"I like this one," I held out the sample of cake for Connor to try.

"Nah-ah, Princess. I ain't having lemon—nothing sour for my wedding cake!" insisted Connor.

I rolled my eyes, picking up the next sample. "Oh, oh, taste this." I offered out the other half to Connor as he popped it into his mouth with a groan.

I swiped a crumb from his lip. "Good, right?" I re-read the card. "It's Pink Champagne."

"Yee-haw. I'm in love." he said, grabbing my finger and sucking into his mouth. "We have ourselves a winner!"

I smiled, thumbing through my notebook, happy to check off another item off my list whilst Connor discussed quantity and size with Penny, the lady who owned Sugar Treats. My phone pinged, and I swiped it from my purse. Fantastic. The photographer had confirmed.

"Are we done here Princess?" queried Connor.

Nodding. "Yup and Cynthia's niece, the one I told you about, can do the pictures." She was a fashion photographer.

Connor lifted me off my feet and twirled me around. I nearly dropped my notebook. "Connor." I chastised, laughing.

"See, this is the very reason I needed my girl back here to help with all this."

Mine and Adam's wedding had required very little planning—so this fun helping Connor and Max.

"You ready to call it a day?" he asked.

"Hmm, I just want to call in a Laurel's market for tonight's dinner." I wanted to make something special. "It's our one-month anniversary."

Connor's gave me the once over. "Marriage suits you Princess, you're practically glowing," he said, before adding. "So, when's the house ready?"

Groaning. "Guessin' about another month."

Coming back to Lockwood seemed the best idea rather than Adam going back and too. But we had to live in his old house till ours was ready.

As we walked down to the market, I thought I caught sight of my Mama's car and ducked into the recess of a shop door. Connor's face scrunched up.

"Are we hidin' now?"

I shook my head. "No... yes."

He looked around. "All clear."

I stepped out. I'd been avoiding my mama. Not that I was afraid to see her, I just didn't want the hassle.

"Can't avoid her forever, Princess."

"I know that." We came to a stop in front of the market. Change of subject. "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, just a few things."

"Right. I'm gonna grab myself a basket and I'll meet you back here in fifteen, yeah?"

He kissed my cheek. "You got yourself a deal."

I had my reasons for wanting to shop on my own. Yesterday I woke up with a funny feeling, kind of like an upset tummy, and today was the same. This wasn't something new, and I was hoping to pick up a test and confirm my suspicions.

I had a big ass smile on my face as I quickly found the groceries I wanted before checking out the medicine aisle. Setting my basket on the floor by my feet, I scanned the aisle on either side of me to check Connor wasn't nearby. Not that I didn't want him to know. But I wanted Adam to be the first.

There were two types available. I picked up one to read the instructions when a pair of warm hands slid over my waist and a smell of cologne assaulted my nostrils and had my stomach wrenching in revolt.

My skin prickled all over and the box slipped from my fingers. I sucked in a breath and held it as warm breath fanned through my hair over the shell of my ear.

"Look who we have here."

Those words and that smell took me right back to that night. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, trying not to breathe in.

Hands gone, my eyes popped up, and I spun around, looking down to see a thick head of hair. They lifted the box I'd dropped and rose to stand in front of me.

Cooper Stanton.

His smug face came closer to mine. "You drop something?" He shook the box, but paid no attention to what it was. "No?" he taunted and then let it slip from my fingers dropping it into my basket.

He loomed closer, his cologne nauseating to my already fragile stomach. Did he bath in the stuff?

"You better get the hell away from me, Cooper Stanton." Now Pinning me against the shelves, and everything froze apart from my pounding heart.

"I heard you were back." He twirled a strand of my hair around his thick fingers and my head jerked back in protest. "Married no less."

Chills ran across my spine.

Think! Think! Think! Colt trained you to deal with assholes.

My stomach lurched when his hand grazed my breast, and my body reacted. "I said get the hell away from me."

"I've missed you Riley Jo," he said

Miss this—asshole!

I raised my foot and stomped my small heel down onto his foot.

He cursed, drawing back to give me enough space to grab him by the elbows and knee him hard as hard as I could in his meat and two veg.

Yeessss! I wanted to fist pump. "Y'all better walk away before I do something much worse. You hear me?"

He doubled over, stepping back further, hissing as he gripped his groin. "Stupid bitch," he snarled as his eyes lifted. I'd never seen such darkness.

Confidence bubbled through me. Narrowing my eyes, I jabbed my finger toward him. "I know it was you that night. You coward!" I spat out. "You and Clay Henderson. And don't think I'm gonna let this lie. I'm gonna make everyone listen, you yella' bellied sack of shit." His eyes widened. "Maddy, and everyone else will know what you are—you disgusting pig of a man."

He rose to his full height, and that smug look was back sitting on his stupid face. "Shucks darlin', you think that scares me?"

He laughed and moved toward me so fast that if I'd blinked I'd have missed it. I yelped as something stuck in my lower back as he caged me against the store shelves and boxes tumbled onto the floor.

"Tell me, what y'all gonna do?" Bastard smirked right in my face as his muscled body pressed into mine.

I could scream—that's what I could do. I opened my mouth, but his hand was quicker slamming over my mouth, muffling the sound. His other hand ran down my body and cupped my crotch.

Furious. He had my legs pinned as I tried to push against him, but he was at least two-hundred pounds of muscle and didn't budge an inch. My face heated, I wriggled and pulled my head back to allow me to bite his hand.

He hissed, yanking his bitten hand away and raised his other, about to slap me.

I shut my eyes, bracing for impact... but nothing?

I opened them to see Cooper flung into the shelves opposite and Connor was on him and my body sagged with relief as I caught my breath and pressed my hand to my tummy.

"See how you like it, you, dumb hillbilly!" snarled Connor right up in Cooper's face. They were both equal size-wise.

Cooper winced, his face reddening. I followed Connor's hand to see him squeezing Cooper's dick through his jeans. Connor's hand whitened as it tightened its hold.

I bit back my smirk—yea, see how he liked to be groped. Pig!

"Get those fucking queer hands off me, boy," hissed Cooper through his teeth, with sweat now beading on his forehead.

"What don't you like this?" Connor squeezed harder and Cooper's eyes bulged.

"I said get the fuck off me, fag!"

"What—you think I'm interested in your pencil dick?" Connor let go of his groin and shifted his hand up, grasping his shirt between his fist, bringing their faces closer. "If I see you near, touch, or look at her the wrong way. I swear I will make it my mission to fuck you over—you worthless piece of shit."

Connor shouted to me. "Riley?"

Shakily, I moved toward Connor and rested my hand on his arm. "Let him go. He's not worth it." I knew he could lose his job if this got out of hand.

Releasing his grip, he stepped back.

Cooper straightened out his shirt. His eyes found mine. "You'll be seeing me again."

I stood taller, tilting my chin up as Cooper pushed past Connor and stormed off.

Connor turned on me, pulling me into his arms, wrapping me up so tightly I could barely breathe. "You okay Riley?"

I wasn't as I sagged against him trying to fight back tears. "I know it was him. Him and Clay that night. I know it." My voice shuddered. I just had to prove it.

Connor's chest rose and fell and I kept my cheek pressed to his chest. He kissed the top of my head. "C'mon, let's get you home."

Connor dropped me off at home and I made him promise not to say anything to Adam, as I didn't want to upset him or let it spoil our night, especially if we might be celebrating more than just our one-month anniversary. Connor grumbled, but finally agreed.

Showering and changing, I pushed Cooper from my mind. He wasn't important right now. I waited by the door as I heard Adam's car pull into the drive. Excited, I bounced on the balls of my feet. Opening the door, I pounced.

Adam caught me as I wrapped my legs around him, and he cupped my ass. I kissed him.

"I like this welcome home." he laughed as my face flushed.

"I've missed you."

He smiled. "Missed you too baby." Kissing my nose. "And happy anniversary."

He'd remembered. Of course he had. "I've got the dinner all ready, but first." I wriggled and he let me slide down and I took his hand, leading him upstairs.

"I could definitely get used to this kind of welcome home..."

Oh... he thought I was taking him to bed. Well, yeah. Later. "Don't go getting all excited, doctor, I want you upstairs for a different reason."

"Everything okay?"

"Ah-hu." Leading him into our bedroom, I pulled him toward the bathroom. Once there, I pointed to the test on the counter.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, his mouth curving into a smile.

I nodded.

"And...?"

Lifting my shoulders, I squeezed my shoulders. "I don't know. I was waiting for you to get home so we could see together."

He picked it up and studied it. "It's got two lines..." He held it out to me to look. "Does that mean?"

"According to the instructions." I squealed. "We're pregnant!"

"Pregnant," he repeated in that deep timbre that sent chills racing down my spine.

His hand reached around the back of my neck and pulled me against his chest as his arms surrounded me. "Pregnant," he whispered, this time kissing my crown before easing us apart to cup my cheeks and kiss my forehead... cheeks and my lips ever so softly.

His eyes fell on my stomach as his hands traced my curves, as if expecting to see a change already. Then right there in our bathroom, he dropped to his knees in front of me and kissed my tummy over the thin material. "We're gonna have a baby... our baby." He looked up at me in awe.

I nodded, unable to speak, afraid I would start sobbing as emotion pooled in my throat.

He pressed another kiss to my belly and then rose and a tear slipped past my lashes.

"Hey, tell me these are happy tears." His thumb swiped them away.

I nodded like an idiot. "Good," he pulled me in for another hug. Pressing my cheek into his chest, I didn't want him to read the expression crossing my features. I was worried in case something happened, but he read my mind.

"Everything is going to be fine, Riley. Nothing will happen to this baby."

His confident words soothed the stress right out of me.

The next few days flew by in a blur. I had my pregnancy confirmed by a doctor and we decided to wait a little longer before we would share the news with our family and friends. It was our secret for now.

Then Blue and Betsy arrived from New York and Logan Reilly happily housed them until our stables were up and running.

My phone pinged.

Adam was letting me know he was heading for a drink with Chris after work. He'd already told me he was worried something was going on with Chris and hoped he could get him to open up and talk. He promised to be home by ten.

Whilst I had some time to spare, I went through some of my boxes that had arrived from New York. Heading up the stairs, I walked past Adam and Emma's bedroom. The door was slightly open, which was weird, and I caught sight of her picture. Adam had cleared all of Emma's belongings away, including photographs. But that didn't sit right with me and I insisted he shouldn't hide her away. He'd loved Emma, still loved her, but she was the past and I was his future and I no longer felt threatened or worried that he didn't love me enough and when we moved to our own home, I would make sure her pictures and memories had a place there with us.

Singing along to music, I finished emptying another box of shoes. How on earth had I accumulated so many? I giggled to myself. Could a woman really have too many shoes?

Nah...

What the blazing?

The room was plunged into darkness. Was it a power cut? Pulling my phone from my shorts pocket, I swiped it to see it was nine and Adam wasn't due home for another hour. The battery light starting flashing but I used the screen's light to step over boxes to head for the phone next to the bed.

Lifting the receiver, pressing it to my ear. It was dead—no dial tone—nothing. "Damn."

Candles! I spun around, using the light from my phone screen I carefully walked around my mini piles of stuff. Finding three candles and a box of matches, I lit them.

My phone beeped. Shit. I was almost out of charge. I placed one candle on the dresser and set my phone next to it. Picking up the other two, I walked carefully down the darkened hall to the stairs. Placing one on top of the banister, I managed two steps when my ears pricked.

Glass? Was that glass breaking?

I froze.

I retreated up the two steps quietly as I heard the crunching of glass.

Someone was in the house.

Pure, unadulterated terror burst through me. No. This wasn't going to happen to me again.

My hand flattened over my tummy. Adam. Call Adam.

At the top of the stairs, heart racing, I tiptoed back to our room, quietly closing the door. Placing the candle down, I swiped my phone and hit Adam's number.

Please... please... please... pick up

Perhaps, in hindsight, the cops might have been a better call.

"Riley Jo..." I heard my name called in a deep, sickly sing-song tone.

It was a man's voice, and it sounded familiar.

Adam answered the phone. "Hey Baby," he said, "listen—"

I talked over him. "Adam... there's someone in the house," I whisper shouted but the rowdy sounds of voices from the bar drowned me out.

"Baby, I can't hear you... what was that?"

My phone beeped. Shit!

"There's someone in the house..." I waited. "Hello?"

Goddammit!

The battery died.

"Riley Jo..." There was the voice again. It was getting closer.

I was on my own.

You're not weak. You got this. You're strong. Colt showed you how to look after yourself.

I ran my hand across my tummy, my heart sat in my throat. "I won't let anything happen to you...us." I bit on my lip, hard.

Pressing myself against the wall, when the door opened, I would be hidden. Colt's first rule if you can escape—take it. Fighting was the last option.

One heartbeat... two heartbeats.

The door opened. "Are you in here, little Riley Jo...?"

I knew that voice and the blood in my veins turned to ice.

The rug cushioned his footsteps. I counted to three and slipped out from behind the door. His back was facing me as he stepped over a box in the middle of the bedroom. That was my cue. I darted around the door and bolted.

"Oh, no you don't." I heard his heavy steps come after me. Reaching the top of the stairs, my whole body jerked as he gripped my ponytail and yanked. "Noooo." I screamed, my hands flailing out, and I caught the candle, knocking it off the banister.

Darkness swallowed us up. Palming my fist, I slammed my elbow into his ribs and he grunted. "Let me go!"

My cry broke out into a sob as he didn't ease up from tugging my hair. My roots screamed in pain.

Frantically I squirmed, trying to break free as his free hand twisted into my hip and he tossed me like a rag-doll, hardly noticing the thunk of my head against the wall.

Barely able to catch a breath, his muscled body was on me. His sickly breath warming my cheeks.

"If you struggle, this will be a whole lot worse for you. Understand?"

Angling my head up, I couldn't make out his face at all. Was it a mask? But I could see the white of his eyes.

"No!" I wriggled, desperate to be free of him, as I channeled all my fury into pushing back. "I know who you are—you hear me! You won't get away with it this time." I hoped the anger in my voice would hide the fear I felt.

"I said quit it!" he yelled.

I didn't. I was kicking out and lifted my hands to scratch at the face covering and I felt it tear under my nails.

He was breathing hard, yelling. "Quit fighting me!" He pressed his body weight further into me, expelling air whilst being pushed up the wall, leaving me on my tiptoes.

His voice deepened. "We're just gonna have a little fun, you and me."

Like hell we were.

Grabbing both of my hands, he pinned them above my head. I tried to free my leg, but it pinned me in place.

He shifted one hand and cupped my throat, pushing against the pulse point, but it was his smell this close that made me feel sick to my stomach. I might not see his face, but I knew which one of my cowardly attackers it was. "Y'all better leave now, Clay Henderson. Adam is due home any second." My voice wobbled.

Sneering. "Yea, sure he is." His face came closer. "How about me and you take this to the bedroom?" he chuckled sinisterly and yanked me from the wall and began dragging me toward the bedroom, his grip vice like.

Pain fought with panic as I twisted in his hold and clawed at his arms with my heart pounding furiously in my chest. I kicked the back of his knee and his grip slackened and I tugged myself free. He turned quickly, and I tried to knee him in the balls but could hardly see and somehow landed on my ass with a humph!

Clay growled and grabbed me by the hair again, hauling me from the floor, pulling me ever closer to the bedroom. Once inside, he slammed the door behind us, rattling its frame.

Two candles cast enough light around the room for me to inspect him.

"No point in this now," he said and ripped the mask off.

Grabbing the opportunity, I lunged and with a clenched fist caught the left side of his mouth and I yelped with pain. Damn, they always made it look so easy in the movies. I cradled my fist.

He dazedly shook his head, blinking before swiping his finger over his bottom lip, which I'd cut. He spat out onto the floor. "Y'all gonna pay for that, darlin'."

He came at me, lifting me clear off the floor and throwing me onto the bed. I bounced and my head thumped against the wooden corner post, making my world spin for a second and knocking the wind clean out of me.

Coughing, my limbs trembled as I caught uneven breaths.