Can a stubborn cowboy recapture the one who got away?
Ledger McGraw may know all about horses, but he doesnât know anything about the lie that broke up his first romance with waitress Abby Pierce. Abby, tricked into marrying the wrong man, is at the end of her tether in her abusive relationship. When she learns the truth about her terrible marriage, she becomes desperate to escape itâbefore her jealous husband kills her.
Though Ledgerâs heart was wounded by Abby, heâll still do anything to protect her and free her from her violent spouse. Heâs determined to win her back and reignite their passionâ¦
âWhere are you taking me?â Abby asked from the passenger seat of the pickup.
He could tell that each word hurt her to speak. He would have brought the Suburban so she could lie down in the back but he hadnât known how badly she was hurt.
âTo the hospital,â he said.
âNo!â She tried to sit up straight but cried out in pain and held her rib cage. âThatâs the first place heâll look for me.â
âAbby, you need medical attention.â
âPlease.â
He quickly relented. He couldnât let Wade near this woman, which meant no hospital. At least for now.
âIâll take you to the ranch and call our family doctor. But, Abby, if he says you have to go to the hospitalââ
âThen Iâll go.â She lay back and closed her eyes. âI didnât want you involved.â
âIâve always been involved, because Iâve always loved you.â
She said nothing. He could tell that she was in a lot of pain. It had him boiling inside. If he could find Wade right nowâ¦
Chapter One
Abby Pierce opened her eyes and quickly closed them against the bright sunlight. She hurt all over. As she tried to sit up, a hand gently pushed on her shoulder to keep her flat on the bed.
âDonât sit up too fast,â her husband said. âYouâre okay. Youâre in the hospital. You took a nasty fall.â
Fall? Hospital? Her mouth felt dry as dust. She licked her lips. âCan you close the drapes?â
âSure,â Wade said and hurried over to the window.
She listened as he drew the drapes together and felt the room darken before she opened her eyes all the way.
The first thing she saw was her husband silhouetted against the curtains. He was a big imposing man with a boyish face and a blond crew cut. He was wearing his sheriffâs deputy uniform, she noted as he moved back to the bed to take her hand.
Sheâd known Wade for years. Sheâd married him three years ago. That was why when she saw the sheepish look in his brown eyes, she knew at once that he was hiding something.
Abby frowned. âWhat was I doing that I fell?â
âYou donât remember?â He cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. âYou asked me to bring up some canning jars from the garage? Iâm so sorry I didnât. If I had you wouldnât have been on that ladder...â He looked at her as if expecting... Expecting what?
âCanning jars?â she repeated and touched her bandaged temple. âI hit my head?â
He nodded, and taking her hand, he squeezed it a little too hard. âIâm so sorry, Abby.â He sounded close to tears.
âItâs not your fault,â she said automatically, but couldnât help but wonder if there was more to the story. There often was with Wade and his family. She frowned, trying to understand why she would have wanted canning jars and saying as much.
âYou said something about putting up peach jam.â
âReally? I wonder where I planned to get peaches this time of year.â
He said nothing, avoiding her gaze. All the other times sheâd seen him like this it had been after heâd hurt her. It had started a year into their marriage and begun with angry accusations that led to him grabbing her, shaking her, pushing her and even slapping her.
Each time heâd stopped before it had gone too far. Each time heâd been horrified by what heâd done. Heâd cried in her arms, begging her to forgive him, telling her that he couldnât live without her, saying he would kill himself if she ever left him. And then promising heâd never do it again.