Page 17 of Sequoia Flames (Black Timber Peak Hotshots #6)

SEVENTEEN

VERITY

Whistling wakes me up and fiery pain ripples through my head, stunning me to stillness.

I crack my eyes open and try to touch my head, panicking when I realize that my arms won’t move. I can feel the sting of rough rope when I struggle against the restraint. Tears sting my eyes.

“Oh, don’t cry, angel. I’m right here.”

“That does not make me feel better,” I mutter under my breath.

“I just finished taking care of one of our little problems. If only Fred had been a little less moral. Maybe he’d still be alive.”

My head whips around and I whimper when I see the jovial, dark-haired man lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

“Oh my God! What did you do?”

He shrugs and wipes the blade of a hunting knife on his shirt tail.

“He wouldn’t listen. He thought I should take you back.

That wasn’t going to happen. Fred and I have been friends for such a long time I thought he’d understand.

” He shakes his head. “It would’ve been better if he just did what I asked him to do instead of arguing about taking you back. ”

“Why?” I cry, tears dripping down my cheeks. “Why did you hurt him?”

He cocks his head and grins, the white bandage on his forehead sticking out on his pale skin.

“He wouldn’t listen. I really didn’t want to hurt him.

We’ve been friends since grade school. I like him.

His family always let me stay overnight when my dad was being a drunken dick.

They always let me stay and they were nice to me.

But he wouldn’t shut up about taking you back to Lassiter.

” The grin slips off his face and he flushes, anger building and his lips forming a pout.

“I went to all the trouble of getting you. I wasn’t about to just give you back. ”

Fear trickles down my spine when he moves closer. I shrink back and scoot as far as I can to the other side.

He shakes his head. “I don’t understand why you’re acting like this. He’s out of the way and so is Lassiter. We’re free to be together.”

“I don’t want to be with you.”

“You do. You’re just confused. Lassiter confused you with all his nasty talk about me.”

“He didn’t say one word about you because you don’t mean a damn thing to either one of us. I said two words to you. Why the hell do you think that means I want you? Are you crazy?”

His face flushes and his eyes flash fire.

“Don’t say that. I’m not crazy. I know that we belong together.

You have the prettiest hair.” His hand reaches out and I grimace, pulling away from him.

He glares and comes around to the other side of the bed.

Looming over me, he leans down and hisses, “I’m not going to let you get away with this game much longer. You’re pushing a little too hard.”

Glaring at him, I grunt, “I intend to push a lot harder than that. If you think I’m just gonna give in and let you violate me and then kill me, you’re stupider than you look.”

He reaches out and slaps me across the face. Fiery pain erupts and I gasp, fighting to keep my eyes open and not cry. I refuse to let this asshole make me cry.

“You better learn to watch your mouth.”

Mutinous, I glare at him, not saying one more word.

He nods his head. “That’s what I thought. I need to take care of Fred. I’ll be right back and we’ll pick up where we left off. If you’re a good girl I might even take the ropes off.”

I have no intention of being good but maybe I should get him to feel good enough to let me loose. Maybe I can get away.

He grunts and drags Fred’s limp body across the floor and I wince, turning my head away, my stomach churning at the pool of blood that spreads in a trail behind them.

He hits the door and whips it open and a roar pulls my head up and my brows lift as he falls backward into the room, unconscious even as he hits the floor.

“Verity!”

“Lassiter? Oh my god! It’s you! I can’t believe you’re here. Help me!”

He storms across the room and pulls me up, hissing when I cry out at the pain in my head and side. He lifts me up into his arms and groans loud and long. Tears trickle down his cheeks and I reach up and touch his pale cheek. “You shouldn’t be carrying me. You’re hurt.”

He glares at Jude when the guy snorts. “I tried to tell him to go to the hospital.”

Lassiter growls under his breath. “I’d have to be dead not to come for you, Firefly.”

“That’s not funny.” Tears run down my cheeks. “What about Fred? Is he….?”

Jude grimaces and then nods his head. I turn my face into Lassiter’s broad chest and sob for the friend who didn’t understand what was happening until it was too late.

“Let’s get him tied up and leave him for the Sheriff. There’s an ambulance on the way but you know how long it will take considering where we are.”

Nodding, Lassiter steps outside and walks over to the porch swing, settling on it slowly. He holds me tight against him and sighs. “Don’t ever do anything like this to me again. I swear this just took ten years off my life.”

Stiffening, I glare at him. “I didn’t do this,” I growl under my breath. “He’s fucking crazy. He kept babbling something about his dad and his mom and he just wouldn’t listen to me when I told him that I was yours.”

His lips curl up and twitch. “I bet he loved that.”

My fury fades and fear curls through my belly. “He did not. He told me he would kill me if I didn’t quit saying that.”

“I hope you shut up.”

“Yeah. I was trying to lull him into a false sense of security so he’d let my hands free and then I could run. Hopefully.”

He sighs and shakes his head, leaning his forehead down until he’s pressed into my cheek. “I love you so much, Firefly. I intend to tie your ass down as soon as possible. So no crazy nuts think it’s okay to run away with you. You’re mine for the rest of our lives.”

“Right back atcha,” I giggle, sucking in a breath when pain stabs me right in the ribs again.

“I can’t take you home and make love to you tonight because I imagine we’re gonna be tied up with paperwork and talking to the Sheriff and then we’re going to the hospital so you can get checked out. But as soon as you feel better, I’m claiming what’s mine, Firefly.”

Leaning up to kiss his lips, I chuckle roughly. “I sure as hell hope so. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever.”

“Me too. Me. Too.”

Resting against him and listening to his heartbeat under my ear, I lean into his warmth and close my eyes, happier than I think I’ve ever been.

I have finally found the safe place where I belong and I know damn well that this man will never let me get away.

And that’s exactly what I want. Forever.