Like Arrows (Cedar Tree #6)

by Freya Barker

  Now she's on my case about getting some of her shit together so we could get out of her house. She hadn't even noticed me grabbing things until Kerry left, after finally hearing Kim out. She made both her and me promise to keep her informed and wasn't satisfied until I exchanged numbers with her. I didn't mind. Good friends are hard to come by and despite a shaky start, I could see Kerry was looking out for her friend. The moment she left, Kim went to her bedroom to 'pack a bag,' apparently not appreciating the fact that I'd already unearthed a duffel from the bottom of her closet and had tossed some stuff from her dresser and bathroom counter in there.

  "You need stuff and I packed it. Quit turning it into a big deal. At least we got out of there in no time, despite Kerry's interruption."

  "Yes, but you went through my underwear drawer—that's just not right," she complains, making me chuckle. "It's not funny!"

  "It's not a big deal. Stop obsessing."

  I can see her pressing her lips together from the corner of my eye. Stubborn girl. I used the time to put a quick call in to Beth, whose house we're moving into, to let her know we're on our way.

  "I'm gonna need a new job," she mumbles under her breath, and I realize she may well be picking arguments to avoid thinking about the state her life is in. That kind of turmoil is something I can understand, as well as needing to find a new direction as fast as possible, before slipping into dark apathy. Much harder to claw your way out of that. Keep moving is what she needs to do to be able to roll with the punches.

  "I'm sure you'll find one, no problem. You're intelligent, capable, caring and loyal. In the meantime, you still have some work ahead of you in closing down the office, so you won't exactly be bored."

  "Shit!" She suddenly blurts out. "That's right—what time do I have to meet the sheriff at the office on Monday? I forgot I have an appointment at the clinic at two."

  "First of all, there's no way you're going anywhere near your office or Drew by yourself."

  "I can handle him on my own."

  "Actually no. He's the one who worries me most. I want you to stay away from him unless I'm with you."

  "I can't believe you. First you pack my stuff without asking and now you think you can dictate what I do and who I'm with?" I notice how her hands tend to fly around when she is animated. Or just angry, which is the case here.

  "Drew is interested in you."

  "I don't care. I've been handling myself just fine before you came along and I'll continue doing so when you're long gone."

  I roll my eyes to the ceiling, praying for the patience that is eluding me right at this moment.

  "Drew is a player, Kim. He throws his badge around and plays the big protector and women fall at his feet. He has a new flavor almost weekly and for some reason he's decided you are next in line. He cannot be trusted."

  "You are so full of shit, Mal!" she yells at me as she throws her arms up and turns away. Instead of blood rising to my head, it seems to pool in my cock, making me harder than steel with the taste of her temper. "I heard you. Both times, the first time when you were warning Drew off and the second time when you were talking to that Joe guy. What is it you want? You obviously are repulsed by me so what does it matter to you? Besides, it's ironic how each of you tries to warn me about the other."

  My head swivels to face her. "Warn you about me? Drew did that? What did that prick have to say?"

  "He said you were a dark horse and had some kind of criminal history. Said a 'sweet girl' like me shouldn't get wrapped up with you. For your information, I told him what I thought of him, and that I didn't appreciate it."

  "Fucking asshole." I can't stop the growl rolling up from my chest. "He's not lying, but he has no right to say that to you. I'll have to remind him of the meaning of sealed files." I'm furious with him now. Information surrounding my not-so-law-abiding history is supposed to be sealed up tight and for him to use the information against me to make himself look good is below even him. I might've shared my past with Kim at some point, but I would've liked to have had that choice.

  "Look, I don't mean to cause trouble," her timid voice sounds beside me. "I'm not even sure I like him much. He's too pushy."

  All at once I feel myself having to hide a chuckle. She thinks he's too pushy? Has she not noticed me moving into her life? I won't bring it up, though. I'm just gonna file that interesting tidbit for future reference—along with the fact she seems to allow me to call her by her full name, yet corrects everyone else who does it. Interesting to say the least.

  "Right. Now there are two more things to address," I tell her as I pull into Beth’s old driveway and shut off the engine. I turn in my seat to face her. "One being what you heard me say—twice. In both cases I said it to ward off unwanted attention. Drew's attention on you and Joe's attention on me. It doesn't excuse what I said, and trust me, if I could take it back I would. That would be so much easier than trying to convince you I don't think that. At all." I reach over to grab one of her hands on her lap. “Babe, I was way out of line. It was a knee-jerk response that I never had a chance to pass through my brain before it left my mouth. I’m so sorry.” I lift her hand to my mouth and kiss the back of her hand.

  She immediately pulls away and faces me full on, her brows drawn together. "Why? I mean, it's the truth, right? It just so happens the truth hurts for me, but I know I'm fat." The sheen of tears in her eyes is killing me. Fuck. Her mood swings are hard to keep up with but if I'd known this ran so deep, I'd have never... Ah, who the hell am I kidding. I'm an asshole. I was so intent on keeping my distance I tossed her under the bus. Last laugh is on me—since there is no way for me to deny my attraction now.

  "I know you'll likely not believe me when I say I don't think you're fat." She keeps her eyes downcast, but I see her head shift in my direction, so I know I have her attention. "I'm not done. I prefer the term plus-sized, which is far less harsh and unattractive sounding than 'fat.' And I'm finding neither you nor your body unattractive in the least."

  The little snort coming from her is a sure tell sign she's not buying it, but I also don't miss the little flush creeping up her cheeks.

  "You may not believe me now, but trust me, you will."

  She offers me an almost imperceptible nod, which I would’ve missed had I not been studying her cues with rapt attention. I figure it’s as much as I am going to get for now, so I’ll take it.

  "Now, I said there were two things," I continue. "I noticed you seemed to know Naomi. Is it her you have an appointment with on Monday?"

  "Why do you need to know," she tries to evade, but I'm not having it.

  "Because if it is with Naomi, I'm glad. She's a fabulous doctor and an even better person. I also want to know what's wrong that you'd need to see a doctor. Are you ill?"

  She turns her head away and mumbles as she stares out the window. "I don't really want to talk about it."

  I figure I could probably push it, but I'd rather she tell me of her own accord. "Fair enough. Just know the subject is not dropped, only postponed. And as to your earlier question; we meet up with Drew at noon, so we'll have plenty of time to get you back here for your appointment," I say, watching the door to the house open and Beth walk out, keys in hand.

  Kim

  It's cute, Beth's house. It's very cute. More like a back split than a two-story house with an unfinished basement, where the laundry is housed. The front door is set to the side of the house but it has a little porch that goes halfway around the front. A wooden porch swing hangs from chains right at the corner where the porch wraps around to the front. Perfect spot for morning coffee. Coming into the house there is a powder room to the right and then a few steps to the two bedrooms right beside it. On the left is an L-shaped living/dining room facing the front and the kitchen fits right in the crook of the L, complete with a small table and chairs. Off the kitchen is the stairway going down another few steps to the basement. Compact and cozy. It doesn't have quite the views or the secluded feel of my little house, but it'
s not a bad place to hang out for a little bit.

  There's one thing that has me a little nervous, though. There is only one full bathroom, and it so happens it is wedged between the two bedrooms upstairs. Both with access doors. Yeah, that's a little unnerving.

  Mal greeted Beth with a hug and a kiss on her cheek and she turned to me immediately with a warm smile on her face. I liked her instantly. Especially since she took her time to give Boo a good ear scratch, before putting her arm around my shoulder and walking me straight through the front door.

  "Let's have a look at your new digs, shall we?" Which we did, with Boo and Mal trailing behind us quietly.

  -

  I'm in the kitchen holding on to the counter, suddenly swaying on my feet, feeling unbalanced with the speed at which my normally predictable life seems to be spinning out of control. Beth left a short while ago and I don't know where Mal went. I'm clearing away the bags of groceries he carried in.

  "You all right?" Mal's voice comes from behind me as I feel two big hands landing on my shoulder. It's not helping. If anything, I feel even more shaky with the heat of his body behind me.

  "I'm okay," I lie. "My head's just spinning a little."

  "Why don't you sit and let me finish putting away the groceries."

  Before I can answer, he's already moving me firmly over to the kitchen table where he pulls out a chair.

  "Sit," he dictates, "before you fall down."

  Throwing him a dirty look, I grudgingly sink down in the chair. As usual, stress seems to leave me tired and sore. I watch him store our supplies into the fridge and cupboards, eyeing the ripple of his muscles underneath his long-sleeved shirt and the firm twin globes of his ass in those washed out jeans. Damn. Tearing my eyes away from his mid-section, they slowly move back up his torso to his broad shoulders, only to find his eyes catching mine over his shoulder. Busted. The small pull at the corner of his lips only intensifies the flush I feel creeping up my face.

  I clear my throat. "Where is Boo?" It's the first distracting thing I can come up with. He doesn't answer right away, his scrutiny making me feel buck-naked. After what seems like an eternity, he finally turns his attention back to the fridge before answering.

  "Put him outside. Yard is fenced, so he can't go anywhere."

  "Thanks," I say, struggling to push up from the chair as inconspicuously as I can. Sitting for too long only makes me hurt more. Besides, I'm eager to escape the uncomfortable tension that seems to hang thick in this kitchen. Not looking at him again, I walk into the hallway. "I'm just going to unpack." I’d wanted to claim the guest room after noticing the feminine decor in there, but Mal insisted I take the master. Beth's son had obviously taken over that space and it had a decidedly masculine feel to it. I wasn’t going to bother arguing.

  "Kim." His voice stops my feet on the stairs. "Why are you limping?"

  So not a topic of conversation I want to get into so I try evasion. "Think I have something in my boot. I'll take them off upstairs."

  Lame. I know he probably won't buy it, but I'm not giving him a chance to respond. I'm up the stairs like a shot and quickly close the bedroom door behind me. There I lean with my back against the door and try to get my heart rate under control. He spells heartbreak, Kimeo, I tell myself. A man who personifies everything that would not be interested in someone like me. Sure, he's said some nice things after saying a few not so nice things, but my life experience is such that it is safer to go with the negative expectations. Far less of a chance of getting hurt that way. I've managed to steer away from any entanglements and keep myself safe for the last twelve years. Not about to let a pretty face and a drop dead gorgeous body mar my impeccable record.

  With that I firmly push away from the door and start putting away my things, suppressing any lingering thoughts of him. Once done, I tuck my bag at the bottom of the closet and lay back on the bed. It's only four o'clock in the afternoon and yet it feels like a week's worth of things have happened since this morning.

  Just gonna close my eyes for a minute.

  -

  The cold floor of the closet offers no comfort and does little to stop the persistent trembling in my limbs. What was I gonna find outside of this door? The yelling had been unnerving, but then Martin screamed and the bang after that, a gunshot I'm sure, had been so loud the sound of it still rings in my ears.

  If I thought the noises had been bad, they were nothing compared to the thick silence that followed. My heart jumps in my throat when I hear soft sounds coming from the hallway. New sounds—different from the earlier mayhem. Part of me wants to see if maybe Martin was just hurt and was trying to get to me. Another part has me curl into a tighter ball.

  I can see the light go on and push to my feet, just in time to see the knob turning in the soft light filtering through the crack under the door. The moment I hear the click of the latch, I throw myself against the door, flinging it open wide and make to run. Except, instead of Mal's face, I can just make out two gleaming eyes glaring at me from a mask, before the sharp burn of a knife cuts at my throat and I scream...

  Mal

  The little wench was checking me out, I'm pretty sure. I know I noticed the way her eyes were fixed on my ass, as was clear to see even in the reflection from the window. The deep red blush on her cheeks only confirmed it when she discovered she was caught. Yup, there is definite interest there as much as I know she doesn’t want there to be. Fuck, that's gonna make things more complicated. Not that I don't want to go there, because hell yes, I want to go there, but I'm also supposed to be keeping her safe. And frankly, until we get a grip on who's behind this, I have to stay sharp. Rolling around on the sheets with what I suspect will be a little fireball of a woman, would seriously dull my edge. Not a good idea. For now.

  The moment she gets up from the table I see confirmation of what I had only suspected before, she's hurting. Don't know from what, but I was damn well gonna find out. Except she hides in her bedroom before I have a chance to dig deeper, since she doesn't seem eager to share.

  That's where she's been the last hour or so. I ended up pulling out my laptop after getting the dog in and feeding him. Got a few emails sorted and received one from Neil who apparently received the flash drive earlier that afternoon and was starting to pick away at the information on there. So far he is pretty sure it's related to some natural resource, since he found what looked to be a geologist's report referencing prime locations for drilling core samples. Oil or gas would be my guess, since there was known to be plenty of untapped energy under the soil and rock of Colorado. Natural resources were big money and big money often meant dubious or even lack of morals. Wars have been fought over oil, and there are some who wouldn't think twice about taking out anyone who even looks like they might stand in their way. If this is true, Kim could be in major trouble.

  Suddenly Boo gets up from where he's been laying at my feet and clambers up the stairs. Curious to see what he's up to, I follow behind and catch him laying down outside Kim's bedroom with his nose practically stuck under the door, whimpering.

  She's in trouble.

  That's the first thought that jumps to mind and before I can stop myself, I have the door open, one hand on my gun at the small of my back. My eyes scan the room darkening with the loss of daylight, but nothing seems off until I hit the form in the bed. She's thrashing about, not making any sound, but her mouth is stretched open in a silent scream. What the fuck?

  "Kim, honey." I approach the bed carefully, keeping Boo back who appears ready to jump on. That would scare the shit out of her since she seems deep in the clutches of a nightmare.

  Sitting down carefully on the edge of the bed, I try again. "Hey, Kim? Wake up, babe. You're having a nightmare." Softly I use the back of my fingers to stroke down her cheek, clammy with tears and sweat. Her hair is plastered against her head. A strand of hair seems to be wrapped around her throat and with my index finger I pull it free. Immediately a bloodcurdling scream bursts from her mouth and Boo, u
nable to hold himself back, jumps on the bed. This seems to be a trigger, because immediately she scissors up, almost knocking my chin in the process, then starts clawing at her throat. "Kim!" Despite the fact that I virtually shout her name, it doesn't seem to penetrate.

  Her nails are digging into the skin of her neck so deep she draws blood, spreading it around as her hands work frantically against...something. When I grab her wrists to stop her from doing more damage, she struggles against me. "Kim! Knock it off, you're hurting yourself." She stills for a second, which lulls me into gentling my hold on her. Immediately she wrenches a wrist free of my hand and claws at my face.

  As a last resort, I push her down in the mattress and roll my body on hers, trying hard not to notice how softly it cushions mine.

  "Kimeo, you've gotta snap out of this."

  At the mention of her full name her eyes finally snap open, looking wild and disoriented. It's Boo's soft whimpers from where his head is perched on the pillow next to hers, that seem to pull her back into the here and now.

  "What?" Her voice sounds hoarse from the screaming. Turning her face away from Boo, her eyes finally focus on mine and she repeats, "What?"

  "You were having a nightmare. Pretty bad from what I could tell. Do you remember?"

  The confusion seems to disappear from her eyes only to be replaced with horror as she scans my face.

  "Oh my God...did I do that?" Her shocked whisper has me raise a hand to my cheek where I feel a slight burn. It comes away bloody and instantly Kim's eyes fill with tears. "I am so sorry..." Her fingers skim over my face, leaving a cool soothing trail in their wake.

  "It's fine. Just a scratch, honey. You did worse damage to yourself. Let's get you cleaned up."

  Without waiting for an answer, I reluctantly push up from her body and get off the bed, before pulling her off too. My hand firmly on the back of her neck, I guide her into the bathroom where she stares in shock at her reflection.

  "I did that?"

  "Mmm." I grab a washcloth from the shelf and wet it under the tap before gently wiping her throat while lifting her chin up with my other hand. "It's not that bad, have a look. Just a scratch," I reassure her.