Read Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #2 for Free Online

would be riding the NFR and she wouldn’t be around to see it. The thought made her inexplicably sad.
    Exhaustion swamped her, but she still had a long night ahead of her. She glanced at her phone. Mia had called four times. She called her friend back.
    â€œAre you okay?” Mia demanded. “Where are you?”
    â€œI’m fine. I went to the hospital with Seth.”
    â€œThat was some crazy move you did over that fence.”
    A small smile curled her lips. She felt relieved she had a reason to actually smile about something. “I suppose I should thank my parents for all of the gymnastics classes in my youth.”
    â€œIs there anything you need?” Mia’s voice had lost its edge, softening now that her worry was eased. She could picture her best friend’s forehead creased with worry. Mia’s tall, lanky build disguised her ability to move with speed when faced with an angry bull. Her friend’s agility in the arena was amazing and she had fans who came from all over to watch her perform.
    â€œNo, I’m on the way back with Seth. The bull bruised Seth’s leg, but we’re grateful it wasn’t broken again.” She paused. “Mia?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œYou know that man I told you about? Hank Newman?”
    â€œHank Newman? No... Wait. The guy who tried to kill you in college? The one you said stalked you?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat about him?”
    â€œHe was there today. At the rodeo.”
    â€œ
What?
Are you sure?” Mia’s skepticism came through loud and clear.
    â€œI’m sure.”
    â€œBut...why?”
    â€œI think we know why.”
    â€œDid you call the police?”
    Tonya sighed. “No. Not yet. I haven’t had the chance. But, I mean, what’s the point in calling them, anyway? If past experience is anything to go by, it’s not like they can do anything. All he’s done is come to a rodeo. That’s not against the law.”
    â€œSurely the fact that he tried to kill you before would hold some weight in what they could do, wouldn’t it?”
    Tonya thought about that. She was still so shaken that Hank had found her, she wasn’t thinking straight. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ll have to find out.”
    â€œI think you really should. Be careful, Tonya. You never know what he might do.” She paused. “Actually, you do know what he might do. Best to avoid that.”
    She hung up with her friend and closed her eyes.
    â€œYou okay?” Seth asked.
    â€œI’m scared,” she admitted without opening her eyes. “I can do high-wire acts, let someone springboard me out of a cannon and face down ornery bulls, but the thought of coming face-to-face with Hank Newman paralyzes me with a fear I don’t know what to do with.”
    She felt his hand close around hers with a gentleness that disguised his strength. The instant comfort she felt surprised her—warmed her. “We’ll go to the police if you see him again.”
    â€œAt first I didn’t think going to the police would even matter. But Mia pointed out the fact that he has been jailed for trying to kill me, so maybe...”
    â€œWe’ll get a restraining order.”
    She sighed. “Like I already told you, I’ve done that before. And I’ll do it again, of course, but he doesn’t care. It didn’t stop him from tracking me down at work the day he got out of prison, and I’m afraid it won’t stop him now.”
    â€œMy brother is a sheriff’s deputy in Wrangler’s Corner. I’ll ask his advice.”
    â€œOkay. Thanks.” She’d let him do that but didn’t hold out much hope that it would help. After all, she’d already been down that road once before. She knew it led only to a dead end.
    * * *
    Seth’s leg burned with an ache that kept him tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position on the mattress. He