His brother’s back was impossible to describe. It was as if someone had peeled small strips of it back like wallpaper off the wall. Only this was his flesh and blood. She gagged, unable to stop her bodily reaction to the gruesome sight.
Jared was in her face before he knew what he was doing. “How dare you fucking make a noise when you are responsible for this?”
Sparrow flinched back instinctively from the unfiltered rage and confusion on Jared's face. She should have looked away before he rolled Hoyt over. After all, the last time she’d seen what Jimbo could do with that knife, it had given her nightmares for years.
But this—this was altogether different. Because it was Jared's brother, and Jared thought it was her doing. That her hands had wrought this evil. Against her will, Sparrow's eyes watered. Hoyt’s back was a massacre and Jared's face was a painting of anger and pain.
“I should do the same thing to you.” Jared said, his voice a ragged whisper.
“Please, I swear to God I had no part in that. I could never…” Do something like that to anybody. How could he think she was capable of doing that to anybody? The thought sent a fresh wave of pain down her body.
“He said it was you. You were in the room. My brother does not lie. Your own adoptive brother said you took part in it. The only one denying it is you.” Jared's hands slowly lifted and Sparrow swallowed convulsively.
He’d choked her earlier in his rage. It had been painful, but he’d let her live. Now his expression was turning borderline insane, and she didn't know if he realized what he was about to do. But she did.
And she didn't want to die.
“Jimbo set me up. Your brother was delirious. I could never do that to anybody. You've got to believe me. I was trying to help you find your brother and escape. I had you bound to my bed, helpless and at my mercy. If I wanted to trap you, I would have done it then!”
Jared's hands hovered directly in front of her now, his fingers curling into fist. She could see the indecision flickering in his gaze as bright and burning as a wildfire. “Because you're just as evil as they are.”
Sparrow's gaze was transfixed on his hands as he clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes black with the promise of retribution. And then he lowered them down and she breathed a small sigh of relief.
“I'm not going to kill you. That would be too easy. I don't need a knife to make you regret the day you were born.”
Jared went back to his brother and Sparrow’s shoulders drooped, she’d held her body so tense when he was near. Even still, small tremors shook her. Jared started to clean Hoyt’s back and she quickly glanced away, unable to stomach the severity of his wounds.
She'd skinned all sorts of animals in her lifetime, but her hunting had been about survival. She and Squirrel ate the meat and sold the furs. But torture like that, it was pure evil, and deep down she realized that Jimbo couldn’t possibly be sane.
The more she thought on it, the more convinced she became of Jimbo’s guilt. The only possible answer could be that he thought Hoyt knew where to find the land deed and he had tortured him for the whereabouts of the document.
The only reason he would have hidden Hoyt and searched for the deed in secret was he wanted the mountain for himself. If he had that, he wouldn’t need Miss Kay anymore.
The inkling of fear hovering over her laid anchor in her chest, weighing her down. Jimbo planned to kill Kay and take the land. There was no other explanation. And she was sure that once Jimbo started killing, he’d take out anyone who’d ever offended him. Including Squirrel.
By helping Jared, Sparrow had inadvertently screwed up Jimbo’s plan, ensuring the big man would be out for revenge. He’d hunt them down and kill them…and then he’d kill Squirrel.
From the corner of her eye, Sparrow saw Hoyt’s body convulse. She returned her attention to the brothers and watched as Jared poured alcohol on the open wounds, meticulously scrubbing and cleaning them. Then he applied some sort of salve over Hoyt’s back before packing it and carefully winding a huge role of gauze around his torso.
When he finished, Hoyt lay on his stomach and Jared was drenched in sweat, his skin almost green.
Jared was hurting, and as far as he knew, she was the source of his pain. If Hoyt didn’t wake up soon and tell Jared the truth, she was probably as good as dead.
But Sparrow wouldn't be with them that long. She would have to escape and return home. If Jimbo was as crazy as she suspected, no one was safe. It was her duty to warn them.
Jared scooted off to the side and pulled a canteen of water from his bag, and Sparrow’s mouth immediately went dry. It had been too long since she'd had a drink of water or anything to eat. But she wasn't stupid enough to think he’d give her a drink. Not now.
His gaze cut to her and she immediately looked away, not wanting to see the disgust she was sure was on his face.
She wanted to remember the sweet gentle Jared from earlier. Before he’d suspected her of doing such a terrible thing.
“Drink.”
She looked at him in surprise as he held the canteen up to her lips, but she drank greedily. The gag and the long journey had made her mouth as dry as over-tanned leather. “Thank you.”
His smile was anything but kind. “Got to keep you healthy enough for my plans. Can't have you dying from dehydration, now can I?”
He was the first man she had ever kissed, and being around him, even for such a short while, had made her want. Made her hope. And now his every word and every action was intended to make her hurt.
Tears pricked her eyes and she quickly blinked and looked away, unwilling to give him more ammo. She had to toughen up, find that thick skin she’d spent her whole life growing.
And she'd have to find a way to forget the gentle and hurting man who had touched her heart. Because tomorrow, she’d escape and she'd never see him again.
* * *
Sparrow came awake slowly. She blinked, trying to take in her surroundings. A few seconds later she remembered they were in the cave. She lifted her head, her neck throbbing, and a million pin pricks of pain shot down her arms.
She couldn't remember falling asleep, but she'd remained tied to that rock. Every muscle in her body ached, and her hands were numb, her shoulders aching. The minuscule amount of clothing did nothing to protect her from the cold rock. She felt like a block of ice.
“Good, you're awake. Time to go.” Jared's boots came into her line of vision first and Sparrow followed them up his legs, his lean hips, and his sinfully broad chest. He looked down at her, as refreshed as if he’d slept on a freaking featherbed.
She had never been a morning person, so the angry retort that came to her lips was probably best kept inside.
Jared squatted in front of her and held the canteen of water to her lips once more. Sparrow drank as much as she could, not knowing if it would be the last she was offered. The water splashed into her empty stomach and nausea rolled in her belly, followed by a grumble of hunger.
“I saved an MRE for you. I'm going to cut you loose so you can feed yourself.” He seemed somehow more in control today. His movements were clinical and distant, and there were no longer those sparks of madness flickering at the edges of his eyes.
He disappeared behind her rock and the ropes loosened around her body. Sparrow held up her hands for him to cut the rope binding her wrists.
“Those stay. You can feed yourself that way.”
“It would be a lot easier if you untie me.” Sparrow grumbled.
“A lot easier for you to escape that way too. The rope stays.” Jared thrust a tan plastic bag into her hands. The outside of it read Meal Ready to Eat. Sparrow pulled out a small pouch from inside it. Chicken and gravy. Hunger slammed into her so hard her fingers fumbled before opening the pouch. Inside was some strange looking goo, definitely not the chicken she’d envisioned. Was this some type of new torture he thought up?
She shot him a disgruntled look and he spoke up without her saying a word. “Military
issue. Not the best thing in the world, but it's loaded with calories and carbs to give you energy. And it's the last thing you'll eat for a while, so I suggest you get busy. I want to get a move on before the sun rises.”
“Thank you.”
The benign expression on his face disappeared, and he frowned at her. “Don't thank me just yet. I'm just getting you back to my place.”
Maybe. Or maybe he was starting to realize she couldn’t have done this terrible thing? She could only hope. “How long until we meet up with your boat?”
He studied her intently before answering. “Couple of hours at the most.”
Sparrow turned the pouch up to her lips, gulping half the package down. “How's your brother?”
Any hint of kindness in his eyes disappeared and she immediately regretted asking. “The same. You got a minute left. Quit talking and start eating.”
He turned roughly from her and Sparrow cursed her stupid mouth. Before she’d asked about Hoyt, Jared had seemed to soften. Just a little. She ate quickly and watched as Jared repacked the bag and checked Hoyt. His brother seemed to have settled down some during the night. He wasn't shaking and moaning anymore, but he was almost deathly still. If she hadn’t seen his chest rising and falling, she would’ve thought he was dead.
Then Jared stood in front of her again, holding out his hand, and she passed the empty package to him. He tossed it aside and held out his hand again. “Give me your hands.”
She gingerly placed her hands in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. Her knees buckled and if he hadn't held her, she would’ve hit the floor again. Small needles of pain pricked all down her legs and feet as blood rushed back into her extremities. She didn't bother trying to hide her groan. She couldn't remember ever hurting this much, and in so many places all at once.
“Give it a minute. It's just the blood circulating.”
Unable to speak, Sparrow nodded against his chest. He smelled of raw man and wild earth. Her senses went on alert. She became aware of his hands holding her up around the waist. The deep rise and fall of his chest as he took a breath. It was just plain wrong for fate to dangle such a fine specimen under her nose and then yank him away.
The last thing she wanted was for him to realize how quickly her body had betrayed her. Sparrow stepped back, surprised when he didn't resist and simply let go. But her legs held strong, and as the pain faded, she became aware of an urgent need. “I've got to pee.”
“Follow me, already found you a place.” Jared grabbed her arm and led her away from the cave, stopping before a small thicket of bushes growing between two trees.
The large pines acted as posts, and the bushes grew so thick they formed their own little fence. Not that she cared. She was used to having to go outdoors. There really wasn't much of a choice when she was out on a hunting trip. Sparrow walked around the bushes and shucked her jeans, thankful for the small thoughtful gesture of privacy anyway.
Chapter 15
The girl had gone to the bathroom out in the open without protest. He’d been ready to tell her to suck it up, but there was no need. She had no shame.
And why did he like that about her?
“Let's move.”
“Give me time to button my pants, okay?” she grumbled, grouchy in the early morning.
When she emerged, the first thing he noticed was the chill bumps covering her entire body, and for the first time, he took stock of the weather. He'd been so focused on his brother he hadn’t thought about himself or her comfort. She made to walk past him, her movements stiff and uneven. Jared suppressed a cringe, knowing it was from the way he’d kept her tied up all night.
Dammit, he shouldn't care whether she was hurting or not. He should revel in her pain. But he couldn’t, not with this doubt nibbling away his defenses. Maybe that's why his voice was so gruff when he spoke. “You're going to have to move faster today.”
She wrinkled that curvy little nose, scrunching up her freckles and her full pouty lips. “If you want me to speed up, you're gonna have to lighten my load.”
“And how do you expect me to do that? Carry my brother and the duffel for another mile?”
“Yes.” Her one-word answer traced along the edge of annoyance and humor. He let annoyance win. “Since you’re the one who helped put him in this condition, you'll have to suck it up. And if you slow me down, you won't like the consequences.”
She flinched. Jared held her gaze, daring her to say anything, but she dropped her mysterious golden eyes. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the cave.
“Give me your hands.”
He expected her to protest, but she meekly held up her bound hands. He quickly attached the lead rope to his belt. “You know what will happen if you slow me down?”
Still, she refused him her gaze, her stooped posture almost defeated. “Yes.” Something about her stance sent guilt washing through him.
Jared retrieved the duffel and held it out for her. She took it, letting the back bang into her shins. He didn't miss the slight flinch. The bag hadn't felt that heavy to him, but he was over twice her size and weight. She really was a petite woman. A petite woman with beautiful, full breasts and achingly curvaceous hips. Even now he could see her nipples bead hard and tight against the material of her shirt. His hands itched to lift up her shirt and caress her.
Why shouldn’t he? Jared groaned, lifted his hand and brushed the back of his knuckles over her breasts through the material of her shirt. She jerked at his touch. Her nipples budding even more. The bag pulled her arms straight down, forcing her breasts to mound over the top of her shirt. He rubbed her other nipple, soft and gentle, brushing his thumb back and forth over its tip until she trembled beneath his hands. Shit, his cock was aching and swollen. Eager to bury itself in her sweet depths. It would be so easy to take her right now. Right here. Already she leaned into his touch, seeking more.
Jared pulled on his control, forcing his mind away from thoughts of her parted thighs and soft lips.
Her head was tilted down to the floor as she meekly submitted to him. A growl of possession grumbled from his throat. He liked her like this. Liked knowing that she was trembling for his touch even though she feared him. She bit her lower lip and his control slipped. Grasping her chin in his hand, he lifted her face to his and took possession of her mouth, plunging his tongue inside deep and hard. Using her mouth to forget. To distance himself from the horror of his brother’s torture.
Something almost animalistic took over and he deepened the kiss even more, winding his hand in her hair and holding tight. But instead of trying to struggle away from him, she dropped the bag and lifted her bound hands to his chest, grabbing onto his shirt and pulling him to her. His touch seemed to awaken something in her, and her open response stunned him. Drove him wild.
Before he knew it, he’d laid her on the ground and settled between her legs. He broke the kiss, both of them painting and hungry. He found the flesh between her neck and shoulder, and bit down, sucking her greedily into his mouth. He pulled hard, wanting her to remember she belonged to him now.
Sparrow moaned and arched up. Jared roughly pushed her crop top the few inches it took to expose her nipples. Those beautiful dark rose, tight buds begged for his lips. Greedy, he took the first nipple into his mouth, sucking hard and long until she cried out, and then he lapped at her gently until she settled down.
“Jared,” she gasped, her hips undulating beneath him.
Jared pushed his hips forward, frustrated by the material separating them. He lifted enough so that he could yank at the button on her shorts.
“Jared. Stop.”
He could just imagine her soft pink flesh glistening and wet. He yanked down her zipper. He needed to taste her there, to see if she was as sweet as he imagined she’d be.
“Jared, your brother.” It was like she’d thrown a bucket of ice water in his face, Jared reared back onto his heels and yanked his hands from her body. Sparrow lay spread before him, her breasts ba
re, her legs wide open. He’d gotten so caught up in her that he’d temporarily forgotten about his brother.
Dammit. What the fuck was wrong with him?
His sat phone rang just then, and Jared jumped on the distraction, unsure what to say.
I hate you, but I want your body. The worst part was he was even more certain that she couldn’t be solely to blame. She might have had some involvement; he couldn’t completely rule that out. Not until Hoyt woke and told the truth.
Yeah, that would work out well.
He ripped open the phone. “Hello.”
It was Merc’s voice on the other end of the line. “We’re an hour out. What's your status?”
“About an hour too. You got the medical supplies?”
“Yep. We’ll be ready and waiting, brother. Just get here.”
“Roger.” Jared hung up, the phone call giving him a burst of renewed energy and purpose.
Hoyt’s sleep had been much more peaceful last night than Jared’s, who’d roused every half hour on the hour to check on his brother. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he’d been unable to keep his gaze off his captive. He’d been miserable, through and through.
“Come on, they're almost there.” His words startled Sparrow out of her thoughts and she quickly jumped to her feet, snatching the short top down in one movement. “Get the bag,” he added. “Stay close.”
He scooped Hoyt into his arms, avoiding the worst damage to his back, even though there was no way his brother could feel it. Jared had given him another dose of the morphine early this morning as soon as he started to twitch and moan in his sleep.
They headed out from the cave to the river where they could follow it south to the extraction point. The morning air was crisp and the sun just rising over the opposite mountain when they started on their journey.
When they were young, just boys, Miss Kay had taken them in after their parents’ sudden death. Jared had been young and innocent and trusting, until the next day when she tossed them in the closet and shackled them both to the floor. He hadn’t understood at first. He beat against the door, screaming and kicking, scratching at the wood until his fingers had bled.
Men of Mercy: The Complete Story Page 63