by Paige Weaver
Bone crunched against bone. Adam’s head whipped to the side, blood spraying across his jeans. David climbed to his feet and Tate shot forward.
He slowly turned his head back around. Blood oozed from his mouth. Staring at me, he worked his jaw back and forth, making sure it wasn’t broken. Served him right if it was. Besides Cat, the man worked for Frankie. That was enough in my book to deserve a broken bone or two.
“Guess there’s no reason to ask what that’s for,” he said with a thick Texas accent.
“Nope. Guess not,” I muttered.
His gaze flicked to the bedroom behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know that Cat stood in the doorway, watching.
“Shit, honey,” he chuckled, grinning at her. “Your boyfriend sure knows how to throw a punch.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she countered.
I glanced over at her. She was leaning against the doorframe, looking cool as a cucumber in the candlelight. Her arms were folded over her chest and one of her ankles was crossed over the other. That little chin of hers was up in the air and her eyes were the color of grass on a summer day. She had never looked so good and her words had never hurt so much.
I turned and headed toward the door, feeling the sudden need to get the hell out of there. I was furious and was busting with pent-up rage. The best place for me to be was away.
“Sorry. I just figured you two were together. You got this vibe going,” Adam quipped, sounding like a smartass.
“Doesn’t matter. Stay away from her,” I warned as I leaned over to grab my hat from the couch.
Adam grinned. “Oh, so it’s like that, huh?”
I paused, my hat in my hand. He was trying to prod me and it was working. But I wouldn’t let him know that.
I put my hat on my head and pulled the brim down low, conscious of Cat watching me. Glancing at the soldier, I gave him a cold glare. “Yeah, it’s like that.”
Adam shrugged. “Whatever. I’m not who you should worry about anyway.”
“Who said I was worried?”
Before he could answer, I opened the door and stepped outside. Cold air greeted me. A full moon cast shadows on the trees.
I flexed my fists. My knuckles were red and scraped, just a little reminder of what this world had made me become. A violent man ready to bleed.
For survival.
For love.
For Cat.
Chapter Eighteen
Cat
I tossed and turned all night. The bedroom was too quiet. Too empty of Cash. I imagined Paul was outside, waiting. Smiling with anticipation. I dreamed Frankie caught Cash and killed him. I replayed Adam’s words in my mind again and again, ‘They’re coming for her. Run.’
I blinked, the image of being chased by Frankie and Paul disappearing. It was midmorning and I was standing in the living room. Cash was gone and Tate was with him. David was untying the rope around Adam’s wrists.
“You get ten minutes” he said to Adam.
“Thanks, old man.” Adam smiled and rubbed his wrists, getting the blood flowing in them again.
“Don’t make me regret it, son.”
Adam gave a short nod and stood up. I watched from a safe distance as he stretched out the kinks in his back and rolled his neck after sleeping on the floor all night.
“You got any food around here?” he asked, glancing around as he rotated his shoulders.
David didn’t answer and neither did I. The truth was we were down to almost nothing but we weren’t going to tell him that.
“Guess that’s a no,” Adam muttered, bending down to rummage in his backpack.
He withdrew a bottle of water and took a long drink. Catching me staring at him, he lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. “You got a problem?”
“Yeah. I do.” I looked at David. “Give us a minute.”
“I can’t do that, honey. Cash would skin me alive.”
Adam chuckled which only made me angrier. I was tired, hungry, and broken up over Cash. To say I was cranky was an understatement. I was on bitch drive.
“Cash doesn’t own me,” I snapped, angry with David and Adam and all men in general.
Adam’s lips twitched. “I’m not going to hurt her, Doc. Cross my heart and hope to die.” He made a cross over his heart with his finger. Jackass.
David ignored Adam’s attempt at humor and pointed his finger at him. “You better be on your best behavior if you’ve even got one. Me and my gun will be right outside, young man.” He lowered his hand and looked at me. “You gonna be okay, sweetie?”
I nodded. I had a knife strapped to my waistband and I knew how to use it.
David gave Adam a dark look. “Ten minutes.”
He walked to the door, looking putout at leaving. I waited until he was gone to face Adam again.
“Why did you do it?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Why did I do what?” he said, leaning over to drop the water bottle back in his bag and grab a baggie of dried meat.
My mouth watered. God, I was hungry. My breakfast consisted of a single cup of stale oatmeal and some questionable looking canned peaches that had a little film on the top.
Seeing the piece of jerky in Adam’s hand made my stomach rumble loudly. He must have heard it. He held it out to me with a raised eyebrow.
I shook my head. I wasn’t that desperate for food. Yet.
He sighed and dropped the bag of meat back into his backpack. “I’m not going to hurt you, Cat. It’s Cat, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I answered, feeling a tiny bit of shame. He didn’t know my name and we almost had a one-night stand years ago. The people in my hometown were right. I was a slut. But I had been running from emotions. Running from pain. Running from a cowboy who made me hope and feel things.
“So where’s…what’s his name again? Cash?” Adam asked.
“He’s out hunting.”
I didn’t want to talk about Cash with Adam. It felt wrong, like my past would taint my future.
I crossed my arms and changed the subject. “Why did you join Frankie’s militia? You were military.”
“Yeah, I was. But when Austin became a hellhole, the military lost control. We were fighting off insurgents every time we turned around and battling U.S. citizens who were attacking us for supplies. The government didn’t have enough manpower to deal with it. We were getting slaughtered by the minute. My troop just fell apart.”
“And that’s when you hooked up with Frankie?”
“Yep. He was just sitting back and watching the shit go down. When he saw the military fall, he offered some of us a better, more secure life.”
He grabbed his water bottle again and took a long drink. Screwing the top back on, he popped his neck and then continued.
“There were ten of us. We stood around a fire – tired, a few of us injured – and we listened to Frankie. He talked about the great, almighty United States of America and how it was the people’s responsibility to take it back. We believed him. I mean, we were standing there starving and homeless, eating the meat that Frankie’s men had killed and drinking whiskey we thought we would never taste again. It was more than we had had in months and he was charismatic – a natural born leader. We were itching to get back to the action and destroy some terrorist bastards.” He shrugged. “So we joined up.”
“And became Frankie’s hired gun.”
“Call it what you will. I did what it took to survive.”
I scoffed. “You call tracking people for some maniac’s sick revenge, surviving?”
Adam chuckled but he didn’t sound amused. “Let me guess – you and your little posse here have been angels.”
I didn’t respond.
He smirked. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
I opened my mouth to tell him what I thought of his snarky attitude but he started walking toward me. Fear made me jittery but I held my ground. I refused to be intimidated.
He stopped a f
oot or two away and spread his legs in an aggressive stance. I pressed my arm against the knife under my shirt and stuck my chin up.
He looked down at my waist. “You got a weapon under there?”
I squared my shoulders, stubborn and brave. “Yes, and I can pull it out in seconds. I had to learn because of people like you.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, amused. “You were a little she-devil that night at the party. Guess some things just never change.”
I met his stare, unafraid. “Guess not because I’m not afraid of you.”
He leaned closer. “But you should be.”
I didn’t flinch but I was shaking on the inside. Adam must have known what kind of effect he was having on me. His mouth twitched and amusement danced in his eyes.
“So tell me,” he said, glancing up and down my body. “What’s the deal with you and Cash? He’s very protective of you. Is this some kind of unrequited love or something?”
“It’s none of your business.”
He tilted his head to the side at a jaunty angle. “The man has it bad for you and is willing to kick my ass to protect you, sweet thing.”
“Don’t call me that. And yes, he will kick your ass.”
He laughed but sobered up when I winced and touched my left side.
“What’s wrong?” He frowned.
His question caught me off guard. I rolled my eyes, covering up the surprise. “Not that it’s any of your business but I was shot.”
His eyes turned a dangerous sort of blue. “That’s why they thought you might be dead. You took a bullet.”
“Yeah. Happy?”
He ran a hand over the whiskers on his chin. “Not particularly. Why did they want you, if you were alive?”
“They didn’t tell you?”
Adam shook his head. “I take orders. I don’t question them, ma’am.”
I pushed strands of hair out of my face, growing angry. I was tired of being afraid. Tired of being hungry and dirty. I wanted to go back home and find out it was all a bad dream, every damn day since the EMP hit and terrorists landed on U.S. soil.
I took a swift step toward Adam, undaunted by his big, bouncer body or the threat he posed. Who cared that he had tracked me? I had had enough.
“Maybe you should start questioning orders, soldier. You were hunting a girl one of them tried to rape. So maybe that’s what they want with me. To finish what they started,” I said bitterly. “That’s who you signed on with. A bunch of damn rapist bastards.”
Adam stared down at me, his mouth grim. I heard the cabin door open but I didn’t bother looking up. It was probably David. Adam’s ten minutes were up.
“I’m sorry,” Adam said, sounding genuine. “I didn’t know.” He put his fingers under my chin and tilted my head back to look in my eyes. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond. The sound of someone’s boots scraping along the hardwood floor was like a chainsaw running in the tiny cabin.
I swung my head around and found Cash standing near the door. His cowboy hat was pulled down low on his head and his hard gaze was locked on Adam’s hand on my chin.
I jerked away from Adam’s grasp and took a quick step back. Adam turned to face Cash.
“Wondered when you were going to show up.” He grinned like he didn’t give a flying fuck if Cash caught him touching me or not.
If looks could kill, Adam would be lying at my feet, fast on his way to an early grave. Cash tore his gaze away from Adam and turned that heated stare on me. I felt caught and guilty but why should I? I hadn’t done anything wrong. Adam had touched me not the other way around. Plus, Cash said we were over. He had no right to be jealous. None at all.
He started toward us, reaching under his jacket for the weapon I knew he kept holstered there. Holy balls, what’s he doing? I gulped and darted a glance at Adam. He seemed relaxed. Too relaxed. I didn’t trust him at all.
Cash pulled a scary-looking pistol out from under his jacket as he strolled closer. What the hell is he going to do?
Flipping open the pistol, he started removing bullets. One. Two. Three. Four. Five bullets. He looked up at Adam, murder in his eyes. Whatever he planned on doing, I wouldn’t let him do it.
I stepped in front of Adam, protecting the soldier. How stupid was I?
Cash turned his leveled gaze on me, cold as ice.
“Whatever you think you saw, you’re wrong,” I claimed, falling back a step and running into Adam behind me.
Cash kept on coming.
“I’m not thinking anything,” he said in a deceivingly calm voice. He looked at Adam. Dismissing me just like that.
I didn’t know what to do but I wasn’t going to move. I wouldn’t allow Cash to kill or hurt Adam, even if he might deserve some more roughing up for working for Frankie.
He stopped in front of me, sandwiching me between him and Adam. It was a very bad place to be. They were two alpha males that wanted to tear each other’s throat out and I wouldn’t be able to stop them.
Cash’s full lips were compressed in a hard line. His hat was tilted at an angle. My body reacted like it always did. Shortness of breath. Quickening of heart. Mouth dry. Lips suddenly tingly.
He snapped the pistol closed, leaving one bullet in the cylinder. Flipping the gun around he caught it by the barrel and reached around me, offering it to Adam.
“I believe this belongs to you.”
I moved to the side. Adam eyed the gun like it might bite him but then he snatched it from Cash. As he opened the gun, Cash looked down at me. God, the coldness there almost made me drop to my knees.
I opened my mouth to tell him what he saw was nothing but Adam looked up.
“One bullet?” he asked, raising a dusty blonde eyebrow.
The corner of Cash’s mouth lifted in a deadly smile. “Hope you’re a good shot.”
Adam let out a snort and snapped the gun closed. Reaching back, he shoved it into his waistband. “What now?”
“Now you leave and tell them we’re dead.”
Adam scratched the side of his nose and chuckled. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”
“I wasn’t asking,” Cash said in a low voice.
Adam crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance, getting good and comfortable. “And what if I lead Frankie and his men straight back here? Right to your doorstep? You trust me enough not to do that?”
Cash pushed his hat brim. “I don’t trust you at all.”
Adam nodded at me. “She does.”
I swung my gaze over to him, my mouth gaping open. What? I never said that!
Cash was still staring holes through Adam, ignoring me.
“Well, if she wants you here, I won’t stand in your way. Just stay out of mine,” he said.
“Cash, it’s not like that!” I insisted, almost stomping my feet.
His eyes slid to me then away with indifference. That small sign of dismissal stung like nothing else.
Stupid, dumbass tears stung my eyes. If he noticed them, he didn’t let on. He turned and walked away. Pain twisted inside me. I had always refused to feel anything. Now I was feeling everything and it hurt.
~~~~
I stared at the door, watching as it slammed behind Cash. I felt carved out and left to die. I ached. I hurt. A single tear ran down my face. I felt rage so strong that I went crazy.
Whirling around, I faced Adam.
“I never said I trusted you! In fact, I don’t know you so how the hell can I trust you? You’ve been sent here to hunt me! To lead those men to me!”
Adam didn’t move. He just stared down at me.
“You have a knife in your waistband. I could’ve grabbed it and slit your throat before you had time to blink. If I wanted to hurt you, Cat, I already would have. You can trust me.”
I fisted my hands at my sides.
“I can’t trust anyone but my brother and Cash!”
Adam snorted. “I think your boyfriend wants
off that list.”
This time I did stomp my foot. “Ugh!”
I spun around and marched across the room. Forget about my jacket. Forget about how cold it probably was outside or how crazy I was acting. I was sick of the random guy from my past that showed up. Sick of having the threat of Paul hanging over my head all the time. Sick of surviving. Of missing Nathan and my dad until I thought my heart burst. But more than anything, I was sick to death of Cash giving me the cold shoulder.
I shoved the door open and stomped outside. David and Tate looked up from the middle of the clearing in front of the cabin. Pieces of gathered wood lay around them, Tate dropping more at his feet. I ignored their curious stares and glanced around.
There he was. The most aggravating man I had ever met.
Cash.
I narrowed my eyes at him. He was moving with his lazy, relaxed, irritating, and outrageously sexy stride toward the corner of the cabin. The old barn was back there along with David’s truck. It was covered by a dark green canvas, blending with the trees and vegetation. That’s where Cash was heading, forgetting about me just like that.
His back was outlined perfectly under his fitted jacket. His well-worn jeans hugged his ass to mouth-watering perfection and his stupid, dumb cowboy hat shielded his eyes from the sun. I wanted to run over there and snatch it from his head, fling it off into the woods. I hated the thing. No, scratch that – him in that hat made me achy for him and that’s what I hated.
I raced across the porch and flew down the steps. No time like the present. I heard Tate call my name but I didn’t stop. The air was still as if something was about to happen. The sun was shining. White, fluffy clouds flowed by. But I didn’t see any of it. All I saw was that cowboy hat and the frustrating man who wore it.
I caught up to Cash as he rounded the frontend of the truck.
“Ask me,” I said, following him to the driver’s side.
He didn’t seem surprised to see me.
“Ask you what?”
“Ask me if I slept with him. That’s what you want to know, right? That’s your problem.”
He paused, reaching for the edge of the tarp.