Raising The Stakes (Heartwarming Romance) (12 page)

“I’m guessing that’s Lake Champlain.” She pointed at the distant water body, vast and wide. World-class fishing derbies descended on it every year, some of the fishermen also finding their way deeper into the forest to explore the rivers that fed the lake.

“Right. And that’s Mount Mansfield.” Liam gestured to a distant peak across the lake in Vermont.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” She pulled on her sunglasses against the bright sunshine. “It’s incredible.”

Liam’s wide smile matched hers. “Unparalleled.”

“Is this one of the three peaks you have left to climb?”

He shook his head. “No. But you’re welcome to come with me when I do. We’d talked about Mount Marcy.”

She stared at him for a long moment, willing herself to refuse. Being this far from home should panic her, but somehow, seeing the world from this distance had the opposite effect. It filled her with electricity. As if she’d been zapped from a stupor and brought back to life.

All of the dangers and troubles below seemed smaller, more manageable, from up here. It was humbling and uplifting at the same time. Her body felt light, and she wished she could float with the birds gliding on the air currents, soar above all that had or ever would hurt her.

“Vivie?” Liam’s eyes traveled over her face, his tender expression overwhelming her. “If this hike’s too much, we can go back.”

“No,” she blurted. Now that she’d reached the summit, she wished she never had to return to the world below. “I like it here. It feels safe.”

She sat down and Button, growing larger by the day, muscled her way onto Vivie’s lap.

Liam lowered himself beside her, his profile as rugged and compelling as her surroundings. “That’s important to you, isn’t it?” he asked. “Safety.”

She peered up at him then back to the young bear drifting to sleep across her legs.

“Isn’t it to everyone?”

Liam’s piercing stare stirred up feelings she wished he’d leave alone. “You take it pretty far. What happened to your neck?”

Her hand rose to her scar and pressed, remembering the gush of blood she’d tried to staunch before she’d blacked out.

She shook her head, beyond words, memories crashing over her, knocking her flat.

“Did someone cut you?” His harsh voice broke through the dismal fog swirling inside.

“Yes,” she managed, closing her eyes, wishing she could blot out the images flashing through her mind.

“And that happened in the Bronx?”

“Yes.”

“You were attacked.”

She willed herself to steer the conversation into safer waters, but floundered instead, unable to resist the swift and unexpected pull to tell Liam. For so long she’d tried keeping those parts of her life separate. Bronx—danger. Adirondacks—safe. Yet the poachers passing so close to her house had shaken her confidence that she could have a before and after.

Liam’s calm, solid presence reassured her. Maybe up here, where it felt like nothing bad could touch her, it’d be okay to open up. She wiped her clammy palms on her shorts and began.

“I was raped.”

His swift inhalation blanketed her with the familiar shame.

He turned toward her, but she glanced away, unwilling to see his expression. “I was coming home from a graveyard shift at a restaurant.” Her voice wobbled and her heartbeat slipped in and out of rhythm as she pushed herself to continue. Maybe Liam would understand her better. See her real reason for rejecting his kiss. Know why Button’s safety meant everything to her.

“You were alone.” His hand settled next to hers, the brush of fingers steadying her. “Is this okay?”

She nodded, every moment like a grenade she held. “A man bumped into me as I passed an alleyway. A second dragged me farther in and covered my mouth.”

All of the silent, unreleased screams, built back up in her throat.

An angry exclamation beside her made her jump.

“They—they—used me. Attacked me like I wasn’t anything to them. Nothing.” Despite herself, her voice cracked. How long had it taken her to feel as if she was something again? Someone who mattered? Had value? Until her support group, she’d spent months falling through the gaping hole the men had ripped in her heart, her soul. Unable to think. Feel. Function.

A hand brushed her wet cheek. “You’re everything, Vivie.” Liam’s voice splintered at the edges.

Her gut clenched. “The men argued about what to do—after. Debated how to get rid of me. I heard them, Liam. I heard them and they didn’t care.” The words tore from her, black poison falling from her lips. “Even when they cut me here.” She drew a finger across her throat. “And left me to die.”

“I’m sorry, Vivie. I know that doesn’t cover it, not by any stretch, but I am. More than I can say. And your attackers weren’t men. They’re monsters. Tell me they’re behind bars.”

Vivie’s heartbeat was cannon fire, burst after burst shuddering through her. “The woman who found me didn’t see them. Since it happened so fast, in the dark, I didn’t get a good look, either. None of the forensic evidence turned up anything in the data systems.”

Vivie recalled the glare of the clinical white light in the hospital, the long night getting stitched, scraped, probed and prodded. It’d been nearly as invasive as her assault. An extension of her trauma. And for what? Her hands curled at her sides. Nothing.

“So they’re still out there,” Liam stood and paced in front of her. “Those sons of—”

“I thought moving up here would make me safe.”

He stopped and studied her, his eyes in shadow. “Thought? You don’t believe that anymore? Is it because of me? That kiss?” When he squatted in front of her, his anguished expression touched her.

“No. Just knowing men like the poachers came that close shook me up.”

His thumb glided over her knuckles then withdrew. “I won’t let them or anyone harm you.”

Certainty rang in every word, bolstering her. Why had she mostly kept her rape to herself? Opening up was terrifying, but it hadn’t torn her apart.

How much of that was because of Liam? Thoughtful, considerate, patient man.

Gingerly, he held her hands, capturing them in his large palms. Unlike the kiss, this touch settled her rapid-fire heart. Had sharing her secret made her trust him more? Let him close?

“Your attack is the worst thing that can happen to any human being, Vivie. It’s incredible that you’ve come through so strong and determined.”

Strong? Determined? After everything she’d confessed, she thought he’d see her as weak. Light pierced the dark within. She’d braced herself to be judged, blamed...the kinds of things she’d done to herself when she’d tried making sense of it all. Instead, he’d comforted her. Given his support. Wanted to protect her. He saw the best in her and it meant everything.

“Thank you, Liam.”

His brows met over his nose. “I didn’t do anything, though if I could get my hands on those lowlifes...”

She squeezed his hands, loving the feel of his fingers tightening around hers. “Thank you for listening, for bringing me up here, for not judging me.”

“Judging you?” he exclaimed. “The only people who deserve judgment are your attackers.”

“I didn’t want people—you—to think of me as a victim.”

He stared at her for a long moment then shook his head. “Vivie, you’re the toughest woman I’ve ever met.”

His words poured into her. Liquid sunshine.

“Want to go home?” he asked.

She shook her head and stared into the vast space around her. “Not yet.”

This is what she missed by staying within the boundaries she’d marked for herself. Up this high, that invisible fence tumbled and set her free. Nothing could reach or harm her when she stood atop the world.

She eyed the winding highway below.

Soon they’d climb down to earth, however, and reality would return with a vengeance.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“W
E
’
VE
GOT
FIRE
moving fast along Black Brooke heading east. Copy?”

Despite being off duty, Liam grabbed his walkie-talkie and pressed the side button. “How far from Route 9? Over.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he thought of Vivie. She could be in danger. Button, too.

“Ten miles with wind at twenty-five knots eastward. We’ve got... Copy?” The whirr of chopper blades drowned out most of the reply and Liam pictured the responders flying over the forest, assessing the situation. The small blaze they’d been monitoring the past few days had escalated into a serious threat. His chest squeezed when he imagined its proximity to Vivie’s house.

“You’ve got what? Over.”

He yanked his SUV into a hard U-turn and sped toward Vivie’s home. Had she woken yet? Smelled smoke? He needed to see for himself that she was safe.

The intercom crackled. “We’ve got boots on the ground but the blaze jumped the firebreak. Calling in more assistance. Advise homeowners at higher elevations of voluntary evacuation. Not encroaching on populated areas, yet. Copy?”

“Copy,” Liam repeated, his mind racing. “Over.” Trees whizzed by, and a deer and her fawn scrambled across the road ahead of the fire. But what about Button? Stuck in the enclosure, she’d be trapped. He had to get them out. Fast. Voluntary evac or not. Forest fires were capricious beasts. You took them lightly at your own peril.

Since Vivie’s house was one of the highest on this route, it put her in the most jeopardy. He had to let her know. Warn her.

He jerked to the side of the road and dialed her number. When her answering machine picked up, he left a hurried message, hung up and left the same urgent words on her cell voice mail. Where was she? She’d already survived so much and now another threat loomed. How would she react to this news?

He rushed through ten stops along the way, advising occupants to head into town. His stop at Vivie’s neighbors’ revealed they’d returned from their trip. They expressed deep regret about their poaching nephews.

At last, he closed the distance to Vivie’s house and swerved into her driveway.

Scooter galloped in front of Liam’s front bumper, barking, his long tail swinging. Liam threw open his door, hopped out, and sprinted to Vivie’s porch accompanied by the old Lab. The faintest hint of smoke carried on the morning breeze. Had the fire crept closer than the report suggested? At his pounding, she opened the door an inch, peered at him, then undid the chain and let him inside.

She brushed wet hair back from her cheeks, her face soft and unguarded. He breathed in the freshly showered scent of her. His contrary heart wanted to pull her into his arms—or throw her over his shoulder—and get her out of here. Take her away...with him.

“Liam. Why are you here so early? What’s wrong?”

“I left messages but you must have been showering. There’s a forest fire. About ten miles east and heading in this direction. We need to get you and the animals out.”

Her face paled. “Is Button in danger? My house?”

A breath escaped him. One he hadn’t known he’d held. “It’s possible. How fast can you grab some things and meet me in front? I’ll load up Button.”

Her eyes darted around the room, lingering on pictures and knickknacks. “Where will you take her?”

“Wendy and Steve’s. They’ll let Scooter and Jinx stay, too.”

Her eyes widened. “Jinx hasn’t come back from her night prowl.”

He imagined how wound up he’d be if he couldn’t find Extra Pickles. His heart went out to Vivie. But this was a time to think, not feel. “Animals know when there’s danger. She’s probably on the back porch already.” With Vivie on his heels, he hurried to the kitchen door and flung it open.

No cat.

“Did you see her when you pulled in?” Vivie’s voice rose. She peered out the side window above her sink and twisted one of her earrings.

“No,” Liam admitted. “But we can’t focus on her yet. Let’s get you, Button and Scooter to safety. She may turn up any minute. Get ready and I’ll be back in ten.”

Her forlorn expression lingered as he pushed through the oppressive air to Button’s enclosure. The early-July heat could explain the temperature, but it was unusual this early in the morning. He suspected the fire contributed. They had to get out. It’d be hard for Vivie to leave without Jinx, but she had no choice if the cat didn’t turn up soon. Something about the still, expectant air made bumps rise on his arms. The blaze was closing in. This might be a voluntary evacuation, yet he sensed it’d be mandatory soon.

It’d been a dry summer, little rain to stop him and Vivie from taking Button out on his days off these past few weeks. He’d noticed the harder, crisper edges on the leaves, the baked ground that cracked beneath brown grass, and the low water levels in the streams. Even the muddy forest trails had dried up. He’d wondered when and where a fire would start. Hadn’t been surprised at the one that’d popped up a couple of days ago.

Still, he hadn’t worried about it coming this close to Vivie. Her property bordered on Catfish Creek, and the Ausable River flowed just a couple of miles west. A fire fierce enough to jump bodies of water had the makings of a natural disaster. One that wiped out homes and destroyed lives... All things were temporary.

He grabbed the bear-sized carrier at the front of the boarded enclosure, loaded it in the back of his SUV, then went back for the cub. Hopefully she’d come easily. The smell of smoke was becoming pervasive, strengthening by the minute.

Button ran to the fence when he unlocked the first door, restless and agitated. Her instincts must be alerting her to the encroaching danger. As she stretched upward, her paws grabbed hold of the chain links, her height now about equal to Scooter’s.

Their foraging expeditions had done her good. Her coat was glossy and black, her nose glistened and her eyes shone. When he slipped through the first entrance, she snorted impatiently. She dropped to all fours and paced, her turtle in her mouth. It’d lost a couple of flippers, been licked nearly colorless, but remained her favorite toy.

When he stepped inside, she rushed him, wrapping her front paws around his thighs and burying her head in his side. His hand rubbed beneath her chin and soothed the trembling animal.

“It’s okay, Button. I’m getting you out of here. Follow me.”

He beckoned and headed out the first opening, but she scraped the ground and grunted, shaking her head from side to side. Her fear was obvious. How could he convince her it was safer to leave than stay? Suddenly he was in Kunar again. He could smell explosives, sweat and blood. They’d tried to escape their besieged outpost, but been repelled back to “safety” where they waited. For rescue or ambush, whichever came first. He shook himself out of the memory. It’d been an agonizing cat-and-mouse game, one almost all of his buddies had lost.

But he wouldn’t lose Button. Or Vivie. He reached into his pocket for a granola bar he’d brought for breakfast.

He tore off the wrapper and poked the granola bar through the steel fence. “Hungry, Button?” He glanced at his watch. He’d been out here seven minutes. No time to waste.

The cub lifted her snout and sniffed. She took a tentative step forward, then another and another. Just when her lips fell around the bar, he jerked it out of reach.

“Over here!” He waved it beyond the exit and she stared at him then back at her sleep spot. “Smells good, right?” He brandished it like a magic wand, hoping it’d call her to him.

Suddenly, she charged out of the cage and he sidestepped her and closed the first door behind her. Only then did he notice she’d dropped Turtle inside. The anxious bear turned from the granola bar and rammed the closed entranceway. She stuck her nose under the door and sniffed, clawing at the gate. He checked the time again.

Nine minutes.

The air felt heavy and the blue morning sky had grayed somehow, as if the color had leached from it. He couldn’t squander more moments. Yet would the bear cooperate without Turtle? He watched her paw desperately at the lock. Bears were one of the smartest animals in the world. And the most stubborn.

Kind of like Vivie...

He chucked the granola bar through the second exit and muscled Button out of the way as he slipped back into the enclosure. In a stride, he grabbed the toy, jerked open the door, and blocked Button from racing back inside.

“Here, girl.” The bear gently mouthed the turtle then raced outside for the granola bar.

Priorities...

He scooped up Turtle and let another precious moment pass while she ate. When Button finished, he held out the toy. “Follow Turtle,” he called and headed for the SUV, peering over his shoulder. For a second, she huddled against the enclosure then chased after him.

Vivie met them at the SUV. “Have you seen Jinx?” She’d swapped her shorts and tank top for jeans, a tee and a long-sleeved plaid over-shirt with her heavy boots. Work clothes. She appeared ready to battle the fire herself. His adorable warrior.

“She hasn’t turned up. I’m sorry, Vivie, but we’ve got to go. Will you help me with Button?”

“Of course.”

Relieved she wasn’t overreacting, he tossed Turtle into the carrier and when the bear stretched up to reach for it, he and Vivie hefted Button the rest of the way inside. He rammed the bolt home, lifted Scooter into the back beside the carrier and slid in the suitcases Vivie had placed by his feet.

“All set. Let’s head to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, drop off the animals then stop by the diner if you want. Okay?”

Vivie shook her head and backed away. “Not without Jinx. I’m sorry, Liam. I’ll catch up with you when she returns.”

A mixture of frustration and fear snaked through him. “Be reasonable, Vivie. Jinx may have hightailed it out of here at the approaching fire. There’s a good chance she’s not coming home at all.”

A frightened sound escaped Vivie and he regretted every syllable. “I mean she’ll come home. But not until it’s safe.”

Vivie raised damp eyes to his. “What if there is no home left? Where will she go? I’m not leaving.”

“You need to evacuate.”

Her small jaw jutted. “Is it mandatory?”

He leaned his head in his window and listened to the firefighters and dispatchers squawk over the speaker’s emergency channel. After a moment, he turned. “Doesn’t look like it. Yet. But it will be soon.”

“Then you can’t force me to go. Take the animals and come back if you want. Or go to whatever emergency station you’re assigned to. I’ll be fine.”

He hooked his thumbs in his belt and faced her. Why was it always this way between them? On opposite sides of nearly every important issue. “This is my designated area and you’re my responsibility.”

“And Jinx is mine.” Her hand fell on his tense arm and her eyes implored him. “Please Liam, take the animals. I’ll be fine.”

After a minute, he nodded reluctantly. They were wasting time by standing around arguing. “I’ll be right back.”

He reversed toward the road. Fire trucks screamed along it. For a second, he paused and took in Vivie. She seemed more petite than ever as she stood beneath her red maple, a hand to her mouth as she called her cat.

His heart expanded as he took in the brave woman. She reminded him of his battle buddies. No man left behind. He felt the same way. When he returned, she’d come with him, Jinx or no Jinx.

No
woman
left behind, he thought as he quickly shifted gears. Especially not Vivie.

* * *

T
WENTY
MINUTES
LATER
, he swung into her driveway, leaping out as soon as the SUV stopped rolling.

“Vivie!” he shouted. No answer.

He knocked on her door then thrust through it, too impatient to wait. He needed her out. Now. The evacuation status hadn’t changed, but the firefighters had lost ground according to reports. The blaze was creeping closer to her home.

Her house echoed with his calls and suddenly a flash of black streaked by her front window. Jinx. He bolted outside and scooped the cat off her porch, striding to the SUV. With the cat secured in his front seat, he marched to the back of her property. Was she searching for her pet? Venturing into the woods? His pulse streamed, fast as a melting river, when he rounded the back corner. A group of deer bounded in front of him and, in a leap almost too fast to register, disappeared into the woods away from the fire. A raccoon trotted by, its offspring following in a swift line behind it. It seemed everyone was running. All but Vivie.

He spotted her at the far edge of her cleared property with, of all things, a shovel. A trench stretched five feet to the left of her and she leaned on the handle, mopping her brow.

“What are you doing?” he demanded as he joined her. She contemplated him, fatigue and strain clear on her face.

“Digging a firebreak. If the fire comes this way, I want to redirect it past Button’s enclosure and the house. Give it another path to follow.”

“Vivie, leave that to the professionals.”

“You think they’re going to care about one property? This is my home. I’m not letting it go without a fight.”

“They’ll do everything they can to save your house.”

“And so will I.” She rammed her shovel into the ground, stepped on its back edge, lifted and tossed the dirt behind her, repeating the process as he watched, speechless. This took stubborn to a reckless, dangerous level.

“You’ll never get enough of this cleared in time.” He breathed in the smoke-filled air and watched a flock of blackbirds wing by overhead.

“If you help me, maybe we can get the western corner done. If the fire’s coming from there, it might work.”

His jaw tightened. Opposition at every turn. “You can’t predict something like that.”

“But I can try,” she ground out, hefting another chunk out of the earth.

He studied this resolute woman, knowing he could easily toss her into the SUV and drive off with her. Yet her story of being attacked held him back. Manhandling would frighten her far more than any fire. He’d been careful to keep his distance as they’d grown more comfortable the past few weeks. He wouldn’t risk destroying the fragile peace that had unfolded between them.