Page 47 of Her Rugged Guardian

Her cry sent a jolt of current through me. I took a deep breath, the ache in my chest more intense than it had been in a long time. “Keep calling out.”

“Here. I’m here.”

I took off stomping through the muck, angry with her for disobeying me. Furious with myself for sliding into my own private hell. I refused to allow anything to happen to them.

“Jake. Jake!”

I found them both less than two minutes later. Moose was obviously caught, whining as he struggled with whatever was holding him down. Cassandra was covered in mud, her jeans soaked. She was on her knees in the water, struggling to get him out.

I dropped beside her, immediately rubbing Moose’s head. She didn’t see the freaking copperhead in the water. “Get out of the water. Cassandra. Now!”

“Not without my baby.”

Hissing, I thumped toward her. When the damn thing disappeared under the water, I splashed the muck, trying to draw the creature’s attention.

“What’s happening?”

“We got company.”

Without hesitation, I lunged toward it, managing to grab it just past the creature’s head. When I smashed it into a tree then tossed it away, she screamed.

“What was that?”

“Just a snake that could have killed you. Is he okay?”

Moose woofed and I didn’t like the sound. He struggled in the water, doing his best to free himself. All he was doing was tangling his body in the tether even more.

“I don’t know. He’s stuck,” she exclaimed, still stroking his head as she turned toward him.

“Stop, buddy, or you’re going to make this worse.” Panting, I moved beside them. It appeared the only way to get him out was cutting the rope.

“Why the hell did you run away, baby?” Cass rubbed his face, her voice little more than a whisper.

“The question is why the hell did you run, Cassandra? I told you to stay right with me.” The anger in my tone surprised even me.

“I told you I heard him. I told you. You ignored me.”

Fuck. She was right.

“I was right there. You could have gotten yourself killed. Goddamn it, woman.” I raked my hand through my hair, furious with myself.

“I’m sorry. Okay? Get him out. Please. Please,” she begged.

“Let me do this. Okay?”

“The rope is wrapped around his leg. I can’t get it off him.”

“You could have gotten yourself killed. Why the hell did you run?” Repeating myself wasn’t going to help the situation.

She glared at me. “Because Moose is my baby. I’d run into a fire to save him.”

Her words stuck in my head and I felt lightheaded. “Get out of the water. Go stand over there. I will get him out.” When she hesitated, I threw a stern look in her direction.

“Okay. Okay.” She backed away, shivering from the dampness.

I yanked out my Swiss Army knife, crouching even closer. “Hey, buddy. I’m going to get you out. Okay?”

He issued a strange growl, glancing over my shoulder. The sound was menacing for a lab, which concerned the hell out of me. I stroked him behind his ear as I studied the rope. In my opinion, there was no chance in hell he could have gotten himself tangled up like this. Who the fuck would do this to an innocent animal?

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