Page 20 of Single Mom for the Mountain Men
I can’t stand here motionless, either, drawing even more attention to myself.
My cold fingers intertwine with Sophie’s little ones, and that’s when the shadow darts from behind the tree, making a run for it deeper into the line of trees.
It’s a tall and burly man with a ski mask on his head, a menacing shadow even in the unassuming light of the day, as he jumps and maneuvers with trained precision.
I jump into action, turning back and running along the path I had come from, Sophie’s hand crushed in mine. Adrenalinepumps through my body, and the only thought in my head is,Get out of here.
Get out of here, and get Sophie home safely.
My heart pounds loudly in my ears, the cold wind nipping at my ears and my nose. I have half a mind to halt to a stop and tell Sophie to get on my back so we can run faster. Her little legs can barely keep up with me. The minute I have the thought, something solid bumps into me, smacking me in the face.
My body crashes into a wall, my head spinning because of the impact.
An “oof” leaves my mouth, as I feel a hand sneaking around my waist to keep me from falling. Trepidation courses through my body as I realize that it’s a man.
Images of a strange man getting his hands on me and Sophie, hurting us in ways I can’t even imagine, flash before my eyes. My spine locks, my mouth opening to let out a scream. Before I can, though, my eyes land on the man’s face, and I recognize the dark eyes and the dark hair, the hooked nose, and the five o’clock shadow.
Brody.
My body trembles in his hold, and Sophie lets go of my hand to hug Brody’s leg.
He sees my lower lip trembling and Sophie’s shiny eyes, and his brows furrow in confusion. The bag he had over his shoulder falls behind him, crashing down on the ground with a thud.
His other hand comes up to my face, tracing my cheeks with his thumb.
“Lena? What happened? Are you all right?”
“Someone is after us, Brody!” I say. “I saw someone hiding in the trees and–”
“Shh, Lena, breathe,” he commands me softly, his eyes locked on me. “Come on, breathe with me. That’s right, deep breaths.”
I take a few deep breaths like he says, trying my best to let the panic subside.
“I’m here, you’re safe. Nothing will hurt you,” he reassures me roughly.
“Sophie,” I croak, and he nods.
“She’s right here, with us. She’s fine. Nothing is after you. I’m here,” he repeats.
I close my eyes for a moment, listening to just Brody’s voice and smelling his cedarwood scent.
Brody is here. I’m safe. Sophie is safe. Nothing is going to hurt us.
When my breathing returns to normal and I’m not shaking anymore, I open my eyes and see Brody still focused on me. His other hand is wrapped around Sophie’s back, holding her close to his body.
“You good?” he asks me, and I nod slowly. Subconsciously, my hands had curled into fists in his shirt, and I loosen them, leaving the fabric wrinkled.
“I’m better now.” I exhale, putting a little distance between us. In my panic, I had glued my body to his, the hard planes of his chest pressed right against me. The tension in his muscles, their shadow visible under the shirt, is exactly like a panther waiting to strike. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, swee—Lena. You did nothing wrong.”
What was he going to say?
“Come with me,” he instructs me lowly. “Let’s go to the cabin and discuss what happened.”
Not feeling like putting up an act of resistance or a fake smile to pretend that I’m all right, I concede for once, letting him take the reins. My mind has started trusting this man, and I would like nothing more than to be in his cabin, safe and protected.
Brody’s palm stays on the small of my back, a reassuring and protective force. The blood rushing to my face makes it even redder than it already is. Sophie is holding his pinky finger tightly, clearly freaked out as she walks with us.
