Hannah turned Goldie around and started back for the house. “Some snakes, no big deal,” Hannah answered without mentioning the wild boars that sometimes wondered around here at night.
“Don’t worry. The guys are on their way. Ida called them and told them where we were,” Hannah reassured her calmly.
They could hear James yelling in the distance, calling Grace’s name out. “Oh God, he is close by and he is crazy, Hannah,” Grace cried out in a panicked voice.
Hannah clicked her tongue at Goldie and Goldie galloped faster. As they were riding away they heard a loud crack that barely missed them. “Oh God, he is shooting at us!” Grace screamed. “What do we do?”
Hannah stopped by the creek where they had brought Grace riding the first time. She slapped Goldie’s side and Goldie took off running scared from the loud noise for the ranch. Hannah didn’t want James to shoot her horse. She cocked the rifle and looked at Grace. “I never miss a shot. Let the bastard come toward us and I’ll shoot his balls off.”
Grace cracked a smile despite the overwhelming fear she was feeling. “Jeez, you Texans are bloodthirsty creatures.”
“Damn right we are. Haven’t you heard—don’t mess with a Texan,” Hannah stated, giving Grace’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “If I know Jack and Ben then they are driving over here like maniacs to save us.”
“I hope so.” Grace whispered back, glad to have Hannah by her side.
A few seconds later James came out from behind the trees yelling loudly and waving his gun around. “You actually thought you could get away from me, Grace?” He smiled crazily at them, looking like a madman with his hair all messy and his T-shirt full of dirt. He must have fallen. “I finally found you, now get over here or I will shoot your pretty little friend for all the trouble you are causing me.”
Hannah pointed her rifle at James and yelled back, “Not if I shoot you first, you asshole!”
Grace could see three shadows coming slowly and quietly behind James and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The cavalry had arrived. It would be okay now. Hannah saw them to but kept her gun pointed at James until she was sure they were going to be safe.
“Fine, let’s do this the hard way,” James said, smiling and pointing his gun toward Hannah and cocking it. “Remember, Grace, that this is all your fault. I have to shoot your friend to show you I mean business here. You can’t get away from me.” James never got the chance. Billy fired one shot from behind him and shot him in the back of the head. James groaned in disbelief, dropping his gun and falling to the ground.
Grace sank to the ground with a cry, her shaky legs refusing to hold her up any longer. Jackson came running up to them with Ben following. Jackson looked at Hannah sternly, kissing her head. “We are having a long talk, young lady.” He pulled Grace up from the ground, hugging her and kissing her while she sobbed in his arms. She couldn’t even speak she was so happy to still be alive and in his arms once again.
“Jackson!” she cried, wrapping her arms around his waist as if never l
etting go again.
“Did he hurt you?” he replied, hugging her so tight she couldn’t breathe. “I’ve never been so scared in my life and I never want to go through that again.”
She was so relieved to be away from James that she couldn’t stop shaking. Her body was cold and her legs felt weak but she didn’t want to let go of Jackson yet. “I’m okay, just relieved.”
Ben was alternating between shaking Hannah and hugging her. “You beautiful, crazy brat. Don’t you ever do anything that dangerous again or I’ll paddle your ass. When he pointed that gun at you and cocked it I almost had a heart attack. Thank God for Billy’s quick thinking.”
Hannah gasped, pushing herself out of Ben’s arms. “You can’t talk to me like that, Ben! Tell him, Jack.”
Jackson let go of Grace for a second and looked over at his sister and Ben. Ben looked scared to death. “I think he can, sis. Maybe he can handle you better than I can,” he said, nodding at Ben and giving him a silent signal that gave Ben permission to date Hannah. Ben smirked at Hannah with superiority and kissed her, swallowing all her protests.
* * * *
Billy came running up to them out of breath. He had stopped to check James out but he was dead and he really couldn’t feel bad about ridding Grace of her attacker once and for all. “Everyone okay here? James didn’t make it.”
Grace sagged with relief, feeling the tears dripping down her face and Jackson holding her up. “I should feel bad but I don’t. I always would have been afraid he would escape again one day. Does that make me a bad person?”
Billy hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. “No, Grace. He chose his own path in life and you have no reason to feel bad about anything. He would have shot Hannah with no remorse and hurt you again. I don’t feel bad for ridding the world of him.”
Jackson nodded in agreement. “We weren’t far behind you two and my heart stopped beating when I heard him firing at you and Hannah. I would’ve killed him myself just for that.”
Billy nodded, agreeing with Jackson. “Thank God you’re both okay. I’m sure I got gray hair now and I’m blaming you, Gracie girl.”
Grace smiled at him. “I’m just so glad it’s over for good.” Now that the adrenaline had worn off she started to cry, hiccupping as she tried to hold it in. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I was so scared I’d never see you all again. Hannah saved my life. I would’ve been wandering around lost in the dark all night if Hannah hadn’t been brave enough to risk her life for me. I for one am glad Hannah has such courage. She is my hero.” She reached out and squeezed Hannah’s hand in thanks.
Jackson pulled Hannah out of Ben’s arms and hugged his sister tightly, kissing her cheek. “Thank you, Hannah. In saving Grace you saved my world.”
Hannah smiled brightly, feeling good in her role in all this mess. “All in a day’s work, people. Hey, Ben, maybe I would make a good deputy, huh?”
“Over my dead body,” he threatened then groaned. “I shouldn’t have put that idea into your head.”