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“So, you do remember me?” Medina snarled.

Her sweet smile was so fake as she responded, “Unfortunately, I do. It’s rather disappointing. I’d had this big ol’ monster built up in my mind, only to find out you’re no monster. More like a teeny-tiny spider.” She had to be visual, too, squishing her fingers together.

“You rotten bitch, that’s your fucking problem! You think you’re better than the people around you. What you need is a man to whip you into place, someone to give you a firm hand. But I’m done playing with you. I think I’ll take what I want and kill you. Leave your whore body for those stupid men to pick up, just like the old man,” he snarled, clearly hitting the mark he intended to when her face paled.

“You piece of shit,” she sobbed. His girl with the soft heart was crying for his old man.

“Whatever. While you’re rotting in these mountains, I’ll be on some beach in the Caribbean.” He laughed, as t

hough he was actually going to get away with whatever his plan was.

Nick watched as Pepper’s entire demeanor changed, and in her, he saw the fierce protector she was, the woman who would take no shit from anyone. “You’re so fucking stupid. A complete moronic idiot. You actually think you’re leaving this mountain alive, well, I promise you, you’re not.” Punctuated by her words were glowing eyes from inside the cave she had exited minutes before. She was going to lead the fool to his death. “Enjoy your last few breaths, Alex.” She sneered his name like it was horse shit. “You won’t have them much longer.”

Turning, she ran back into the cave, Medina hot on her trail. Nick darted after them as soon as the man was out of sight, his screams disturbing the cold evening air.

She didn’t know what came over her; the gall he had. Pepper wasn’t a mean person, at least, she didn’t think she was. But he brought out the worst in her. Made every fibre of her being want to cause bodily harm, to kill someone as if they were nothing.

He was nothing.

Imagining a world with him still breathing was unfathomable to her. Her subconscious took over her entire body and led her to taunt and insult him, made him so angry, he was forced to follow her into the dark cave.

His greeting wasn’t what he had expected.

“You bitch! You have no–” Both Cougars made their presence known as she hid in the back where they’d found her. Sliding down the wall, knees curled to her chest, she blocked the sight of his body being torn apart. The blood-curdling screams made her flinch as he was shredded to a pulp.

“Stop,” she whimpered, unable to handle the terrifying sounds. The snap of his limbs being broken, the gurgling from drowning in his own blood.

“Pepper!” She heard her name being called, but couldn’t make out the voice with the cougar’s growls and Alex’s still screaming form. She didn’t know how he was still alive.

“Pepper, baby.” A hand touched her shoulder, and she screamed so loud the animals ran off.

Black dots spotted her vision; she saw stars.

Before the black hole of unconsciousness took her, she saw them.

“Nick, Ace,” her words were almost inaudible, but she knew she was safe.

Chapter Fourteen

So much blood. Ace had never seen so much other than in war-torn countries. He expected it there. Here, at home? Not so much.

Seeing the contrast between the crimson red seeping down the mountainside as he chased up after Nick and the crisp whiteness of the snow had put the fear of God in him. He was afraid it was coming from Pepper, so when they heard her whimpering amongst the agonizing screams and growling, he’d felt sweet relief. She was alive. She would be okay. He hadn’t hurt her.

Except he had. Mentally.

She would remember his screams and the gore of his demise well into her life. She would carry the weight of guilt for leading him to his death.

Ace only saw one problem with that…

It wasn’t her burden to bear. Alex Medina had chosen his own path by not only attacking her and leaving her for dead, but he’d then stalked her. No matter how many chances he had to let her go, he hadn’t. There were plenty of opportunities for the man to move on. It was his decisions, and his alone, that ended with his demise.

Pepper wouldn’t see it that way, though. Their girl had a heart of gold. That’s why he knew it was up to him and Nick to make her understand it all.

When they’d found her in that cave curled into a ball at the back, his heart had stopped, and for an earth-shattering moment, he feared the worst. As Nick’s hand touched her shoulder, she let loose the loudest scream he’d ever heard. The way her pupils had dilated and her eyeballs had rolled back in her head, he’d known she would lose consciousness. For a fraction of a second, though, she’d focused long enough to see them, and he was grateful because it meant she’d known they were there and that she would be safe.

Now they were sitting in the E.R. waiting room of Golden & District Hospital as they waited to hear back on not only her condition but his Uncle Jake’s as well.

He suspected Jake had a concussion and would need stitches, not that the man was making it easy on anyone. He’d been complaining since they took him away that he was fine. Didn’t need no damn hospital.