Lone Rider (18 page)

Throwing the blade at
Dallas
’ feet, Liz stepped away. But not before shoving Tess harshly between the shoulders, sending her over the side of the cliff.

It seemed to take an eternity for Tess to hit the water.
An eternity suspended in hell
. She sank immediately. The water’s numbing coldness shocked her, breaking her stupor.

Arms and legs flailing wildly, she broke the water’s surface, desperate for air, but unable to keep herself afloat.

Her cries were cut off as water filled her mouth, choking her. “
Dallas
!”

The water felt heavy, tugging on her, pulling her down. Every bad dream Tess ever had about drowning crowded into her brain, horrifying her. She sank deeper.

Thoughts of her family flashed through her mind. The last words she’d had with her mother. So many regrets, so many things she had yet to experience. She thought of
Dallas
. Damn it, she didn’t want it to end like this. She didn’t want to die.

She wanted to live
.

She felt a hand close over her shoulder and began struggling. Frequently, in nightmares, there had been hands holding her under, not letting her up. Death. She had to battle it.

To her amazement, she broke the surface once more. Gasping for breath she renewed her attack.

“Tess! I’ve got you. Don’t fight me.”

She surged forward, pushing uselessly, trying to find
Dallas
in the eerie darkness. “Can’t swim.”  The dream closed in. She coughed, taking in more water. “Drowning.”

His voice came from behind her. “I won’t let you. Just relax.”

Relax
? She choked. Water burned her nose. An agonizing cry of fear broke free as she fought her fears. He didn’t understand. Nobody understood the abject terror that water represented.

“Tess, I have you. Reach up and feel my arm around your shoulders.”

With jerky motions, she did as he asked. “I feel you, but I can’t see you. Where--”

Dallas
heard the rising panic in her voice and sought to calm her. “Trust me. We’re almost there. Focus on my voice. Picture me in your mind.” 

Closing her eyes, Tess tried to call his image to mind. His long dark hair. Broad shoulders. Silver eyes. The eyes that didn’t lie.
Dallas
. It took every bit of courage she had to take that blind leap of faith and force her legs to stop flailing.

Immediately she sensed movement.
Dallas
was swimming, towing her.
Saving her.

Exhausted, she quit struggling. Trusting...

As soon as
Dallas
felt mud scrape his foot, he stood, sweeping Tess into his arms. She huddled close, clawing, weeping, clutching frantically at his shirt. Several of the men lined the shore, having heard the commotion.
Dallas
yelled for a blanket, fearful of hypothermia.

When Frankie tossed him a blanket,
Dallas
bundled Tess in it. He would have preferred to strip the wet clothes from her first, but he wasn’t going to subject her to that, not with everyone standing around. He needed to get her back to the cabin. Picking her up, he headed for his motorcycle. “Just a few more minutes, Tess.”

When they reached the cabin
Dallas
carried her straight to the bathroom. Sitting her on the commode, he turned on the shower, full force. He looked at her.

She hadn’t said a word since he had dragged her out of the lake. Her eyes were closed
,
and she trembled violently. He yanked off her wet sneakers
,
then pulled her to her feet. Clearly in shock, she offered no resistance as he stripped off her sodden jacket and clothes.

Damn both Snake and Liz! If
Dallas
hadn’t been there
,
she would have drowned. The thought made the blood harden in his veins.

Steam started rising above the shower curtain. “This will warm you up.”  He pulled her to her feet. “Keep it as hot as you can stand it and shut it off as soon as it starts turning cool.”

She nodded, then swayed. He caught her shoulders, shaking her slightly. “Stay with me, Tess.”

This wouldn’t work. She had nearly fainted. Quickly stripping off his own wet clothes,
Dallas
picked her up once more and stepped into the shower with her.

She cried out as needles of hot water stung her frozen skin. He grimaced, sorry to cause her further discomfort. “Give it a minute
,
and it’ll feel better.”

The water stung his own skin
,
making
Dallas
aware for the first time of how cold he was. He and Tess had only been in the lake a few minutes
,
but it was
enough for the icy water to lea
ch the core warmth from their bodies.

Pulling her close
,
he held her beneath the spray, rocking her gently. She buried her face against his chest, tears falling freely.
Dallas
let her cry as he fought his own demons.

Damn it, he should have been more careful. It had been pure dumb luck that while he was talking with Bogen, he saw Snake slip along the path after Liz and Tess. If anything had happened to her...

He tightened his grip, drawing her infinitesimally closer. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, hugging him, her head tucked beneath his chin. He was acutely aware of her bare skin pressed against him.

Gradually she quieted, her trembling subsiding somewhat. When the water cooled,
Dallas
shut it off. With quick efficient movements he wrapped her hair turban-style. Grabbing another towel
,
he swiped her dry
,
then wrapped yet another dry towel around her, swaddling her in terry
cloth before wrapping a towel around his own waist.

She looked dazed, her cheek red where Snake had struck her. He promised himself that at the right moment, Snake would pay.

She whimpered.
Dallas
pressed a finger to her lips. “We’ll talk in a minute. Stay here while I build a fire.”

Leaving her in the steamy warmth of the bathroom,
Dallas
started a fire, then piled all the blankets and pillows he could find in front of the hearth. He stoked the growing blaze, adding as many logs as the grate would hold, before carrying her to the soft nest he’d thrown together in front of the fire.

Setting her down, he grasped her hands between his. She felt cold as ice, but it was her demeanor that concerned him most. She still hadn’t spoken.

He started rubbing his hands briskly down her arms. “I’m sorry, Tess.”

Those were the wrong words.

Snapping out of her trance, she screamed like a wounded animal
,
then launched herself at him, knocking him backwards. She sprawled across him, pounding her fists on his chest.

“You’re sorry? You think that makes it all better? You promised to keep me safe, yet look what happened,” she cried. “You never should have stopped that night. Damn you! I would have been better off if you had left me on the side of the road.”

Careful only that she didn’t hurt herself,
Dallas
let her expend her energy, not saying anything until she lowered her head to his chest, sobbing once more.

“If I hadn’t stopped, Snake and the others would have found you.”  They were honest words, but that didn’t make it any easier to explain. He stroked a hand down her bare back. Her towels had scattered when she attacked. “I thought I did you a favor keeping you here with me.”

His words undid her. Though Tess didn’t want to admit it, she had thought of that before. But tonight the message really hit home. He was right
:
there were a lot worse things then being held captive by Dallas Haynes. And more:
W
hen the world had turned against her, he had fought back.
For her
. In a life gone chaotic he suddenly seemed the only tangible force, the only person she could count on.

The hand stroking beneath her hair was oddly hypnotic. Slowly she relaxed, letting go of her anger, drawing comfort from his touch. She shivere
d, suddenly realizing she was l
ying on top of him, naked and cold.

Embarrassed
,
she moved to grab a towel.

“Easy. I got it.” 
Dallas
moved, wrapping her in a sheet instead, drawing her fully into his lap as he sat up.

It was just as well they’d changed positions. He didn’t know how much longer he could have held her like that, nude. Lush.

For a long time they sat quietly, Tess cradled in his arms, watching the fire, savoring its warmth.

She was the first to speak. “Did I thank you for saving my life?”

Dallas
pressed a kiss to the top of her head, battling dark emotions, unwilling to accept gratitude for something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

“Tell me how it is that you don’t know how to swim,” he asked.

At first he thought she wouldn’t respond. Then she started talking, her voice a dull monotone.

“When I was four we were boating with friends. I climbed up on a rail and fell overboard. The life preserver I wore was too large
,
and I slipped out of it.”

She shuddered, remembering the dark, the cold. The dying. “They revived me on the boat
,
and I spent a few days in the hospital. I was never able to get near the water afterward. I realize it’s stupid, but it’s my earliest childhood memory.”

His grip intensified. It maddened him to know such tragic memories lurked in her mind. “Is that what you dream about?”

She looked up at him. “How--”

“Did I know? You’ve had nightmares almost every night since being here. At first I figured it was the circumstances, but then you kept talking about the lake and saying
‘
no.
’
Maybe if we talk about it
,
I can help you get over your fears.”

She realized he thought the wrong thing about her nightmares. Tears too long held in check slid down Tess’ cheeks, the weight of her horrible secret suddenly unbearable.

“Snake killed Matt Michaels and dumped his body in
Lake
Summer
. In my nightmares, Snake does the same with me. I keep seeing Michaels’ face, his wide staring eyes. His mouth is open as if he’s trying to tell me something.”

Her words stunned
Dallas
. Matt was dead. Murdered. It felt as if the flesh was being peeled from his body. Slowly. Painfully. In long, agonizing, strips.

He caught her chin, noting her distress, regretting that he had to push. Had to know the details. “Tell me what happened. Everything.”

She looked at him sadly, tears pooling in her eyes. “That first night, when I was in the pantry. Snake brought Michaels into the kitchen. He, he had been badly beaten. Bogen questioned him...and when he refused to answer...Snake stabbed him. In the back. I watched through the door.”

“Jesus.”  Closing his eyes,
Dallas
held her as she wept, the entire story spilling out in bits and pieces.

In silence
Dallas
grieved for his friend, angered by the cruelty, stunned by Tess’ horrific chronology. By the time she finished, she was spent. Still he embraced her, drawing strength from her as well as giving it, amazed once more by her fortitude.

Even though he and Barry expected the worst with Matt’s disappearance
,
it was still a blow to learn the truth. His friend was dead. By Snake’s hand.
Dallas
looked up at the rafters, offering a silent prayer. Remembering. Regretting. Promising.

He’d notify Barry first thing in the morning, though he knew they wouldn’t be able to search for Matt’s body yet.
Lake
Summer
, particularly Scab Point, was a popular spot with the gang. Any suspicious activity would be noticed right away and could imperil the carefully laid snare. And it wouldn’t bring his friend back to life.

The fire had died down
,
and he got up, cinching the towel tighter at his waist.

“Don’t leave,” she implored.

“I’m just adding more wood.”  When he returned he pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Thank you for telling me.”  He picked up one of her hands, alarmed to find it felt lifeless. “You’re still freezing. We’ve got to get you warm.”

Dallas
grabbed the oversize
quilt and shook it open. Piling the pillows behind him, he motioned for Tess to move closer.

“Sharing body heat is the quickest way to warm up,” he explained.