He held his breath and waited for her response, praying she would let him help.
Abby hated to accept help from a stranger. But what choice did she have? She was at this man’s mercy. Or perhaps it was grace that she’d found in him. She wasn’t sure yet.
Maybe tomorrow she could go back to the cabin. Figure out a way to have her car fixed. Get her purse and her belongings.
She would find a solution. But, at least for tonight, she could take Jaxon up on his offer.
Abby glanced at the man beside her as they headed down the road. Part of her felt compelled—maybe even obligated—to share more than she had. But she couldn’t.
If Jaxon knew the entire truth, he wouldn’t want to help her. He would only judge her. That’s what everyone else had done.
They’d formed conclusions without even asking her side of the story. Instead, they’d chosen the most sensational explanation, which left Abby painted as a villain.
As the miles blurred past, her eyes felt heavy. She was so, so tired.
She’d hardly slept the five days she’d been here. She hadn’t been able to. Though logic had told her she was safe, fear constantly nudged her awake. She’d hoped for the best, but the worst had happened instead.
Finally, they came to a stop in front of a cabin located right on the lake. As Jaxon put the truck into Park, Abby stared up at the structure. The outside looked clean and neat, even in the dark. A moment of relief washed through her.
Abby prayed that she was doing the right thing and not putting herself in another bad situation. She had so few options right now, however.
She only hoped no one discovered who she really was. The revelation would bring a fire storm. In truth, Abby had come here not only to get away from the Executioner but to get away from the speculation.
How was it that she’d tried for her entire life to always do the right thing, and one decision had ruined all that? She’d hoped that her reputation could outshine any accusations, but that hadn’t been the case. She felt like the most hated woman on the planet right now.
“Let’s get you inside.” Jaxon’s voice broke her from her thoughts.
Abby nodded. “In case I haven’t said this, thank you. For everything. You’ve gone above and beyond. Most people would’ve run away by now.”
“Well, I’m not most people.”
She tried to smile. She wanted to. She really did.
Jaxon opened his door and hopped out, and she did the same. The air around her seemed even more frigid since the sun had set. A slight wind came off the lake, chilling everything in its path.
Jaxon lightly touched her back as he led her toward the front door. “I’ve been staying on the first floor since I bought this place, but the upstairs is fully furnished. The previous owner had a tenant.”
“That sounds . . . perfect.”
He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, ushering her inside. “I’m going to let you stay down here where it’s warm while I go upstairs and get things situated.”
“I can help,” she offered.
Jaxon waved her off. “No need for that. You’ve been through enough today.”
She glanced around. The interior was surprisingly cozy, decorated like a typical mountain lodge. Yellow oak graced the floors, ceilings, and log walls. Brown leather furniture and plaid accents decorated the rest, and the vague aroma of coffee lingered in the air.
“Have a seat.” Jaxon pointed at the couch.
Abby didn’t argue. She was exhausted. So, so exhausted.
She watched as Jaxon went to the fireplace and started a blaze. The man had been a lifesaver. She couldn’t stop reminding herself of that. Jaxon had come into her life at just the right moment, and she wasn’t sure how she would ever thank him for what he had done.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Jaxon stood from the fire. “There’s water and food in the fridge. I’m going to head upstairs. Give me a few minutes to get things ready. I’ll lock the door behind me. But, just to let you know, I was watching on the drive here. No one was behind us. No one should know where you are.”
For now. That realization was all Abby could think of. She had no doubt she was living on borrowed time. Nothing she could do would change that.
As Jaxon left, she pulled the green plaid blanket from the back of the couch over her legs and settled into the cushions. The question was: would she get any sleep tonight?
Chapter Seven
Fifteen minutes later, Jaxon stepped back into his cabin and paused. Abby lay on his couch with a blanket around her shoulders and her eyes closed. He waited a moment to see if she’d stir.
Based on the steady rise and fall of her chest, she was asleep—and soundly, at that.
Quietly, he took a step, not wanting to disturb her. She probably needed the rest. He paused, his gaze lingering on her a moment.
Jaxon was more curious than ever as to what her story was. At least she’d opened up and shared that someone was trying to kill her. It was a start. But he had a feeling there were far more details she hadn’t been forthcoming about.
Jaxon intended on keeping his promise not to tell anyone what was going on with her, but there was no way he could avoid letting his brothers and sister know that this woman was staying here.
As he heard tires on the gravel outside, he stepped onto his porch. He watched as the approaching car cut the headlights. A moment later, his sister Ansley emerged from the driver seat with a paper bag in her hands.
“Hey, bro,” she said, starting toward him.
He still couldn’t get over the changes in his sister. When he had left Fog Lake, she’d been rebellious, with platinum-blonde hair, multiple earrings, and new tattoos every other month, it seemed. But she’d had some wakeup calls, and, since then, she’d really grown up.
Her hair was back to its natural dark-brown color. She gotten rid of some of her piercings, and her tattoos could no longer be seen due to the more modest clothing she wore. She was now dating his childhood best friend Ryan Philips, and Jaxon couldn’t be happier for the two.
“Thanks for coming by.” Jaxon took the bag from her outstretched arm and tucked it beside him.
They paused on the porch. Even though it was cold outside, the temperatures didn’t bother him. He’d always preferred winter to summer and found the cool air invigorating.
Ansley glanced through the window into his house, where the fireplace cast an orange glow. “What’s going on?”
“You mean, you didn’t hear?” Jaxon knew his brothers. No doubt they’d called Ansley to let her know what happened. Or, if they didn’t tell her, no doubt his sisters-in-law had. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. His family just liked to keep each other in the loop. It could be a blessing or a curse, depending on the situation.
“Yes, I did hear about all your adventures today. But what I didn’t hear about was why this woman is at your place right now.” Ansley gave him a pointed look.
Jaxon let out a long breath and remembered his promise to Abby. He chose his words carefully. “She needed a place to stay, and she’s been through a lot. I was going to let her stay upstairs, but while I was getting things ready, she fell asleep on the couch.”
Ansley glanced through the window again. “So you’re just going to let her crash there?”
“She’s sleeping so well that I hate to wake her.”
Ansley shrugged, never one to act holier than thou. “I can’t blame you. What’s her story?”
“I don’t know yet.” Jaxon leaned against the rough side of the cabin. “I’m waiting for her to tell me on her terms.”
Ansley glanced back inside, her gaze lingering this time. “She’s pretty.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“I didn’t say it did.” Ansley raised her hands in innocence. “It was just an observation. She looks . . . familiar.”
“Maybe you saw her around town.”
“Maybe.”
His sister had barely bee
n a teenager when Jaxon had decided to join the Army. He’d known he couldn’t stay here any longer, but his sister had been the hardest part about saying goodbye.
“Anyway . . .” Ansley straightened. “I hope the clothes and other things I picked out will work.”
She’d purchased a toothbrush and some other toiletries, just in case Abby needed them. Jaxon hadn’t wanted to leave the woman here alone while he ran to the store, not until he had a better read on the situation.
“If you need anything else, let me know.” Ansley took a step back.
“I will. Thanks for being a good little sister.”
“What can I say? I am the best.” Ansley winked at him.
A smile spread across Jaxon’s face. He’d always liked the fire Ansley had inside her. Out of everybody in the family, he and Ansley were the closest. Or, at least, they had been.
Jaxon took the bag and stepped back inside. As he did, he caught another glance of Abby. She looked so peaceful as she slept there on the couch, without any signs of the trauma that happened to her earlier.
Whoever she really was and whatever had really happened to her, Jaxon had just opened up his life to a stranger.
Second chance, he reminded himself. This time, he couldn’t let himself fail.
Chapter Eight
I decided to stay in town until I heard the news about Abi-jail. I needed that final burst of pleasure, of satisfaction. In a place the size of Fog Lake, news like someone’s death should travel fast.
But I hadn’t heard anything, and I didn’t like that.
Then again, maybe no one had discovered Abi-jail’s body yet. After all, she was out in the middle of nowhere. The animals might get to her before anyone ever did find her.
A smile spread across my face at the thought of it.
But until I had confirmation on her death, I couldn’t leave the area. Tomorrow, I would travel to the place I’d last seen her body. I would confirm that she was still there and that she was dead. It was the right thing to do.
And I prided myself in always doing the right thing.
Excitement rolled around inside me, almost like a hamster on a wheel going at full speed. Once news traveled, I should be a hero. But no one would know I’d been the one brave enough to serve justice.
That was okay. I knew.
I grabbed dinner at the local pub in town—a place called Hanky’s. It was a dive inside and looked like it hadn’t been updated in a couple decades. The inside smelled like grease, and old eighties music played on the overhead.
I took a sip of my iced tea and smiled at a woman sitting at the bar across the restaurant. She was pretty with soft brown hair and a curvy figure. I’d guess her to be in her late thirties. Probably here on business, based on her black skirt and button-up blouse.
I could tell by the way she looked at me that she found me attractive.
I’d been told that before. Some women loved my overbearing confidence, while others found it off-putting. I tried to put the second set of women in their place. Women weren’t meant to be empowered. They were meant to be controlled.
I flashed my admirer a smile, acting like I’d left our meeting in her court while secretly knowing that I controlled every part of the situation. It was my area of gifting.
A moment later, she sashayed over and sat across from me. “Anyone sitting here?”
“Now you are.” I didn’t bother to smile. A smile would make me look weak.
“What brings you this way?” She lowered her head and fluttered her eyelashes, attempting to flirt.
I pushed my half-eaten burger and fries away. It hadn’t been that good. If I were a food critic, I would have given this place two rotten tomatoes.
“I had some business to attend to,” I told her.
She raised her overly plucked brow. “Business? Oh . . . it sounds like you’re important.”
I gave her a slight nod. She was smarter than I gave her credit for. “I like to think so.”
“I like important men,” she cooed.
Suddenly, my evening looked like it might be a little more exciting.
I only hoped she didn’t disappoint . . . because then there would be consequences.
Chapter Nine
Abby awoke with a start. Sweat covered every inch of her skin, and her heart beat so fast she could hardly breathe.
Her gaze skittered across the room. A fire crackled. Log walls stood guard. The rich aroma of coffee floated in the air.
Where . . . ?
That was right. She was at Jaxon Wilder’s place.
Abby pushed herself up, a plaid blanket dropping to her waist. She must have fallen asleep on the couch . . . last night.
She raked a hand through her hair. She’d slept hard. Really hard. Harder than she had in weeks, for that matter.
A footfall sounded behind her, and she jumped. Visions of the Executioner rushed back to her. Of seeing him standing outside her cabin. Of the fear he spread like a poison.
“It’s just me.”
Jaxon came into focus.
He stood there wearing jeans and a thermal long-sleeved shirt, a cautious look on his face.
Abby sucked in a breath at the sight of him.
She hadn’t been delusional last night when she’d thought he was handsome. No, the man was breathtaking in every way. Tall, trim, quiet. He reminded her slightly of a younger Josh Duhamel—and that was a very good thing.
Her cheeks heated when she realized she’d practically passed out on his couch and had stayed there all night. “You should have woken me.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “You were sleeping too soundly.”
“I’ve been . . . tired.” Abby offered an apologetic smile, figuring she didn’t need to explain anymore.
“I imagine you have.” He paused in front of her, hands in his pockets. He looked laid-back and protective at the same time—if that were possible. He somehow managed to pull the dichotomy off. “How are you?”
That was a great question. Abby wasn’t sure. Finally, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Fair enough.” He nodded toward the front door. “I was going to drink some coffee on the porch. It’s kind of my thing. It helps me clear my head before I start the day. You want to join me?”
“Why not?” She had no reason to refuse. In fact, it sounded kind of refreshing.
“Take the blanket with you, just in case you get cold. I’ll grab the coffee.”
Abby wrapped the green plaid one around her shoulders like a shawl and stepped outside. She paused, sucking in a breath. Fog Lake stared back at her in all its glory. Just as yesterday, the water was clothed in a thin layer of fog. The low-lying clouds gave the whole area an almost magical feel. She could get used to a view like this.
She sat on one of the wooden steps facing the lake and waited for Jaxon. A moment later, the door opened again, and Jaxon handed her a steaming mug. He lowered himself beside her on the steps.
“How’s your head?” Jaxon’s question almost sounded casual, like they did this all the time. “Or is it too early to tell?”
“I think it will be fine.” Abby raised the steaming mug to her face and let the warmth spread over her skin. “Thank you again for letting me stay here. I don’t know how I can repay you, but I will.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not all that concerned myself.”
She took a sip of coffee, and the hot liquid washed through her system. Then the taste hit her. This blend wasn’t your run-of-the-mill coffee. The flavor was smooth, pleasant, and unique.
“This is good,” she said. “Really good.”
“Thanks. I actually roasted the beans for this coffee myself. I call it Troops on the Grounds Coffee.”
She raised her eyebrows and took another sip. “I love the name. And you should look into doing this on a wider scale.”
“I’ve thought about it.”
“I mean it. This is really good. It’s nutty and sweet.” She got excited just thinking about tak
ing another swallow.
Jaxon smiled. “I’ll take that into consideration.”
She froze when movement at the edge of the lake caught her eye.
Was that . . . ?
Yes, it was.
Someone was out there. On Jaxon’s property. Walking their way.
Abby tried to spot him again, but he disappeared.
Or had she been seeing things?
Abby didn’t know. But she couldn’t look away.
A second later, a man wearing a black or blue jacket and a ball cap came into view.
The coffee mug slipped from her hands and crashed on the steps. Dark liquid spread everywhere.
“Abby?” Jaxon asked.
She hardly heard him. Was that . . . the Executioner? Would he be this brazen?
Abby knew the answer.
Yes, he would be.
The man moved toward them without urgency—just like the man in the woods yesterday had. That was what made him even scarier—his lack of conscience.
He was coming back to kill her, just like all those threats had foretold.
A deep shiver raked through her body.
“I . . .” She tried to formulate something to say. If that was the Executioner, it wasn’t just her in danger right now. Jaxon wasn’t safe either.
Abby rose to her feet. In three steps, she had backed up to the door.
Jaxon followed her gaze and saw the man there. At once, things seemed to click in his mind, and he joined Abby. “Do you think that’s the man who’s been threatening you?”
“I . . . I don’t know.” She didn’t have the answers. She only knew the fear bubbling inside her.
“Why don’t you wait in the cabin?”
But Abby could hardly move. All she could do was watch. Her head pounded as she anticipated the pain. The judgment.
Jaxon nudged her into his cabin. “Stay here. Understand?”
She grabbed his arm, realizing he was about to confront this man. He had no idea what he was getting into. “You can’t. He’s dangerous.”
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