Hannah hoped Ben and Adam were okay and this man hadn’t done anything to them. She screamed at the top of her lungs and backpedaled for the bedroom. She had left her knife on the dresser. That was twice now she had forgotten it. Sheriff Little was fast for his age and easily caught up to her. He pulled her to his chest and froze when there was a pounding on the front door. “Looks like its plan B my dear.”
“I’ll never go anywhere with you. You’ll never get away with this. They know who you are.” Hannah spat, trying to get away from him.
The Sheriff squeezed her tight cutting off her air supply and pushed her towards the window in the bedroom. “I’ve waited too long for this. I won’t be stopped now.” The Sheriff threw the window up and all but shoved Hannah through the window. Before she could pull herself up the Sheriff landed behind her and dragged her into the woods.
“Why are you doing this?” Hannah panted trying to keep up with him. The Sheriff was taller than her and his long legs covered the ground quicker than her shorter legs.
“Because I always get what I want and I have wanted you since you were 12 years old.”
Hannah thought she would be sick. This man had been lusting after her for over half her life? The Sheriff’s fingers bit into her arm and she knew there would be a bruise there come morning. She hoped Ben was coming for her.
“Stop right there, John,” Adam said popping out of the woods in front of them with a pistol drawn.
“Adam, this doesn’t concern you. Stand down or I’ll put you down.” The Sheriff growled and pulled Hannah closer to his chest, using her as a shield.
“You’re the buyer aren’t you? That’s why we couldn’t ever find any evidence.”
“You’re sticking your nose into business that doesn’t concern you. Back off. Where’s Ben?” The Sheriff looked around but the woods were silent.
“It doesn’t matter where he is. There is no way you can get away with this.”
“Why not? I have been for years with no one the wiser.”
“You were the one keeping Harvey Guthrie’s sex trade open.” It wasn’t a question.
Sheriff Little didn’t answer. His silence was answer enough. “Last chance, Adam. Get out of my way.”
“Not going to happen,” Adam told him as he cocked his gun.
Several things happened simultaneously and for Hannah, it seemed to happen in slow motion. The Sheriff pulled out a gun from behind him and shot Adam before Adam could fire at the Sheriff. A shadow from the right flew at them and knocked Sheriff Little to the ground and took Hannah down with them. Hannah looked up to see Ben standing over the sheriff and holding a hand out to her. The Sheriff raised his gun at Ben and a shot rang out. Hannah covered her ears the noise was so loud and looked at Ben to see if he had been shot. Ben still stood over the sheriff now laying on his back staring up at the sky. She saw that Ben didn’t have a weapon. So who fired the shot? She looked to where Adam was and saw him lying on his stomach with his gun aimed in their direction.
“Hannah,” Ben called to her, helping her up. “You okay?”
Hannah nodded and clung to Ben. She was so tired of people trying to kidnap her or pulling guns on her. “You came for me.”
“I’ll always come for me.” He stated before kissing her with a fierce passion that had her toes curling.
“If you two don’t mind before clothes go flying, I’m bleeding and could use someone calling an ambulance for me,” Adam yelled at them.
Hannah separated herself from Ben and rushed over to Adam. Ben was a little slower and pulled out his phone to call paramedics. Adam was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. It wasn’t life threatening but the bullet hadn’t gone straight through so they had to do surgery to remove it. Adam would be in a sling for a few weeks before he could resume his duties as now acting Sheriff.
Ben stood with Hannah on her parent’s threshold outside the front door. He kept a hand on her lower back giving her his support. Due to Adam’s injury, Hannah had tried to delay this family get together but Ben refused her saying they were already there.
“We can go back to the cabin,” Hannah suggested.
Ben was sorely tempted but she had been putting off this reunion long enough. He knocked on the front door for her and smiled at her gasp of shock.
“Ben,” she whispered in horror. “I’m not ready.” She would never be ready if she had her say.
Before she could make a run for the rental car they had to make her getaway the front door opened and there stood her parents and her two brothers behind them. Hannah was so stunned to finally see them she just stood staring at them like a statue. Ben gave her a gentle nudge and she was immediately engulfed in her parent’s arms who hugged her close and cooed over her.
“My precious girl,” Her mother said.
“I always knew you’d come back.” Her father said. It was a touching reunion and even had Ben a little choked up. And like an outsider looking in. He stepped back to give them room but Hannah reached out and grabbed his hand.
“Mom, Dad, Garrett, Jason I’d like you to meet the man who rescued me, the man I love and the man I hope to one day share the rest of my life with, Ben Grant.” She gave him a watery grin and winked at him.
The four looked at each other for a moment before launching at Ben and hugging him and thanking him for bringing her home. “Of course we know Ben. You used to follow him around like a lost puppy.” Garrett teased
