Indebted To My Greenwood Cowboy

TEN

I fight to open my eyes feeling tired. I can feel soreness and pain through out my body.  After taking a few moment to calm myself, I slowly open my eyes and see Chaz sitting by me, holding my hand. I hear him breathing heavily alerting me he is asleep.

 "Chaz." He responds with just a grumble. I squeeze the hand that is encased in his. Chaz's eyes flutter open and when he takes in me awake, he sits up quickly. "Gracie" he croaks out tiredly. I give him a small smile, but it fades when I feel the pain in my lip. He lifts his hand towards my cheek but after hesitating a second he places it back on my hand. 

 "Victor" I say softly. "He was arrested and charged. He will never touch you again. I promise" Chaz says getting up and then sitting on the bed next to me instead of the chair he was originally on. I slowly put my hand towards my face but before I could Chaz grabs it, "Grace" he pauses and kisses my hand, "I had a doctor come look at you. He gave you some morphine to help with the pain levels. I'm sorry but before i could get to you Victor did some damage." "Damage?" He gives me a sheepish look, "Sorry, damage was not the right word to use." The next few minutes are filled with Chaz telling me what happened.

"What happened between my father and you? Why did i have to leave?" I ask after sitting in silence taking in all the information Chaz has told me. "I wanted to tell you something but with your fathers arrival it brought it up and I didn't want you to find out about it that way" Chaz says as he rubs the back of his neck. "Tell me. Your not a criminal are you?" He chuckles and shakes his head no. "Im the CEO of Lincoln and George INC. Lincoln is my last name. George is my uncles last name. I run it from out of here and rarely have to do anything drastic due to the great help of my cousin who is vice president of the company." I'm shocked. "When you found out about my father being Vander why didnt you tell me?" "I've had issues reveling who i am. I live here for a reason. I don't like the the lifestyle that comes with being a billionaire CEO. I was honestly planning to tell you" he tells me.

 "Any chance your mad at me? You are very quiet" "Chaz! Of course I'm not mad. I'm just shocked. So much for being my Greenwood cowboy" I chuckle but end up flinching in pain. "Grace, are you okay" he asks worriedly. "Just sore" i respond. He nods then a slowly a smirk appears, "I'll always be your Greenwood cowboy."

THE NEXT MORNING

My father wanted to talk to me but Chaz told him to hold off til tomorrow so I could get more rest. Just waiting for whatever my father has to say, its just making me anxious. He ended up going and staying at Beth and Brent's inn in town.  

 When I woke up this morning Chaz was lying on the bed next to me leaving a foot between us. I tried snuggling closer to him, but he would then move afraid he would hurt my wounds worse. After my second attempt I gave up. Chaz carried me down stairs for breakfast since Brent and Beth came back over to help out. From the wedding stuff needing the be taken care of and keeping the ranch running, I knew Chaz needed help. Especially since he keeps getting side tracked with me. 

Out of boredom i decide after two hours of sitting in bed to try and sneak out of the room. I tip toe across the bedroom towards the door using the crutches doctor Able brought earlier this morning. Later in the afternoon, Chaz is suppose to take me to his office to get scans done, so I need to make sure I'm back before he comes back.

 Each step i feel slight pain shoo through my body; luckily I have some pain medication in my system which was helping. I peek out the door way and see that the coast is clear. Thank goodness! A take faster steps heading down the stairs and past the kitchen to the back door. "Oh where is he? I don't want to get caught. Maybe i should go say hi to King. I think id be safe from being prisoner in his stall" I whisper to my self.

Once outside i look around everywhere i go to make sure Chaz isn't around. Stumbling occasionally I try my best not to get caught. I really don't want to be sent back to the room. It was a lot of work and pain just to get outside.

 I head to the barn and to Kings stall. "So far so good." I open his stall and sneak in. "Hey boy" I say as I pet Kings neck. "Last twenty four hours have defiantly been rough. How could a day that suppose to be so amazing, go so wrong." I sigh and kiss the top of his nose. I sit down in the far corner of his stall wincing as on my way down and setting the crutches against the wall "ugh. This healing process better go fast" I mumble. After a few minutes i lean my head against the wall and start talking about what ever I can think of to King. After ten minutes I knew I was getting tired. To tired to make the effort back to the house. 

Chaz POV

"I should check on her" I mumble as i stand up and leave the study. The past two hours have been spent sitting at a desk going through paperwork to release my role as a CEO and have my cousin become co CEO. It would make me a silent ceo; only involved in certain things. As requested by my father and uncle I would take over as CEO until i felt ready for my cousin to step up. 

Having the ranch is all i ever wanted and couldn't ask for more. The plus was defiantly meeting Gracie. As i make it to the top of the stairs i call her name, "Gracie." I didn't hear a response so i continue towards my bedroom. Once in the door way I freeze in place seeing the bed empty. "Dammit."

Once downstairs I check each room and having no luck I head outside. "Where on earth are you Gracie," I mumble as I glance around. As soon as I look at the barn, "Ah ha. King." I head to Kings stall. "Gra-" I cut off as I see Grace sitting on the floor sleeping with King laying next to her. Kings head pops up hearing me. I open the stall and slowly approach Gracie, hoping not to spook King. "There boy. Stay put." I put my hand on her shoulder, "Gracie?" She slowly opens her eyes, "Hmm" she responds but doesn't open her eyes. "Lets get you back inside." I pick her up bridle style and head back to the house. Grace wraps her hands around my neck and snuggles her head to my chest.

Once up stairs I place her gently in my bed and pull the covers up over her. "Get some rest Grace. Please stay in the bed this time" I tell her and kiss her forehead. As I leave the room I hear her mumble, "my greenwood cowboy."