by Mandy Harbin
Hunter nodded, but Brody had been really lucky. The stars had aligned. The angels had sung, and the heavens had smiled down on him. That didn’t happen often. Hunter was happy for the man. Truly. Xan was a special kind of woman, though.
“I know she is.”
Hunter’s gaze flew to Brody as he realized he’d spoken that last part out loud.
“But that doesn’t mean she’s the only special lady out there.”
He smiled at Brody, but that was the only response he could muster, because he knew the truth. There were other special ladies out there. Of course there were.
But Hunter wouldn’t let one in his heart. Maya had gotten too close already, and he had to keep her from finding the tiniest of cracks in his armor. If she did, he would be powerless when it came to her. He couldn’t allow that.
Brody clapped Hunter on the shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s check on the women and grab a bite to eat. All this talk about weddings and shit is making me hungry.”
Hunter followed along, a smile on his face, while he reinforced the steel around his heart.
Maya blinked at the glass of iced tea in her hands, remembering the two women who’d been sitting on the couch earlier today. She also remembered the man they’d come with. He’d been one of the guys at the garage. One of the biggest guys. Hunter was big, but that guy had been huge. So when he’d brought those ladies into the house and said they were here to keep her company, she hadn’t argued. They’d spent the better part of the afternoon chatting about Xan’s wedding to the big bruiser, Brody. Better her than me. The man had terrified her.
But when the guys had come back in from Hunter’s shop, she’d envied Xan. Brody had given her his undivided attention, doing even the smallest things for her without seeming to think first. It had come naturally to him to take her glass from her when she’d finished drinking, stand when she did, help her around the coffee table when she needed to pee. It’d been sweet, but it was more than that. Brody was a man in tune with his woman. Maya had never seen anything like that before. A couple of times, she stole glances at Hunter when Brody was doing something for Xan.
He’d been watching them too, with a furrow between his eyebrows. She’d wondered what he was thinking, and then cursed herself for going there.
Once, he caught her staring at him. Rather than look away, she’d been trapped by his gaze. Hunter had been the one to break the spell, but even then it took several seconds before he glanced away. It seemed hard for him to do, tear his gaze away, but she’d quickly attributed that to wishful thinking.
Then she’d berated herself for even thinking that. It didn’t matter what he thought or how difficult things were for him. She needed to stick to her guns.
Oh yeah? Then why are you taking the man a drink?
She sighed as she put the glass on the counter, losing her nerve. Her intention wasn’t anything more than calling a truce. Hunter had avoided her all week, staying out in his garage. Even with Brody, Xan, and Roxie around, he’d gone out of his way to avoid her. The five of them had gone into town to eat lunch at Stoby’s, a little restaurant known for its cheese dip they’d all bragged about. Maya had been jumping at the chance to leave the house, and had been surprised Hunter was allowing it. Any excitement she’d felt vanished after they arrived. Why? Hunter. He’d whispered something to Roxie as they walked in, and Roxie had immediately taken Maya by the arm, pulling her to a booth in the front. She’d been nudged into it and Roxie had slid in beside her. Brody and Xan had taken the bench opposite them with Hunter pulling up a chair from a neighboring table. Maya knew what he’d done. He’d asked Roxie to sit beside her so he wouldn’t have to. It shouldn’t have mattered.
It had.
The fact that he’d been going out of his way to stay away from her was bordering on the ridiculous. She was tired of it. Maybe it had helped her keep her resolve in the beginning, but now it sort of pissed her off. She was stuck here, and he wasn’t doing anything to make her entrapment better.
But she knew attacking him with the truth wouldn’t do any good. She needed to be nice. Feeling a little more confident, she picked up the glass of tea again. This time, she didn’t hesitate. She walked out of the kitchen and onto the porch where she’d spied him sitting.
He’d been sharpening a knife or something and looked up as she opened the door. She kept her gaze on him as she shut it behind her. God, why did he have to look so sexy? Sweat glistened his brow, hair stuck to his forehead in a few places, eyes were bright even in the night, strong jaw flexing as his stare bored into her.
Stop it. This obsession on his crazy good looks had to stop. She licked her lips as she moved toward him.
“Brought you a drink.”
His eyes grew slightly wider before he offered an appreciative smile and reached for the glass. “Thanks.” He took a big gulp and she averted her gaze. She would not look at his long, thick neck.
“So,” she started slowly, looking out into the dark yard. “Been sharpening knives?”
Good lord. She sounded like a dork.
“Not exactly.”
The sheepish way he said that drew her attention back to him. She knew he’d been holding a knife. She couldn’t have missed the glint of the blade earlier even if she’d tried to avoid seeing it. But when she saw the stick he held up with fresh wood exposed, she realized she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. Was he carving something? Did regular people do that sort of thing?
“Whittling.”
So he was trying to create something out of that wood. She could go along with that or try to be funny to lighten the mood even more. It wouldn’t hurt to try.
“Ah, you’re making a stake. I’d heard there was a big vampire problem out here.”
He laughed, eyes dancing as he looked at her. “Major vamp problem.”
Feeling a little more at ease, she walked toward where he sat on the steps. His smile faltered when she reached him, so she continued her stride past him as if that had been her intention all along .“You’re joking, but Heather told me how big the mosquitoes get out here,” she said as she reached the grass.
“Bloodthirsty little fuckers,” he said with a wink.
She ignored what that little flirtatious gesture did to her hormones. It had come so effortlessly from him, she’d do her best not to think anything of it.
That was easier said than done.
Taking a couple of steps backward so she could watch him as she talked, she said, “Stakes could come in handy–ow. What the…?”
She jumped to the side, grabbing her ankle. Had she stepped on something? Kicked a branch or something? It looked like some kind of stick.
“Wh–oh fuck.” Hunter was there in an instant. She would’ve gasped at how quickly he’d moved if her mind wasn’t reeling at what she thought she’d just seen.
He lifted her into his arms and leapt onto the porch, away from the grassy area she’d just been. It happened so fast she almost missed the rustling on the ground as something moved.
“Is that–”
“Did it get you?”
Her ankle screamed as she reached for it. Even more confirmation that she hadn’t been seeing things. “Oh my god, I got bit by a snake?” she screeched.
“Copperhead,” he muttered as he shoved his way into the house. He jostled her in his grip as he dug in his pocket for something. “We gotta get you to the hospital.”
Her gaze snapped from her throbbing leg to him. “Why? Is it poisonous?” A snake was a snake was a snake. How could he tell just by looking at it what kind it was or if it was even poisonous?
The grim look he gave her was all the answer she needed. He cursed and hit something on his phone. “Taking her to the hospital. She tangoed with a Copperhead. Yeah. Need you to get ahold of the doc. Have the anti-venom ready. Later.”
He ended the call, shoved the phone back into his pocket, and grabbed his wallet. Within two strides, he was back at the front door.
“Wait. I need my shoes.”
“No.”
He reached back to slam the door and then moved toward the steps.
“But the snake,” she protested.
“It’ll be gone now. If not, it’ll be dead,” he muttered.
“What?” She looked frantically at the grass as he walked toward his truck. There could be more of them out there waiting to attack her.
Before she could say anything else, he’d deposited her onto the passenger’ seat. “Seatbelt,” he barked, and shut the door. He was in the driver’s seat making gravel spew before she could order her hands to follow his instructions.
She grabbed the side of the door to steady herself as he hit the main road. He was driving like a crazy person, his eyes almost cold as he glared at everything in their path.
“We’ll be there in less than ten. You’ll be fine.” He still didn’t look at her.
She opened her mouth to respond, but the only sound that came out was a scream as the pain in her ankle turned into a raging fire.
Hunter’s head whipped to the side and he grabbed her hand. Momentarily shocked out of her agonizing pain, she looked at their joined hands—loving the feel of him touching her again—then at him, his gaze now softened as he watched her.
“It’ll be okay, baby,” he whispered.
There was no mistaking this endearment for general southern charm. It was meant just for her.
It made her heart soar, just as her world went black.
Chapter Eleven
“Maya? Maya, baby, stay with me. Fuck.” She was out. The pain was too intense for her. Hell, he knew what it was like getting bitten. He’d had his own run-in with a snake growing up. It had been a baby, not that it’d mattered. The venom had been just as potent as if it had been an adult. He’d cried all the way to the hospital while his mom chewed his dad a new asshole for taking his eyes off him long enough for Hunter to get hurt. At the time, he’d felt it hadn’t been fair of his mom to act like that, but now? Shit, he understood why she had. She’d been terrified.
He hated feeling like this. So fucking helpless.
Snakes were a part of life out here, but that didn’t make them any more welcome. Especially the poisonous ones. Thankfully, he knew how to tell snakes and any other dangerous creepy-crawlies apart from the non-threatening ones. God, he should’ve been paying attention to her. He knew snakes were on his land. He had the forestry land to the other side of him and both the lake and river were not far. Maybe if he hadn’t been so focused on how hot her ass was in those pants, she wouldn’t be in this situation now.
When his phone went off, he reluctantly let go of her hand to answer it.
“Doc’s headed to E.R. What’s your E.T.A.?” Bear asked.
Hunter looked at the clock and glanced at the road. “Six minutes.”
“Ask for Sawyer when you get there. We don’t want any record of her being seen.”
“Got it.”
“How is she?” Bear asked after a long pause.
“Chatting the Sandman.” And driving him fucking crazy. Still.
“Good. If she’s out cold then she’s not panicking, which means her heart isn’t racing, pumping that venom through her faster.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He knew how it worked, but he still didn’t like it.
“She’ll be fine. You know that.”
He did. Somewhere deep inside of him, he knew this kind of bite would rarely be lethal. But he couldn’t shake the stark fear coursing through him. Fear over her wellbeing, her safety.
Fear he wouldn’t be able to protect her when she needed him most. Hell, she’d cut her leg and gotten bit by a snake, both while on his watch.
“Hunter?”
Shit. What had Bear said? “Yeah?”
“She’s getting to you,” he said slowly.
Denial burned through him and he couldn’t open his mouth fast enough to express it. “No way—”
“Hunter,” Maya breathed.
His head snapped in her direction. “Gotta go,” he said before hanging up on his boss and tossing the phone on the bench. He’d probably pay for that later, but he’d deal with it when the time came. “Hey,” he said softly as he reached out and stroked her hair. “We’re about to pull in.”
“It hurts,” she whimpered.
“I know, baby. Just a few more minutes and it’ll be all gone.”
He pealed into the parking lot, threw the truck in park, and got out. He had to order himself to calm down so he didn’t look like a madman running into the hospital carrying a woman. He opened the door, and when he saw her struggling with the seatbelt release, he reached across her and hit the button. “C’mon,” he murmured, and lifted her into his arms.
She winced, and the tiny accompanying sound was a stab to his chest. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.
“The pain,” she said, panting.
“I know.” When he reached the front desk, he asked for the man Bear had told him to, and they were escorted to an examining room.
“Did I pass out?” she asked as he lay her on the bed.
“Not long.” Her forehead was wrinkled as she squeezed her eyes shut. He just wanted to soothe her somehow, so he bent over and kissed her temple. “Relax. Breathe.”
The door opened, and Hunter stood straight, almost guarding her from whoever entered. “Marco.”
“What?” Hunter asked, crossing his arms. The only time he’d heard that name was in connection to the Collins crime family and Xan’s ex, who was six feet under. Why the hell would this guy call him—”
“And you say Polo. Marco Polo. Get it?” the guy asked, smiling. “Never mind. Tough crowd.” He shook his head, dropping a bag by the bed when he reached it. “I’m Sawyer.” The guy walked around to the other side as he gripped his stethoscope and pulled it from his neck. “How’s the patient?” he asked as he leaned closer to her. He rubbed the end of the stethoscope before resting it against her chest.
“In a shit load of pain,” Hunter said, gritting his teeth, not at all amused by this man’s ridiculous attempt at comedy. “You should know what’s wrong. Now fix it.”
Dr. Marco Polo Bullshit glanced up. “Get a grip, Anderson.”
Hunter glared at him. How did this man know who he was? It made sense that Bear would’ve told the doctor who to meet at the hospital, but just how much had his boss relayed to a virtual stranger? Hunter sure as hell didn’t like some guy he didn’t know calling him by his last name.
White Coat moved around the bed again to where he’d dropped his bag. “Are you allergic to anything?” he asked Maya.
She shook her head and winced.
“Jesus, come the fuck on,” he said, more than ready for her to be out of pain.
“Find your balls or get out of my exam room,” the doctor ordered without taking his eyes off the patient.
Hunter growled, his temper threadbare. “I don’t care what you heard about me. I’m sure it was mild compared to the truth. Don’t fuck with me,” Hunter said.
Dr. Sawyer chuckled. “I’m FBI. You don’t scare me, boy.” He pulled out a needle and removed the cap.
Boy? The room faded into a red haze, and he had to force himself not to tackle the S.O.B. right here. Then another thought came to him, and before it could fully process, he’d jumped over the bed and had the doc by the throat.
“Need to see some I.D, boy, before I let you stick her with anything.”
“Hunter,” Maya gasped.
“Hunter,” a much louder, deeper voice said from behind him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Bear standing in the doorway. “Let. Him. Go.”
Hunter looked at Sawyer, snarled at him like a rabid dog, and pushed off, effectively shoving the man in the process. The doc quickly righted himself and tugged on his white coat.
“Good to see you, Bear.”
“Sawyer,” Bear said with a nod.
“He smarted off and whipped out a needle. I wanted some fucking I.D.” Not that Hunter needed to explain himself to anybody.
&
nbsp; “Understood,” Bear said. “But I’m here now, so you can drop the posturing bullshit. He’s with the feds.” He looked to the doctor whose name—first or last, he wasn’t sure—was Sawyer. “And you can quit antagonizing my man.”
Sawyer chuckled as he squeezed the air out of the needle, but didn’t say anything else about what had just happened. Instead, he looked at Maya. “Show me that bite.”
She hiked up the bottom of her stretchy pants. The doctor made a few contemplative noises as he palpated the wound, and with each touch, Maya groaned. Hunter wished the fucker would just medicate her already.
“It’s definitely a snake bite.”
Hunter made as if to lunge at the other man, but Bear grabbed his arm, stopping him from doing anything stupid.
Like killing him.
“I’m gonna administer an I.V. and treat you with anti-venom and morphine. Are you nauseated?”
She nodded slightly. “Helps if I keep my eyes shut.”
“Then I’ll give you something for that as well. Make a fist.”
Hunter watched her face for any signs of distress as the doctor prepared her arm for the needle.
“Little sting. Local anesthetic.”
Maya fidgeted, but didn’t make a sound. Once Sawyer finished with the numbing medicine, he made quick work of the I.V. Maya gasped when it went it, and Hunter dropped to the bed, grabbed her other hand, and rubbed her cheek. “Look at me. Don’t watch him.”
“You’re doing good.”
“It burns,” Maya said, panting.
Hunter gently shushed her. “He’s almost finished.”
“Got it,” the doctor announced, and quickly taped the tube and stuff to her arm to keep it from moving. When he went into his bag again, Hunter barely paid him any attention. Instead, he zeroed in on the tears leaking from Maya’s eyes, fighting the urge to kiss them away.
Sawyer injected something into Maya’s I.V. port, tossed the used item into the hazardous waste bin, and retrieved another needle and vial from his bag.
“Is that it?” Maya asked as she looked at the bright orange bin on the wall and glanced at the doctor.