Page 15 of Redwood Blaze
I think I hear footsteps and I slow my gait. I don’t want to call out. It’s dangerous to let wildlife know where you are, especially bears that are ending their hibernation. They are hungry. Eat anything that has blood hungry.
The sound washes over my ears again.
“I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine.”
I hear the mantra sounding over and over and I wonder if she really is what she’s claiming. I don’t want to scare her, so I pull out my phone and text her.
Rusty: I can hear you.
“Rusty?” she shout-whispers.
“Over here!”
In less than thirty seconds, I’ve got my arms wrapped around a woman who sets my soul on fire. I clasp her face and put my forehead to rest on hers.
“Are you okay?”
“I should have told you.”
“And I’m sure you will. Let’s get into Cole’s cabin.”
“He could be following me.”
“Then I guess he’ll have to meet me and my two good friends.” I hold up my right fist. “Bam.” And I hold up my left fist. “Pow.”
She shakes her head. “Such a goofball.”
I smile seeing some of her anxiety release. “Let’s get inside. There’s not only crazy exes out here. There’s also bears and moose.”
“Good point.” She slings her small ruck over her shoulder, but I grab it and pull it over mine.
“Thanks.”
“I got you, babe.”
Now, we need to talk.
I know where Cole’s extra key is. I’ve been here to check on the place when he’s out of town. It’s a nice two-bedroom place. I’m what they call a year-rounder at the Hotshots HQ. I don’t have another home. When I want a break, I rent a place and go.
I open the front door and reach to the switch but think better of it. If this dude tries to track her, we don’t need to give him any hints that someone’s here.
Setting down her ruck, I turn and find her eyes sweeping the room like a caged animal.
“Hey, hey, I’m here.” I lift her chin. I hate seeing her so on edge. “you’re okay.”
She shakes her head. “If he’s out of jail or prison, I’m never going to be okay.”
“He wasinone of those?”
“And then he got parole.”
She tells me the story and some of it makes me sad, some of it makes me mad, and some of it makes me see blood red behind my eyes. The man is a sadistic freak. He prides himself on emotional and mental warfare.
“And I was found at the bottom of the stairs with a cracked collarbone.”
I wonder if I should even touch her. I don’t want her to feel any pressure from another man. “Baby… I mean Millie, hell, maybe I should be calling you Supe Archer…” I run a hand through my hair.
She grabs my elbow and brings my hand to her chest, placing my palm over her heart. “Do you feel this?”
