Page 47 of Deny Me
Saint.The next moment she caught a glimpse of a mismatched couple, one tall and broad and the other small and blonde, arriving on the scene. No more than a snatched look and then the cruel grip in her hair was forcing her forward into the woods.
“Saint!”
This time there was no look. In the dark she felt the heat of movement, and then the fingers were torn from her hair along with what felt like half her scalp. She more sensed Saint’s presence than saw it, but the sounds coming from him and her attacker told her she didn’t want to see their fighting. Punching and kicking and grunting and roaring filled the night until a sharp whistle broke them apart. Crashing through the woods told her someone was running, maybe more than one someone’s.
Her attacker? Had Saint followed them?
When warm fingers wrapped around her arms, she instinctively fought.
“Shh. It’s me, Charlotte.”
Relief swallowed every ounce of her strength. “King?”
He was breathing heavily, the sound filling her ears. She glanced around frantically.
“It’s all right. Saint and Deacon have a bead on them.”
A bead on them? What did that mean? Were they still in danger? “Elliot?”
“Right here.” The woman barely made a sound in her elegant dress and heels in the freaking woods as she popped up beside them. “Let’s get you back inside.”
Inside. Of course. Made perfect sense. So why wasn’t she moving?
She forced herself to nod. “Inside.”
This time when King pulled her to her feet, she didn’t resist. He went first, leading her through the brush as if he had a spotlight showing him the way, while she stumbled and staggered behind him in her uneven heels through the tangled undergrowth. Nothing had ever filled her with as much relief as reaching the ragged walls of the garden and seeing the spill of light clearly illuminating the path back to the mansion.
And two tall, blond figures headed their way.
“Charlotte!”
Wes’s voice filled her with dread. She grasped King’s fingers, ostensibly to help her down from the wall, but when her feet were back on solid ground, she didn’t let go. How had Wes known where they were? Had they been that loud? Had people heard the fight inside? Why hadn’t more people come out, then? But it was only Wes and Hugh racing toward them. Only Wes, the closest thing they had to a suspect, and his playboy brother. Only Wes…
“Charlotte,” Wes panted as the two men reached them. “What happened? Are you all right? I heard you yell.”
She glanced to King, unsure of what she should reveal. Shadows hid his eyes, his thoughts from her.
“Everything’s fine,” he said firmly. His arm came around her waist, holding her secure as he moved them toward the house. So strong. So easy to lean into.
But she shouldn’t. She wanted to—God, how she wanted to—but that arm wouldn’t be there forever.
“I had a miscarriage. I didn’t know until after you left. Not until—”
Don’t get used to him being here, Charlotte. You know better. You know what will happen when you tell him.
The thing she feared the most. The reason she’d held herself away from every man who’d seemed interested in her since King left. The man who’d said he loved her more than his own life had walked away to pursue his dream. Why would he or anyone else stay when he found out she couldn’t give him the one thing he would certainly want from her.
A child. A family.
“Charlotte? Are you hurt?”
This time it was King who said her name, but she couldn’t make herself look at him again. “I don’t think so.” She was limping, but that was her shoe’s fault. She made a show of checking her limbs, making sure everything was in working order. The wince when she turned her wrist was unavoidable, as was the grimace when she ran her fingertips along her scalp. Prior injuries didn’t make for good conditions in a fight. But there didn’t appear to be any new injuries other than where her attacker had pulled her by her hair. “I’m fine.”
“We should get you home,” Elliot murmured, eyeing their company.
“She shouldn’t have been here in the first place,” Wes barked. “She should be at home, safe. I expected more from you, cousin.”
King didn’t wince, just gave Wes a slight nod before turning to her, leaning down, and picking her up in his arms. “Let’s go.”
