Page 73 of A Curse On Black Lake (Black Lake Gothic Cowboys #1)

Chapter fifty-five

Killian

We take off on a gallop to the herd we’re rotating to another pasture.

My heart feels heavy, but I’m happy. The chaos of love and grief are both debilitating, yet exhilarating.

She shows me through her actions how she loves me, though she hasn’t said the words.

Part of me wonders if I haven’t done enough to make sure she knows that she can trust me, and let me love her.

Maybe the grief has broken me down so much, she doesn’t want to get cut.

But then again, it’s difficult for me to believe she would ignore everything between us, on top of the Spirits and her Grams encouraging us together.

We are more than inevitable.

We are inescapable.

She has infused herself into my blood and bones. I don’t know where I start anymore because all I see is her.

I’ve been convincing myself that it’s all because her Grams passed only a few months ago. I’ve had a year to mourn my father. Granted, it hasn’t been healthy mourning, but it’s different for everyone. I’m trying not to be angry about it, but this morning it was hard not to be.

We woke up, and the first words out of my mouth were — I love you. She just smiled and kissed me, as if she’s trying to avoid the topic altogether. But I decided it doesn’t matter. If it means dying before I hear it. I’ll wait an eternity for her love.

Eliana stops at the gate and unlatches it. I motion for her to go ahead with the dogs and close it behind me.

She takes off for the other gate we’re going to push the cattle through, and I whistle for the dogs to start helping me round them up from behind.

It takes us longer than usual because a few of my girls have an attitude.

When she finally runs the rest through, Eliana pushes the gate closed.

I wipe the sweat off my forehead and study Eliana.

“Good?” I ask her.

She gives me a brilliant smile and inches Winnie closer to me. “I know we have things to do, but I have an idea.”

She grins widely, and my heart trips over itself.

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” I ask her, still captivated by her smile. I love being the reason for it.

“Follow me,” she says and turns Winnie around, headed for the lake.

“You better not dive in without looking again!” I holler.

She peeks at me over her shoulder with a playful look.

That’s exactly what she’s going to do.

Only last time I couldn’t touch her like I wanted to. This time, all bets are off.

When we come up on the black water, I scan it, looking for anything moving or bubbling because it dipped its head under water.

I toss a thick branch into the water, disturbing it more than its gentle current, and don’t see anything.

“You worry too much,” she says over her naked shoulder as she walks into the water.

“Well, someone has to look out for you,” I tell her, staring at her freckled, tan skin.

“My idea was for you to join me,” she says and dips her head under the black water.

She pops back up, slicking her white hair back.

“You’re lucky I can’t tell you no,” I say and pull off my boots.

Eliana giggles as she watches me undress and walk into the lake. She meets me halfway, and I smile, picking her up and walking us deeper into the cool water.

“I have to admit this feels good,” I tell her, leaning forward to press a kiss on her giant heart that she’s kept hidden for so long.

“You have to trust me,” she says.

I chuckle and lift her straight up to claim her lips for a breath.

She hums, dropping her arms over my shoulders. I pull away and toss her into the water. She screeches and splashes.

When she comes back to the surface, she pushes water at me. I laugh, splashing her much harder. She sputters under the water and lifts both of her hands. “I surrender.”

I chuckle swimming over to her. “There are terms to your surrender,” I tell her.

She tilts her head, giving me a sassy look. “Alright, fine, what are they?” she asks.

I crook my finger, gesturing for her to come closer, and she swims over to me. I tap my cheek, asking for a kiss, and she giggles, plopping a chaste one on my wet skin.

“But I can do you one better,” she says, and grabs my shoulders, leaping into my arms.

Surely that’s not what she means.

She bites her lower lip, slipping down my front. Her warmth and the cold of the water shock me.

I groan into her mouth as she kisses me. Every graze and brush of our skin is heightened, more intense. Or maybe it will always be like this with her.

Eliana pulls back a little to look at me and pushes my wet hair back from my face. Her hips swirl against me, and I bury my face in her chest.

“I swear you love teasing me,” I say roughly.

She hums. “I have to admit it’s entertaining. But I also shamelessly admit I’m addicted to you.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” I breathe roughly.

“You should,” she sighs.

“If you don’t intend to finish what you started, little witch, I suggest you stop now.” I tilt back, and she clasps my face. We devour each other. There’s no other way to explain it. If she were my last breath, I’d die a happy man.

She kisses me one more time. “Sorry,” she says, taking a deep breath, opening her eyes slowly.

“Don’t be.”

We gaze into each other’s eyes, and it’s like the world gets even slower, and it’s glacial in Black Lake. I think she’s about to say what I’m dying to hear and then she says, “This is nice.” She sighs and lays back in the water, getting her hair wet, while I’m still supporting her.

“Yes, you are,” I mumble, staring at her neck tilted back.

I spin us around in the water and she smiles, eyes still closed.

“When we’re done, what do you want to do this evening?” I ask her.

She opens her eyes and looks at the water, then suddenly screams so loudly my ears ring, as she pushes out of my arms and swims away.

“What? What? What is it?” I ask her, looking around me, it could be a water moccasin, but usually if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, reaching for her.

She shakes her head, staring at the water, backing up out of it. Her body shivers violently as she looks at the water with terror in her eyes.

I still don’t know what she’s seeing, but I try to swallow the panic building in my chest.

Following Eliana out of the water, I pick her up, and she locks her ankles at my back, burying her nose in my neck. Her erratic breaths heat my skin, and I hold her tightly.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here,” I tell her while I look around us. The water is black. Most days you can’t see to the bottom unless the light hits it right.

“Baby, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong,” I beg.

“Please take me home, just take me home,” she says and leans back.

I stare into her beautiful tear filled eyes and nod, setting her on her feet.

We get dressed quickly and head back to the barns. But the worry doesn’t cease … it grows. I don’t understand what she saw, but it terrified her, and I have no idea how to protect her from it.

When we get the horses put away, Eliana and I head up the hill to the house.

She won’t look at me, and my stomach is in knots. I follow behind and almost bump into her when she comes to a stop at the top of the hill.

There’s a Sheriff’s truck parked and a deputy I don’t recognize leaning against it. He probably lives in the next town over.

“Can I help you?” I ask him.

He uncrosses his legs and smugly walks over to me.

“Killian Lennox, you are under arrest for the murder of two women, in the first degree…” The deputy keeps talking, but I no longer listen as he turns me around and pulls my arms behind my back, slapping cuffs on me.

Eliana sobs and stares at me with even more fear in her eyes.

Blood rushes in my ears, and it feels as if I’ve been put in slow motion.

“No!” Eliana yells, coming for me.

“He didn’t do anything! He didn’t do this! You know it, you bastard!”

The deputy grabs her arm, and she winces, and that wakes me up.

“Get your hands off her!” I growl.

He releases her, and she grabs my face, kissing me. “I will get you out. You didn’t do this. It’s the truth, and they know it!”

“Be careful. He’s still out there, baby. Please, please be careful,” I beg her.

Her lip trembles and her beautiful blue eyes glitter with tears.

I want to fight. I want to scream, but I know it’ll make it all worse.

He shoves me in the truck, and I stare at Eliana as the tears stream down her face and she wraps her arms around herself protectively.

“I love you!” I yell.

She puts her hand on the window, and I touch my forehead to it. Willing the panic to stay down because I can’t let her see me break.

The truck pulls away, and I look behind me as she stands on the gravel driveway, getting smaller and smaller, until I can’t see her anymore.

But the only thing on my mind is, I’m not there to protect her.

Some psycho piece of shit wants her, and I’m not there to put him in the ground before he can get to her.

God help me, I will break out of jail to get to her.