by Paige Weaver
But they had to get through me first.
I eyed Cat out of the corner of my eye. The tip of her nose was pink but her face was pale. Her teeth chattered and her body shivered. She was cold and, shit, I couldn’t help but care.
I drew to a stop and turned to face her. She did the same, glaring up at me from only a foot away.
“What?”
“You’re freezing.” I unzipped my jacket and pulled it off. “If you insist on staying with me, you stay warm.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t resist as I wrapped my jacket around her.
“It’s warm,” she whispered, giving me a sheepish look. “Thank you, I guess.”
I grunted and started walking again. That’s about as much reaction as she was going to get out of me on the subject of my body warming her up.
We went a few more yards. This far from the cabin, it was quiet. Almost eerie. A small bird fluttered from tree to tree, hopping along twigs and branches. The limbs above us swayed in the wind, creating a whooshing noise with their leaves. It was my element. The place I felt most at peace. I grew up in the woods and hell, the way things were going, I might die in them too.
Cat was quiet as we walked. I could almost hear her mind churning, thinking of a new way to torment me.
I was waiting for that moment, ready to shut down all emotion and be a coldhearted S.O.B., when a squirrel shot out of a tree a few yards away. Cat jumped a mile high and grabbed my arm.
“Eeek!” Her soft body hit mine. Her breasts pressed into me. It was heaven. It was hell. It was everything in between and I was a bastard for enjoying it.
“Sorry,” she said with a frown, letting go of me and springing back when she realized she was grasping me. “Woods aren’t my thing.”
“Humph. I couldn’t tell,” I mumbled, shutting down. She was the most spoiled rich girl I had ever met.
She didn’t bother commenting or coming back with some snide remark. That’s when I knew something was wrong.
“You really think someone’s out here?” she asked in a whisper, moving closer to me and looking around. “If Paul found me again…” Her voice trailed off. Fuck, she was scared.
I stopped and turned to face her. Anger ripped through me at the thought of that man touching who used to be mine. Scratch that. Who was still mine.
“How did he do it?” I asked with bluntness, harsher than I would have liked.
Cat blinked up at me, confused. “Do what?”
I propped my shotgun against a fallen log then turned back to Cat.
“How was he able to get the jump on you?” I asked, keeping my gaze on her as I straightened to my full height and started toward her.
She glanced everywhere but at me as I advanced. “He…um…he…” She backed up, nervous as hell and as jumpy as a frog.
I grabbed her wrist, stopping her. Wanting her to know she was safe with me. The fright in her eyes almost destroyed me. The feel of her racing pulse under my fingers unnerved me.
I gave her a little tug, needing her closer for what I planned to do. Hoping she realized that I would rather die than hurt a hair on her head.
She came to me easily. I let go of her wrist when we were toe to toe and slowly started walking around her. Taking my time. Showing her I was no threat.
“Did he come up from behind you or from the front?” I asked, stopping behind her, glancing down at the gentle curve of her hips.
She was motionless, her back to me. Her breathing increased. I saw her tremble.
“From the side,” she whispered. “He appeared out of nowhere and held a gun to my head.”
Rage erupted in me. I wanted to rip the fucker’s head off and burn what was left of him. But I used the fury. Welcomed it even. It kept my feelings cold and gave me a purpose. A reason for touching Cat.
To keep her safe and teach her a little self-defense.
I stepped to her side, kicking dead leaves out of the way. She was so small that I could break her with one hand. The thought only made me harden my heart more. I had to be tough on her so she could be tougher.
“Then what did he do?” I asked.
She turned her head and looked directly at me, terror flicking in her eyes.
“He grabbed my wrist and forced my arm up my back, restraining me.”
Hell. I wanted to kill the man. I wanted to be his judge, jury, and executioner. Until then, I would make sure Cat was safe and could protect herself.
I reached out and slid my fingers around her wrist. There it was again. Her pulse. Fast and strong.
I held her wrist gently and slowly walked behind her. My breath ruffled the hair on top of her head. I felt her shudder as I stopped so close behind her.
But it was only the beginning.
I tightened my fingers on her wrist, putting pressure on the delicate bones. Very carefully, I started pushing her arm up the middle of her back.
“Like this?”
“Yes,” she said. “But he kept pushing it higher.”
I forced her arm up more, just an inch. Careful not to hurt her but making her feel it. She hissed and arched her back.
“Did you fight him?” I asked near her ear.
“Yes,” she said so quiet I almost didn’t hear.
“Show me,” I demanded. “Fight me like you fought him. Get me off.”
From over her shoulder I saw her tongue dart out, licking her lips nervously. “Okay.”
She twisted around quickly and brought her knee up, right in line with my crotch. My arm went around her as I held her wrist, trapping her against me. At the last second, she stopped, her knee nestled right between my legs. Against my boys. Shit. I got the idea loud and clear.
“So you kneed him. Then what?” I asked, trying to focus on what we were doing and not how close she was or how nicely she fit against me.
She lowered her knee.
“He knocked me to the ground,” she said, her voice growing stronger, fire lighting in her eyes as she remembered. “With his fist.”
I glanced down at her jaw, remembering the bruise I had left there. I still felt sick, knowing I had hurt her, but I hardened my heart. She had to learn better self-defense moves than just a knee to the gonads. These men were not your run of the mill assholes.
I dropped her wrist and took a step back, putting some distance between us.
“A knee to the balls will hurt a man and buy you some time but you need to know how do more. Let me see your hand.”
I grabbed her right hand before she offered it and held it out between us.
“This right here,” I ran my thumb over the delicate skin on the back edge of her hand, “can injure a man.”
I brought her hand to my throat, putting the side against my windpipe in a chopping motion.
“Hit a man like this.”
Holding her wrist, I pushed her hand hard against my Adam’s Apple, feeling the pressure deep in my throat.
“If you put enough power behind it, you could really hurt someone.”
I pushed her hand harder against my windpipe, letting her feel the tendons in my neck and the right place to strike.
She pulled her hand away, resisting, but I grabbed it again and put it against my throat.
“I want you to hurt me. Prove you can do it.”
“No.” She tried to pull her hand away again but I held on and took a step closer, using my bigger size to intimidate her.
“I’m him. I’m attacking you. I’m going to throw you down on the ground and rip your clothes off. What are you going to do about it? It’s either you or him, Cat. Choose.”
“Him.”
She hit me hard in the throat, unexpected and hard. Stars burst in my eyes and my throat felt like it had collapsed. I fell back a step and drew in a wheezing breath.
“Oh shit! I’m sorry!” She flew to me, her eyes wide and her hand covering her mouth.
“It’s okay,” I said with a raspy voice, rubbing my throat.
“No, it’s not okay!”
“Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself,” I snapped, suddenly angry. Her concern for me was the last thing I wanted. It had almost gotten her killed before and I didn’t want to take that chance again. She needed to hate me instead.
She stuck her chin up. Fuck, I wanted to kiss it.
“And who will worry about you?” she asked. “Someone has to.”
I scoffed. “No one does and I definitely don’t want you to.”
Hurt crossed her face. I regretted the sharp words but I had to have a heart like steel.
“Do I need to remind you that we’re over, Cat? That means you shouldn’t worry about me or care anymore,” I said, letting go of her wrist like it stung.
She stuck her chin up and looked me in the eye. “Then you shouldn’t worry about me either, cowboy.”
I huffed. “Wrong. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, princess. I can promise you that.”
“Why do you even care? It isn’t like you love me anyway.”
Low blow. Yeah, I wanted her to think that I didn’t love her but hearing her say it out loud sent me to a dark place.
“You’re my responsibility,” I said, low and dangerous, peering at her from under my hat. “Leave it at that.”
One of her eyebrows shot up. “I’m your responsibility? Really? You’ve got some nerve. Just because you got in my pants, cowboy, doesn’t mean—”
I swore softly and grabbed the front of her jacket in one fist. With one tug, I yanked her to me, almost lifting her off her feet.
“Enough!” I growled in a low voice.
She fell against my chest. Her hands went flat on my chest. A sharp breath was inhaled between her lips.
I got a big whiff of her. Something clean and sweet. I knew Tate had been hauling buckets of creek water to the cabin for her to bathe with. I had sat on the porch, imagining drops of water rolling down her breasts and over her stomach. I had wanted to jump up and storm through the cabin. Shove my way past that limp sheet hanging in the doorway. Fall to my knees in front of her and lick the drops of water off of her skin.
But I didn’t do any of it.
I ran my hand up to the back of her head. Leaning over, I put my mouth right over her ear, planning on telling her what I had the nerve to do to her.
That’s when I heard it.
The sound of a twig breaking.
I froze, my body going stiff. My hand stayed on the back of Cat’s head. My mouth stayed near her ear. A bird shot out of the trees overhead, startled from its nest. I could almost feel the alarm pounding through Cat.
We weren’t alone anymore.
I could feel him behind me. A shifting in the air. It wasn’t Tate or David; they would have announced themselves and not been so quiet. No, it was someone else.
“Listen to me,” I whispered in Cat’s ear, making my voice as low as I could. “I need you to do exactly what I say. We’ve got company and something’s telling me they’re not friendly.”
She tried to pull away in order to see for herself, but I grasped her tighter, my hand on the back of her head keeping her close.
She nodded, understanding, but I could almost feel her fear. It was a tangible thing, one that left her shaking and the air tense. But I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. No way in hell.
I flicked my eyes down, barely moving my head. My shotgun was just a foot away. I could grab it but the person might have a gun pointed at me. He could pull the trigger before I had mine up and cocked. I wanted him to get closer. Think he had the jump on us. In the meantime, I wanted Cat to do something for me.
“Put your hand on my zipper,” I instructed. “Like you’re going to unzip me.”
Her gaze flicked up to mine. “What?” she whispered with shock.
I reached between us, the back of my hand brushing against her stomach. “Do it.”
She hesitated only a second but then laid her fingers near the zipper of my jeans. My body stiffened. My cock reared to life.
Moving gradually and using the closeness of our bodies to hide what I was doing, I slid the six-inch hunting knife off my belt.
“Take this,” I whispered, pressing the handle into Cat’s hand next to my zipper. “When I say run, do it and don’t look back.”
She looked terrified but took the knife, holding it in her fist. I relaxed my hold on the back of her head and took a step to the right, shielding her with my body from whoever was behind us but still keeping my mouth near her ear. We looked like two lovers embraced, so caught up with each other we weren’t paying attention. But I was aware of everything. Every breath Cat took. Every leaf that fell around us.
When another twig snapped.
With my mouth near Cat’s ear, I took a deep breath.
“Run.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cat
Cash had his hands on me. His mouth near my ear. His body so close to mine. One minute I thought he was going to kiss me. The next, I’m scared and turning to run.
As soon as he let me go, Cash lunged and grabbed his shotgun. He had it up and cocked before I got two feet away. I didn’t look back. I didn’t pause. I knew what would happen if it was Paul and he caught me.
So I ran.
My feet flew, breaking the leaves under me. My hair flapped against my back and air rushed in and out of my lungs. I jumped over logs and avoided ditches. I ran as fast as I could and I didn’t stop. I needed to get back to the cabin and get help.
My heart pumped harder. When I heard a shout, I didn’t turn around. It wasn’t Cash. I would know his voice anywhere. It was someone else and he sounded angry.
Clouds of chilly air escaped past my lips as I darted around a tree and almost slipped in a pile of wet leaves. Beams of sunlight broke through the branches above me. I held onto the knife, my only weapon. All I could hear was my heart beating in my ears and the blood rushing in my veins.
I picked up speed, jumping over a falling log and ducking under a low hanging branch. The sounds of struggle came from behind me. I heard another yell, this time from Cash. I whipped my head around, looking behind me. I couldn’t see anyone but I could hear them. Fighting. Fists colliding with flesh.
With my heart racing out of control, I ran faster. I need to get help! I need to get help!
I never saw the barbed wire, hidden under dead leaves. My feet became tangled in it. Sharp wire snagged the bottom of my jeans. I cried out, falling. My body smacked onto the ground. The knife in my hand went flying. My temple hit a rock, sending pain ricocheting through my skull.
I cried out as my bandaged side hit the ground. Agony fired through me. I rolled onto my back and grabbed my side, squeezing my eyes shut.
A small trickle of blood ran from my hairline. The bullet wound throbbed.
Get up! the voice in my head screamed.
I tried not to cry out as I pushed to a sitting position. Every inch of me ached and the world spun but I had to keep going.
I untangled my feet from the barbed wire and kicked it away. Almost face-planting, I climbed to my feet. Dead leaves fell from my jacket. A few fluttered down from my hair. I was a bit unsteady but I was standing upright. I can do this.
Bending over, I grabbed the knife then stood up and looked around. I was still alone. The woods around me were thick, the trees bare of leaves for the winter. It looked haunted and eerie. Like something out of a horror film.
“Don’t go there, Cat,” I whispered.
The wind picked up. I could hear the fighting again. I wasn’t sure who was out there or how many there were but Cash needed help.
Forgetting about my injuries, I broke into a run. A stitch started in my side. The bullet wound throbbed each time my feet hit the earth. Another drop of blood fell from the cut on my head.
I ran until I came to the edge of a clearing. It didn’t look familiar. Tall, brown grass swayed in the wind. There was a fence, twisted and hanging loo
se. It looked like an abandoned crop field hidden in the woods, overgrown and forgotten. Someplace I had never seen and had never been.
Breathing hard, I spun around in a full circle, looking for something familiar. I was lost. Oh god, I was lost.
Panic bubbled up inside me. Fear made it almost impossible to think. I whirled around to face the way I just came from. All I have to do is backtrack. You’ve got this, Cat.
I clasped the knife tighter. Bad things happened in woods. People went missing. Bodies were found. Women were hurt.
But I was not going to be one of them.
I started back into the thick woods. I was yards from the clearing when three gunshots ricocheted through the air. Birds burst from the tree in front of me. I jerked to a stop. Cash!
I took off running toward where the shots came from. Forget about getting to safety. Cash could be lying somewhere bleeding. Dying.
My lungs hurt, my wound ached, and my head throbbed as I leaped through the woods. Thorn bushes grabbed my clothes and snagged my hair but I didn’t stop. I could hear fighting.
A grunt.
A punch.
I flew past a large tree and that’s when I saw them. Cash and another man on the ground. Cash was on top. His hat was gone, one of his hands wrapped around the man’s throat. The man beneath him was fighting, landing punch after punch in Cash’s ribs, trying to knock him off. Cash wasn’t budging. He gave no signs of feeling pain as the man’s knuckles buried in his side again and again.
I slid to a stop, stepping on a small branch. It snapped. The man cut his eyes over at me, still struggling under Cash.
The earth tilted. My eyes grew round.
I knew him.
His hair was longer than it had been years ago. The lower portion of his face was covered with a scruffy beard. Blood trickled from a cut on his eyebrow. A bruise was forming around his right eye.
His clothes were dirty but that wasn’t surprising. Mine weren’t clean either. He wasn’t as muscular as I remembered. The shortage of food had made him lean along with everyone else.
It was his eyes I recognized. They were a brilliant blue. The same ones that looked down at me with drunken lust long ago and stared at me with surprise days later.