Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Ryan’s muscles ached from a full day of cross-country skiing. No sign of the asshole they were chasing. Or the child, unfortunately.
He’d volunteered to take the first four-hour watch. He stared out at the darkness and listened to the wind blow and the wolves howl.
Was this the same wolfpack his brother sometimes documented? He wasn’t sure.
The door opened, and Meghan stepped outside, quickly closing it behind her.
“Fuck. It’s cold.”
“Yep. Glad I’m not the late watch.”
“Hah.”
Ryan shrugged. “You volunteered.”
“It was my turn.” She pushed a slice of hair back under her hat. “You think Sebastian and the ranger are gonna be okay?”
Ryan grimaced. “She’s lucky he was there and knew what to do.”
“Could have as easily been him who went through the ice.”
“For sure.” Ryan shuddered at the thought. Their jobs were dangerous enough without the savagery of nature lending a hand. “I wish they were back here, but they’ll be okay. We’ve done plenty of exercises where we camped out in snow caves. Wasn’t much fun, but they’ll survive the night.”
She headed down the steps.
He rose to follow her.
She shot him a look that was clear even in the darkness. “I don’t need a bodyguard to use the outhouse.”
“In this weather, you can’t be too careful. Anyway, I want to stretch my legs.” He held up his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay back, maybe walk around the perimeter. I want to keep an eye on you.”
“You might get more than you bargain for, but whatever.”
He ran his hand over his jaw. “I just don’t like the idea of you not having backup if a situation arises is all.”
“Wait.” She stopped walking. “Is this supposed to be some subtle commentary on my date Saturday night?” She had to raise her voice as the wind was stronger away from the cabin.
“No,” he lied, “but there are a lot of assholes out there—”
“I am aware of all the assholes, Ryan.” She rolled her eyes. “I was in the military, remember?”
Shit. “Want to write me a list, and I’ll crack some heads?”
“They’re not worth it.”
“Tell me you at least physically hurt them.”
“Physically. Emotionally. Well, some of them. Hard to beat the shit out of a superior officer, you know.” She shot him a look. “Hey, when you leave HRT, we could start a database of assholes who need to be beaten up.”
“When I leave HRT?”
She huddled her shoulders up to her ears. “That’s all you got out of that crazy idea?”
He looked away. “Not quite ready to retire yet, Donnelly, but more than happy to beat the shit out of some Army Captain.”
“Major.”
He jerked his chin at the latrine as he filed that information away. “I’ll wait here. I’d whistle, but I doubt you’d hear me above the wind.”
“I’ll risk it.”
“You have a flashlight?”
“Yes, Mom.”
He set his teeth. Stood awkwardly on the path as Meghan shuffled away.
She came back five minutes later, and he turned around and followed her back to the cabin. “So, what do you know about this guy you’re meeting?”
She stopped and turned. A smile tugged the corner of her mouth. “You gonna run a background check?”
“Maybe.” Abso-fucking-lutely.
“You know for a man who isn’t interested in me, you sure are interested in who I date.”
He pulled a face.
“Why wouldn’t you sleep with me, Ryan?”
Fuck. He looked away.
“You sleep with anyone but wouldn’t touch me.”
“We work together.”
She just stared at him, those brown eyes of hers probing.
“It’s not just you, Donnelly. I haven’t slept with anyone in months.”
“Months?”
He frowned. “Since January.”
“Two whole months? You want a medal?” She snorted.
Closer to three. “Trust me, I deserve one.”
Her expression narrowed. “What happened in January, Ry?”
He pushed past her and headed toward the back of the cabin.
“What happened in January?” She caught his arm.
He grabbed her and pushed her up against the cabin wall. His heart pounded and all he wanted to do was to kiss this infuriating woman until she couldn’t speak.
“What happened in January?” Her voice was softer now, black eyes glittering in the dark.
He took a deep shuddering breath and then stepped away. “Nothing. You better get back inside. I’m going to circle through the woods and back.” He stalked away. “Wouldn’t mind a coffee, if there’s any going.”
“I’m not your fucking servant.”
“Black is fine.”
She swore at him, but he didn’t turn around. His lips moved into a hard, tight grin. Angry Meghan he could deal with. It was all the other versions who fucked him up.
Thunder boomed and lightning cracked the sky as she raced through rain that drenched her skin, sharp rocks cutting her bare feet. She scrambled upward, loose rocks falling as her fingers and toes desperately sought purchase.
He was coming.
He was gonna catch her.
Her breath sawed in and out of her open mouth as she climbed up and up. She was light, and she was quick.
Pain streaked through her knee as it slammed into the rock. Hot tears merged with the icy rain and blurred her vision.
Keep going.
Don’t stop.
Run.
Hide.
Her foot slipped again, and her pulse hammered in terror as she saw the steep slope and yawning chasm below.
The thought of falling was terrifying, but she didn’t care… He’d told her what he planned to do if she disobeyed him again. He’d wrap his hands around her throat and squeeze.
Strangle her.
Make her pass out and then revive her. Over and over again until she gave up the will to live.
Touch her with that disgusting leer on his face.
Touch her in ways she’d never imagined people did.
And she couldn’t stop him.
She’d tried.
She’d really tried.
If she was worthy, God would save her. That’s what he’d told her.
But she wasn’t worthy because He hadn’t saved her.
Hot tears brimmed.
Rain washed away the blood from her skin, but she didn’t feel clean. She was dirty. She’d done bad things.
She hadn’t wanted to but…
She wanted her parents, but her Mommy and Papa wouldn’t want her. Not now. Not after everything she’d done.
It was her fault. That’s what he’d said.
She’d tempted him.
Led him on.
But she hadn’t known.
Hadn’t meant to—
“Mary Eleanor…”
Blood rushed through her ears, louder than the rain. Louder than the thunder. Terror flooded every cell. Every nerve, every fiber, every conscious or unconscious thought.
Her teeth chattered. Her broken fingernails found a tenuous hold in the hillside, and she hauled herself up.
“Mary Eleanor… honey, you’re going to hurt yourself.” He didn’t sound angry. He sounded reasonable and nice, but she knew, she knew. He was deception. He was lies.
A family friend from church—at least that’s what he’d pretended. Now she saw beneath the pleasant mask. Beneath the slight teasing and friendly face. Beneath the gifts of candy and secret smiles.
He was a Monster, and he would hurt her if he caught her.
Lightning flashed. Thunder shook the massive mountainside, and she lost her grip on the slick rock, slipped back a few feet.
A shadow lunged from behind her, but she scrambled upward.
Oh, God.
He was so close. So close. She’d never get away.
She was clinging to nothing more than a rock face now, the path long gone.
She moved faster and suddenly stumbled forward and landed on a ledge on all fours.
The rock scraped her bruised knees as she heaved with exertion and crawled away from the edge.
Shivers racked her thin body.
Hunger gnawed on her bones, but fear outcompeted even that.
She looked around, desperate to escape, but there was nowhere to go—nowhere, except down. She crawled to the edge and looked down.
For a split-second, lightning lit up the world around her, and fear froze the breath in her body.
She backed quickly away, heart pounding as he climbed over the edge like Beelzebub. Unfurled to loom high above her, evil incarnate.
She climbed shakily onto her feet, ready to run, to leap. His palm struck her cheek so hard, blood flooded her mouth and one of her teeth came loose.
Lightning lit up the sky again, his expression ugly with anger.
No more pretense.
No more lies.
Thunder boomed, and he staggered slightly as the mountain shook.
She shoved him with all her might, and he took another step backward, and, to her shock, fell off the edge…but his fingers caught the lip and clung.
Her gaze darted around the ledge, but there was no escape, only back the way they’d come, to a camp filled with misery and pain and fear.
She peered over the edge.
Lightning lit up his face again. “Mary Eleanor. Help me. It’s your duty to help your husband.”
Her stomach clenched.
He’d told her they were married now. That her parents would forgive her if she told them she loved him. And then she’d get to live with him in his nice comfortable house and have his babies and he’d do whatever he wanted to her every day and she’d like it.
Otherwise…
If she disobeyed, he’d choke her until her body and soul gave up and she went to Hell.
He hauled his elbow up onto the rock.
She didn’t want to go to Hell.
She didn’t want him to touch her ever again.
“Mary Eleanor.” The cold snap of his voice made her freeze with fear.
He was never going to die.
He was never going to leave her alone.
Her fingers closed around a rock.
“Mary Eleanor. Help me. I command you!” For the first time, she heard strain in his voice.
On her knees in front of him, she leaned forward slightly. Satisfaction spread across his features.
“That’s a good girl. I won’t punish you. Not this time. You need time to adjust, and I should have accounted for that.”
Hate curled up inside her.
“Help me, and I’ll take you home to your parents.”
The eyes were guileless, the voice soft and cajoling. The same eyes and voice that had lured her into his car a few weeks ago with the promise of a ride and a soda. An eternity ago.
She was a different person now.
“I won’t hurt you.”
The old Mary Eleanor was dead.
“I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
She edged back and shook her head.