Hunted (8 page)

He laughed. This was what he wanted. He wanted her to suffer, to hurt to know that if she ever left him again she wouldn’t survive it. She looked down to her hand, realizing she was holding a snake skin sheath that was covering a knife. She pulled it out. When Jason turned her to face him she stabbed him, first in the stomach, then in the chest. When he fell to the floor she didn’t stop stabbing him. She knelt over him and stabbed him over and over again. She saw the red. She saw the look of surprise and terror in his eyes, but she couldn’t stop. She could only think of the fact that if he were no longer alive then he could never hurt her again. As the knife came down repeatedly cutting through flesh she could see nothing more than freedom—her freedom.

She just kept stabbing him. Somewhere in her haze she heard Riggs trying to tell her to stop. But she wouldn’t stop. She had to make sure he wouldn’t get up. It was as if she was afraid he really did have some power to defy death and she wanted to make sure that didn’t happen.

The only thing that stopped her was the firm hand that caught hold of her wrist and pulled her up. She went fighting until an arm wrapped around her and pulled her flush against a solid body.

“It’s okay, Debbie. It’s me,” Keadon said as he tried to restrain her until she settled. “It’s me.”

She cried out, sobbing and gasping for breath. She had just killed a man and there was nothing accidental about it. She wanted him to die. She wanted to kill him. How could she have that in her? How could she have that kind of rage within her?

He released her and she turned to find him staring at her with the greatest compassion she had ever seen in anybody’s eyes. She knew he understood what she had done. She knew he understood that killing wasn’t going to sit easy with her no matter how justified the kill was. He knew because he was a military man and he had done things, seen things, lived through things that even she couldn’t begin to imagine the brevity of the weight the conscious had from the experience.

“I have to get Riggs and he and I have to go out to the shed and get Victoria.”

She nodded. He was going to need Riggs’ help going up against Corbin and Jensen. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Keadon could handle his own with Corbin, because she knew he would be a formidable opponent. But with Jensen standing by with a gun, when Keadon did get the upper hand she knew Jensen would use it to give Corbin the leading edge.

“Stay here.”

She nodded once again. “Be careful.”

“Always,” he caressed her cheek with his calloused fingers before going and cutting his brother a loose.

Keadon and Riggs approached the shed with caution. Keadon knew the men weren’t expecting him, nor would they be expecting Riggs to be free, but that didn’t mean either of them wanted to give away their position. He thought he might hear Victoria screaming for help, but all he heard was two men arguing over the spoils of their war.

“Man, I’ve told you I don’t care about that piece of tail. If you want her then do her already. But I can’t go back in there until Jason calls us in; otherwise I’ll be interrupting something he won’t be happy about me interrupting. If you want that woman you’re going to have to take her with me in here.”

“Corbin, like I’m going to believe that. This is one fine piece of tail here. You’re just waiting for me to get started so you can beat me into oblivion and take her for yourself.”

“I’m more interested in Deb. I’ve been waiting a long time for a go at her. Ever since she became legal I’ve wanted to tap that.”

The other man laughed. “Why didn’t you just ask? For you he would have given you anything. You know that. You’ve been with him for years. She could have been in your bed while she was in his.”

“I don’t do illegal tail, Jensen. She was underage for a long time and while Jason got his thrills from doin’ her that’s not my scene. I figured there would be time to get her after she hit eighteen, but things as they were with Jason not tiring of her…well, figured I’d wait a little longer.”

“And then she split,” Jensen chuckled. “Should have taken it while you could have. Once he’s done you won’t want her.”

“If there’s a warm body left once he’s done with her I’m taking what I want.”

Keadon felt the fire of his rage flaming hotter. “That one’s mine,” he looked at his brother. This Corbin guy was going to be his to teach a lesson in respect of women.

Riggs shrugged. “I have my own score to settle with the other one anyway.”

“Stay alive, little brother.”

“You too,” Riggs nodded. One deep inhale and a strong resolve to get justice for Debbie, Keadon made the only step he could—he walked right into the lion’s den and he fought. He fought to win.

Chapter Seven

When Keadon walked back into the house he wasn’t sure what he would find. Would Debbie be curled up in a corner somewhere? Would she be crying under a bed? He wasn’t sure, but he knew whatever he found he was prepared to deal with it, to help her through all that had happened because he knew taking a life wasn’t easy, especially not the first kill.

When he saw Debbie sitting in a chair at the dining room table, with the chair facing the back door she knew he would be coming back from, he kicked his idea of what state she might be in out his head. She sat there calmly, not crying, not hiding, but calm with a resolve that she was going to survive everything, even her guilt. Her soft eyes looked up to meet his and a smile graced her lips.

“Keadon,” she whispered before bolting out of the chair and throwing herself into his arms. Keadon was glad Riggs had stayed outside comforting Victoria because he wanted this time alone with Debbie. “I heard the commotion. I heard the gunshot. I was scared for you, but somehow I just knew you were okay.”

He wrapped his arm around her a little tighter. “The scumbag pulled a gun on Riggs and since he had lost his I took the shot. Corbin’s gone, Debbie. I took my hostility out on his face.” He had done more than that and he had ended it by breaking the man’s neck. “They’re all gone, and with Jason dead I think it’s safe to say you’re not going to have to feel the need to run ever again.”

She pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. “I know that,” she smiled on a whisper. “Thank you for this, Keadon. Thank you for keeping me safe, for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome,” he kissed her forehead.

She frowned before placing her hand on his cheek. “He got you here,” she said as she rose on her toes to look closer at the corner of his lip. Yes, Corbin had gotten in a few good hits—hits that he was sure could kill a man if he weren’t trained to avoid the enemy the way Keadon had been trained to.

Debbie placed a soft kiss on the injury that was already swollen. He grinned which caused him a slight bit of discomfort. “Yeah, he got me here too.” He tapped his cheek on the left side of his face and she obliged him with a kiss and a knowing smile.

“Here too,” he tapped his jawbone.

“Oh, that’s going to be one that hurts,” she cooed before kissing his injury.

“Here too,” he tapped his chin and waited for her sweet kiss.

“He surely did get you in a lot of places, Keadon.” She grinned at him.

“He was a big guy,” he said in a tone that was definitely excusatory and near begging for another kiss.

“Where else, my love?”

He loved the sound of that; he was her love. “Here,” he tapped his stomach. The man had gotten a solid near breath stealing punch to his stomach, one that had nearly lost him the fight, but hadn’t.

“Oh,” she slipped her fingers beneath the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up enough to see the injury. She frowned. “It’s already bruised. You’re hurt.” She looked up at him with sorrow in her eyes.

“This isn’t your fault, Debbie.”

She looked back down. “I’ll kiss it and help make it better,” she leaned in and placed several soft kisses along the injury. Those kisses were igniting a firestorm of sexual desire within him. If he didn’t know the sheriff and his two men were on the way he would pull her into the bedroom, strip her now and take her.

“Once everything is clear here we can shower together and I’ll kiss all the rest of them too.”

“Promise?” He gave her his most devious grin.

“I promise.”

“Some of them are lower…much lower.”

“You just point them out and I’ll see to them. You took care of me; I’m going to take care of you.” She smiled at him. “Even though I know you’re milking my nurse duties I will make sure you are one happy patient.”

He laughed. “I can’t resist such a beautiful woman, Debbie. You can’t blame me for trying to get all of your kisses.”

“Oh you will get them all, Keadon. I’m going to attend to my nursing duties, make sure each injury receives proper treatment, and then I have to figure out what I’m going to do now that he’s not after me anymore.”

“I do hope you’re planning to stay here in Loral Hills.”

“I like it here,” she admitted. “Of course I have some changes to make. I rented that house on a short-term basis because I wasn’t sure when I would have to move. My month paid up will be over next week. I know I’m approved to move in with you,” she brushed her fingers over his stomach. “I have to find a job other than waitressing. I cannot work for Lisa if I’m going to stay here.”

He chuckled. “So what are you planning to do then?”

“Well,” she nibbled on her bottom lip. “I like fixing cars. I would really love to work for you. I can clean up the shop, hand you tools as you need them, balance the books, whatever you need I can help. I need to get moved first, but I would like to work for you.”

He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I move in with you?” She eyed him suspiciously as if she expected him to change his mind.

He nodded. “More than sure. You can be my housemate if you want to.”

“Does that give me guestroom privileges or master bedroom privileges?”

“Master bedroom,” he assured her as he stroked her smooth skin once more. She had bruises of her own that needed kissing. “And maybe we can take housemate to wife status when you’re ready.”

“Yes,” she said swiftly. “I mean, yes, when you ask me I’ll say yes.” She blushed wildly.”

“I’m asking.”

“Yes,” she smiled. “Hey, do I still get to work for you?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“Oh,” she sighed. “I’m sure I can find something then.”

“You’re not working for me. You’ll work with me,” he clarified his words. Although he was sure he was setting himself up for distraction. He could still remember her behind in view, round and perfect, as she leaned over and tinkered under the hood of the car he was working on. Yes, she was going to be a distraction, one he was more than willing to have. He was a well disciplined man. He was sure he could find a way not to take her back in his office, pull her pants and panties down and take her on his desk.

“You can start as soon as you’re ready. I have a carburetor to work on so I can show you the ropes if you want, but I’ll be real focused you know.”

“What’s a carburetor and where is it?”

“Oh God,” he shook his head. “You are in need of some schooling, kid.”

“I’m not a kid…”

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed the fight out of her. He loved this woman. It took almost losing her to finally admit it to himself, to stop denying it, to allow himself to have what he wanted, who he wanted. Now that he had her he wasn’t letting go—ever. They were going to belong to each other. She would be his wife, his lover, his ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world. And he, he would be her husband, her lover, her protector. With his life, he would fight for her always.