“Not your shame, Abbie. His!” Tucker declares and drops the fork.
“I’d say the same to you,” she insists.
“I haven’t been back in eight years,” he glances away from her.
“I’m sorry, Tucker.” Guilt beats at her. “You don’t have to go with me. I’ll be fine,” she claims.
Tucker stands up and walks over to the window to look out and the darkness. All he can see is her reflection in the window.
Abbie moves to stand behind him and places a hand on his back. His muscles twitch beneath her hand, and she jumps when he whirls around suddenly.
“I’ve seen things Abbs, things that I wish I could wash away. Trust me when I say that you will need me.” The intensity coming off him causes her to shudder.
“I understand that you believe that, but I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for years without you.” Abbie decides that his frustration is better than the pain coming from him. “I even managed to board the train by my little old self,” she teases.
“There are those that hunt in the dark and take what you wouldn’t give.” His eyes darken, and he stalks her, backing her up to the wall. “I’ve hunted them. I’ve seen what they do to the young and innocent.”
Abbie stares up at him in surprise. “I’m hardly young and innocent, Tucker, I’m twenty-eight.”
“Abbs, you’re like a ripe peach, daring a man to pluck it.” He lifts a stray strand of dark hair, and it’s like velvet wrapping around his hand. “How could he let you believe you aren’t beautiful, desirable, and perfect? I’m a Christian man, but I’d like to beat him.”
A blush stains her cheeks as she stares up at him. “No one’s perfect, Tucker.”
“Hmph. I’m going to take a walk.” Tucker pushes away from her and leaves before he does something that she isn’t ready for.
Abbie is left staring at him in wonder.
“What’s happening?” she gasps. She’s known Tucker all her life. There was never anything between them, and now, she feels, everything at once. Desire, passion, and compassion. He’s funny and protective, loving and kind. She can’t give him what he deserves. Every man wants a family, and she is broken. Her head drops, and she decides to walk to the bathing room and freshen up.
Chapter 18
Abbie washes her face and straightens up to glance in the mirror. For the first time in weeks, she finds that she cares about her appearance. Tucker isn’t far off when he says she will scare the child.
Grabbing a brush from her bag, she removes the pins, releases her dark hair, and gets to work. After dampening the locks to smooth down the static, she is brushing it when she hears the door open behind her. Before she can turn around pain explodes in the back of her head, sending her to the floor.
Abbie covers her head, and her scream of surprise is cut short when a booted foot kicks her in the stomach. Her back falls to the ground and her attacker curses, drawing back his foot to kick her again, but Abbie is ready. She grabs his foot and wraps around his leg to keep him from striking her. A second blow glances off her collar bone and flattens her to the floor.
Grabbing her by her wrist he reaches for his knife when the door opens surprising him.
The attacker releases Abbie and runs out, shoving the two women into the hallway with a scream of outrage. Abbie watches through blurry eyes as the figure runs away. “Oh,” she groans and holds her head, struggling to her knees. When the door opens again, she flinches away in terror and covers her head.
“No!” she pleads.
A woman’s startled shout, and soon Tucker is there, lifting her in his arms and ordering people away from her.
“Abbilene, can you hear me?” he demands.
“Tucker?” she gasps and passes out.
A few minutes later, she jerks awake and scrambles back from the shaded figure in confusion.
“It’s okay,” Tucker promises.
Pain explodes behind her eyes, and she covers them to block the light. “Close the drapes,” a soft voice urges. Darkness falls, except for the lantern glow.
“Don’t move too fast, Abbie, you’ve suffered a blow to the head. Sudden movements will cause pain and nausea,” Tucker explains.
“My name is Dr. Clint Hayden. Can you tell me who struck you?” he asks.
“No,” she opens her eyes slowly and squints at the young man in front of her. “He hit me from behind. Boots, I remember black boots,” she whispers.
“Did they say anything?” Tucker asks.
“I don’t think so. He was too busy kicking me,” she groans and asks, “where’s my bag?” she asks, sitting up only to hold her pounding head and flop back down onto the bed.
“Easy, I want you to remain still. They didn’t break the skin, but that’s a nasty bump. Tell me what you remember.”
“The door opened, and I was struck in the back of the head, and he kicked me. When he tried to kick me a second time, I grabbed his foot.” Abbie looks at Tucker. “When I screamed, he hit me,” she rubs her collar bone, “and ran.”
“What was he looking for?”
“I don’t know,” Abbie drops her head into her hands and squeezes her eyes shut against the pain.
“I see. I’m afraid I’ve done all I can. Keep ice on it and rest. I’ll check back in a little while.”
Tucker is horrified by the intensity of the assault. “Aren’t you going to check her injuries?”
“Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this. Probably a robbery attempt. It isn’t safe to give her pain medication. She will need to rest. If the injuries were severe, she wouldn’t be able to move.”
