Burned

by Stone, Piper

  Panting, I dragged my tongue across my lips, wanting nothing more than to see his face. “Can I look at you? Please?”

  “Not yet, baby girl. You have to learn to trust me. Keep your eyes closed.”

  He could have no idea how difficult his demand truly was, fear of the unknown as well as the dark gripping every last nerve. I couldn’t tell him, admit my fears. I couldn’t share with him all the ugly discipline I’d received at the hands of people who didn’t care for me in the least.

  Calming my nerves, I realized that this man wouldn’t hurt me. He was indeed my protector. For good or for bad.

  A rush of realizations swelled in my mind, a thought that I found difficult to accept, terrifying to believe.

  I loved him.

  I. Loved. Him.

  There was no rhyme or reason, no understanding of how this could happen so quickly, but the understanding brought tears to my eyes. I let out a single sob, one that sounded so woeful, so terrifying.

  Then I felt the weight of his body, his fingers brushing the tears from my cheeks. “Did I hurt you, baby? Are you all right?”

  “Yes. Yes,” I choked out. “No! I mean, you didn’t hurt me, Hawk.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “It’s just...” As usual, the words wouldn’t form, other than some blubbering mush.

  He rubbed my face, his thumb moving back and forth. So gently he kissed my lips, sliding his tongue just inside. “Tell me, sunshine. Talk to me.”

  “I can’t. You’ll think it’s stupid.”

  “Nothing you say to me I’ll think is stupid. What’s wrong?”

  I bit back another hard sob, knowing that if I didn’t see him, I could find the courage to say the words. “I love you, Hawk. I know it sounds crazy, but I do. Please don’t be angry with me.”

  Within seconds, I no longer felt his sweet caress or the weight of his beautiful body against mine. He was going to leave me all alone. He was just going to walk away. I’d broken that trust he so desperately needed me to have. I’d destroyed the little tryst we were having with stupid, horrible words.

  “Look at me, sunshine.” His tone was flat, devoid of emotion.

  I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. Instead, I shook my head, holding back another round of tears. I could tell he was untying me, jerking and tugging at the rope as if desperate to free my hands.

  “Please, look at me.”

  Very slowly I opened my eyes. I was certain there would be admonishment, anger. Even hatred. His eyes glowed and not from the light of the fire, but from the tears glistening in them.

  “Hawk.”

  “Shhh... Baby. Keep those beautiful eyes on me.” As he crouched between my legs, his lips brushing against mine, I could feel his heart beating, thudding against his powerful and gorgeous chest.

  The kiss was intimate and rippled with passion, his tongue moving back and forth with mine, his hand cupping my cheek. There was such gentleness in his embrace, his command still there but this was yet another side of him.

  Caring.

  Trusting.

  Loving.

  When he eased back, nipping my lower lip, only then did he exhale, the sound scattered.

  I watched the way his pupils constricted, the tears abated but the richness of his deep emotions still there, bridging the surface.

  He slowly eased his cock to my pussy, sliding just the tip inside then pulling one leg around his hip then the other. “I want you, Kelly Aspen. I want all of you.”

  “And I want you.” As he slid inside inch by inch, spreading me wide, my muscles aching to take all of him, the electricity soared to a new level. This wasn’t about fucking any longer.

  This was about making love.

  I shoved aside all the demons, joy filling my heart. Whatever happened in our life, in my wretched world, we would always have this special moment.

  There were no additional words spoken as he filled me with his cock, moving in and out in even motions. He kissed my cheek, my eyelids, his deep breaths exaggerated.

  As the thrusts became more savage, our combined hunger burning from deep within, the barbaric look returned in his eyes. I was his possession. I was the woman he could trust, the one who’d unchained him.

  We were two damaged souls, our hearts broken over and over again, but we’d found each other. An unsettling feeling slipped past my bliss, as if the wind howling outside was bringing in evil. As if someone was coming to destroy our happiness.

  I knew it.

  He knew it.

  There were no words to say to stop the madness, no method of controlling the inevitable. Even as he captured my lips once again, holding me as he thrust harder and faster, the words didn’t need to be said.

  I raked my nails down his back, holding his muscular ass as he fucked me, driving so deep inside that I was breathless with awe and wonder.

  But the tears fell again, trickling down toward the rug.

  Rearing back, he gave me a ferocious smile before turning me over, his carnal needs outweighing everything else. “I want all of you, sweetheart. Every inch. Never forget that.”

  Hawk straddled my hips, shoving his cock into the cleft of my ass. I took several deep breaths as he pushed the tip inside my asshole, wiggling underneath him, longing to be able to touch this glorious man.

  He drove inside in one easy thrust, tossing his head back and roaring, “Fuck. Yes! So tight. So perfect.”

  I suddenly didn’t feel perfect, the woman who was so broken inside. Could he be the only way I was able to heal? The pain shifted almost immediately into the most amazing warmth as he rode me, shoving me hard against the rug. I closed my eyes once again, savoring the dazzling sensations as the ecstasy continued to blossom, shooting into every cell and exploding.

  “Yes. Yes!”

  Chuckling, the sound rippled with a sensuous and dangerous husk, he smacked my ass one more time, driving harder and faster.

  I could tell he was close to coming. I wanted him to fill my asshole with his seed. I wanted him to cover my body with his cum, keeping the scent of him all over my body. I squeezed my muscles, smiling the second I heard his strangled cry.

  Then I felt the warmth, the beautiful heat as he erupted, spewing his cum deep inside. This was entirely too perfect.

  He leaned over, taking gulping breaths, a sensuous whisper floating into my ear. “I adore you, Kelly. Never forget.”

  There were no words of love, no promises of tomorrow. I’d been such a fool. A man like Hawk could never fall in love again.

  And certainly not with a woman like me.

  * * *

  “You’re nothing without me, Kelly. You might think you are given who your father is, but that’s bullshit.”

  I glared at Josh incredulously. Of all the ridiculous things he’d said to me, this had to take the cake. “What the fuck are you getting at?”

  He stormed toward me, his shoulders heaving. “You know exactly what I mean. If you try and ruin me or my family, so help me God, I’ll make certain that your life is ruined and that of your father.”

  “My father’s dead, you prick.” I knew then everything I’d worked so hard to achieve in California was over and I was damn glad it was. “How could I have ever cared for you?”

  He snorted, tilting his head and giving me the same holier than thou expression I’d seen so many times. “Don’t feel too bad, sweetheart. I never gave a damn about you. Just a way of expanding our wealth.”

  Sweetheart.

  No wonder I wasn’t fond of the word.

  I hissed, rolling my freezing fingers across my neck. I’d been such a stupid fool to actually think a man like Josh could care about me. To this day, I had no idea what kind of crap he was trying to pull, but I’d been used in every manner, including the threat about turning me in for embezzlement. Fuck them.

  Christ. How had everything gotten so damn out of control?

  Horrific decisions. That was the basic answer.

  Even bundled up in a heavy sw
eater, jeans, and boots, the frigid chill penetrated into my bones. I stood on the front porch, a cup of coffee in my hand, staring into the wilderness. Light snow continued to fall, the whipping wind making the remaining storm seem like a blizzard. The slight howl remained eerie, adding to the melancholy mood I’d fallen into.

  The reason?

  Life.

  Hawk’s insistence that he was going to get to the bottom of the lies and deceit was comforting but unrealistic. I’d been able to tell by his reaction during our few frank conversations that Sheriff Davis had enough connections to bury my case for a long-ass time. As amazing as Hawk was, he couldn’t stop a freight train. That left running. My only option. Only I was exhausted from trying to start a new life, become something of importance. What choice did I have?

  I studied the wind drifts, mesmerized by the various formations created by nature. I’d seen significant snows in my life, but they were entirely different in a city devoted to people working long hours. A pristine blanket never lasted, long, filthy brown crystals lining the streets and sidewalks within an hour of the last flake falling. Even the few snowmen built by carefree children held a dingy look, as if covered in pollution and remnants of the dirty city.

  Or as if swallowed up by sadness.

  I leaned against the porch railing, listening for any telltale signs of life. Everything was so peaceful and quiet, all noise in a beautiful vacuum. From somewhere in my mind, I was able to pull a single memory of one lovely snowfall. I could still hear my mother’s laughter, my father’s booming voice as they chased me around the house. That had been close to the end, the absolute destruction of my fairy tale.

  The memories of my parents had long since faded, not just by time but by the number of people who’d come and gone in my life. The saddest part of all was that I could no longer see my mother’s face in my mind, and my father? Well, as happy as I remember we were, he traveled so often that every fabulous image of him was doing something amazing together as a family. How sad I needed the single framed photograph of them as a reminder.

  The circus.

  Walt Disney World.

  The beach.

  He’d tried to give his little family the entire world before he died.

  Why did the coffee suddenly taste bitter? I slid it across the small outdoor table, folding my arms and shivering. I gathered a scent of the fire, the smoldering ashes still generating enough smoke to fill my nostrils, creating a sense of warmth even in the cold. Wearing Hawk’s coat, the scent of his testosterone and hard work covering every inch of the dense material was so sensual. Together, the two smells were like home.

  I had absolutely no right in thinking that way. This wasn’t my home. I wasn’t even entirely certain if it really was Hawk’s either. What was he hiding from?

  I heard Buck scratching at the door, wanting nothing more than to be outside in the snow. I’d never had a pet, not even a gerbil. I hadn’t stayed long enough in one place to put down any kind of roots, let alone be allowed to have a furry friend. A smile crossed my face just hearing his slight woofing sound. With his daddy still asleep, he seemed to know better than to sound off a shrill bark.

  Unable to resist, I opened the door, immediately placing my finger over my mouth. The second woof was more exasperated, Buck’s tail wagging a mile a minute.

  “Go on. Go play.”

  Buck whined the minute he jumped off the porch, frolicking and jumping in the snow, his eyes shining with unabashed joy. He romped closer, kicking up strings of snow from his excitement. He had me laughing within seconds, sharing in his love of the outdoors. I raced off the porch, jumping and trying to run through the dense piles of snow, Buck chasing after me.

  This was true freedom, the bliss of ice crystals falling on my face, a dog nipping at my heels. Stumbling, I fell smack into the snow and within seconds, Buck had rolled on top of me. I couldn’t stop laughing as he romped and barked. Scrambling to my feet, I grabbed a handful of snow, tossing and running.

  Everything was glorious as we played, moving back and forth. I hid behind a tree, giggling when Buck found me, rolling me over and over then licking my face.

  The chill was now invigorating, creating a tingling of warmth through every inch. The only cold left was in my fingers from dipping them into the snow, pitching as many snowballs as possible. Buck struggled through the several inches of snow covering the ground, lagging behind.

  “Come on, baby. Come to Mama.” The wind already knocked out of me, I leaned over, beckoning for the pup.

  Then my hackles raised as the deep-throated growl coming from Buck’s throat had nothing to do with playtime. Only when I turned my head did I realize just how far we’d wandered from the cabin in our playtime. I could see our tracks through the snow, but the only glimpse of the structure itself was faint. Even the rising smoke from the chimney had faded into the graying sky.

  “Buck. It’s okay. Go home.”

  Buck took cautious steps closer to me, his head hung low. I sensed a presence but heard nothing. The dog kept coming, baring his teeth and his eyes lit up with a wildness I hadn’t seen. I risked turning around, scanning the perimeter very slowly. I saw nothing. No tracks. No obvious signs of an intruder.

  Reaching down, I stroked the back of Buck’s head. His entire body was rigid, ready to pounce. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

  He refused to move, the snarl on his muzzle remaining. Even slobber dripped from his mouth, the look ferocious and utterly terrifying. Whatever remained in the thickness of the forest was hunting. “Buck. Come on, baby. Come with me.” I backed away, keeping my eyes darting from the forest back to Buck, trying to retrace my steps.

  Several twigs snapped and suddenly every sound was ominous, foreboding.

  A warning.

  A howl.

  Then two.

  Buck issued a series of growls, finally barking several times in his own warning to the would-be attackers, but he remained where he was, even hunkering down.

  I closed the distance, grabbing his collar. “Listen to me. Come on, Buck. You need to come with me!” A shuffling of leaves drew my attention then I heard footsteps. “Now!” My exasperated scream got his attention and he took off beside me, still snapping his jowls, stopping every few seconds to turn and growl. I followed our footsteps, making little headway, almost pitching into the snow, but I managed to keep going.

  “Hawk!” My yelp seemed to flow away in the whirling wind; however, the howls seemed closer, as if the beasts were right on our heels. I stumbled forward, losing my footing and dumping onto the ground. Within seconds, Buck was standing over me, jumping as much as his heavy body would allow, barking up a storm as the haunting sounds continued all around us.

  Bam!

  The single shot rang in my ears, allowing the terror to expand. A high-pitched yelp was followed by a collective series of growls coming from what seemed like feet behind us. I whirled around, gasping for air.

  Hawk stood with a rifle in both hands, a cold expression on his face. As if in slow motion, he peered down at me, giving me a once-over then motioning for Buck. “Get back to the house. Now. I mean it, Kelly.”

  “Okay. Yes. Okay.”

  Those gorgeous blue eyes were filled with concern, a deep-seated worry that created a pit in my stomach.

  Buck let out an intense howl, throwing back his head.

  “Now, Kelly.” Hawk’s voice was rattled, his expression stern.

  The creatures had returned, seeking blood as well as vengeance.

  Together, Hawk and Buck bounded off through the trees, taking after the creatures, protecting me as they’d done how many times before?

  I was a complete fool, a stupid woman who had no business being anywhere in the mountains.

  The harsh cries coming from every direction were more pitiful than before. I almost detected rage in the darkness of their tone.

  They had to be wolves. “No!” My call wasn’t heeded, Hawk tromping through the snow with no difficulties, disappearin
g within seconds.

  I struggled to stand, no longer hearing anything but the wind. I wanted to go after them, to make certain both were unharmed. Everything was in a blur, a horrible nightmare that just didn’t seem to end.

  Bam!

  I jumped, biting back another cry. The second shot was followed by silence.

  Deafening silence.

  I stood in the same place for at least fifteen minutes until my fingers were completely numb and I was no longer able to feel my feet. Even though I turned in a circle, longing to see any sign of them, I was met with only rustling trees, blowing off panels of snow. “Hawk?” The cry echoed but nothing else.

  Shaking, I took long strides backwards, finally turning back toward the house. Somehow, I’d managed to veer off, walking away from the cabin. That’s when something blowing in the wind caught my eye, a slash of red, the substance hanging from a tree. I calmed my nerves, found the location of the house then moved closer, darting my eyes right and left, forever searching.

  A rope. A red rope had been tied around one of the larger trees. Less than an inch in diameter, I doubted it could be seen from the cabin. There were no other trees that had been marked, not a single indication of why it had been placed there.

  There was no reason for fear to creep into every joint or any need for my throat to close. However, the various gut-wrenching sensations were enough to kick in the realization there was some level of danger surrounding us.

  And it had nothing to do with wolves searching for food.

  The wind seemed to kick up in velocity, the snow now coming down harder and faster. As quickly as my stiff fingers would allow, I untied the rope, shoving it into my pocket and starting to back away. Another attention grabber, another paralyzing moment of fear. Footsteps in the snow. They were off to the left, coming from the direction of the road.

  There was one set of footprints and from the looks of the pattern, heavy and large boots. While similar to the ones that Hawk was wearing, I knew better than to think he’d ventured out here.

  Unless he’d been looking for us.

  That made zero sense given our footsteps.

  “Hawk. Where are you?” I moved in a weaving pattern, looking for any other telltale signs of what the person was doing here. The third shot grabbed my attention. Wearing all dark clothing and given the swirling wind, I could easily be mistaken for an animal from a distance.