Page 7 of Hell and High Water

One booted foot steps in. A hooded jacket lugging a paper bag full of groceries slides into view…

With a deft, quick motion, my knife leads up as I step in close, aiming for where I think his throat must be and holding. “Stop right there. Don’t move. Now, tell me who you are and what I am doing here.”

The man doesn’t even flinch, doesn’t even grunt. He doesn’t move an inch.

But I hear the click of a gun cocking inside his coat, the barrel poking against the fabric and into my chest.

2

HELLENA

“Bold. And an A-plus for being careful.” Gavin’s rumble comes from under the hood. His entire body is tense, poised to attack at my threatening move. He could have tossed me across the room before I could blink.

Especially in my condition.

That knowledge and the relief that washes through me nearly take me to my knees.

“Dammit! Gavin, you scared the shit out of me!”

“You? I definitely didn’t expect to walk in to a knife at my throat. Shoot, Hellena, I could have shot you. Gotta be more careful at keeping my instincts under wraps.” Gavin holsters his gun, cocking his head and popping his neck as the violent edge leaves his stance.

I suppose that training his entire life for one purpose made him into a bit of a machine. Still, it’s nerve-racking and somehow reassuring that he’s on my side.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” I lean back against the wall, exhaustion weighing me back down and a cold sweat breaking out across my forehead. “Could have left me a note, though.”

“And I’m glad you’re finally awake and have your wits about you. But I was worried you might not wake up. And we needed food. Didn’t think I’d be gone that long.”

He shifts the bag to his other hand and pulls me up, close to his side. Warmth floods through me, and his single arm is enough to support my weight. After feeling scared and tense, it’s too easy to let my whole body go slack against him.

Kicking the door closed, he helps me across the room to the kitchen, depositing the bag on the counter and turning to face me, scooping me up into a full, firm embrace.

“Damn, I’m glad to see you. Up, that is.”

I savor his scent, the swelling sensation of security, and the ache he causes in my chest.

“You smell like heaven,” I grumble into his collar, inhaling him.

“I missed you too.” He chuckles. “I’ve been a mess, debating whether to take you back to the hospital or risk exposing you out in the open. You’ve been out for almost a week.”

“A week? Wow.” I don’t feel as weak as I probably should, but I’m shaky, frail. “Where are we? Where are Tell and Evan, and?—”

“I’ll get there. I have just as many questions for you. Let me get some food started. You need to eat,” he says, leaving me on a barstool and getting to work in the kitchen.

“I’m starving. Please tell me you brought me something amazing?”

“As amazing as the general store down the road can offer. And that’s great that you’re hungry. Appetite’s a good sign.”

“I’m not dying, yay!” I roll my eyes.

Gavin gives me a flat look. “Nothing keeps you down, huh? Your wound is stitched, but you need to take it easy, alright?”

“Sir, yessir.”

“Smartass.”

“Are you going to tell me where we are?” I bounce slightly in my seat.

“Yeah, yeah. One thing at a time. First, we’re at one of Evan’s places, a lot closer to Severance than Sanctum Harbor. Basically in the middle of nowhere. It’s a place no one knows about, even the Sinful, allegedly.”

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