Page 27 of Fierce Protector
“I’m fine! Go after him—”
A roar sounded from the doorway, sending every horse into a panic. Suddenly, Ledger appeared in front of her. His strong arms snapped around her in a protective hold.
“Tell me what happened. Did someone attack you?”
Breathing in gulps, she nodded. He smelled like man and hard work and a hint of mint. “A man was around Lonesome Rose. When I came down from the loft, he saw me and pushed me.”
Ledger’s angular jaw seemed to firm into pure steel. His gray eyes glinted with fury. “Find him. And when you do, I call the shots.”
The men paused for only a beat before taking off in pursuit of the man who’d been in Lonesome Rose’s stall, leaving her alone with Ledger.
He cupped her face and raked his gaze over her from head to foot. “You hit the floor?”
She felt shakier as adrenaline struck full force with nowhere to go. “He knocked me into the wall and I fell on the floor.”
His jaw flexed, looking like the tendons might snap. She swore she heard the noise of his molars grinding. “Goddammit, Demi. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“Ledger, I’m fine.”
His gaze dipped to her midsection. “You’re going to a doctor so he can check you out.”
From what she knew of animals, unborn fetuses were well protected in their wombs. She wasn’t hurt and hadn’t fallen on her stomach. She was in early stages of pregnancy. More than likely, everything was fine, but she still should be examined.
Her insides tremored. He was right.
She nodded, started to push to her feet. Before she could move, he whipped her into his arms. She landed softly against his chest, cradled protectively.
When he carried her outside, she looked around at the ranch, fearful of what she’d see. It felt eerie. Abandoned. Where was everyone? A sinister pall hung over the land.
That man had sneaked past all the guards and he was going to…what? Finish off the horse that he’d failed to kill the first time?
Ledger placed her in her car and drove her to the hospital several miles outside of Eden. Each mile they drove, he threw her another worried look until she couldn’t stand it anymore and reached over to cover his hand with hers.
He released a rush of air and squeezed her fingers. “It’s okay, Demi. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”
Emotion balled in her throat. She couldn’t speak so remained silent.
The next hour was a whirlwind of explanations to medical staff. When they finally put her in a darkened room to perform an ultrasound, reality smacked her like a freight train.
She could lose the baby.
Would that be a good thing? It was an easy way out of the unexpected responsibility, and she wouldn’t have to deal with Ledger anymore.
Holding her breath, she watched the monitor. Being trained, she knew exactly what those little wavy lines revealed.
When the fast tick tick tick of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room, she burst into tears.
Ledger stood next to the bed, straight and tall and…stunned. He seemed frozen, mesmerized by what he was seeing and hearing.
The doctor conducting the ultrasound didn’t shift her attention from the screen. “That’s your baby’s heartbeat.”
He swiped a hand over his face.
“You’re measuring at eight weeks pregnant, which you may know means your baby began growing six weeks ago. We measure from your last menstruation.”
Demi watched another wave of surprise wash over Ledger’s face.
Did he think she’d lied to him? She supposed some women liked to trick men that way—he might only be familiar with that variety of the opposite sex.