Billionaire Romance: Strike to the Heart (New Adult College Second Chance Age Play Older Man Younger Woman Romance) (Contemporary BBW BDSM Wealthy Rich Alpha Male Hero Short Stories) (17 page)

The doors of the ambulance closed and we left for the hospital.

*****

Dayton

It took forever for the damn ambulance to get to the hospital. Ronnie was beyond out of it from the drugs the paramedics gave her and she kept mumbling that it was
her
fault she almost got killed. I shouldn’t have brought her to the damn rodeo in the first place. It was my fault she was even there. She was at the bottom of the stands and it would have taken her forever to get out by the proper exits before the fire spread. She did the only thing any scared person would do and I watched it all happen. Ronnie couldn’t hear me yelling for her when she jumped the partition. She would have had enough time to make it to the north exit. Instead of yelling at her I should have just ran for her and took her to where I knew it was safe.

She had broken bones as well as a light injury from being gored, but it could have been worse. I pressed her hand to my mouth and she mumbled about it not being my fault once more.

The ambulance finally arrived at the freaking hospital and the paramedics rushed her into the emergency room. I couldn’t follow them after a certain point and all I could do was pace in the hall after telling one of the nurses her name.

It seemed like forever that they were in the ER, behind one of the curtains working on her. Many anxious people from the rodeo stood and paced in the waiting room.

“Dayton, Dayton!” I heard my brother’s voice and turned to see him rushing up with my parents. “We heard about the fire and the stampede, are you all good?”

My ma was doing her own assessment of me, checking my arms and legs and feeling my ribs for any breaks.

“Yeah I’m good, but Ronnie…she ain’t good man, she got trampled,” I gestured helplessly towards the door separating the waiting room and the room that held Ronnie.

“Shit man, how the hell did that happen?”

Ben and my parents were all concerned for Ronnie. They had each had a chance to meet her while she was on the ranch for my interview, and earlier in the day at the rodeo, and they really liked her. I explained what happened woodenly and then continued to pace.

“Dayton, don’t work yourself up too much. Ronnie will need you to be steady for her when they let you see her,” said my pop. He tried to get me to have a seat and I settled for standing. It took forever and all the other people waiting to see their loved ones seemed to all be called back before a doctor came out calling Ronnie’s name. I was in front of the doctor quicker than my family could stand from their seats.

“Are you all family to Ronnie Stanton?” the doctor asked skeptically. Almost in tandem my brother and parents said I was her husband. The doctor looked skeptical still, but he let it slide thankfully. “Well she’s doing okay. She’s in pain, I’ll give you that and she has a broken radius that we were able to set. She also has a fractured tibia, down by her ankle, and it’s bruised higher up along her shin. The wound in her back was thankfully not too deep. We stopped the bleeding and patched that up.” We all nodded along as the doctor spoke. I just wanted to see Ronnie and make sure she was okay.

“Don’t worry though, all of her injuries she’ll definitely recover from. We’re getting ready to admit her to the orthopedic wing, there you can see her in about ten minutes,” I nodded and the doctor went back into the emergency room. I followed silently behind him and snuck in to see Ronnie. The nurses were just snapping a gown on her as I stepped behind the curtain.

“I’m sorry sir, but you can’t be in here right now,” one of the nurses said sternly. Ronnie looked up and her eyes brightened when she saw me.

“I won’t be any trouble, I just have to see her,” I pleaded with the nurse, who glanced at Ronnie before sighing and turning her back to pretend I wasn’t there. I went over to Ronnie and held on to her hand tightly.

“Ronnie…I’m so sorry, I should’ve—”

Ronnie gave me a stern look which stopped my apology.

“Don’t, it wasn’t your fault. If anything I put
you
in danger. You could have gotten hurt or worse trying to get me out of the way of those bulls,” Ronnie sounded groggy, but otherwise aware and kept my mouth shut instead of arguing with her.

“I’m just sorry you got hurt,” I said, remorse heavy on my voice. Ronnie simply grinned, perplexing me. I glanced at the nurse who shrugged and pointed to the IV bag hanging that must have definitely had pain meds in there.

“I’ll be fine I promise. I could have suffered a lot worse if it wasn’t for you acting so quickly Dayton…” Ronnie’s expression sobered a bit and she looked at me with surprising clarity. “I love you,” I knew she was technically under the influence of medication, but her admission made my heart soar all the same. I beamed at her and she giggled.

“I love you too Ronnie,” I said simply before I kissed her softly on the lips.

I stayed with Ronnie while the nurses brought her up to the orthopedic floor and settled her in. She was going to need a couple casts the next morning and then she would be free to go that afternoon. They simply had braces and stints on her for the time being.

The nurses left the room, and we were alone.

“Dayton I know I have pain medication, but I was serious, I do love you…”

“I love you too Ronnie, and I’ll say it a thousand times over once you’re off the pain medication.”

Ronnie giggled and then soon dozed off.

*****

Ronnie

I had never been sickly growing up. I only caught the flu once and never had any allergies. I certainly never had any broken bones. I think having a broken bone, a fracture and a horn wound was to make up for all of that somehow. Being in the hospital was definitely not fun and the pain of my arm not being one unbroken length as it should have been was excruciating. Whenever the pain would get to be too much for me the nurses would give me pain medication and that just made me horribly groggy.

I knew my parents were there and Dayton hardly ever left my side, his family came to visit me a few times too which was sweet of them. But Dayton went above and beyond; he made sure I didn’t have to do any unnecessary movements and catered to me as if I were way more injured than I actually was. Which earned him points with my normally stoic father who thought no man was good enough for me. By the time I was discharged from the hospital my dad and Dayton were even talking about football. Who knew Dayton was a Dolphins fan as well? 

A few days after the incident I was back home and being spoiled by my parents as well as Dayton and his family when they came over to visit. Dayton was there with me every day though. I was actually surprised he hit it off with my parents so well. I knew my mother would love him, but my dad didn’t try to scare him away, which was rare. When I was in the hospital I was on a lot of pain medication and I vaguely remember ‘I love you’ being thrown around. I just wasn’t a hundred percent sure it was Dayton and me saying it.

Dayton kept looking at me as if he had a secret and was waiting for me to remember what it was; I just wasn’t sure if that was it. I mean I did love Dayton, already, he was everything I was pretty sure I would ever want, plus he got along well with my dad so that was an added bonus.

It was just after dinner and my parents had gone home for the night. They only lived one county over and it was an hour drive to my place. Dayton just came back upstairs after cleaning up the kitchen and he was holding a cup full of ice cream.

“You’re spoiling me Dayton,” I said, grinning, reaching for the cup and spoon. Dayton chuckled at me and got into bed.

“I want to spoil you. I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting to spoil you…even in the afterlife!”

I laughed and Dayton grinned while he reached for the television remote to put on a movie.

“You plan on being with me through until the
afterlife
?” I asked him, only half jokingly. Dayton looked at me and nodded, his expression serious then.

“I love you and I want to be with you for as long as I exist,” his words touched my heart and I was speechless for a moment as tears clogged my throat.

“So that was real? You actually said you loved me in the hospital?” I asked, my voice thick with unshed tears. I kind of hated that I was being such a girl in that moment. One would think we were about to say ‘I do.’

“Of course it was real, I also said that I’d say it a thousand times over once you were off the pain meds,” Dayton smiled at me and I leaned over to kiss him softly on the lips. I kissed him twice more before pulling away.

“I love you too Dayton Fields,” I said and his smile widened to full on breathtaking. I couldn’t believe this man was all mine.

*****

A few months later, I was successfully head over heels for Dayton as well as moved in with him on the Ranch. I had finally healed up and back to normal mostly, though my shin still hurt a bit whenever I ran. It was my birthday and my parents as well as Dayton’s family and our friends were at the house celebrating. It was dusk and the seemingly endless fields were beautiful under the darkening sky.

Dayton tugged me in the direction of the field out front. “Come on, let’s go make your birthday wish on the first star,” he said.

We walked out a ways from the house, to our sort of special spot, where that cow had interrupted us, and Dayton and I found the first star in the darkening sky. I closed my eyes and made a wish while Dayton held onto my hand. I felt a large nose nudge my back and I knew another cow must have wandered far from the rest of the herd. I opened my eyes and looked down at it, she had a note attached to her tail. I snagged it before she continued on her way. I glanced up at Dayton questioningly and he shrugged, seemingly just as clueless as I was. I opened the note and in Dayton’s handwriting was the question, ‘Will you marry me?’

My heart leapt in my chest and tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

Dayton reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful silver engagement ring. There was an impressive diamond on it. The breath fled from my body then. I was surprised, even though I shouldn’t have been. I hadn’t been expecting him to actually ask me right on the spot like that. Though I
did
know he had seemed to be hiding something for the past few days.

“Ronnie Stanton, you are all I’m ever going to want in this life and however many ever more come after that. I love you and I want to marry you so…will you marry me?”

My eyes did fill with tears then; his gaze was sincere and he spoke without any hesitation. I knew I’d be happy with Dayton as long as I was with him, and there was no one else I could see myself being with for the rest of my life.

“Baby please say something, you’re killing me with all those tears,” Dayton said and I remembered I hadn’t actually said yes yet. I giggled and then nodded before the words fell unhindered from my lips.

“Yes, of course I’ll marry you Dayton,” Dayton’s breathtaking smile was back and he put the ring on my finger. He kissed me and then held me in a gentle embrace, then laughed, overjoyed. Dayton kissed away my happy tears and then picked me up and spun me around before kissing me again. I couldn’t help but think about how much I loved him.

THE END

Bonus Story 4 of 6

You’d think that being the only daughter of a millionaire meant I have it easy. But that is far from the truth. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite.

What’s that saying? “The grass is not always greener on the other side.” That’s my life in one sentence. If you were to judge me based on my father’s wealth, you’d think I didn’t have to lift a finger; however, contrary to popular belief, my father made sure I knew what it felt like to work for money.

My father made sure I understood what it was like to earn every penny. He taught me that hard work paid off. Even so, he didn’t want me to go middle-class. I also had to know how to act rich and be rich. And I was only allowed to hang out with the rich. Talk about contradiction.

I figured this out the hard way when I met this great guy a few years ago during a shopping trip the local mall.

We decided to stop by the food court for a late lunch. Without even looking at the cashier, I ordered what I wanted, paid, and waited for my food.

“Oh my,” Amy whispered to me after she ordered her meal. “Didn’t you notice the hottie checking you out?”

“What hottie?”

“The cashier! He kept looking at you and everything, but you clearly didn’t see him checking you out!” Amy was practically yelling now.

I looked over at the boy standing by the cash register. Our eyes met and it was like church bells and butterflies. I saw myself in a wedding dress; my father was walking me down the aisle. It was definitely love at first sight.

I was suddenly conscious about my movements, my facial expression, and even the way I talked. I knew he was paying close attention to me. 

“Just go talk to him,” Amy urged.

“I don’t know what to say Amy,” I kept saying. She suddenly poured my drink in the trash. “Now go ask him for a refill.”

I wasn’t sure what to do. I sat there and deliberated in my head.

“Just go!” Amy kicked me off the chair.

“Okay, don’t push.” I thought of all the ways I could strike up a conversation. What I would say. What my response would be.

“Ummm…can I have a refill?” That was the only thing I managed to blurt out towards the cute boy across the counter as I handed him my cup.

“We don’t give free refills,” the boy said.

“Oh,” I blushed and turned around to leave.

“But since you’re cute, you’ll get one on the house.” He quickly grabbed my cup and filled it. “What’s your name?” His back still turned.

“Angie, yours?”

“Ty.”

“Oh.” There seemed to be a long moment of silence. My heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. It felt like time had stopped. I didn’t know what else to say.

“Wanna go out sometime?” Ty asked as he handed me my drink. I was taken aback. He was so bold.

“Um, sure.” I replied, grabbed my drink and started to walk off.

“So, how should I get a hold of you?”

Duh, he needed my number to call me. What an idiot!

“Yeah, well, you can call me,” I said.

He handed me a piece of receipt paper and a pen with a smirk on his face. He was making me nervous and he knew it.

That was how it all started. We saw each other for a few weeks and decided to go steady. But as easily as it happened, it ended just as quickly.

How did that happen?

I brought him home to meet my parents. My father hated him the moment he laid eyes on him.

Ty was rugged. Ty was abrasive. But most of all, Ty was poor. And, my father wouldn’t let me date anyone who was poor.

“You don’t know what it’s like being poor! I’m trying to show you! If you date him, you’ll be poor for the rest of your life!” My father kicked Ty out within ten minutes.

We continued to see each other on and off after that, but it never amounted to anything. I tried telling myself it was because we were young, but truth was my father was the reason we never worked out.

Of course, being the obedient and approval-seeking child I was, I did as my father wished. I went on to the college my father wanted me to attend. I hung out with the rich crowd. I dated rich frat boys whom I made sure my father approved of. While it made my father happy, I was miserable.

This was my life. No, this
is
my life. I rebelled in college. That was where it all changed. My father and I had a falling out and he stopped paying for my expensive college tuition. But I was determined to make
me
happy.

I tried to make ends meet. I attended medical school and practically worked a full-time job at the same time. I pulled out student loans and amassed a debt so huge that I may never be able to pay it off.

During my graduation, my mother was the only one to attend. My father would not have a thing to do with me unless I bowed to his every demand.

Well, that would never happen. I’d gotten a taste of freedom and I loved it. I was determined to marry the man that would make me happy, not the man that would make my father happy.

*****

Having graduated from Medical school, I wonder what to do next. I could always apply for all the med jobs that are available, but that’s not exactly what I want to do at the moment. After searching around the web for a bit, I land on an interesting page.

Volunteer With Us and Save Lives!

That was the banner. Pictures flash of third world countries with no medical care. I see happy nurses and doctors caring for the old and the young. I realize at that moment that this is want I want to do with my newly acquired medical skills.

I decide to submit my volunteer application for a medical mission to Somalia. It will give me a chance to use my skills to help the needy and the poor. The people of Somalia will benefit from it.

As I read through the application process, it makes me nervous. They seem extremely picky about who they will take with them. One’s background must be squeaky clean.

Oh well, I apply anyways. If I get lucky, I’ll get to go. If not, I’ll settle on applying for something else.

A few days pass with no word. I’m getting nervous. Now that I’ve had time to let it all sink in, I really want to go on this mission. Not only will I get to travel, but I’ll get to see what life is really like for the poor—something my father always wanted me to know.

I sit at my computer waiting for an email.
Bing!
I have an email. Quickly, I open it up.

“Dear Ms. Cross, Thank you for applying for the mission to Somalia. We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted on this mission,” I read quickly. Forget reading the rest of the email.  These first two sentences just made my day!

I get on my phone and call my mom to share the news. She answers after two rings. We have a lengthy discussion and as always end it with whether or not I will come to visit. And as always, I state that I will not come to visit unless my father stops interfering in my personal life.

This is an opportunity of a lifetime! I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world. This may not be much, but at least I’m doing something meaningful.

As I get to the airport, I sadden to see that everyone has someone to wave good bye to. Hugs and kisses were exchanged while I walk by without anyone to wave to.

In the back of my mind, I still thought of Ty. You know the saying, “You never forget your first love.” Well, I never forgot Ty. He definitely was my first love. I never felt for anyone else the way I felt for him.

Perhaps doing something meaningful is my way of trying to fill the void in my life. Regardless, this will be my chance to show my father that I don’t need his wealth.

The plane ride is long and exhausting. But the trip doesn’t stop there. The bus picks us up at the airport and drives another few hours to a remote village.

It’s very dry here. The sun is high in the sky at this point and it’s so hot I might just pass out. I’m starting to second-guess my decision as my excitement starts to fade. What have I gotten myself into?

Suddenly, I want to go home. I’m starting to think about apologizing to my father and admitting that I can’t make it in this world without him.

On second thought, I
can
do this on my own. The poor children of Somalia need me. Our job is to provide medical care and vaccination to this poor village. 

Despite the heat, the dryness, and the dust, there’s a quaint beauty to this country. The trees along the side of the road seem to sway back and forth as though waving hello to me. I look up at the sky to see the birds fluttering by. I haven’t seen a wild animal yet and I hope not to see one.

The bus drives past a quiet creek by the village. The gentle rapids remind me of the man-made stream behind our house which my parents filled with two beautiful koi fish. I haven’t even been out of the United States for very long and I’m already feeling homesick. I shake my head. I can do this.

As we drive up to camp, Dr. Nickelson, the head Doctor, starts barking orders left and right. It’s quite obvious that he’s done this more than once and knows exactly where everything needs to go.

“Set up this!”

“Do that!”

“No it goes right here!”

He had no problem bossing everyone around. We set up the camp according to Dr. Nickelson’s liking. Afterwards, Dr. Nickelson gathers everyone into the main tent for a meeting.

“Now, before I let you go I have to give you a safety brief,” Dr. Nickelson warns.

“Be with a friend at all times. Don’t go anywhere alone. Please remember that you are in Somalia. It’s dangerous here. This is not like the United States. Please be safe.” Dr. Nickelson pounds a fist into the palm of his other hand at this statement. 

“Enjoy your day Medics! Tomorrow we’ll officially start!” He waves us all off. I was so glad he decided to give us the rest of the day to enjoy ourselves even if it means we only have a few hours. 

“Lord knows I need a little time to unwind, even though it is only a few hours until sundown,” Tiffany says. She read my mind!

On the bus ride here, I managed to become friends with Tiffany, an older single woman in her late 40s. She’s been a nurse for over 15 years. She occasionally volunteers for these type of events and enjoys doing this.

“Tiffany, would you like to go exploring with me?” I ask her.

“Sure Angie. Let’s see if we can get one of the locals to go with us though. We’ll need a guide you know.” Tiffany was never a mother, but she sure acts like one. “Always safe. Always careful. That’s my motto,” she told me during the bus ride.

As she goes to find a local who would be nice enough to show us around, I start thinking of where my life will go. Would I be like Tiffany in 15 years or so? Still single? Still doing the same thing?

*****

Tiffany comes back with a young guide.

“This young girl said she will show us around,” Tiffany says. 

“Sure.”

It appears that on previous missions, these kids were taught how to speak English. This means I wouldn’t have a tough time trying to communicate with the villagers.

“What’s your name?” I ask her.

“Ashkiro.” She answers in an accent I wouldn’t be able to reproduce.

“Can I just call you Ash for short?” I ask. She nods.

“Well, I saw a creek outside the village. Can you take us to it?”

“I know secret spot! This way, follow me!” says Ash. Her eyes light up as she pulls my hand toward the road. A sudden excitement rushes through me. I turn to see Tiffany following behind with a child-like grin on her face.

This may turn out to be a great idea after all.

Ash takes us outside of the village along the road. The small creek runs parallel to the road. After about a quarter mile in between two big trees, she leaves the road and follows a small trail toward the sound of the creek.

“Here secret place,” Ash says. 

The creek emerges behind two big boulders. It’s livelier here. I look up toward the plateau far out in the distance and at the horizon. The sun is starting to set now, and the air is cooler. I lean up against the boulder and look into the water. It’s very clear, but there are no fish.

“We need to get back now,” Tiffany pulls me up. “It’s getting dark. It’s not safe.”

“Sure, mother,” I giggle.

“Oh to be young and carefree again,” Tiffany murmurs as she walks back up towards the road.

“You tell no one,” Ash pleas as we walk back towards the road. “This my secret quiet place.”

“Sure Ash. My lips are sealed,” I assure her.

Half way back to the village we hear a gunshot fire off in the distance.  Then another, and more.  It sounds like a fire fight. And it sounds like it’s getting closer.

“We run now!” Ash yells behind her as she dashes off toward the safety of the village.

“Tiffany, let’s go,” I yell at her as I start to run off. I turn back to see a look of horror on Tiffany’s face as she stands still, frozen. I run back to grab her hand and drag her towards the village.