was Cora. The baby was making cooing sounds, and when he looked in the back seat, he saw the baby smiling as Gloria talked to her. Thank goodness Cora wasn’t scared—though Eli could see plenty of fear on Gloria’s face. However, there was relief on Ashlyn’s.
Ashlyn, too, was smiling when she leaned over the seat to kiss the baby, and Eli found himself smiling right along with them. Yeah, he definitely wanted them in his life and would figure out a way to make that happen as soon as they were all safe.
“The ambulance is just up the