ChapterEleven
Sunny slinked through the willows, though in her mind she stomped. Stupid Davis and his dumb, handsome looks of concern. Ugh. He’d met her family. Shoot, the big lug fought alongside three of her siblings. Did he honestly think she was so far removed from her brothers and sister that she couldn’t handle this?
Sure, having him close and the way his gaze lingered on her face like she mattered to him made her gut pop like kernels in Grandma’s hand-crank popcorn maker. If Sunny wasn’t careful, those kernels would burn and become an acrid, stinking mess. The kind that takes forever to get out.
Kind of like the smoke that got stronger the closer they weaved their way through the forest.
She needed to remember how he’d just disappeared on her last fall. His expressions he thought he hid screamed he’d do it again. There was no way she could trust that he wouldn’t leave her behind.
Her solo adventuring flew out the window the instant those shots shattered her world. She’d cling to Davis like industrial-strength Velcro if she had to. Yes, because she needed him, but he needed her too. Even if all she did was keep him from doing something royally shortsighted, like going in all rogue G.I. Joe, thinking he could take down these people single-handedly.
Davis’s hand touched her shoulder, and she jerked, her heart jumping into her throat. She peeked back at him, lifting her eyebrow and praying he couldn’t see her pulse pounding in her neck. He touched his ear and tipped his head to the north. She held her breath and focused her eyes in that direction. A vehicle approached. How he’d heard that faint sound in the distance amazed her. He might actually have her beat with his super soldier skills.
He made some hand movements that she interpreted he wanted her to follow as they moved forward. She nodded. He’d already made her promise she’d follow his lead. Might as well let him go in first.
As he rushed through the willows, she marveled at his ability to move quickly without a sound or brush on the trees to give away their location. Even with her heavy pack strapped to him, he made it look effortless.
The roar of a fire and snap of wood and glass burning filled the air, and approaching quietly wasn’t as dire as before. Davis stopped behind a thick blueberry bush threaded with fireweed blooming high over it. The purple flowers hid them, making it easier to peer through the green shrubs at the homestead.
Flames already licked up the log walls of the small cabin and danced out the door. Were they not worried about a forest fire? If the computer Davis planned on using had been in there, it was toast. Her shoulders slumped. How would they get help now?
A jeep pulled up behind the side-by-side from earlier and a 4-wheeler that hadn’t been there before. An Asian man who held himself with command meandered up to another man who walked out from behind the cabin carrying a gas can.
“Is our problem handled?” The bored tone of the boss man’s voice carried over flames and chilled Sunny to the bone.
“Mr. Freedom’s had an unfortunate accident.” The other man peered toward the cabin, tossing the can toward the cabin. “It appears he died tragically in a house fire.”
“Pity.” Boss Man’s smirk held no remorse.
Davis lurched forward.
Sunny wrapped her arms around him. “No.”
“But he—” Davis growled, his entire body shaking with rage.
“I know.” She choked on a sob and leaned her forehead to his. “I know.”
“They need to pay.” His muscles bunched like he would pounce.
“Don’t leave me, Davis.” She cupped his face with both hands, praying with all her might that he wouldn’t barge out there and get himself killed. “Please, I need you.”
He fisted his hands into her rain jacket and sucked in long, deep breaths. She stayed with her head to his, mimicking each of his inhales and exhales. When a tear leaked from his eye, she wiped it with her thumb.
He spread his hands wide across her back, pulling her into his powerful arms and burying his face in her neck. He took one last breath, then released her just as quickly.
“We need to leave.” He grabbed her hand, adjusting his position to backtrack.
“And just where have you two been?” the fire starter hollered, freezing Sunny where she crouched.
“We have a slight problem,” Justin’s murderer said as he came into view.
“Well?” Irritation laced Boss Man’s voice.
“A woman witnessed the murder,” the other guy that had chased her responded.
“Woman?” Fire Starter asked.
“A backpacker. Came out of the woods just as we took care of business.” The murderer motioned toward the trail Sunny had come down earlier.