Page 105 of Deacon

Aiden lifts his pistol. Quick as a flash, the man stands and brings his boot down on Aiden’s side of the windshield. The truck shudders from the enormous impact. It doesn’t shatter, instead splintering like ice and bends in. I hear myself panting, pressing my body against the seat. Aiden is pushing open the door, getting out and lifting his gun.

“Hold,” someone shouts.

The first man, face also covered, appears behind him. He’s got a pistol, and he puts the barrel to Aiden’s temple. Aiden goes still, sweat etching down his face.

The man in black jumps to the ground and circles the truck to my side. My ears ring, my blood roaring in my ears. Frantically, fingers shaking, I unlatch my seatbelt and start to crawl into the back seat. I know Aiden has another gun back there.

A hand closes around my ankle and pulls me back. It picks me up and swings me around, tossing me over the man’s shoulder, knocking all the wind from my lungs.

My survival instincts kick in hard. I wrench my body hard from side to side, trying to hit him in the face with my hip. He swears, one hand gripping my upper thigh, clamping me down hard.

We’re moving, and I see the pavement beneath him. I turn my head, trying to lift it, and he shifts me. The movement makes my face jolt into his back. Right then, I smell it: clean skin, salt, a familiar soap. I know this man intimately. I’ve spent enough time tangled up with his body, I should have known right away.

It’s Deacon.

Relief and rage pour through my veins.

A truck door opens, and I’m dumped, albeit carefully, into the passenger side. The door shuts, but I can’t see through the windows. I’m in Deacon’s truck, I can tell even in the dark. Distantly, I hear another truck rev behind us, and Deacon swings into the truck, pulling his hat and bandana off. He has the truck in gear, and he’s backing up, palm flat on the wheel and head turned.

Behind us, wheels screech. I glance back and make out Jensen’s truck turning off onto a side road and disappearing. Deacon keeps going in reverse, at easily fifty miles an hour. My mouth is so dry, I couldn’t speak if I tried.

He shoots out onto the state route, spins the truck in a circle, and takes off toward Ryder Ranch with his foot on the gas.

“Sorry about that, sweetheart,” he says. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

My jaw is on the floor. I look at him and then look straight ahead. We’re speeding down the highway. My heart is still pounding from seeing him drop from the trees like a feral animal and land on Aiden’s truck.

The only thing I can think is that there’s no going back.

He made the choice for me. Now, I have no one but Deacon. That should scare me, and maybe it does, but I don’t feel fear through my shock and indignation. Beneath it all is a strong, hot current of what he activates in me every time our bodies are near.

It makes my heart pound for a different reason entirely.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

DEACON

I’ve been fucking around long enough. The time for that is over. Maybe she’ll be pissed at me, but at this point, I don’t mind. I can work this out with her all night if need be, but I won’t be walking away.

And neither will she.

She has her hands clasped in her lap, eyes fixed on the road. God, does she look pretty, even ignoring me. Her hair is loose, tangled down her back. She’s in a black sweater that hugs her body and a pair of jeans so tight, I could lick them off her thighs. I’d put my hand on her, but she might bite my head off.

We park, and I cut the engine.

“I can’t believe you did that,” she whispers.

I circle the car, pulling open her door. “Come on, sweetheart, jump in my arms and I’ll carry you. Ground’s muddy.”

She turns, eyes flashing in a way that tells me she won’t be jumping into my arms anytime soon. So, I scoop her out of the truck, put her over my shoulder, and carry her into the house. She’s stunned, hanging limply. Taking advantage of that, I set her down and lock the door.

“Don’t touch me,” she snaps, backing up.

“Sweetheart—”

“And don’tsweetheartme.” She spins on her heel and makes a dash for the staircase.

I go after her. She’s headed to the place I want her most anyway. I follow into my room and shut the door, kicking back against it so the lock falls. She makes a dash for the bathroom. I shoot my arm out, catch her around the waist, and pull her against me.

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