Redemption River

by Lindsay Cross

  Slow. Cautious. Careful.

  Evie’s scream ripped through the house and Hunter stiffened. He wanted to take off running, but he forced himself to continue easing down the hall slowly, his feet silent. Hoyt and Jared appeared through a small back door.

  Hunter held his hand to his lips. He heard a snap, then Evie screamed again.

  Hunter kept moving and pointed to a door they had not yet opened. The men fell into line behind Hunter as he eased the door open and peeked inside.

  He saw Maxine first, tied to a chair, her eyes red and filled with tears. Her screams were muffled by a gag. Hunter swung the door in further. When he saw Evie, he almost snapped. Almost raised his gun and shot the bastard holding the whip in the back. But he would have risked hitting her.

  And fuck all if he could hurt her.

  C.W. gripped his shoulder. Hunter turned, barely able to restrain himself, and took the bowie knife C.W. handed him. And Hunter knew what he would do.

  He waited until the bastard pulled his hand back. “Have you learned your lesson yet?”

  Marcus’s words gut-punched Hunter. He grabbed the middle of the long black whip and yanked. Marcus stumbled around in surprise and Hunter lifted the blade, ready to kill. Marcus stumbled right, barely missing Hunter’s knife.

  “Drop the whip. It’s over.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “I’ll put this knife in your fucking throat.” Hunter kept his gaze trained on Marcus as he circled back left, getting closer to Evie. “Stop now, this is your last warning.”

  “You think I’m scared of your little knife?” Marcus cracked the whip and took another step to the left.

  Hunter pulled the knife back, readying to throw. “You should be.”

  “Trash. You never deserved her. She’s mine. I’ll kill her before I let you touch her.” Marcus dropped the whip and dove back, grabbing the shelf behind him. His hand wrapped around a pistol.

  Hunter threw the knife, its whisper barely audible as it flew through the air. The blade sunk into Marcus’s flesh with a thud and the sound of a single gunshot echoed through the room.

  Marcus went down, the knife protruding from his throat. Blood pooled around him. Hunter felt something warm trickle down his face. He touched it and when he pulled back, blood covered his hand.

  “Shit man, you’re hit.” Ranger appeared in his peripheral.

  Hunter felt his temple again, the burn running across the whole right side of his skull. But he still stood. He could talk, walk and breathe. What did it matter if he was bleeding?

  “I’m good.” Hunter rushed to Evie and yanked on the cuffs that restrained her hands, but they didn’t move. Evie was panting. Shivering. Blood ran across her back in thin strips. MC was bold on her hip. He clenched his jaw, wanting to throw up at the sight of this violence that had been done to her, and ran back to Marcus.

  He was still gurgling on the floor. Hunter ignored him and rifled through his pockets. Nothing. Then he spied the small chain around the man’s neck, pushed his shirt to the side, and spied a key. Hunter tore it from his neck and ran to Evie without looking back.

  His hands shook as he tried to find the hole. Fuck. He couldn’t get it.

  Jared, who’d entered the room after him, stood across from him and took the key. “You catch her.” His voice was gruff with emotion. Hunter cupped her beneath the arms. Her head hung limp. Jared turned the key. One hand dropped and Hunter caught it and draped it over his shoulder. When her other arm fell, he did the same.

  “I’m going to pick you up, honey. Okay?” Hunter leaned in and whispered in her ear. She nodded, a tiny motion, but he felt it. Hunter carried her to the kitchen, careful not to touch her back, and sat on a stool, keeping her body draped chest-to-chest over his.

  Evie hung limp in his grip. He prayed she had passed out.

  “Hunter?” Her voice was hoarse and barely audible.

  “Shhh. I’m here. Don’t talk. We’re getting you out of here.” Hunter held her as tight as he could without touching her back. Each time she shivered, he cringed.

  “My baby! Where is she?” Maxine rushed into the kitchen and ground to a halt. Her normally perfectly-teased brown hair hung askew. Mascara trailed down her face. She approached them cautiously. “Is she…okay?”

  Hunter nodded. Maxine touched Evie’s shoulder. “Baby?”

  Evie lifted her head from his shoulder. “I tried to make it in time.”

  “Hush. You did fine. Just fine.” Fresh tears tracked down Maxine’s face and Evie’s head hit Hunter’s shoulder. He knew she was exhausted.

  Hunter avoided looking at Evie’s back, which would only make him lose his mind with rage. Rage that would have no outlet now that her attacker was dead. “Get Jared. He’s a medic.”

  Maxine nodded and took off for the living room. He heard murmuring voices then Jared strode into the kitchen. “Jesus Christ.”

  Hunter clenched his jaw. “How bad is it?”

  “Sorry, man. I just don’t like seeing women treated like this.” Jared leaned in and touched Evie’s bare back. She tensed and hissed out a breath.

  “It’s bad, but she’ll be fine. We need to disinfect the wounds. Treat them and cover them with some bandages. My bag is in our temporary headquarters at Hank’s farm.”

  Hunter lowered his head to Evie’s neck and inhaled her scent. “Do you think you can make it?”

  Evie mumbled something into his skin.

  “Baby, speak up. I can’t hear you.”

  Evie leaned back, using his chest for leverage, just enough for her gaze to meet his. “Yes. But not with you.”

  Her words tore through him, ripped him from stomach to sternum. Hunter clenched his jaw. He saw the pain in her gaze. Not just physical. Emotional. Pain that he himself had caused.

  “Evie, I…” His tone was harsh with despair.

  “Don’t. Just don’t.” She fell back to his chest, panting like she’d run for miles.

  He wanted to hold her forever. Never let her out of his sight again. But right now, he had to let her go. And Hunter knew it would be harder than hearing her screams of pain.

  His eyes found Ranger, who had joined them in the kitchen. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t willingly hand her over to someone else when she was in this condition. Half-naked and half-dead.

  His gaze snapped to his brother’s. “Find me something to cover her with.”

  Ranger left and Hunter heard him running upstairs.

  Hank stood off to the side, holding Maxine, and she willingly returned his embrace. He’d never seen his dad look at a woman like that. With adoration and love.

  Ranger returned with a bed sheet, which the two of them draped over Evie. No matter how careful they were, she gasped and jerked with pain.

  Hunter clenched his jaw as Ranger slipped his hands under her legs and shoulders and lifted her gently. When he cradled Evie to his chest, Hunter bit back a roar of possession. Of pain. She was his woman. His.

  And he’d fucked it up. Again.

  35

  By the time they reached The Wharf, Evie had passed out. As soon as Hunter realized she was unconscious, he took her back, unable to stand seeing her in someone else’s arms. Even if they were his brother’s.

  Hunter sat in the backseat of Hoyt’s truck, Ranger beside him. Jared and Hoyt were in the front. Hank and Maxine were in Hank’s truck.

  They made record time back to Hank’s house. Hunter carefully carried her inside to his old bed and Jared met him there with his medic bag. “Pull the sheet straight up, slow. Try not to re-open any of her wounds.”

  Hunter inched the damn thing off centimeter by centimeter. Blood had already dried in a criss-cross pattern on the material.

  When her back was bare, he almost exploded. Where there weren’t welts, there was blood. And then there was the fucking brand. Hunter stood and stalked across the room, barely resisting the urge to slam his fist through the wall. Rage ran through his veins.

  He needed an
outlet.

  “Hunter. You need to get it together. For her.” Jared spoke slowly, his words measured.

  How could his buddy expect him to calm down? Evie’s back was a battlefield of bloody stripes.

  “You choose. Your needs or hers.” Jared met him stare for stare, not backing down. And Hunter’s anger deflated, and he sat on the mattress, feeling regret well in every cell in his body. He’d let this happen.

  “I didn’t trust her. And because of that, she’s like this.”

  Jared nodded but didn’t argue. “You fucked up big time.”

  Hunter shot him a glare.

  “Hey, don’t be mad at me. I support you. But you screwed up, and you’re gonna have to work your ass off to get her back.”

  “And I get to sit back and watch you squirm,” Hoyt said from the doorway.

  Great. Here he was, sweating over the love of his life, and his men were giving him shit. Well, he deserved it.

  “Just make her better,” Hunter bit out. He didn’t have a clue about how to win her back. He had set out to charm her and use her. He had thought her a cheater. Now he knew the truth. He was the reason she’d ended up in Marcus’s arms.

  And she’d suffered there.

  Fuck. He wanted to scream. To tear something up. Anything to release this beast of self-loathing. But that would be too easy. He needed to suffer.

  He deserved it.

  *

  Evie woke to sunlight streaming through sheer curtains. She was in her mom’s house, in the guest bedroom, on her stomach. Hunter held her hand, his face a mask of worry. Elation filled her as she met his gaze. But then she remembered his words and her elation turned to sorrow.

  He had lied. He had used her. And…she loved him. She still loved him.

  Evie wrested her hand from his, the slight movement pulling the skin across her back. Pain made her cringe.

  “Can I get you anything? How do you feel?” The questions came rapid-fire and Evie struggled to keep up.

  “I’m okay. The pain isn’t anything I haven’t dealt with before.” Hunter cringed and Evie felt a pang of guilt, but she quickly squashed the emotion. Why should she care about hurting him after what he’d done to her?

  “Do I need to call Jared? Let him check out your back?”

  Evie bit her lip and shook her head no. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. Broken. Battered. Bloody.

  “Where is Mom? Is she okay?”

  “Yeah. She left about ten minutes ago. It’s the first time we’ve gotten her to leave your side. Hank drove her to town to get her a Dr. Pepper.”

  Evie smiled. Her mom’s idea of a pick-me-up had always been Dr. Pepper. Personally, Evie couldn’t stand the sweet syrupy taste. But whatever made her mom happy…

  “So I took over,” Hunter finished.

  A piece of hair fell over her eye and he brushed it back. Evie cringed. She couldn’t handle him touching her. Not now. Not when the wounds were fresh. So raw.

  Hunter pulled back and she saw the pain her action had caused him. First she felt sorry for it. Then she felt angry. “Dammit. Don’t sit there making me feel bad for you. You screwed me, remember? I heard you. I heard every word. I was just a means to an end. A mission.”

  His skin paled and he leaned forward like he wanted to argue, but Evie cut him off. “Get out. Now.”

  “Evie, just give me a chance to explain,” Hunter pleaded.

  “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t trust you. You lied to my face.” And she had fallen for it. Just like she had fallen for the gentle giant next to her. Only he wasn’t gentle. He was a liar. And he’d hurt her. She felt the tears start but was too tired to wipe them away.

  Hunter did it for her.

  “Leave. Please.” Evie forced the words out.

  Hunter pulled back. “Evie…”

  “No! Get out!”

  The effort of yelling at him had cost her dearly. What little strength she had left vanished and her skin pulled tight across her back.

  But it had the desired effect. Hunter stood and walked to the door. He turned. “I’ll be back, Evie. I’m not giving up on us.”

  Her laugh was bitter. “There is no us.”

  Hunter left. Evie laid her head back on the pillow and let exhaustion claim her.

  *

  The next time she opened her eyes it was dark. The lights were off. No sunlight. Evie glanced at the clock on the bed stand. Five a.m.

  The sun would rise soon. Her mom would get up by six. The woman had always been an early riser, unlike Evie, who could easily sleep past nine.

  The lamp was turned on at the lowest setting, casting a dim glow across the room. Evie moved and this time her back didn’t scream in pain, so she tested her strength. She pushed up, locked her elbows, and held herself like that—her knees and hands supporting her. She caught her breath and eased back into a sitting position on the bed, her feet tucked under her.

  Each movement pulled and squished the sores on her back, but it was tolerable.

  What was not tolerable was the man asleep in the recliner three feet away from her.

  But as much as she wanted to tell him to leave again, she couldn’t wake him and destroy the look of peace on his face. His face was relaxed, almost boyish, and she found herself drawn to him.

  “Don’t wake him.” Evie turned to see Maxine, dressed in a robe and long satin nightgown, standing in her doorway. Her mom crept into the room and gestured for Evie to follow her out. She helped Evie from the bed and they quietly walked from the room. Evie had to hold onto her mom for support, and was out of breath by the time they reached the kitchen.

  She eased down into the kitchen chair, careful to keep her back from touching the back of her seat. She pulled her robe together and put her head in her hands. Maxine started a pot of coffee, then sat down beside her and took her hand.

  Maxine stayed silent as she stroked Evie’s hand. She started to speak before stuttering to a stop, and Evie could tell she was fighting back the tears. Evie was about to say something, but Maxine held up a hand.

  Evie gave her mom time. When Maxine finally spoke, her voice was ragged. “I should have known, baby. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I let you stay with that monster for so long.” Maxine started crying.

  Evie felt her own tears rise. “It’s my fault. I kept it secret. I learned how to hide the bruises. You couldn’t have known.”

  “I’m your mother. It’s my responsibility to know when my only child is in trouble.” More tears ran down Maxine’s cheeks and Evie realized this was the first time she had seen her mom without make-up in years. Small lines had grown around her brown eyes and mouth. She was paler. Her cheeks redder.

  “Mom.” Evie squeezed Maxine’s hand and scooted closer, even though the action sent a wave of fire shooting across her back. “Mom. You couldn’t have known. No one did. Cheri just happened to find me one night. If it hadn’t been for her, I would probably still be with him. Or dead.”

  “Oh, baby.” Maxine broke forward, crying hard, her head bent over their entwined hands. Evie soothed a hand down her mom’s head.

  “Please stop. It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault but mine.”

  “No. It’s mine.” Hunter’s deep voice dragged her attention from her mom.

  He filled the doorway, his shoulders almost touching the frame. His T-shirt and sweatpants were rumpled from sleep. But his gaze was alert. Focused on her. He stepped into the room. “I left you. I let my past cloud my judgment. It’s my fault you ended up with him.”

  Evie lifted her chin and held his gaze for just a second before looking away. His expression was raw and open and filled with longing.

  Maxine patted her hand and stood. “I think you two need to talk.”

  “Mom…”

  Maxine shushed her and leaned close. “I think you should listen to him, honey.” Then her mom was gone and Evie was alone with Hunter.

  The liar.

  She turned from him, unable to look a
t him for fear that she would relent.

  Hunter took her mom’s seat. “Evie, I have to tell you something.”

  She still couldn’t look at him, but he took her hand anyway, his touch sending sparks up her arm.

  “I should have trusted you. I should have known you wouldn’t cheat on me with Marcus.”

  Evie gave him her attention then, her anger too hot for her to hold it back. “That may be true. And it’s forgivable. But not this. You used me. You used me and didn’t care if I was hurt.” Her lips trembled and she ripped her gaze from his, unwilling to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

  Hunter turned her chin gently until she faced him again. “You’re right. In the beginning, my intention was to use you. But after we talked, after we touched, after I spent more than five minutes in your presence, I knew I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t use you and turn you in.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid? I heard you at your dad’s. I heard you tell them.” Her words weren’t tinged with bitterness. They were filled with it. She jerked her hand from his and stood. The familiar pain shot up her back.

  “If you’d stayed a minute longer, you would’ve heard me tell them I knew you weren’t involved. That I planned to keep you safe no matter what.” Hunter rose, his voice desperate.

  “You expect me to just believe you? After everything you’ve done?” Evie’s chin rose even as tears fell.

  “You should believe him. He’s telling the truth.”

  Evie turned to see a sleep-rumpled Hank in the doorway. He walked to the coffee pot, poured two cups, and met Evie’s gaze head-on. “Can’t you see how much he loves you?”

  With those words, Hank left the room and Evie slowly turned back to Hunter. Her whole body shook. Could it be true? Or was Hank just covering for his adopted son?

  Hunter cursed and paced the kitchen. He looked awful. Tortured. Dark circles under his eyes. A couple days’ growth of beard on his cheeks. But it was his eyes that held her. There was torment in their dark depths.

  “Evie, I know I screwed up, but I swear on my mother’s grave I’m telling the truth.” He strode over to her then and took her hands in his, his eyes pleading.