Chapter Ten
ANSON
A light buzzing sound wakes me in the early hours of dawn just after sunrise. It sounds like an electric shaver.
Ellie is draped across my chest, exactly where I want her. We made love several more times throughout the night. Learning each other, inside and out. I’ve never felt this content. Didn’t think it was possible.
I meant what I told her last night. She’s mine. I can’t go back to a lonely life without her.
What the hell is that noise?
I slide out from under her, trying not to wake her, and throw on a pair of boxers. The sound isn’t coming from inside the cabin. I move from room to room, tracking it.
It seems to be moving also, because in one room it’s louder and when I move to the next, it stays with me. Almost like…
Ellie appears in the doorway, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She’s wearing my black flannel and blinks sleepily. “What is it? What’s that sound?”
“Stay inside and get down as low as you can,” I order. I don’t stop to see if she’s listening. Turning off the alarm, I grab my rifle from the door and stride out onto the front porch.
Hovering fifteen feet in the air is a drone. Military grade and equipped with both regular and thermal imaging cameras, and most likely, a small weapons system. It’s hovering, pointed straight at the cabin.
At me.
I spare half a second to read the air, then raise my rifle. Sighting down the scope, I aim, hold my breath, and fire. Once. Twice. Tracking the drone as it falls from the sky.
It hits the ground with a thud, smoke pouring out.
I stride across the driveway. A red light flashes near the camera.
“Come and take her, asshole.” I drill one more round into it, and this time, it dies. I don’t know if he’ll get my verbal message, but he’ll sure as fuck get the nonverbal one.
I turn back to the cabin to find Ellie on the porch.
“I told you to stay inside.”
“What was that?” Her eyes are wide, moving back and forth from me to the drone, to the rifle in my hands.
“Military grade drone.” I grip her arm lightly and steer her into the house, slamming the door closed behind us and lock it.
“Why would a drone be above the cabin at dawn? Why would you shoot it down?”
“Because Grant Chamberlain is here, and I was sending him a message.”
She sucks in a breath, going pale.
“Listen to me, sugar. I need you to get dressed as fast as you can, then throw a bunch of logs into the fireplace. As soon as it’s lit, sit your ass down in front of it and don’t move.”
“Why the fireplace?”
“They have thermal technology. I’m hoping it will disguise your signature enough to give me time.”
She swallows. But doesn’t ask the question I can see in her eyes.
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Now get dressed. Go!”
Ellie scrambles into the bedroom, and I’m hot on her heels. The drone operator won’t be far, and neither will his team. He may be the scout, but they’ll have a contingency in place if they were discovered. I have one advantage, and I aim to use it.
They don’t know who the fuck they’re dealing with.
My name, my prints, everything has been redacted from government records. Officially, I never existed. Yeah, I have documents when I need them, but these assholes won’t be able to find anything about me, no matter how deep they dig. It’s the one service my country did for me.
I throw on an old set of green combat clothes and gear up. Sliding knives and magazines into various pockets is as natural as breathing. I add two handguns, then grab my rifle.
Ellie is in the living room frantically throwing wood on the fire. I crouch beside her and add some kindling, then cup her cheek. She looks at me with frightened but determined eyes.
“You know how to use a gun?”
She shakes her head.
“Then take this.” I hand her my Ka-Bar, handle first. “I’ve seen you in action.”
She laughs, and it’s half hiccup, half sob. She points to her muffin pan. “I have this too.”
Of course she does. “Wouldn’t want to face you down.” Her smile is watery, but strong. I kiss her for a beat longer than I have time for. Letting her know how I feel.
“I’m yours, Anson Blackwood.”
“Fuck yes. I’ll be back soon. Stay down.”
She nods.
Then I stride out the back door and go hunting.
I pick up their trail half a mile away. There are four of them, plus Grant. I can tell by the tracks of their boots. Four are worn. One is brand new. The prick is out here playing commando. He has no idea what he’s in for.
They’re making fast progress up the mountain toward my cabin, but their boss is winded and slowing them down.
I could take them here, but in the event one escapes, I want to be close to Ellie so I can protect her. Silent as a ghost, I move right by them, a smile on my face.
Near the cabin, I find a tree with good limbs and quickly scale it, settling into a spot that gives me a good vantage point.
I don’t have to wait long. In less than ten minutes, I hear the rustle of men moving through the forest.
There. As I thought, two men are circling the cabin toward the back.
The other two are in the tree line at the edge of the driveway.
One has binoculars aimed at the cabin, probably thermal, and another is sticking close to a clean-cut man who looks like a lawyer in combat fatigues. Totally out of place.
I raise my rifle and aim for the two closest to Ellie.
One pop.
Two.
Both are down. Headshots.
I leap from the tree and race silently through the woods, circling to the other side of the remaining men.
The one with the binoculars has his rifle raised, searching with his scope. Not at the tree where I was but following my trail. Fucking thermal.
I drop to the ground, aim, and take the shot.
Three down, two to go.
Except when I turn back toward Grant, only the hired mercenary remains, and he’s looking straight at me.
Shit.
He raises his weapon and fires, but I’m already rolling away. Behind the nearest bush, I push to my feet and race for the cabin. That’s where Grant is headed, and this asshole will follow me.
I hear Ellie scream as I run around back and kick down the door. Drawing my pistol, I scan the room and step inside.
My woman is standing over Grant Chamberlain, wielding a muffin tin. He’s moaning on the ground, holding the back of his head.
“Fucking bitch. You hit me with your baking pan.”
“It’s stress relieving!” She swings and hits him again.
I’d laugh but the sound of boot steps quietly climbing the porch alerts me to the last man.
I turn and fire, right as he comes into view. He drops to the ground, gun sliding across the wood deck.
I face the last threat.
Grant struggles to his feet, glaring at Ellie. “I was going to make you my queen.”
“You never asked if that’s what I wanted.”
He looks confused and shakes his head. “Why wouldn’t you?”
Training my gun on him, I step closer. “Because she’s mine. Ellie, call the police.”
“This isn’t over,” Grant says.
“You have four dead men outside, Chamberlain. By my count, that puts me at six hundred forty-seven. It ends now, or I add you to my list. Getting awful close to six hundred fifty. What do you think? Want to help me with that goal?”
“You’re fucking crazy.”
I shrug. “After all this time, can’t say I care one way or the other.” I hear Ellie in the kitchen making the call. “Last chance. Leave Ellie alone forever or disappear with the rest of your men before the cops arrive.”
He spits out some blood and holds his hands up. “She’s yours.”
“Fucking right, she is.”