by Karen Kirst
In the reflection, she saw an Escalade speeding through the curves and bearing down on Cruz. Before Mason could call his friend, a loud popping sound reverberated off the steep terrain that hugged the right side of the road. The Jeep swerved and sped toward the rocky, earthen barrier. Tessa gasped, certain Cruz was going to smash his vehicle head-on.
“Mommy?” Lily tossed her book on the seat and tried to look out the rear window.
Cruz righted the Jeep at the last second, but it wobbled and flipped onto its side, skidding along the asphalt. Tessa clapped her hand over her mouth.
Mason barked instructions into his phone, clearly in contact with police dispatch. He gunned the engine, taking the turns at increasing speeds. His truck was in good condition, but it wasn’t made to handle curves.
Lily began to cry, her soft whimpers making Mason’s face harden to stone. He slammed on the brakes and jerked the truck onto a skinny side road almost hidden by trees. Tessa reached back to hold Lily’s hand. When she did so, she saw the SUV gaining on them.
“Mason.”
“I know.”
The dense woods thinned on their right. Through the gaps, a rain-swollen river gushed over jagged rocks and fallen logs. The truck bounced over an old wooden bridge. Lily’s cries grew louder.
Beyond the bridge, the trees gave way to a sloping, grassy bank. The Escalade slammed into the truck’s rear corner, sending it skidding.
“Hold on,” Mason yelled, forearms bulging as he fought the wheel.
They were jolted again, and this time there was no correcting their trajectory. The truck bumped and careened down the bank. Tessa braced her hands on the dashboard. She held her breath.
The roiling, greenish brown water rushed at them, swallowing the hood and battering the windshield. They were either going to be swept downstream or shot by Dante’s minions.
SIX
A bullet demolished his driver’s-side mirror. The river slammed his side of the truck, the water level reaching almost to his window. The force was such that he couldn’t get his door open. He used the arm controls to roll his and Tessa’s windows down.
“I’m going to draw them away.” Mason unholstered his Glock. He’d counted the driver and one passenger. Only one SUV was present, suggesting Dante had remained in his hiding spot and sent half his team after them. “Get her out of that seat and stay down!”
Tessa unbuckled her belt and, twisting around, reached into the back seat and began to unfasten Lily’s restraints. “Shouldn’t we try to get to shore?”
Another bullet whizzed by and dug into his hood. They were aiming at him. Good.
He eyed the water’s movement, the churning currents fed by recent rains. If Tessa slipped on a rock or accidentally let go of Lily...
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the passenger get out of the vehicle. The short, stocky one with a mustache Tessa had identified as James.
“Backup is on its way,” Mason said. “Just sit tight.”
Praying that was the right advice, he leaned his upper body out of the open window and got off a shot. James scampered to the opposite side, using the Escalade’s bulk for cover. Mason lurched into the water and sucked in his breath. Icy needles pricked his exposed skin. Staying low while also keeping his pistol dry, he fought the current, his sodden boots and pants weighing him down.
The driver remained in the vehicle, but James released a volley of shots, so close he could feel the spray as they skimmed the water. He leaped onto the bank. Going up on his elbows, he got off his own shots. Glass shattered.
Mason began crawling along the bank, away from the truck. A hail of gunfire followed him, as he’d hoped. Where was backup? He prayed Cruz wasn’t harmed.
He kept an eye on his truck. From this angle, it looked secure. Leaving Tessa and Lily hadn’t been his first choice. If Dante and his other guards showed up, there’d be nothing Mason could do to stop them from taking the girls. Worse would be a stray bullet finding either of them.
He couldn’t hear the reassuring sound of sirens above his own thundering heart, along with the river surging between its banks and successive gun blasts.
A flash of black between the trees and the flare of a well-tuned engine heralded his partner’s arrival. The men noticed, too, and James slid into the SUV. They raced past Mason, headed in the opposite direction.
Mason should’ve waited until he was certain they were gone. Instead, he jumped to his feet and sprinted for the truck. Silver beat him there, wading into the water and scooping Lily into his arms. Tessa climbed out of the passenger-side window unassisted. She took a single step toward the bank. Silver shifted Lily to the crook of one arm and held out his other hand. Their fingers brushed. Tessa’s feet were swept out from beneath her, and she lost her balance. A cry pierced the air before she disappeared beneath the water.
Everything inside him rebelled. “Tessa!”
He blew past Silver and, resetting the safety, left his pistol on a rock. The churning river tossed her as if she was in a giant washtub, pushing her mercilessly along. Tessa resurfaced, searching for something—anything—to grab hold of. He ran along the bank, gauging the terrain, hoping to guide her to an outlying rock or fallen log to hang on to. Ahead, the woods took over.
But that option was no longer viable, so Mason waded in. The water was deep, cold and menacing. If he wasn’t careful, he’d wind up in need of rescue, too. He used the current to his advantage, adding his own strokes to buoy himself closer to her.
She was sucked under again, and his own lungs spasmed.
He pushed harder, resisting the urge to try to find purchase on the rocks.
Ahead, he saw her head pop up. Her body slammed into a car-sized boulder. Her fingers scraped along the uneven surface, scrabbling to grasp anything. She wasn’t successful in stopping her forward progression, but it bought precious seconds.
Mason brought his boots down and leveraged himself toward her. Tessa extended her arm. He snapped his hand around her wrist like a handcuff and refused to let go.
The river swept them farther along. Debilitating cold seeped into his bones.
“Over there!” Tessa pointed to where the river curved, and massive tree roots were exposed in the bank’s edge.
Mason steered them both toward the tree. As the water became shallower, his hand scraped along the bottom. He hardly registered the tiny cuts and gouges on his palm.
Together, they half swam, half limped the remaining feet to safety. They collapsed onto the sliver of rocky dirt beside the tree, lungs heaving and muscles trembling. Overhead, the sky was a delicate blue traced with wispy clouds.
Mason sat up and threaded his wet hair off his forehead, then scanned Tessa for obvious injuries. Her hair was plastered to her head, and her lips were nearly blue. “You scared me.”
She opened her eyes. “You were scared? I’m not sure I would’ve made it if you hadn’t jumped in.”
Groaning, she pushed herself into a seated position. That’s when he noticed the blood trickling down her cheek.
“You’re bleeding.” Gingerly moving aside the sopping tendrils, he exposed a deep gash near her temple.
“How bad is it?”
“You’ll need antibiotic cream and possibly stitches.”
“It could’ve been worse.” Her gaze darkened. “You put your life at risk.”
“I couldn’t let you drown.”
“I meant drawing the gunfire to you. Dante wants you out of the way. No sense making it easier for him.”
“He’s not going to get what he wants. Not this time.”
* * *
Mason’s fingers were featherlight where he held her hair away from the gash. His face was close enough for her to see the tiny droplets shimmering on his skin.
“Do you remember when we hiked to Laurel Falls and I sprained my ankle? You carried me on your
back all the way down to our car.” He’d been patient and attentive, and hadn’t complained once.
Shared memories and old feelings shimmered between them.
“Yeah, I remember.” Pulling his hand away, he thrust his fingers through his hair and left it in spiky tufts. He got to his feet and held out his hand. “Silver will come after us if we don’t return soon.”
Tessa gladly accepted his hand. She was beginning to feel the aftershocks of an acute adrenaline rush. Her legs were like gummy candy left in the hot sun too long. Thanks to the cloudy day and her cold, wet clothes, she was beginning to shiver.
Mason held tightly to her hand, just as he had in the water. Her rising panic had dissipated the moment he’d latched on to her.
“Do you think someone has reached Cruz by now?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Whether that someone would help or harm was the question. Dante hadn’t participated in this attack, leaving them to guess his whereabouts.
“What are you going to do for a vehicle?” she asked.
“Drive a unit truck until I can deal with insurance and go to the dealership.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize.” The pressure on her hand increased, and he shot her a sideways glance. “You’re not responsible for Dante’s choices.”
Back at the site, Mason retrieved his gun from where he’d left it. A pair of Serenity PD officers had arrived, their cruiser lights flashing. Lily was seated in the passenger seat of Silver’s Corvette. The door was open, and when she spotted Tessa, she scrambled out and ran to her. Tessa plastered on a reassuring smile, crouched down and ruffled her hair. Lily looped her arms around her neck.
Silver gave them a once-over and wrinkled his nose. “I’d offer you a ride home, but neither of you are coming near my car.” His gaze snagged on her, and he frowned. “Tessa, should I summon an EMT?”
Her hair hid her head wound, so he must’ve seen traces of blood on her face. “As long as Mason has a first-aid kit at home, I’m good.”
Mason studied her. “Are you sure that’s wise? You took a beating in there.”
“Positive. I’ve got scrapes and bruises, the same as you.”
He rolled the hem of his shirt and tried to squeeze the excess water from the material. “Any word from Cruz?”
“He texted a few minutes ago,” Silver replied. “He’s going to the hospital to get his wrist examined. His Jeep is toast.”
“That Jeep was a gift from his grandfather.”
“Maybe it can be salvaged.”
Mason turned to survey his half-submerged truck. “I’ve got to get our phones out of there. Lily’s car seat, too.”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Silver said.
While the men retrieved their belongings, the officers blocked the road and informed her the crime-scene unit was en route. Officer Bell showed up and offered to take them to the station, where they could pick up Tessa’s Toyota. No trackers had been found. Bell would then follow them to Mason’s, where he’d help sweep the property. Silver volunteered to stand watch the rest of the day until Raven could relieve him.
As soon as they were cleared to enter Mason’s house, Silver ordered them to change while he rustled up something to eat for Lily. A hot shower chased away the river’s chill and soothed Tessa’s aches and pains. Her lingering anxiety was another story. By coming to Serenity and seeking help, she’d put more people in danger—innocent people who were important to Mason.
Her worries must’ve been written on her face. When he appeared at her bedroom door with a first-aid kit, his countenance immediately clouded.
“What’s the matter? Is your head hurting? I knew you should’ve gone to the hospital.”
“I’m fine.” At his disbelieving stare, she added, “Physically, I’m fine.”
He gestured to the patterned armchair in the corner, angled to take advantage of the window view. “Let’s get your wound tended.”
She got comfortable and knotted her hands in her lap as he placed the box on the stamp-sized side table and rifled through the contents. He smelled wonderful, like a pine-filled meadow in spring. He looked better than wonderful—better than all her lonely imaginings. He’d changed into another pair of worn-in jeans and a Great Smoky Mountains shirt. The sunflower-yellow cotton was the perfect foil for his brown hair and eyes. If only she had the right to caress his cheek, smooth his hair, hold his hand...
She wove her fingers more tightly together. “How long have you been with the mounted police?”
“I joined about six months after we broke up.”
Funny, she didn’t recall an actual breakup. He’d just disappeared without a word, and she’d had to deal with it.
“You were content with patrol. Why the change?”
“The opportunity came up, and I craved a challenge.” He gently shifted her hair, his gaze intent on her wound. “I don’t see any debris in there. Can you hold your hair out of the way?”
“That’s good, because I don’t relish the idea of you digging for any.” Tessa hid a wince when he smeared on ointment with a Q-tip. The bruised flesh was tender.
“Sorry.” His breath fanned over her forehead. “I’m afraid you’re going to have a scar.”
“My hair will cover it.”
He straightened. “It’s not too late to take you to the hospital. Or a walk-in clinic, at least. It’s a deep cut.”
“No, thanks.”
“Afraid of needles?”
She thought of the epidural procedure and shuddered. How she’d longed to have Mason with her, holding her hand and coaching her. He was such a strong, calming presence.
“I avoid them when possible.”
He opened a large bandage and positioned it with care. “We’ll have to keep an eye on it. If there are any signs of infection, you won’t have a choice but to be seen.”
“What about your hands? I saw some cuts earlier.”
He held them up. “Nothing serious.”
She pointed to one in the groove of his palm. “That one could use a bandage.” She stood and moved out of the way, then pointed to the chair. “Switch places.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Mason sat down and balanced his hand on his knee.
Tessa swabbed the same ointment he’d used onto the worst of his cuts. “Silver was working patrol in Knoxville when I was living here. When did he decide to join this unit?”
“About a year after me. He sold his place there and bought land in Serenity. Raven joined around the same time. One officer retired and another transferred to the Nashville unit, so we had two positions to fill.”
She searched the box for a small bandage. “Is Raven from here?”
“She and I went to high school together. She’s several years younger, though.”
She picked out a bandage, then ripped off the paper and pressed it into place. “Cruz moved here from Texas?”
He nodded. “We got approval to add a fourth officer, and he was the most qualified applicant.”
Tessa closed the box. “You all seem to get along.”
“Considering how much time we spend together, I count that as a blessing.” He pushed out of the chair. “The horses are our partners, too. I’ve grown to love working with them. And being on horseback lets me interact with the community on a deeper level.”
She gave him a tentative smile. “I’m happy for you, Mason. You have a nice home. A satisfying work environment. Friends and family who love you.”
Although he’d said there wasn’t a significant other in his life, she couldn’t help wondering if he’d had any serious relationships. The thought made her slightly ill, which wasn’t fair. He deserved to be happy, to be loved and adored. Preferably by someone without dangerous ties to organized crime.
“Did you have a support network in Georgia?”
>
“I became close with several women in my neighborhood. I also made friends at church. The women I worked with at the day-care program were genuine and kind. However, I couldn’t forget I was a fraud. I couldn’t forget for a moment that I was being hunted.”
“Did you—” He started to sidestep her. “Never mind.”
She put a forestalling hand on his biceps. “Did I what?”
“It’s none of my business.”
“You want to know if I dated?”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Like I said, none of my business.”
“No, I didn’t.”
His gaze was skeptical. “Why not?”
“I had Lily to raise. She’s my priority.”
“Plenty of single parents manage to balance their children’s needs with their own.”
“Are you upset that I didn’t have someone in my life?”
His mouth tightened. “I didn’t say that.”
Did he want her to confess that he’d ruined her for other men? That the mere thought of dating made her break out in a cold sweat?
“All the excitement this morning has made me hungry,” he said, brushing past her and stalking over to the door. “Let’s go see what Silver thinks qualifies as a healthy meal for our daughter.”
Tessa nodded, relieved he’d taken some of the tension with him. She breathed in air not scented with his skin and reminded herself that reconciliation wasn’t the goal. Their own hurt and disappointment couldn’t get in the way of protecting Lily.
SEVEN
Mason was startled awake sometime in the night. He snagged his phone and fired off a text to Raven, who was outside patrolling the perimeter.
All good?
He got a thumbs-up emoji in response. The coiled tension inside slowly uncoiled. Then she sent him another text.
Are you in the kitchen? Light’s on.
No. I’ll check on it.
Shoving out of bed, he crossed to the door and opened it. He heard the rough slide of the rickety silverware drawer and the suctioning sound of the fridge door being pulled open. A high-pitched voice was followed by a shushing sound. After confirming the guest bedroom was unoccupied, he padded down the stairs in his T-shirt and pajama pants.