Page 51 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

The other four guards spun and opened fire on whoever had killed the men. Jarom’s hopes took flight. He prayed whoever was coming to his rescue would be miraculously protected from the hailstorm of bullets as he dove at Benjamin, knocking the man to the ground.

Benjamin squealed like a pig. Jarom drove his fist into the man’s face and then flipped him over onto the ground. He wrapped his arm around Benjamin’s neck, grasped his right forearm with his left hand, and tugged with all his might. His strength had returned, even with all the Tasing. Thank heaven above. It was a miracle. Someone coming to rescue him at that opportune moment was an even larger miracle.

Squeaking and clawing at him, Benjamin didn’t do much more than leave some ugly scratches on his arm.

The man finally stopped fighting and Jarom released him. He didn’t want to kill anyone, even Benjamin, but he wanted him out of commission. He hoped without their leader the men would be confused and flail like a chicken with its head cut off.

The shots slowed and stopped. The four remaining men looked at the nearby trees uneasily, but nothingmoved in the dark night. Had they killed whoever had come for him? Autumn? Walker? Maybe Jared or Chad?

Jarom’s heart raced as he eased toward the man right in front of him, hoping to even out the fight. He wasn’t a trained warrior—Easton had proven that—but he could choke anybody out.

He leaped on the man’s back, secured his arm around his throat to cut off his oxygen supply, and yanked hard. The man flailed in surprise and then did the very move Eli had taught Jarom to do. He launched backward with Jarom clinging to him, intent on smashing Jarom with his bulky frame.

Jarom released him and rolled the other direction as they hit the ground.

Two more shots rang out. Two more guards hit the ground. The other guard shot blindly into the trees. Jarom jumped to his feet. The guard Jarom had tried to choke out leaped at him, yanking out his knife.

“You’re going to protect me,” he snarled, grabbing at Jarom.

“Not a chance.” Jarom slammed his fist into the man’s forearm.

The man didn’t release the knife. He sliced Jarom’s arm. Pain flared and something warm dripped down his skin.

The other guard kept shooting into the trees, pinning down whoever was trying to rescue Jarom.

An arm wrapped around Jarom’s neck from behind and the sharp edge of a knife pressed against his neck.

“Don’t move,” Benjamin Oliver snarled. “Or I’ll fillet you.”

Jarom froze, and he prayed.

“Kill whoever killed my men,” Benjamin commanded the man who’d cut Jarom’s arm.

The man nodded, pocketed his knife, and pulled out his gun. Jarom couldn’t just stand here and let them kill whoever hadcome for him. He prayed for strength, grasped Benjamin’s hand holding the knife with both of his, and yanked the hand and the knife away from his throat. He spun like Eli had taught him and Autumn and Easton had worked with him on yesterday, clinging to Benjamin’s forearm and yanking his arm up and behind his back.

Benjamin squealed.

Shots rang out from the road behind Jarom and Benjamin, not from the trees. The two remaining mercenaries both went down.

Benjamin cried out and tried to free himself. Jarom wrenched the arm harder. He never wanted to hurt anyone, but this fiend wasn’t getting free. Not on his watch.

Sheriff Clint Coleville strode into their line of sight, his pistol pointed at Benjamin. “Nice work, Mr. Love,” he said, nodding to him. He focused on Benjamin. “Don’t think of resisting. You killed my brother, and I wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet through your heart if you give me any reason.”

Jarom’s heart thudded dully in his chest. Easton was dead? He’d brought this upon the Colevilles. Not just because Benjamin was after him, but because he’d sent that box of cologne and tipped the man off. Remorse swirled through him.

Two shadows approached from the trees.

Clint swung his gun on the people. Jarom held Benjamin more firmly to make certain he didn’t try anything. He’d destroyed so many lives and families. Was there a prison dank enough that he couldn’t escape from?

“Clint?” Walker’s voice carried across the clearing.

“Jarom!” Autumn cried out.

Jarom wanted to release Benjamin and run to her, hold her close. He didn’t dare move yet.

“Are you all right?” he called to her.

“Yes!”

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