by Marie Carnay
Jake exhaled. “I don’t know.”
Killian leaned against the edge of Jake’s desk. “Let me guess. Woman trouble?”
“Sort of.” Jake sat up in his chair.
“Sorry I was such an ass before. When I made that crack about Tabitha, I didn’t know you guys were serious. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Jake blinked. Killian apologizing? That was a first. “Thanks.”
His fellow trooper tensed to stand, but Jake stopped him. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah. Ask away.”
Jake leaned over and rested his forearms on his knees. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“What? You got some hygiene problems or something?”
“Funny.” Jake closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he was about to ask Killian for advice, but of all the guys he knew, he was the best option. “You ever get rough during sex?”
He snorted. “Yeah, if she’s into it. You do something the doctor didn’t like?”
“No. But I—forget it. It’s nothing.”
“You look torn up, Jake. Just spit it out.”
“It got physical. Really intense, you know?”
Killian nodded. “Yeah. But she didn’t mind?”
Jake shook his head. “Just the opposite.”
“If she didn’t have a problem with what went down, what are you so worked up over? I’ve done some of the craziest shit you can imagine, all because a woman’s asked me to.”
He twitched. “I lost control.”
“Good.”
Jake stood up in a rush. “How can you say that? I could have hurt her.”
“Do you really think that?”
He paced back and forth in front of his desk, his hand pinching the back of his neck. “Yes? No?” He sat back down. “Tabitha’s different. She’s fierce and headstrong and knows what she wants. April…”
“Was a cock tease.”
Jake shot Killian a look. “She wasn’t adventurous, how about that?”
Killian smirked. “Boring in the sack, got it. So Tabitha’s not. Sounds like you won the lottery.”
“It’s not that simple. She busted into Dwayne’s like she was invincible. Then when I confronted her about it…”
“She fucked your brains out.”
“Something like that.”
Killian stood up with a laugh. “Man, you need to get your head out of your ass and go tell that woman you love her. She’s perfect for you.”
Jake blinked. “You think I’m in love with her?”
“I’ve never seen a guy so worked up over hot sex in my life. If you’re not in love with her, you’re fucking crazy and I’m having you committed.”
Jake swallowed. Was that his problem? Was he so worked up over the whole thing because he was in love with Tabitha?
His phone dinged and he glanced at the screen.
Dead caribou. Off Highway Eighty-three. Shot by a poacher. I’m afraid he’s still out here. I need you. Call me.
“Fuck.” Jake stood up like a rocket. “Tabitha’s out in the forest with a poacher. She’s in trouble. Call Gabe, tell him we need every resource we’ve got.”
Jake grabbed his pistol and shoved it in his side holster.
“Where are you going?”
“To save her. I’ll take the radio.” Jake tore through the station and out to his Jeep. If Tabitha was out in the forest, alone with a poacher, every second mattered. He dialed her number and put it on speaker.
Her voicemail picked up. Shit. He dialed again. No luck.
His Jeep skidded onto the main road and unease settled low in Jake’s gut. Killian was right. He was hopelessly in love with Tabitha. If something happened to her before he got there…If he couldn’t save her…he didn’t know how he’d survive.
Jake dialed again. “Pinetree Veterinary, Becky speaking.”
“Becky, have you heard from Tabitha?”
“Not since she left to go find the caribou. Aren’t you out there?”
“No, I just found out.”
“That’s odd. She said you asked for her help.”
Jake almost dropped the phone. “Thanks, Becky. If she calls, tell her to hold on. I’m coming.” He hung up and prayed to God he was wrong. But all he could see was a hunter hidden behind a tree and his beautiful Tabitha an easy target.
A crunch of leaves behind her had Tabitha whipping around. “Jake? Is that you?”
She’d sent him the text what seemed like an eternity ago. With the poor cell service outside of town, she wasn’t even sure he’d get it. “Jake?” She called out his name a second time, but nothing.
That’s it. I’m getting out of here. Tabitha slung her bag over her shoulder and hustled back the way she’d come in, through the brush and around obstacles as fast as her work clogs and dress pants would allow.
The car came into view and she exhaled in relief. She could tell Jake all about the caribou from the confines of her vet clinic. A place with overhead lighting and witnesses.
She reached for the door handle when a shot rang out.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A gruff voice sounded from the trees to her right and Tabitha turned toward it.
“Who’s there?” Her voice sounded weak and she cursed herself for it.
“Not so high and mighty now, are you, Dr. Boone?” A man in a camouflage jacket stepped out from the tree line, a rifle pinned to his shoulder and pointed straight at her.
“Who are you?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Tabitha squinted to get a better look at his face, but she couldn’t make out more than a graying beard and pale skin. He could have been one of the hunters at Dwayne’s place, but she didn’t know for sure. She should have taken notes.
She straightened up. “I think it’s only fair that I know the name of the man pointing a gun at me.”
“We’ve got different ideas about fairness, then.”
“Are you the one who called?”
“I am.”
“Why? That caribou must have been dead for hours.”
“Since morning. I called you out here to teach you a lesson. You need to go back to the city where you belong. Leave us alone.”
“It’s too late for that. Pinetree is my home now. I’m not here to cause trouble, I just want to run my vet clinic in peace.”
“That’s not what it looks like to me. First you waltz into town and act all high and mighty. Then you tell the locals that their livelihood’s no good. The vet we had before understood us. He’d look the other way when things went south. That’s what you do for your neighbors.”
“Not if they’re breaking the law.”
The man looked through the scope and adjusted the rifle. “You and that trooper you’ve shacked up with are more trouble than you’re worth.”
Tabitha frowned. “What are you talking about?”
The gun lowered. “You and Jake Travers. Everyone knows you lifted your skirt for him the minute you came to town. Is that how they do it in the lower forty-eight? You just sleep with the first man you meet?”
She took a step behind her and the gun went back up. “How do you know about me and Jake?” She honestly wanted to know. It wasn’t like she’d blabbed about their sex life to anyone in town. Had Jake?
The man sneered. “How do you think? That trooper of yours is wagging his tongue any chance he gets. Called you a cheap fuck. Said he didn’t even have to pay for dinner—you offered to pay half. So what? He buys and you spread your legs, huh? Classy, Dr. Boone. Real classy.”
Tabitha’s mouth fell open. Jake wouldn’t have said that, would he? “You’re lying.”
“Word in town is that you’ll do anything just for a taste of his dick. Even try to chase Dwayne out of town.”
“Dwayne’s committing crimes. He should be stopped.”
“Are you sure about that? Did Jake tell you it was one of Dwayne’s employees who crashed into his dad’s boat? If it weren’t for him, his fath
er would still have his leg.”
Tabitha swallowed. It couldn’t be. Jake couldn’t be making it all up just to get back at the man.
“When are you going to wake up and see you’re being used?” The man’s words rang out in the stillness of the forest.
Tabitha’s head spun. A few hours ago she thought she was falling in love with Jake, but now? If all of those things were true, then Tabitha was the biggest fool to ever step foot in Pinetree. But it didn’t seem possible. She closed her eyes and thought of Jake’s hands on her skin. His kiss on her lips. His cock deep inside her.
No man could touch her like that and not mean what he said. Not be true. She opened her eyes and fixed them on the hunter. “You’re a liar and I’m getting out of here.” She spun around and lunged for the door handle of her car.
The rifle fired and a bullet pierced her tire. It deflated and fear rose with bile in the back of Tabitha’s throat.
“Too bad you didn’t come to your senses. If you’d listened to me, I’d have let you go.”
She swallowed. “And now?”
“Now you better start running. I’ll give you a head start.”
Tabitha glanced at the gun still pointed at her chest before bolting into the forest. She didn’t need to be told twice.
9
THE JEEP BOUNCED over every divot and bump on the highway as he flew down the road. Tabitha wasn’t getting hurt because of him. He’d find a way to save her.
His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel as the paved road ended and a dirt road began. Still no sign of her car. She couldn’t have driven off the road. That poor little sedan never would have made it. He punched the gas and the Jeep careened over dirt and gravel and fallen branches. His ass bounced in the seat, his gear rattled in the back, and Jake forced the adrenaline to stay in check.
Being a trooper meant risk and danger to his life every day. But never had it meant a threat to a woman he loved. As he bounded over a hill, her car came into view. Thank God. He skidded the Jeep to a stop next to it and jumped out of his vehicle, pistol already in his hand.
The car’s front tire was flat and her bag sat crumpled on the ground a few feet away. Shit. He bent to inspect the tire. The bullet hole couldn’t be missed. Jake pulled out his radio. “We’ve got a 417 and a possible 207 in process. End of Highway Eighty-three. Four-door, tan Camry sedan is located at the end of the dirt portion, entrance to the national forest. Please send backup.”
The radio crackled. “Backup en route.”
Jake exhaled and held the button. “It’s Tabitha. She’s missing. Hurry.” He turned the radio off and stuffed it in his back pocket. He couldn’t risk whoever was out there with a gun finding him because of the sound.
A million thoughts raced through his head, none of them good. He couldn’t believe someone would be so stupid as to threaten Tabitha.
He might lose her when they’d only just gotten started. It didn’t seem fair.
His hand gripped the gun like it was his only hope. No one was taking her away from him. He’d protect her. No matter what.
Jake bent into a crouch and scanned the trees. A series of broken branches and trampled undergrowth pointed the way.
All right you bastard. I’m coming.
Tabitha had never been so terrified in her life. She’d taken off at a run when the crazy man with the gun gave her a chance. Now she was lost deep in the forest, exhausted, cut up from the trees, and pretty sure she’d never make it out of this maze alive.
She pressed her back against the dirt and held her breath. I can do this. No giving up now. She’d been running at break-neck speed and missed the drop-off. Before she could scream, the earth gave way and she was falling. She skidded on her back down an embankment and landed with a thud in a dry creek bed.
The hill she’d slid down was steep and impassable and when the water had raged through the forest, it had cut an indentation into the earth. She squeezed her body back into the space and tried to disappear.
If she could stay quiet and catch her breath, maybe the hunter would lose her track and she could make it out of there alive. Maybe.
As she shivered in her wet and muddy clothes, a sound made her clamp her hand over her mouth. No! He couldn’t have found me!
She braced herself to run when a man appeared in the creek bed. Jake! He’d come to save her. She moved to climb out of her hiding spot, but he stopped her with a shake of his head.
Oh, no. He pointed his gun north of her hiding spot and Tabitha crouched back into the mud wall.
“That’s far enough. Put the gun down and no one has to get hurt.”
“Is that what you always say, Officer Travers?”
“It’s the truth.”
“Somehow I don’t believe you.”
Jake stepped closer. “Believe what you want, Conner, but you need to put the rifle down, put your hands on your head, and surrender.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll shoot you.”
The other man cackled. “There’s your true colors. I knew somewhere in there you took after your old man. He might have worn that trooper uniform, but he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty.”
“You’re lying.”
“You need to stop thinking in black and white. There’s a lot of space between the letter of the law and breaking it.”
“You’ve always been like that, haven’t you? Living on the edge. Taking from other people when it suits you. That’s the difference between people like you and people like me. I’d never cross the line.”
The man laughed again and a chill ran down Tabitha’s back. “Don’t you understand, Officer? There is no line.”
A gunshot rang out and Tabitha screamed.
Jake lowered the gun. “Stay there until I say.”
She nodded as he disappeared over the embankment.
A few moments later, he called out. “It’s all right. He’s secure.”
Tabitha climbed out of the muddy hole in the creek bed and made her way to Jake on shaky legs. The man who’d hunted her through the forest was on the ground, unconscious. His hands were cuffed behind his back and a bloom of blood stained his shoulder.
“You shot him?”
Jake nodded. “It was that or risk him shooting me. He’ll be all right, it’s not life threatening.”
“You know him?”
“He lives on the edge of town. I thought he was a bit of a coot, but not dangerous.”
“So he’s not one of Dwayne’s crew?”
“No.”
Tabitha swallowed. She’d never seen Jake more lethal. Powerful. As they stood there in the middle of the Alaska wilderness, Tabitha understood all at once why April left and why Jake couldn’t commit. She looked up at him.
He stared back with wary, distant eyes.
“I’m sorry I went to Dwayne’s place and caused a ruckus. This is my fault. I put us both in danger.”
Jake’s jaw ticked. “I should have known something like this would happen. I should have done more. Protected you.”
“You can’t keep me locked up, Jake. I’m a part of this town now and people need to accept it. I won’t pack up and leave and I won’t look the other way.”
Jake focused on the man on the ground. “Maybe you should.”
“What? You think I should give in to some crazy person’s demands? I’m not going to ignore it when someone breaks the law.”
He clenched his hand in a fist. “I meant leave. Maybe you should go back to Seattle.”
Tabitha took a step toward Jake and he tensed. “You want me to go?”
“I can’t keep you safe. I can’t protect you.” He stepped back and stared out at the trees all around them. “Hell, Tabitha, I can’t even control myself when I’m with you. All I’ll do is hurt you.”
Hell, no. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to shut me out.” Tabitha stomped through the brush and grabbed Jake by the arm. “Look at me, Jake. Really look at me.”
He stoo
d stock still, not moving for what seemed like forever. At last, he turned his head.
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“You should be.”
Tabitha let out a frustrated scream. “The only thing I’m afraid of is falling in love with you!”
Jake blinked. “What?”
“You heard me, Officer.” Tabitha let his arm go to cross her own. Her eyes blazed and her cheeks turned bright pink.
Damn, was she sexy angry. Had he gotten it all wrong? Was she really in it for the long haul? “You told me you only wanted a fling. That you weren’t interested in anything more.”
She rolled her lips over her teeth. “I was wrong.”
Jake couldn’t believe it. The strong, opinionated, gorgeous woman in front of him wanted him? Was in love with him?
He stepped closer. “I’m sorry I left this morning. It took me by surprise.” He brushed her hair off her face. “You took me by surprise.”
Tabitha’s brows scrunched.
“What is it?”
“Have you been talking about us in town? Telling people about…our sex life?” She pointed at the man on the ground. “He said you told everyone I was a cheap lay. That’s a lie, right?”
Jake cupped her face in his hand. “Of course it’s a lie. I would never.” He bit his lip. Although it pained Jake to no end, he looked her in the eye. “I did talk to Killian, though.” He relayed the conversation he’d had with his fellow trooper, trying to keep his face for turning beet red at the same time.
Part of him wanted to keep it to himself, but if they were going to make this work, he needed honesty.
When he finished, Tabitha tried to bite back a laugh. “You’re a big softie, aren’t you?”
Jake scratched his head. “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
She smiled and it rocked his whole world. “It’s our secret.” Tabitha stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her face snuggled into his chest and Jake exhaled. He’d never get tired of the way that felt.
She talked into his shirt. “I’m not your ex, Jake. I’m not going to leave because of your job. It’s who you are. I’d never take that away from you.”
Damn. She was so much more than he deserved. “I can’t keep you safe.”
