Page 78 of Knot Yours

The mid-May breeze rustles the leaves and whistles through the branches. I burrow deeper against Austin, not only for his warmth but because he’s become my sanctuary. I want all the things he talked about on my balcony. I want to get married and have lots of babies to chase Piper around the yard.

It’s unbelievably easy to imagine that kind of future with Austin, and now that I have, I crave it. I sit up and straddle Austin’s lap, and I will myself not to cry at what I’ve just realized. I’m in love with Austin Madden.

I’ve heard and said the three words plenty, but they’ve never meant as much as they do now. Austin adjusts the blanket on my shoulders, and I cup his face, drawing us nose to nose. “I love you, Austin. I am yours, and you are mine.”

Austin closes his eyes as if savoring the words. After drawing in a deep breath, he brings his lips to nuzzle my ear. “Marisol, what I feel for you is possessive, vicious, and consuming. I will love you until my last breath, and when we’re both but a memory, I will find you amongst the stars and love you for another thousand lifetimes.”

Austin pulls back, and the two of us stare at one another, captivated. A lifetime of promises passes between us in that look. I could stay like this all night, lost in Austin’s eyes, but I need his touch. Leaning forward slowly, I capture Austin’s lips, teasing his mouth open.

His strong hands pull mine away, resting them against his heart. Then, Austin takes over. He releases my hair, tangling his fingers in the strands. Austin calls my soul forth with the passion in his kiss. Giving over to him completely, I claw down his chest before ripping his shirt up and off.

Austin’s skin sears my fingertips as I lean into his mouth again. With the softest touch, Austin’s hands wander as mine did, carefully missing my wounds. My shirt and bra are soon gone, and he shifts his attention to my breasts.

My nipples quickly harden to stiff peaks in the cooling air, but Austin soon warms them with his hand and mouth. I arch my back, letting the blanket fall to my waist, but I no longer feel chilled. My body is on fire.

We’re both too far gone now, helpless to fight this frantic need. Austin lays me down and repositions himself between my thighs. He doesn’t lower his weight onto me, instead using his mouth to journey down my neck and chest.

Without the blanket’s warmth, I shiver when Austin drags my leggings and panties off. Then I’m hot all over when his tongue glides through my slit.

My whimpers and wails echo in the trees, louder with each passing second. Austin unleashes torture on my clit, the sweetest kind. Closer and closer to the edge, he pushes me until stars dance in my vision.

The release slams into me, stealing my breath. My heart threatens to explode from my chest, but I’ve not had enough yet. Nowhere near enough.

Not caring about my injuries, I reach out and grasp for the waistband of his shorts. Austin grabs my wrist to stop me and stares toward the house. His clenched jaw and drawn brow tell me something’s wrong. Just not what.

I start to ask, but Austin places his fingers over my mouth. That’s when I notice Piper barking furiously from inside the house. My eyes widen in panic, and Austin swings his head around, scanning the area. “Oh shit,” he whispers.

He climbs off me, snatching up the blanket to cover my nakedness, but I still don’t know what spooked him.

I wrap the fabric around my body, and Austin pulls me to my feet. That’s when I see the two men stepping out from the tree line. “Run, Marisol. Run to the house. Lock yourself in my room and get the gun from my bedside table.”

The two men from the red Mercedes break into a run, yelling for me to stop. I don’t, and several shots ping off the ground in my path. My back and belly scream with every jarring step, and I nearly trip over the swinging blanket. After the second near tumble, I drop the cover and run the rest of the way fully exposed.

Piper snaps and snarls at the back door, anxious to get out. I don’t know if I should let her. I’m guessing the only reason she hasn’t smashed through one of the windows is the metal gridwork between the panes. I open the door only a few inches, squeezing through sideways before slamming it shut and locking it. I’m struggling to draw in a deep enough breath and am becoming dizzy, but I refuse to give up.

The trip to the back hall takes me past the dining room. Through the windows, I watch the two men circle Austin. They both have guns aimed at his head, but one of the men, now positioned between Austin and the house, walks backward toward the patio door. He’s coming for me.

The way I see it, I’ve got two choices. I can hide like Austin said, knowing this guy will find me eventually, or I can fight. Thinking through the situation again, I realize Piper and I could help Austin, but not if we both get shot as soon as we step out the door.

I tell Piper to follow me and lock us in Austin’s room. Next, I locate Austin’s gun right where he said it would be. Instead of just barricading myself in the bathroom, I run to the closet and pull on the first things I see. I tie the waist strings of the sweats to keep them up and yank the oversized shirt over my head.

The pistol isn’t anything like the guns I’ve used growing up. And I’ve only ever shot at clay pigeons. At least it’s already loaded, and Austin told me it’s double action, so there’s no safety to turn off.

I sprint to the front of the room, setting the gun on the dresser. Before opening the window, I check to make sure the front yard is clear. It is, so I fumble with the locks and kick out the screen once the sash is out of the way.

The sound of a shattering door frame means one man is now in the house. Change of plans. “Piper wache,” I say, using the command I’ve heard Austin issue before.

Piper pins her ears back, already detecting an intruder in the house. Knowing she’ll have a better chance of facing him than I do, I open the master bedroom door just enough for her to walk through.

I cross myself and climb through the window before I can think too long about what I’m about to do.

Austin

I don’t follow Marisol’s sprint to the door, choosing to face the threat instead. Damn you, Spatch. You had one job but failed to protect Marisol in your own damned house. Thankfully, I heard Piper’s warning, or she wouldn’t have had a chance.

The two Pastrana men run across the lawn, a mere twenty feet away. For a second, I consider making a break for the house, but I run the risk of taking a bullet in the back if I do. Then where would Marisol be?

Instead of fleeing like my body wants to, I start backing up. The leading asshole fires toward me, pulling me up short. At this point, I know I’m a dead man, but if I can stall these assholes long enough, Marisol can call for help and be spared.

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