Page 38 of Frozen Obsession

I barely have time to catch my breath when I see her—Xena, unconscious, slumped against the tree, her body pale and covered in something I can’t make out. Her face is ashen, cheeks flushed red from the cold, her skin glistening, and she’s naked.

And there he is, the guy from earlier, holding a chainsaw. The growl of themotor fills the air as he works on cutting down the tree she’s tied to.

I’ve got no weapon. Nothing. Panic tries to crawl up my throat, but I shove it down. I’m a man with nothing to lose if she’s gone, so fuck it—go big or go home. Bite first, ask questions later.

I scoop up a handful of snow and hurl it at him. It’s enough to make him pause, his grip on the chainsaw steady, but he doesn’t turn it off. He’s not that stupid. He also doesn’t step away from her.

"Roman Delgado," he drawls, his voice filled with mocking satisfaction. "Nice of you to join us." His arms open wide like he’s been waiting for this moment his whole damn life. I don’t know why he’s doing this. Hell, I don’t even know who the fuck he is. But none of that matters. I’ll kill him all the same.

"You must be confused... she was too," he says, his tone icy as he slaps her across the face. "Wake up, darling."

Her eyes flutter open for a second, but they quickly roll back, her head lolls to the side.

"I might’ve given her a little too much... but don’t worry, she'll be alive for a bit longer."

What the fuck is this asshole saying? I grind my teeth, trying to hold it together.

"Who the fuck are you?" I growl through clenched teeth.

He throws the chainsaw aside, finally, and rolls his neck, cracking it to the side. "I’m the big brother of the boy you killed all those years ago."

Xena stirs weakly at his words, mumbling something, but she’s too out of it. Before I can say or do anything, he spits on her face, the spit landing on her cheek like a brand of his hate.

That’s it. I grab a rock, hurling it at him with everything I’ve got. It hits him square in the head, but he just laughs—a sick, twisted sound that echoes through the cold night air.

"Do your worst, Roman," he sneers. "But you’ve already lost. Even if you kill me, you still lose."

His laughter grows louder as he picks up the chainsaw again, revving it back to life.

"You killed him for fucking your sister. A woman half the town’s been with. A worthless whore."

I see red.

The chainsaw roars, cutting deep into the tree, and the trunk gives way, toppling into the water. The splash is deafening, but what makes my heart stop is Xena’s sudden gasp as she snaps awake for a brief moment. Her wide brown eyes lock onto mine, terror written all over her face, but no words come out.

"I waited ten long years for this moment," the bastard says, tossing the chainsaw aside as if it’s nothing. His blue eyes are wild, manic. "I've watched you two... watched her clean up, only for this moment. Now, it's time for your punishment. Come at me, bastard. Come at me."

And fuck yeah, I do. I charge at him, tackling him to the ground, my fist connecting with his face once, twice, again and again. I feel the crunch of bone under my knuckles, but before I can get in another hit, I feel it—a sharp, burning pain in my side.

"Oops," he taunts, grinning like a maniac. His hand twists the knife deeper into my side, sending a wave of nausea and agony ripping through me.

"You’re running out of time, lover boy," he sneers, twisting the blade again.

I bite back the scream that wants to tear out of my throat, scanning the ground frantically. My eyes lock onto the rock I threw earlier. In one swift move, I shift my weight, ripping myself off him, feeling the knife tear further down my side. I grab the rock, bringing it down on his head, again and again, each blow fueled by every ounce of rage, desperation, and fear.

Finally, he goes limp.

I don’t waste time. With a roar I pull the knife in my side as I turn to Xena. Not the smartest move but I needed to be quick and efficient. The sirens are wailing in the distance, getting closer, but none of that matters. She’s half-submerged in the freezing water, her body so still, her breathing barely there.

"Stay with me, baby," I beg as I work to cut her loose, my wound screaming with every movement. The adrenaline is the only thing keeping me from collapsing. Blood and water soak me. My hands dive into the water, fingers freezing as I pull at the bindings that hold her.

My knee props her head above water, but only half of her face is clear.

"Fuck, fuck..." I curse as the knife slips from my hand, disappearing into the icy depths. Desperation kicks in, and I start ripping at the lights with my bare hands, tearing at them until they snap and her body slumps into mine. The tree sinks fully into the lake, and I pull her out, dragging us both into the snow.

Relief washes over me for a moment, but it’s short-lived. She’s going to die. Either from whatever he gave her or from hypothermia. I have to try something.

I shove my fingers into her mouth, forcing her to gag. "Come on, baby, throw it up. Please." I had to try something I had no idea if it will work but at this point trying is all I can do.

---