Love Her Softly

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Fear clogged Emma's senses. She had thought she was safe. IT had been months since she'd seen him....

Now her father had tracked her down.

Emma turned slowly, her heart racing against her ribs. "What are you doing here, pa?"

Silas' haggard, bearded face split in an ugly smile. "Well listen to ya! Talkin' all proper and forgettin' where ya came from and what ya are."

Emma shook her head, hoping he couldn't hear her knees knocking together. "I haven't forgotten anything," she assured him.

"Where's that husband of yers and all those bodyguards?"

"Around," she whispered weakly.

He laughed, the sound harsh in her ears. "Ya know better than to lie to me, Emma Hawke."

Emma swallowed hard. "My name isn't Emma Hawke anymore. It's Emma McIntire now and you know that. Liam won't like you bothering me."

Rage contorted Silas' features and Emma knew she had said the wrong thing. Damn! She'd gotten more and more comfortable with speaking her mind lately and it was going to cost her dearly.

"Do ya honestly think I give a hell what that bastard of a man would want?"

Emma knew violence was coming. She laid a hand over her stomach and thought of the life growing there. She would not let her father take something else from her! He had stolen her childhood with his abuse. Murdered her mother. Tried to murder her husband. He would not harm her child.

There was a gun in her pocket.......

Before Emma could build up her courage to reach for the weapon, and, before her father could resort to the violence Emma knew was coming—a furry body came between them.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Chase's voice was one of the best sounds Emma had ever heard in her life. "This is a family matter and not any business of yers," Silas growled. Emma could no longer see him but his anger was plain to hear.

"And Emma's my family," Chase replied. "If you think for one single moment I'll let you harm a hair on her head, you're even dumber than you look."

Emma nearly fell over. Silas was not a man most men wanted to cross and yet Chase had just threatened and insulted him at the same time!

It seemed Silas was as shocked as Emma was. He stammered and huffed but remained at a loss for any real words. Chase smiled down at Emma and reached out a hand. "Hop on up, Emma and I'll find you some better company to keep."

Emma was more than happy to have an escape from her angry father. She let Chase pull her up on the horse and she kept her yes on Chase's back, avoiding see her father again.

Once they were safely back on the bustling main street, what had just happened seemed to truly sink in. Emma began to shake and tears filled her eyes.

"Don't panic now," Chase gently scolded. He brought the horse to a stop, jumped down and pulled Emma down with him. "It's all over, Emma," he soothed, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back.

"I should probably get you home," Chase offered as Emma's trembling slowly subsided and he pulled away.

"Why was he here? Why follow me?" Emma whispered.