She was about to put her plan into motion, but Mac released her. She whirled around to face him and he backhanded her soundly, right on the mouth. Her body twisted from the force of his strike and she fell to the sand, the salty grit making her split lip sting so intensely, it took several seconds for her to catch her breath.
“You stupid bitch!” Mac hissed. “You went to the cops?”
She spat out sand and swiped her arm over her mouth. Blood glistened on her skin in the silvery moonlight. Glaring up at him, she demanded, “What makes you think someone else didn’t call the sheriff when they heard the shots? Or when they realized Midnight had been let out?”
He pulled the gun from the waist of his jeans at the small of his back and pointed it at her.
“Did you go to them?”
Sky didn’t see the sense in holding this tidbit back, so she lifted her chin and said, “Yes. I did.”
“What do they know?” he ordered.
“Everything.” She tried to blink back tears of pain, to no avail. “I gave them the CD. The fake contract. They have all the information they need to bust you, Mac. It was just a matter of finding you.”
The sirens stopped, and she realized she no longer heard the ATV.
Shit! Whoever was on it had gone in a totally different direction? The only way she’d get anyone’s attention now was to scream—and pray it was loud enough for someone to hear her.
She opened her mouth, but the sound of the safety releasing on a gun stopped her. The snap of twigs that edged the shoreline made her gaze flash to the east.
Suddenly, Sam emerged from the trees, his 9mm aimed at Mac.
“Drop the gun,” he said in a low, lethal tone. “Now.”
Sky looked back at Mac. His jaw clenched. His eyes locked with hers.
“Do it,” she said. “He’s not bluffing, Mac. He’ll shoot you to save me. Make no mistake.”
The hard edge in her voice gave Mac pause. He glared at her, saying, “There’s nothing for me to worry about with the sheriff. You can’t prove anything.”
“You are so far gone in your head, it’s a wonder you can pull your boots on in the morning,” she said. “I gave the CD to the sheriff. We were still recording in the studio when you raped me. It’s all on the CD, Mac.”
“No one’s gonna consider it rape. We were dating at the time.”
“I said no,” she ground out, anger gripping her. “Repeatedly. I screamed it out. Repeatedly.”
Mac twitched.
“That’s right,” she snapped. “You know there won’t be a shadow of a doubt in anyone’s mind that it was rape. A violent one, you disgusting piece of shit. With me screaming in pain the whole fucking time.” More tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face. “And now this… Really, Mac? How do you explain away everything you’ve done tonight? A missing horse? Trespassing? Gunshots? My split lip? A gun pointed at me? Attempted kidnapping?”
His hand actually shook.
More commotion from the forest sent a flash of panic over his All-American features. He so did not look like an evil man. But with Mac Willet, Sky had gotten a healthy dose of how looks truly could deceive.
“Willet,” the sheriff said as he emerged on the shoreline, “drop your weapon.”
Both he and Ryan had their guns drawn.
Sky said, “You might be desperate, Mac, but you’re not going to shoot me.” Right? She sucked in a breath. “Just do what they say so you don’t get yourself into any more trouble.”
He hedged. But only briefly. Then he tossed aside the gun, his gaze never leaving hers. Ryan closed in and scooped up the weapon.
The sheriff said, “Lower yours, Sam. Stand down.”
Sam’s jaw was set in a hard line. His chest rose and fell quickly. Myriad emotions flickered in his emerald eyes, tearing at Sky’s heart.
“Sam,” she said, “he’s not armed. This is all over. The sheriff has everything he needs to arrest Mac. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”