Taking Heart (24 page)

“Are you nuts?” Chase shook his head. “I'm waiting for a deputy, and you want me to go trekking through the woods in the dark on a wild-goose chase now?”

Dylan took a step closer, looking down at the shorter man. “It's not a wild-goose chase if we find her, and I am going to find her. With or without your help.” Dylan reached for Tango's leash. “Let's go find her, boy.”

Chase ran after him. “Not without Gracie. You'll just get yourself lost.”

“W
HAT THE HELL
was that?”

Evan jumped backward. Julia heard the barking that seemed to come closer with every second. It was Tango. She'd recognize his bark anywhere. Her heart soared in her chest and plummeted just as quickly. Evan was too deranged, too dangerous, and likely to shoot anyone who came through the trees if he thought it was a threat.

“There is no way he found us that fast,” Even muttered, shoving Julia behind a tree and pressing his hand against her throat. She clawed at his hand, gasping, fighting to keep the panic at bay. “You want me to fire this? Keep making noise.”

She immediately quieted. The dogs would find her, especially if Gracie was with them. If they came running toward her without realizing Evan was armed, someone was bound to get hurt. It was something she couldn't allow to happen. She stilled against the tree and felt his grip loosen.

Gracie's bark echoed off the trees as the sun dropped behind the horizon, casting the woods into shadowy darkness. They were close enough that she could hear their feet tearing up the branches and pine needles that made up the undergrowth. There was no hesitation in the steps. Gracie was leading them right to her.

“Stay!” she yelled.

The command had no more left her lips when Evan backhanded her, splitting the corner of her lip. She could taste blood in her mouth as stars blossomed behind her eyes. It didn't matter. She couldn't let them come through the trees. “Stay!” she yelled again.

“Julia!” It was Dylan's voice.

“Stay!” she yelled again just before Evan reached for her throat, cutting off her voice. The footsteps stopped. The night erupted in barks, yips, and a deep growl from Tango. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dylan straining to pull her dog back as he spotted her. She saw his mouth form her name, but she couldn't hear him. In fact, she couldn't hear anything any longer as her vision started to blur and bright stars danced at the outer edges of her vision.

She saw the leash snap as Tango launched himself across the distance separating him from her. Evan let her go as he turned toward the animal, leveling his weapon. “No!” She lunged at Evan, hitting him in the stomach and knocking him to the side. But she didn't have the strength left to push him to the ground. An explosion sounded in the darkness, reverberating off the trees in the thin night air. Julia felt the solid form of the dog hit her shoulder as he crashed into Evan, throwing all three of them to the ground.

Dylan and Chase ran toward them. Evan struggled under Tango's weight as Chase retrieved the gun and pointed it at him. Dylan reached for Julia, pulling her from the fray, but she reached for Tango. His yelp of pain had cut through her, chilling her heart.

She ran her hands over the dog in the darkness, barely able to see him in the shadows of the night. Only a sliver of a moon hung above them, not enough to give any light to help her examine Tango. Her fingers slid over his side as he panted, whining and trying to reach her. She felt the sticky warmth that could only be blood as her fingers trailed over his ribs.

She didn't care that Evan was mere feet from her with Chase pointing a gun at his chest. She didn't even watch as Chase handcuffed the furious maniac as he screamed profanities. She didn't care that Roscoe and Gracie were howling and barking nearby, confused by the drama unfolding. She only cared that Tango didn't suffer the same fate Misty had. Nothing could happen to him.

“Dylan.” She turned to the man who'd broken her heart. “I need something for his side. Help me,” she pleaded.

“We need light.” He searched his pockets. “Gage, toss me your phone.” Dylan caught the phone as Gage held the other dogs, watching them helplessly. Dylan tapped the button to turn the screen on. Blood covered Tango's side, soaking the short fur. Dylan didn't hesitate, pulling his shirt over his head, ripping a strip from the bottom. “Here, call Justin.” He handed her the phone as he examined the dog's wound. “I've got to stop this bleeding.”

She heard the sirens in the distance and knew Chase must have called for backup, but she couldn't tear her eyes from Dylan, putting pressure on Tango's side even as he bandaged the wound. Dylan looked up at her. “We need to get him to a vet as soon as possible, Julia. I can't see if the bullet grazed him or if it's still lodged inside. I'm going to have to carry him back to the car.”

“How far?”

“It doesn't matter. Hold his head up and stay where he can see you.”

He bent down and lifted the dog into his arms as Julia steadied him. She felt the tears burning against her skin but ignored them as they coursed down her cheeks. “Dylan.” She could barely speak as her breath caught in her throat, unable to voice her fear. “Is he—?”

“I don't know, but I'm going to do everything I can. Don't give up on either of us yet.”

D
YLAN WATCHED
J
ULIA
sleeping on the hard plastic bench at Justin's clinic. Her face was still smudged with dirt and scrapes, and dried blood caked in the swollen corner of her split lip. Dark circles settled below her eyes. Justin had assured her the bullet had been removed and that Tango was stable, but she refused to leave until he woke from the anesthesia and saw him for herself. She needed to get some real sleep, in her bed. Dylan brushed her bangs back away from her eyes and saw her lashes flutter. She choked off a scream and bolted upright, scooting away from him on the bench until she realized where she was.

“Sorry.” She grimaced as she caught her breath. “I didn't realize . . . I thought . . . ”

“I know,” he whispered. “It's okay.”

He wanted to touch her, to pull her into his arms, to rid her of any memories of the past twenty-four hours. He wanted to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere again. He wanted to drive over to the police station and beat the crap out of Evan Reece, until the man was nothing more than a broken mess that barely resembled a human being. The maelstrom of emotions that were coursing through him frustrated him. He'd thought he was doing the right thing leaving her. All he'd done was cause more trouble and nearly get her killed. And Tango wasn't out of the woods yet.

Dylan reached for her hand but sighed as Julia pulled hers away. “Julia, I know I don't deserve it, but I was hoping you'd be willing to give me another chance.”

She wouldn't meet his gaze, but he could see the tears in her eyes. “Why, Dylan? I thought you said you couldn't stay.”

“I thought if I left, you'd be safer.” He ran his hand over his head, unable to bear the pain in her eyes.

“Safer? Does this look safer to you?”

Dylan rose and paced the waiting room, grateful for how empty it was at the early morning hour. “I nearly hit you. If it hadn't been for Roscoe, Julia, there is no telling what I could have done.”

“Which is why you came to the ranch in the first place.” He turned and found her standing behind him. “I knew the risk when I invited you and Gage to stay at the house. There were never any guarantees that nothing would happen, Dylan. I knew about the flashbacks and the episodes before you came. Gage explained the situation to me. I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open.
You
were the one with blinders on, who wouldn't see the truth.”

She ran her hand over his waist and up to his shoulders. “I love you, broken pieces and all. I saw the scars.” Her fingers slid over the tattoo on his neck. “And I don't mean just the ones that are visible to everyone. I love every one of them.”

“Why?” How could she see how dangerous he was to her, how destructive he could be, and still care about him?

She gave him a soft smile, her lips curving, lighting up her face in spite of the dirt and tear stains. “Do you care about me less because of what I've been through?”

Dylan brushed her hair back behind her ear with his fingers. “I love you more. I see your strength, your determination, and your faith. They make you even more beautiful.”

“So, why would you think that I'd love you any less?” She looked at Roscoe, lying on the floor, watching them intently. “You can accept his love, but not mine?” Roscoe shifted his gaze to Dylan, as if he was wondering the same thing. “What happened was just as much my fault, Dylan. I knew better than to approach you, to touch you, in the middle of a flashback. You didn't know it was me. I know you'd never hurt me.”

She cupped his jaw with her palm. “You risked your life to save me. Evan wanted to kill you, and you knew it, but you came for me anyway.”

“Don't we even get any credit?” Dylan spun to see Chase and Gage enter the office with Gracie. “It was Gracie here who tracked you down.” The shepherd barked happily at her name. Chase grew somber and his gaze flicked to Dylan before jumping to Julia.

“Julia, I'm going to need you to come down to the station and give a statement. I've got Evan there now, but I want as much evidence as we can get, which means we need you to have a medical exam.”

Dylan tried to hide his rage. They wanted to perform a series of tests on Julia, even in her troubled state, in order to build a solid case against Evan. The longer they waited, the more evidence they might lose, but it infuriated him that she would be subjected to this kind of humiliation when he knew what it meant to her to be with Tango.

“Not until he wakes up.”

“We need to do swabs. You could be shedding evidence all over this room,” Chase argued.

“Julia, I'll stay with him,” Gage said. “It's the least I can do. I'll call you as soon as Justin tells me he's waking. I promise.”

She looked to Dylan for a moment. “I can't leave him. What if . . . ”

“Julia,” Chase interrupted, “if you don't, there's a chance Evan could get out again. I don't want to risk that ever happening.”

Dylan could see the conflict in her eyes. She knew she needed to go, but she wanted to stay for Tango just as desperately. He didn't want to leave her side, but he knew how much Tango meant to her. “I'll stay with him. Go with Chase and I'll be here when you get back.”

“Dylan, what if he doesn't—”

“He will.” He looked at Gage. “Give her your phone since hers is now evidence.” Dylan brushed a finger over the tear slipping down her cheek. “And he's going to be fine. I'll call you when Justin takes me back there with him, and I'll text you a picture as soon as I see him. Now, go so you can hurry back.”

J
ULIA WAITED FOR
the doctor to release her so Chase could take her back to Tango. Dylan had sent her a picture, but he still hadn't awakened and she wanted to be there when he did. She hopped off the table where the doctor had already done his myriad of testing, including a rape kit. She'd tried to assure them it wasn't needed, but there had been too many gaps in her memories after he'd knocked her unconscious in the car. She'd been shocked when Chase explained to her how Dylan had pieced together the clues Gracie had provided him.

“I guess she's going to make a good search and rescue dog after all, huh?” He laughed and patted Gracie's head. He looked at the notebook he held and clicked off the recorder. “Off the record, Julia. Why'd you go with him? If you would have yelled, we might have heard you from in the house.”

Her tongue found the spot on her lower lip where Evan had hit her and split the skin. The doctor had treated her outer wounds and abrasions, but every part of her felt overly sensitive and raw. It wasn't just the physical injuries, her emotions were shot. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision again when she recalled Evan threatening to shoot Tango and the rest of the dogs in the kennel. How could she ever explain to Chase in a way he'd understand she'd been protecting them all by sacrificing herself? Even if it was only for the moment.

“He had a gun.” She shook her head and wiped at her eyes. “I couldn't take a chance that you or Justin might come out. Evan was bound to make some kind of mistake eventually. I just had to be ready when he did.”

“It was pretty smart to hide in the woods.”

Her gaze met his, and she couldn't hide her frustration. She shouldn't have tried to escape. It had only made things worse. “For all the good that did. He found me anyway. Tango is in the hospital because of it.”

“Julia, you bought us time. Who knows what he would have done in the time you were hiding. You gave Gracie a trail to follow.”

The doctor entered the room and gave Julia a smile. “All of your tests look good. Other than a few bumps and bruises, you have a clean bill of health.” He looked pointedly at Chase and jerked his chin toward the door.

“What?”

“Ms. Hart, I'd like to speak with you privately, if that is all right with you.”

“I'll wait just outside the door,” Chase offered.

Once he'd exited, the doctor moved to stand in front of her. “There was one thing that came up on your blood work that you should know.”

“I thought you said everything was fine?”

“It is,” he assured her. “You're pregnant.”

“I'm what? I can't be pregnant. How? Wait, no.” She shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around what this doctor was telling her. She couldn't possibly be pregnant. She'd only been with Dylan, and they hadn't been together long enough for her to be pregnant. “It would be too soon to tell, even if I were.”

“With your counts, it's fairly unlikely I'm wrong. You're only about a week to ten days.” He pressed the paper of test results into her hand. “A blood test can tell far sooner than a urine test. Congratulations, Ms. Hart. I'll have the nurse bring in your discharge papers, and you'll be ready to head home.”

“C
OME ON
.” D
YLAN
met her at the door when she entered the vet's office after leaving the hospital. “He's just starting to wake up.”

She stared at the man holding the door open for her. A baby? She and Dylan were going to have a baby? She wanted to tell him, but she wasn't sure how he was going to react to this kind of news. And right now, Tango needed her.

She followed him into Justin's back office, where Tango lay stretched out in a kennel on a blanket. She could feel the warmth of his body as she knelt down beside his massive head, stroking her hand over his ears as he snuffled. “Hey, Tango,” she murmured.

The dog whined and tried to raise his head. “Easy, boy.” She stretched out on the floor beside him, with her nose to his. “I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere.” Tango's tongue snuck out slowly and licked her chin. She looked up at her brother. “He's going to be okay?”

“He is. The bullet grazed his side and ripped some of the muscle, but I've got him all stitched up and heavily sedated. He's on antibiotics as a precaution, but he should be as good as new in a few weeks.” He patted Dylan on the shoulder. “I'll let you guys have some privacy. Stay as long as you want.”

She heard the soft click of the door as Justin left them alone. “Where's Roscoe?” She slid her fingers over Tango's velvety muzzle as he slept, his whiskers tickling her palm.

“I had Gage take him back to the ranch. He's been through enough for tonight. They both need a night off.”

Her gaze flicked up to meet his. “What about you?”

Dylan sank down to sit with his back against the wall of the kennel. “I'm okay, just tired. What about you? What did the doctor say?”

She sat up and moved closer to him. Without waiting for an invitation, she eased herself between his strong thighs and laid her ear against his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart reassure her. She heard him sigh as his arms encircled her. It felt good, like sinking under her down comforter on a cold winter's evening. It felt like home. It felt right.

“He said I'm fine. All of my tests were . . . normal.”

“Good.” She could feel his breath against her head, his hand stroking the back of her hair as his other hand toyed along her spine. “Julia?”

“Dylan, don't, please.”

They needed to talk, to confront the elephant in the room and decide which difficulties they could face and which they needed to turn their backs on. But not yet.

For now, she only wanted to feel his arms around her, the serenity that seemed to envelop her when she was with him. They were two broken people who came together perfectly. Their pieces fit and made a whole.

“Tomorrow,” she whispered. “We'll talk tomorrow. For tonight, just hold me and pretend like none of this happened. Tonight, let's just be two people who love each other.”

Dylan tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes. She could see the turmoil in the deep brown depths. He bent his head, and his lips brushed hers in a too-brief touch. “I thought I'd lost you. I refused to rest until I had you right here again.”

“You were all I could think about while Evan had me.” She wound her arms around his waist, curling into his warmth, letting the nightmare of the past twenty-four hours melt away. “I was so afraid he would hurt you. But I knew you'd come for me.”

Dylan's hands played along her back, relaxing her. She fell quiet as her mind fought to stay awake, but her body began to feel lighter, losing the battle with sleep as her eyes closed and exhaustion overcame her desire to simply be with Dylan. Her breathing deepened as she tried to remain conscious.

“You are going to make a great father.”

F
ATHER
?
W
HERE HAD
that come from? It was a ridiculous thing to say, but it didn't stop the throbbing ache from pounding within his chest. Dylan wanted a family and kids, someday. At least, he had before his last tour. Now it was a pipe dream. He couldn't subject a wife and children to the nightmare he lived, even in his waking hours.

But Julia and Roscoe were changing that. They had given him back independence and helped him focus on reality instead of the agonies of the past. If there was ever a woman he wanted to share his life with, it was Julia. She'd opened his eyes to an entirely new world than the one he'd confined himself in after returning home. He ran a hand over his head, his fingers moving over the puckered edges of the scars on his neck. She deserved so much more than he could offer her, yet she wanted him. He'd never understand why.

Dylan let his fingers run through the waves of her messy hair. She'd washed her face while at the hospital, but she still had dirt and pine needles in her hair. She smelled like a mixture of earth and pine and the sweet scent that was unique to Julia. He inhaled and felt his heart jump even as desire twisted his gut. He wanted to protect her, but more than that, he wanted to be with her, now and every day of their futures. It just wasn't fair for him to ask of her.