“Slow deep breaths. We have to hurry.”
It was so easy for him to say when he wasn’t the one about to vomit again, but she also knew they were in jeopardy and she was slowing them down. “I’m sorry.” She tried breathing through her nose, which seemed to help a little. Will pulled her fifty feet into the forest and stopped at the base of a large tree.
“Just try not to fall out of the tree if you barf. You’ve had enough drama the last few days.”
“Yeah, thanks for the advice.”
“I’m going to boost you up. Climb up and try to hide in the leaves. When it’s over, I’ll come get you.” Will started to lift her up.
“Will, wait.”
He stopped and waited.
“What are you going to do?” she asked, fear overriding the nausea.
He looked into her eyes. “I’m going to protect you. Now get up in the tree already.” He lifted her up and she reached for a branch overhead. Will put his hands under her butt and pushed her up.
“Always looking for an opportunity to feel me up, huh?” She tried to tease, but her heart thumped wildly, making it difficult to breathe.
“Always.” His tone was flat and she knew they were in trouble.
She pulled herself up onto the branch and gazed down. Will handed her the rifle, a worried expression on his face. She reached for the gun and realized there was something else in his face. Concern. For her. He was genuinely concerned for her safety. She knew it shouldn’t surprise her. He’d spent the last few days taking care of her and saving her life. The significance of it hit her as she realized he could very easily run away into the woods, leaving her to fend for herself. He owed her nothing. Yet, here he was looking up at her with tenderness, and for the life of her she couldn’t understand why.
“Will?”
He gazed up at her.
“Be careful.”
His roguish smile lifted the corners of his mouth, but his voice was weary. “No worries, love, this is what I’m trained for. Now keep climbing.”
She climbed about twenty feet and scooted out on a branch full of leaves. Fairly certain she was hidden, she also realized she couldn’t see anything, bringing the now familiar rush of fear and anxiety. She wished she didn’t have this stupid internal alarm. It made her ill enough that she had trouble escaping and it gave her little notice to get away, so what was the point? The sound of tires crunching on the gravel road echoed through the trees and she realized her nausea had disappeared. She wasn’t nauseated when they showed up to kidnap Jake either.
Thoughts of Jake nearly suffocated her with worry until she heard the first gunshots, then her thoughts turned to Will.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The first SUV pulled up as Will positioned himself in a tree at the edge of the clearing. He didn’t know why Emma became so violently ill when the men were close, but he was thankful for the warning. It would have been disastrous if the SUV pulled up while they were outside with only the one rifle. He tried to take comfort in knowing that Emma was hidden back in the trees, away from stray bullets. The doors of the SUV opened and four men stormed the cabin, with another SUV close behind.
They opened fire on the cabin, making it apparent they weren’t looking to take prisoners. The cabin was destroyed in a matter of moments. Will tensed, thinking about Emma hiding only fifty feet away. It seemed far enough away before, but now he wasn’t so sure. He waited. Once he started shooting, he’d give his position away.
Three men got out of the second SUV and joined the others. Seven men total. The sound of breaking glass, splintering wood and rapid gunfire echoed eerily through the woods. There was a chance they would shoot the cabin to oblivion and leave. He and Emma would be safe, but he wasn’t willing to let them get away that easy. He thought of the hell Emma had been through and anger ignited his need for retribution.
Will waited until he had as many as possible in his view. He aimed and squeezed the trigger. In rapid fire succession he took out three men before they realized they were being attacked and spread out. Will jumped down from the tree and darted back into the woods, circling around the clearing, leading them away from Emma. The vantage point sucked compared to his previous spot, but it was safer for Emma if he stayed on the ground. If they realized that he’d hid in the trees, they might look for her there, too.
The attention of the remaining men turned from the cabin and focused on the tree line. Will shot a few more rounds, not necessarily to hit one, but to get their attention. Darting back into the woods, he circled, did a quarter turn directly across from where he started, and shot again. He hoped they didn’t torch the cabin since he didn’t have time to get many supplies out. Their main concern seemed to be finding the source of the gunfire. A man came into view, peering from behind one of the SUVs. He was an easy target for Will. Three or four left. He knew three would be too easy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two men slip into the forest, heading in Emma’s direction.
Shit.
He had two choices: let them search and pray that Emma stayed hidden, or work his way back to her. He knew what he should do, but unsure if he could actually do it.
***
The storm of gunfire made Emma queasy, but for a different reason than before. Will was out there in the middle of all those flying bullets. What if he got hurt? Or killed? Will can take care of himself. Logically, she knew this, but he was only human; it only took one bullet. The vice on her chest tightened. Not helping! She had to think of something else, something other than what he was doing this very moment. Emma thought of the first time she saw him, leaning in the car window. God, he’d been such an ass. She still didn’t know why he even got in the car in the first place, but she knew where she would be if Jake hadn’t insisted she let him. Dead, without a doubt. And now he was out there risking his life to save her while she sat in a tree. She should be helping him. The sound of the gunfire slowed down. A fresh wave of worry caught her breath.
The gunshots stopped completely and an uneasiness wiggled up her back. Something was wrong. Will? No, she didn’t think so. Me. She held her breath, the sound of crunching leaves and pine needles grew closer. It could be Will, but somehow she knew it wasn’t. She hoped she was hidden enough; if she weren’t, she’d be an easy shot. The thick foliage blocked her view, but she spotted a black object moving her direction through a gap in the leaves. Emma swung the rifle slowly over her shoulder, trying not to make any noise. She gripped the tree branch with her left hand and the rifle trigger with her right. Her heart beat so loudly she was sure the man below could hear it. More gunshots rang out toward the cabin and she jerked, rustling the leaves on her branch. The dark figure stopped almost directly underneath her tree. She held her breath and waited, her finger shaking on the trigger. Should she shoot him? Will told her to stay here and do nothing, but he never said what to do if one of them showed up underneath her. The man paused, turning slowly in a circle, his rifle swung around searching for her. More gunfire sounded in the distance. She was prepared for it this time and remained still. He walked forward a few feet, now directly underneath her. She had a perfect shot if she wanted to take it. Her heart beat savagely, making her breaths come in short bursts. What if she missed?
He glanced up and saw her, and for a brief second their eyes locked. His full of triumph, hers full of fear. But before he could raise his gun, she pointed hers and shot several rounds. He fell on his back, blood pouring onto the ground. The taste of bile and fear gagged her and she made herself look away. But her cover was blown; she needed to get out of the tree and move. She scrambled down, in spite of her violent shaking, ignoring the twigs that scraped her arms. To the left, a dark figure in the distance advanced toward her. She turned, bolting into the forest.
***
When Will heard the shots in the forest, his heart stopped. If something happened to her... He pushed the thought away. Will focused on Emma for a moment, wishing he could communicate with her and somehow, he knew she was alive. Stunne
d, he realized he could feel her presence. The thought was both reassuring and overwhelming.
He ran back into the forest toward Emma, no longer caring if he lured them to her. They were already there. The urge to defend her to his death was strong and surprising. He hadn’t felt anything like it since he’d been in the military, yet even that was different from what he felt now. He circled around to the tree Emma had climbed and found the dead man at the base. His heart sunk as he looked up already knowing she wasn’t there. He paused, straining to pick up something, any clue to tell him where she was. The crackle of leaves echoed in front him. He crept silently in that direction.
***
Emma ran into the woods without a plan. Think, Emma! Think! She had to come up with something. Sounds followed her, confirming that she was being followed. An outcrop of rocks lay ahead. Could she find a place to hide? She headed toward it, but when she reached the rocks, she realized there was nothing deep enough to cover her. A branch snapped behind her and she turned to see a man dressed in a black shirt and jeans pointing a gun at her.
“Please,” she said, holding up her hands. “I don’t have anything you want.”
“Actually, you do.” He raised his rifle, a satisfied grin on his face.
Emma heard two shots and wondered why she didn’t feel any pain. Maybe it didn't hurt to get shot. The man’s face registered surprise and he fell to the ground, revealing Will behind him with his gun raised. He lowered his gun when he saw her, strode toward her in long steps and wrapped her into his embrace.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she answered, but her voice shook.
“That was too close.”
She didn’t answer, still trying to slow her racing heart.
“Come on, we need to take cover somewhere.” He started walking toward the rocks. “This isn’t over yet. There’s still more out there. I think I should try to get more information from one of them.”
“What do they want, Will?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I’d like to find out.”
“Can’t we just try to get away? What if something happens to you?” Emma panicked at the thought.
Will walked another ten feet past where Emma had stopped and found a crevice jutting into the bluff. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. Now get into there and wait.”
Emma wasn’t going anywhere until she got some answers. “Will, these people are dangerous. How can you be so sure that you’ll be okay? Especially if you try to catch one?”
“Emma, we don’t have time for this.”
“Will, please.” She knew she sounded desperate, but she didn’t care. She was terrified to let him go.
“Emma.” He paused and stared into the trees above. With a sigh he turned back to her. She expected him to look impatient; instead, he appeared resigned. “You wanted some answers from me. Well, here’s one. When I was in the military, this was part of what I did. I hunted people down and extracted information from them. I know what I’m doing. Now please, hide for me. Okay? I can’t do my job if I’m worried about you.”
“What if they find me?”
He pushed her down. “They only way they can get to you is to walk around this boulder. If someone appears in the opening, shoot first and ask questions later. When I come back, I’ll tell you it’s me so you won’t have to worry about shooting me. Okay?”
It wasn’t okay, far from it, but she knew she had no choice. Emma nodded.
“I’ve gotten most of them so don’t be so worried. I’ll be okay.”
“Will, please be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
A genuine smile spread over his face. “Of course, you don’t. Who else is going to put up with you knocking Tim McGraw?”
Her hand holding the gun shook as she watched him disappear.
***
Emma’s hiding place wasn’t as safe as he would like, but it was safer than a tree at this point. If he had been a few seconds later finding her… he refused to think about what would have happened. That was entirely too close. He hated to admit how much it freaked him out. He wanted nothing more than to stay with her, but there were still gunmen out there threatening her life. His goal was to keep them as far from her as possible. Plus, he wanted information. He kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner, but there it was. He wasn’t thinking.
Will backtracked to the cabin. Chances were the men—however many might be left—had moved in his direction at this point. He slunk through trees in near silence, listening for signs of movement. Luring them out of the woods and back toward the cabin seemed like the best option.
There was no sign of them as he reached the tree line. He picked up a rock about the size of his fist and threw it at the headlight of a SUV. The sound of shattering glass filled the silence of the clearing. Scooping up a few smaller rocks, he climbed up into a tree and waited. To his left, he heard the barely audible sound of crunching leaves. The sound grew closer until a black figure approached about twenty feet away. The man paused, looking in the direction of the SUV. Will threw a stone against a tree behind him. The thunk echoed in the woods. Not fooled, the gunman turned in Will’s direction and slowly made his way over.
Will waited, crouched on the tree branch about ten feet off the ground and opposite the gunman. The man paused several feet away, alert and listening. Will threw another rock behind him, farther away and into the tree branches. The whoosh of leaves drew the man’s attention and he crept at a snail’s pace in that direction. When he was next to the tree, Will jumped with the rifle in his hand, landing on the gunman’s back. The man fell to the ground with Will landing on top of him. Will pointed his rifle tip into the man’s back when he attempted to get up.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Will jabbed the gun into his back to prove his point.
The man eased back down onto the ground, his hands on either side of his head.
“Tell me who you work for.”
“Why would I tell you that?” the man sneered.
“Because I have a high-powered rifle pointed at your back that will make a hole big enough to drive a car through.”
“You’re going to kill me anyway. So why would I tell you?”
He gouged the rifle tip into the man’s back. “Maybe I’ll let you live if you cooperate.”
“I’ve got nothing to say.”
Will sighed. “I really hoped you wouldn’t say that.”
***
Emma waited for what seemed like an eternity, ears straining for any hint of what was going on. She hadn’t heard any new gunshots. The longer she waited, the more terrified she became. What was taking Will so long? She wasn’t sure how long she should wait and had no idea how much time actually passed since he’d left. Her jangled nerves had her on the verge of going to find him when she heard the soft sound of leaves crunching in the distance. She held the rifle pointed in front, her trembling finger on the trigger.
“Emma?” Will’s voice called.
“Will?”
“You can come out.”
She crawled out, thankful he was safe. But as he walked toward her, she wasn’t so sure His face was strained and blood splatters covered his arms and shirt.
She froze. “Oh God…”
“It’s okay, Emma. It’s not mine.” His eyes were dull and expressionless.
“Then how….? I didn’t hear any gunshots.”
His jaw tightened and he swallowed. “I don’t think you really want to know.”
“What does that mean?”
He took her hand. “Come on, I’ll get cleaned up and we’ll get out of here. At least we have a way out now.” He tried to sound aloof, although he wasn’t succeeding.
“Will, what happened? What did you find out?”
He took both her hands in his and stared into her eyes. “Someone wants you dead and they are willing to pay a large sum of money to make that happen.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t
know. I’m sure he was just a middleman, someone hired to do the dirty work.” He almost slipped and added like me.
“Why do they want me dead?” The words were heavy on her tongue.
“I don’t know that either, but they didn’t want you dead until after they blew up the truck. At that point, they wanted you alive. It was after the explosion that they got the assignment to kill you.”
“What does that mean?” She could hardly breathe.
“I don’t know.” He sounded worried. “I know you’re scared Emma and you have every right to be, but I will protect you.”
“Why? Why would you do that?”
Will looked stumped by her question. He ran his free hand through his hair and sighed. Emma saw the blood stains he had tried to wipe off. Blood from someone he killed to protect her. Her chest tightened and she had trouble catching her breath.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said.
“That’s not an answer Will!” She sounded hysterical, but she didn’t care. “I’m supposed to count on you to protect me and you don’t know why you’re doing it? What happens if you suddenly decide you don’t want to do it anymore?” She jerked her hand out of his. “I never asked you to do this Will. Never. You were the one who got in my car. You were the one who said we had to stay together. Why? Why would you do that?”
“Emma...” He reached out to her.
She backed up. “I need answers, Will.”
“Sorry, sweetheart, you didn’t win the bet.” He gave her a wry smile, a half-assed attempt at his usual sarcasm, but it fell flat.
“Fuck the bet, Will.”
“Emma, what matters is I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.”
“But why aren’t you going anywhere? Why did you just risk your life to save me? How many men did you kill today? How many since you met me? You’re one man, Will. Just one man.Why would you do it? Why should you do it?”
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