A Lethal Lady
Chapter 20

-Don't think you can intimidate me by threatening me, I can take care of myself without any help from you or anyone else Ill make that very clear to you, sheriff” She makes an attempt to get to her feet, but out of nowhere she staggers and Tor immediately holds her in his arms.

“What the hell do you think you're doing? He reprimands her in his arms.

They both look at each other's faces, they were so close, yet neither of them pulled away. Well, in fact it was Tom who ha to, since Rouse was restrained. But the sheriff was not about to let go of the blonde.

-Every chance you get, you pretend to touch me? -Rouse pushes him away, but Tom doesn't let go, rather, he holds her tighter.

-If you stand up again, I swear I'll be forced to tie you to the damn bed.

The blonde’s jaw squeaked in anger, how dare he talk to her like that. He was a fucker who was taking advantage of her weakness.

Rouse jerked her body in the sheriff's arms, but Tom held the woman loosely by the waist, then laid her down on the bec “Stay there,” he orders her.

-He's a brute,” she blurted out, more angry than ever, hating being treated that way. I'm not a child to be treated this way. -Do you want to lose your feet? The nearest place to treat you properly is two days’ ride from here, on horseback. And in your condition you couldn't even ride, so I advise you to stay still in your damned bed.

“You won't be able to handle me as you please, Mr. Wesley. As soon as I get well, you'll see I'll get out of here.

50 as long as your feet don't heal, you won't set foot outside.

Tom nods with his hat and walks to the door, she watches him walk away and feels like hitting him. He was so arrogant, h thought he could handle her as he pleased and it made her sick.

After she is left alone, Rouse lets out her breath. She looks down at her feet, staring at the new bandages, how the hell w she going to get away in that state? Or at least work. That woman, Hilary, would probably end up kicking her out of the hotel.

And if not, the damn sheriff would pay for her care. She resented the fact that she was getting deeper and deeper in debt to this guy. It wouldn't be enough to pay him back, it would take too long to stay in that town.

-1 need to get out of here, I need to find a way to get away.

[.]

Tom went inside the hotel, as he went up the stairs he met Hilary, coming down the stairs. She stops a few steps away fro him.

I've been looking for you for a long time.

“What do you need?

-I thought you wanted me to prepare the tub for you.

-Don't worry, but I did want to ask you something.

“Whatever you say," she replies, stepping down a step, standing a short distance from him.

Miss LeRoy is on bed rest, unable to work at the moment. So she needs to rest and recover from her injuries.

She looks at him dumbfounded... out of nowhere she had turned pale.

“What are you saying? Do you want me to keep her in my hotel without doing anything? -Tom frowns.

-Vll take care of everything, I'l be responsible for her expenses.

-Are you going to pay for everything?

Yes. send me a message if anything comes up, I'll go up to my room. Good night, Hilary.

The woman stood in the middle of the stairs while her teeth chattered with rage. She hadn't expected Tom to pay the expenses of a stranger he didn't know. Hilary began to suspect that these two were up to something, for no man would correct a woman's needs unless it was in exchange for certain favours.

And that thought filled her with anger....

She looked up, noticing that the sheriff had disappeared. She couldn't be reckless with the woman, if anything happened to the stranger, Tom would blame her. Hilary licks her lips and finishes walking down the stairs.

[.]

The next day, Rouse tries his best to get to his feet. But the pain in his side was too intense for him to even think of liftin; his body completely out of bed.

Just then, the door opens and Lauren walks in with a tray in her hands...

You're awake, that’s good.

“What are you doing?

-1 brought you breakfast, my mum told me what happened to you.

“Why did you bring me food?

Mr Wesley ordered it.

-1 don't want him to pay for anything, tell him... I can't, miss.

-1 can't, miss. He has asked me to take care of you, please don't make any more trouble for him. Besides, he’s being very kind to you.

Ym going to check on his wounds, do you want to take a bath?

~You should attend to the hotel guests.

1d rather wait on you, I don't like the new guest.

“Why? Has he done or said something to you?

Lauren remains silent as she lowers her gaze to focus on her feet. Rouse details his movements and suspects that something has happened, perhaps the man made a pass at the young woman. Usually, a lot of bullies like that took advantage of girls like her.

And that was something she would not tolerate, even though she couldn't care less about that town. She wasn't going to. a bastard like that get away with it.

“What room is he staying in? -Lauren looks up.

Miss! What are you going to do?

1 asked you a question.

“It's next to Harry's. But don't do anything, that man didn't do anything to me, please, I don't want to get my mother in trouble.

Rouse kept silent, how was it possible that she preferred to say nothing. If that man had done anything indecent to her, that girl would be scarred for life. On the other hand, what the hell did she care what happened to her, anyway, he was demanding that she do nothing.

-As you wish!

ll wipe her feet.

“You don't need to do any of that, I can do it myself. Just go away.

-But the sheriff asked me to...

-Go away. -He demands. -I don't care what the sheriff said.

Yes, I'm sorry.

As the young woman gets to her feet, they both notice that Tom is standing, lowered in the doorframe, watching Rouse. -And what are you doing here?

-Sheriff, I...

“You can go Lauren, I'l take care of the lady.

-But sheriff, it's not right that....

-Go take care of something else.

She nods and then leaves the room. Tom closes the door and crosses his arms as he looks at Rouse’s feet.

-How do you intend to clean yourself if you can't even bend over?

-And who asked you to take care of my expenses? I don't intend to go further in debt to you, I've already got enough to o you to add to my troubles.

“Well, you have to eat, don’t you?

-BUL if it's to keep on owing you, I'd rather not.

Tom takes off his hat and ends up kneeling before her, it wasn't like him to do that sort of thing. But this woman was very stubborn, I suspect she would throw Lauren out so she wouldn't help her, and that's exactly what happened.

That's why he went to see her, and now he would have to take care of her injuries himself. It was unbelievable, it was the first time he had ever treated a suspicious stranger... As soon as he took Rouse’s foot, she pulled him back.

-Don't even think he’s going to touch me again.

-And who will? -He glares at her.

Anyone but you.

-Oh, yeah? It seems she already has someone in mind who can help her, and it's not Lauren.

Perhaps your right-hand man will have no problem doing so, seeing as you've sent him to follow me. Let me tell you, you doing a very bad job.

The sheriff frowns, he knew very well how to provoke a man's anger. Maybe no one had ever told him what a loose mouth he was. And to bring Harry into the conversation, she had to be so brazen.

You don’t seem ashamed to have my right-hand man take care of you, do you think he can do it better than me?

“No doubt of it. He's even much kinder and less arrogant than you, Mr. Wesley.

His patience was at an end, the woman needed to be told off.

Tom grabbed Rouse’s foot and pulled it into his body, he didn't care if it caused him pain or not. But if she was being bra then he would have to put up with her cleaning his wounds himself, whether he liked it or not.

She was just a provocateur who liked to stoke the anger that built up inside her every time he went against her...

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