Page 54 of Shielded Hearts

He narrowed his eyes on her and reached inside his jacket. “No, but I did use it to buy this gun, and killing you is going to bereallytherapeutic.”

Her blood ran cold. Even if Colt was never coming for her, she still wanted to live.

Gideon twisted the gun right and left, examining the short barrel and then checking the chamber for bullets.

As he took a step toward her, a scream built in her throat. Before he could reach her, a loud crash shattered the silence. The cabin door blew inward, splintering on its hinges.

The scream she held inside burst out in a long note just as a big man rushed into the space and tackled Gideon to the floor with a force that sent the gun spinning across the wood floor.

Her breath caught as she recognized the intruder.

“Colt!”

A second man blasted in. It was one of Colt’s brothers she’d seen at the wedding. As Colt scrambled up, his brother cocked his fist and slammed it right into Gideon’s face.

Colt’s strong body pushed close to where she hunkered in the corner. He started to untie the rope around her wrists. When it was apparent that picking the knots free would take too long, he whipped out a knife.

“Hold still,” he grunted.

Tears of relief threatened at the back of her eyes, but she bit down on her lip to remain silent as he cut her free.

He yanked her off the floor and into his arms.

In the middle of the cabin, Gideon and Colt’s brother were engaged in an all-out brawl. Gideon was no weakling, and he delivered several blows that made Aspen cry out in concern for Colt’s brother.

With her locked in his arms, Colt ran outside. A vehicle sat waiting in front of the cabin. He threw her into the front seat and barked out, “Lock the doors!”

“Colt, wait! Don’t go back there!”

His dark gray eyes blazed. “Lock the doors, Aspen. I’ll be back.”

He took off into the darkness, heading back into the cabin with the crazy man who had a gun.

With shaking hands, she hit the locks. She wasn’t safe yet, but for the first time since this nightmare began, she saw a flicker of hope.

Colt was here. He was alive.

Chapter Twelve

Colt’s long legs ate up the ground to the front of the cabin. He burst in to see Gray scrambling to his feet. His knees dipped, and he staggered. Then he stood swaying.

Blood dripped from his nose at a steady pace. He raised a forearm and swiped the blood away on his coat sleeve.

“Son of a bitch got away.” His brother spat a glob of blood on the floor.

“He ran out?”

Gray gave him a grave nod. “I’m sorry, man. He got a bonus punch in that made me see stars. By the time I could see straight, he was gone.” Embarrassment seeped into his voice, thickened by his bloody nose.

Gray took a hasty step toward the door gaping open to the elements. “I’ll go after the bastard.”

Colt whipped an arm out, barring Gray’s path. “It’s my fault for leaving. I should have beaten the guy to a bloody pulp and made damn sure he couldn’t get up anytime soon.”

“You had to get Aspen safe.”

Gray took a step and swayed on his feet, his face draining of color. He looked about to collapse like a building wired with explosives.

Colt grabbed his brother by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. His pupils were blown.

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