Chapter Twenty #2
The three of them had cooked meals, done chores, watched movies, and hung out together.
It was an education to watch Vinnie with Adam, their easy rapport and genuine laughter.
He hadn’t done enough of that with his brothers.
He’d spent so much time worrying and working, he’d lost his ability to be a kid long before he’d become an adult.
His favorite time of day was late at night when everything was quiet and Adam was asleep.
Cyrus would join Vinnie in her room and they’d talk before falling asleep.
It was the most sexually frustrated he’d been in his entire life.
Paradoxically, it was also the most content he’d ever been.
And it was all because of the woman currently strolling alongside him.
“What are you thinking about?” She’d paired jeans and sneakers with a mossy green tank top that matched her eyes. Her job had kept her fit and lean, but her spirit had kept her young at heart, despite the hardships she’d endured.
“Did you always want to work in law enforcement?” By unspoken agreement, they hadn’t discussed her job, but she was rested and settled enough that he didn’t mind broaching the subject.
“It was a way to honor my dad. I never considered anything else.”
“And now?”
“I honestly don’t know. It’s a job that demands everything, if you’re doing it right. It takes a toll on the body and spirit.”
“Is there something else you always wanted to do or try? Maybe a hobby you want to pursue?” While he’d support her if she truly wanted to go back into law enforcement, he’d be lying if he didn’t say he’d prefer she find something a little less dangerous.
Compromises would have to be made on both sides if their relationship was going to work.
“There was never time for any hobbies.” She stopped and laughed.
“That sounds pitiful, but it wasn’t like that.
When I wasn’t working, I was spending time with Adam and my mom.
He was involved in sports, so there were always events to attend.
We’d have cookouts at home or go camping or watch movies.
Add in household chores, grocery shopping, and the regular life stuff and there wasn’t time for much else.
Mom used to knit in the evenings, but I never took to it. What about you? Any hobbies?”
“Like you, if I wasn’t working, I was helping take care of my brothers, making sure they finished high school. Then there were the never-ending chores that come with six younger brothers, coupled with upkeep on the house. Once they were older and didn’t need me as much, I took on more jobs.”
“Have you considered slowing down, not working quite so much?”
He put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer.
“Funny you should say that. I’ve recently been thinking that might be a good idea.
” He leaned down and captured her lips. They might not be having sex, but there’d been a lot of hot and heavy kissing.
It was like being a teenager, except he’d been too busy working to indulge like this when he was a teen.
A crow gave a raucous cry. Cyrus pulled away and listened intently, hearing nothing but the creek in the distance and the faint rustling of the leaves in the breeze. There was nothing out of the ordinary. “Something’s not right.”
“What is it?” She stilled and scanned the area, a testament to her training and years as a cop.
“I don’t know.” And that bothered him. If someone had crossed onto their land, they should have tripped one of the alarms. He pulled out his phone and checked but found nothing. “We should head back to the house.”
“Adam?” Walking down the path, she pulled out her phone and made the call. It rang but went to voicemail. “He’s not answering.”
“He probably turned it off or left his phone at home. I’ll try Zach.
” Vinnie was several steps ahead of him when he heard a familiar sound.
“Get down,” he roared. Before he could reach her, something slammed into him, driving him back a step.
Pain ripped through him, blood blooming on the front of his shirt.
He grabbed her hand and yanked her down as he fell.
“Cyrus!” She shoved his shirt up, paling at the amount of blood on his chest.
He caught her hand. “Run! Get out of here.” Zach had to have heard the shot. He’d get Adam home and stash him in the safe room before coming to help.
She yanked her tank top over her head, wadded it up, and pressed it against the wound. “Aren’t you supposed to heal super fast or something?”
Every breath was painful and labored. “Nicked the heart.” His body was working furiously to seal the wounds and repair the damage, but the massive blood loss was weakening him.
Moving would only make it worse. “Listen to me.” He caught her bloodstained hand in his.
They didn’t have much time. “Adam needs you. Not an accident.” Talking was difficult.
The bastard had nailed him good. If he was human, he’d be dead.
“It’s Wilkes, isn’t it?” Ignoring him, she continued to apply pressure. “I need to tear your shirt into strips to hold this in place. I should have brought my damn gun.”
He hadn’t felt there was a need. They had perimeter alarms in place across the mountain, along with cameras in strategic locations.
What they didn’t have was him or his brothers patrolling the area.
They’d almost all left to give him and his newfound family time to bond.
They should have been safe. He hadn’t counted on Wilkes being deranged enough to follow them back here, and he should have.
Obsession was a powerful thing. And for whatever reason, Wilkes was focused on Vinnie.
His wolf growled a warning, scenting the intruder.
“He’s coming. You have to go. Now.” He gritted his teeth as piercing shards of agony stabbed him.
“I’m supposed to protect you. Not the other way around.
” He tried to sit up, but the pain knocked him flat.
His breathing became labored. Sweat broke out on his skin.
“Hush. We protect each other. That’s how this works.” She tilted her head to the side, wiping her cheek against her shoulder. His strong, determined Vinnie was crying over him.
“Isn’t this precious?” Dressed in camouflage pants and a khaki shirt and carrying a rifle, Wilkes stepped out from between two trees. “Not so tough now, are you, bounty hunter?” He spat on the ground. “Get away from him, Vinnie.”
She continued to apply pressure. “Have you lost your mind? You’ve shot a man.”
“No way to prove it. I’ve got a buddy who’ll swear I was with him the entire weekend.” He motioned to her with the barrel of the rifle. “Get up. You’re coming with me.”
Cyrus wanted to rip Wilkes’s throat out. He kept his eyes almost closed, feigning weakness. It wasn’t as big a stretch as it should have been. He’d never been this defenseless before. His wolf whimpered, panting heavily.
Vinnie would never be safe as long as Wilkes was alive. If it took the last breath from Cyrus’s body, he’d find a way to end him, to protect his woman and his son. He’d walked away in West Virginia, but Wilkes had brought the fight to Sin Mountain. There’d be no walking away, not this time.
Wilkes adjusted his stance and fired. Cyrus’s entire body jerked. He clenched his jaw to keep from crying out. Just because he healed quickly didn’t mean he didn’t feel pain. The bastard had shot him in the leg.
“Stop it!” Vinnie threw herself on top of him.
“This is your fault, you know.” The calmness in Wilkes’s voice raised the fine hairs on Cyrus’s arms. This was a man past all reason. There was no predicting what he might do. “If you’d done what I wanted, none of this would have happened.”
“And what is it you want?” Vinnie’s heart was racing, and she was sweating, but her hands were steady.
“Adam did me a favor by running away. He was supposed to have an accident out there in the woods. It would have been tragic. I’d have been there for you.
You’d have eventually understood we were supposed to be together.
” His eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened.
“But you betrayed me. You went outside the department and town for help, wouldn’t let Adam go.
I had to change my plans. It was a just punishment to get you kicked off the force.
It was so simple. A word here, a whisper there was all it took. They’re all so easily manipulated.”
Cyrus’s blood ran cold. If they hadn’t found Adam when they had, Wilkes would have killed him and buried the body where no one would have ever found it. That would have broken Vinnie. In her grief, she might well have turned to Wilkes.
“You don’t want to do this, Davis.” It was smart of her to use his first name to make a more personal connection, but Cyrus feared it wouldn’t work. Wilkes was a sociopath who was showing his true colors. He’d have to kill them both to get away with this, and they all knew it.
“You’re wrong. I want to shoot your boyfriend in the head.” He brought the rifle around until it was aimed there. “But it’s your choice, Vinnie. You can come with me and we’ll leave him here. He’ll bleed out, but at least he’ll live a few more minutes. What’s it going to be?”