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Lia teetered, braced herself against a massive limb, and then leaped from the prone trunk. She landed in a crouch midway between the felled tree and where Derek stooped over Karma.
He smiled that she’d taken the bait, and released the puppy. Karma snapped at air before skittering out of reach.
She realized he’d tricked her into moving away from the sheltering branches. Lia stumbled back.
In one smooth motion Derek stood while picking up the branch, stepped forward and swung his club.
She tucked and rolled, instinctively holding up her forearm to protect her head. The limb thwacked against her wrist, and Lia’s scream came out a croak. She grasped the injury with her other hand.
Karma barked and danced with excitement, trying to reach Lia, but had to dodge away when Derek swooshed the club in her direction.
Staring up at Derek, Lia blinked furiously to clear tears. She lay on her right side, and struggled to her knees, difficult to do without using her arms. The pain from the broken wrist radiated to her shoulder. “Why, Derek? Why do you hate me? What’d I ever do?”
He held the branch like a Louisville Slugger, and offered a couple of taunting practice swings while he watched her. “You look so much like her. Sound the same, act the same.” Derek stepped forward, wound up, chose his target and swung. “She made bad choices, too. Went on vacation, and got herself knocked up.”
Gasping, Lia covered her head with her good arm and rolled. This time the club thudded against her thigh. At least she still wore the padding from the morning’s training session. She gasped, then spoke through gritted teeth. “This is about my mom?” It’d be ironic if she’d learn about her birth, and then die with the knowledge. But if she could keep him talking, distract him with his own anger, maybe help would arrive in time.
“Kaylia.” He uttered the name like a filthy word. “Wanted to kill the slut myself when I found out.” He swung again. Missed. Braced his feet and swung again.
Karma whimpered, dodged past Derek and scampered to reach Lia. Without thinking, Lia opened her uninjured arm and Karma ran to her without hesitation.
“The bitch was my fiancée! Our families had an understanding, and she threw all our plans away. If she hadn’t died giving birth to you, I would have . . .” He panted, sobbing. “You killed her. You killed my Kaylia. You should have died, not Kaylia.” Derek grunted, putting everything he had into the next swing.
Her world spun, the emotional blow far worse than the thud to her side that numbed Lia from waist to shoulders. She fell over, only half-aware of her surroundings.
She couldn’t breathe, cement chilled her cheek, her mouth gaped like a catfish. Derek’s soaked, ruined high-tops dragged laces within inches of her eyes . . . Lia sucked one fire-laced breath deep into her lungs, fighting to stay conscious, and waited for the next blow that would end it all.
Karma twisted in Lia’s limp arms, not leaving her side. She slurped Lia’s eyes and then looked down the aisle toward the office.
Lia followed the dog’s gaze. After one quick smoke-laden puff—she knew that smell!—the wind died, so the clomping boots echoed in the sudden quiet of the night.
Derek looked from her to the approaching figure, and whispered as he hefted the tree limb. “You get some company under that old bois d’arc.” His sneakers made no sound as he hurried to ambush the rescuer.
Lia used every muscle and ounce of will to draw one big breath—God, it hurts it hurts!—to scream, “Run!”
“Lia-girl, that you? Thank heavens, thought for sure the storm got you when I got your text.” His voice shook with emotion. “Where are you?”
She’d hoped he’d send help. But he came by himself? Been worried about her? “Get out, please get out!” Her voice croaked words she could barely hear. The numbness in her torso gave way to throbbing but her good arm still worked. She squeezed the puppy, and Karma squealed.
Derek strode forward. Darkness hid him from view, as club raised, he prepared to clock the man as soon as he came through the door.
Then she knew what to do, the one thing left to save herself. To save Grandfather. Lia cuddled Karma, stroked the puppy’s face, and whispered in her ear, and then let her go.
