Page 40 of Tyler

Piper’s life flashed before her eyes…her life with Ty.

She remembered vaguely hearing an engine, but it wasn’t until Ty’s face had lost all color and he was running her way at full speed that she’d seen the vehicle heading straight for her.

Not again, she thought a second before Ty pushed her out of the way and was hit by the car.

Oh, God. He was face down, half on the grass, half on the sidewalk.

“Ty!” She scrambled to her knees and crawled the three feet separating them. “Ty!”

Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead.

Her hands shook as she touched his arm, then tears spilled down her face when he stirred and tried to sit up.

“No! Don’t move,” she said in unison with his brother who was now kneeling beside them, speaking into a gadget on his collar.

Ty sat up anyway. “I’m okay. It’s my shoulder again. Go get that son-of-a-bitch, Gabe!”

The sheriff looked torn between staying with his brother or chasing down the bad guy.

“Go, Gabe!” Ty insisted. “I heard you call for an ambulance. We’ll be okay. Go do your job, dammit!”

The sheriff glanced at her, and she nodded.

By this time, her entire body was shaking.

“It’s okay.” Ty cradled his arm while reaching for her with his other hand, then pulled her close. “Piper…thank God you’reokay.” He trembled against her. “I didn’t think I was going to make it to you in time.”

“You could’ve been killed,” she whispered, emotion clogging her throat.

“So could you, but we weren’t.”

But she barely heard him as the wordkilledresonated in her head. Her heart squeezed, and God, it hurt so bad.

“Piper…Piper, look at me.”

She felt a hand on her cheek, and she blinked a few times until Ty’s face came into view. He was still pale, and worry cast a shadow over his eyes.

“Did you hit your head? Where are you hurt? I pushed you out of the way really hard. I’m sorry, I had to.”

She blinked again and inhaled. “It’s okay. I’m okay. Only my hip is sore where I hit the curb.”

He closed his eyes and muttered a curse before opening them again. “I’m so sorry.” His gaze was dark, and she knew part of it was from pain and part was from concern. “Come here,” he said, and pulled her against his chest again. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”

She wasn’t sure if the embrace and words were for her benefit or his, but she wasn’t complaining. His heartbeat was strong and elevated, but it soothed her nerves, and lessened enough of her anxiety for her mind to clear. She remembered something.

Piper drew back. “Oh my God, Ty. It was the same guy as before.”

“Which one?” he asked, fishing the phone out of his pocket with his uninjured hand.

“The guy who stopped.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I saw the scar on his cheek.”

Ty muttered another curse as he put the phone to his ear. “Carter, the bastard tried to run Piper down again. It’s Joel Meyers. No, she’s okay. He hit me instead. Just my shoulder. In front of Rosie’s. He went east down Main. Gabe is in pursuit. Pinpoint Meyers’ movements and inform Gabe. No, the ambulance is already on its way. Actually, it’s here. Will do.”

He hung up and met her gaze. “They’ll get him. He won’t be able to hurt you again.”

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