Elizabeth watched as Dash cleared the living room, pushing furniture against the wall before folding out a large exercise mat he had hauled from Mike’s. He moved efficiently, gracefully for a man. There were no wasted actions, no puttering around. Within minutes the mat was unfolded and he turned back to her with a lift of his brow.
She lifted her coffee cup silently. She wasn’t finished. And she couldn’t attempt to focus on letting him teach her how to fight with her mind in the state of turmoil it was in now. Could she kill Grange? That question haunted her now. She had been so certain before. Had convinced herself she could easily put a bullet between his eyes and never think twice. Anywhere. Anytime. Cassie wasn’t with her now. Her innocence wouldn’t be a casualty to the blood her mother shed. She turned from Dash and stared out the window over the sink as he moved to the mat and began a series of warm-up exercises. The forest was thick, sheltering, hiding the little cabin perfectly. A secure place, he had called it. A fellow soldier loaned it out. No big deal . A friend. She noticed everyone was an acquaintance, a fellow soldier, part of the Forces. He had contacts to hell and back, and his voice reflected his respect and often affection for each man he had talked about. But he never called them friends. Never gave voice to the bond she could hear that tied them together. They were a part of a network of honor, of dedication to each other. He had killed to save her and Cassie. He had killed to save his men. He had killed in the heat of battle and didn’t question the lives he had taken. It was kill or be killed. But he wouldn’t kill in cold blood. And she was terribly afraid she could.
Grange was a monster. As long as he was alive he would pose a threat to Cassie. He would never stop in his desire to take her. Men like that didn’t stop.
She sipped at the coffee, remembering the two years she had spent running. The lives Grange’s men had taken. The times they had hunted her without mercy, without emotion. As she finished the coffee and rinsed her cup slowly, she realized the haze of anger and pain that had filled her over the months had been slowly hardening inside her.
“Elizabeth?” She glanced at the reflection in the window, seeing Dash behind her, staring down at her gently.
She swallowed tightly. “Does it make me a monster too, Dash?” she asked him. “Am I unredeemable?”
His hands settled on her shoulders as he drew her to his chest, meeting her gaze in the window before them.
“There’s nothing more dangerous than a window, Elizabeth,” he told her rather than answering her question. “You feel safe in the house. Everyone does. They don’t think about windows. But hunters do. They watch the windows, hidden, safe, their sights trained on that small square as they wait for the target to pass by, to stop and admire the view. Then they have you.”
She stared back at him in shock. “So we’re standing here why?”
“You’re always vulnerable. Everyone is. And you’re smart enough to know that what comes around goes around. Grange is a monster. If he makes getting Cassie’s file a danger to you or me, then he’s dead. Period. If not by your hand, then by mine. Nature takes care of the diseased, baby. Eventually Grange will fall, if not sooner then later. When he does, there will be a dozen more monsters to take his place. It’s the way of evil. Always there.” He drew her away from the window, leading her to the mat.
“Now get ready, because I’m going to put you on your ass.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
He did put her on her ass. More than once. Over and over. Snapping orders at her like a damned drill sergeant when she didn’t move as fast as she should have or how he thought he had explained to her. He was cheating. She knew he was. He was aware of every move he had taught her and he knew exactly how to counter it. And he was doing it with amazing efficiency then daring to laugh at her as her frustration mounted.
She tried to pull his hair, but the pressure he exerted on her wrists had her releasing him immediately. She went for his eyes, but he was taller than she was and always waiting on her. Cool and determined, those golden-brown eyes never missed even the slightest flinch. She came to her feet slowly, facing him, breathing roughly. She was too aware of her swollen br**sts and the peaks of her ni**les rasping against her bra and T-shirt. Between her thighs, the seam of her jeans exerted just enough pressure against her sensitive cl*t to make her yearn for more.
She was hot and sweaty and getting more pissed off by the minute. Damn, he wouldn’t even pretend that she might not be ready for him.
“Turn around,” he ordered her coldly. “You’re on point. You’re watching for me. You’re covering my back, Elizabeth. Now turn around.”
“This isn’t working,” she complained heatedly. “I can’t do anything like this but take the beating you want to dish out.”
“Better me than Grange or his men.” He wasn’t the least sympathetic. “Now turn that tight ass around. Wiggle it or something. Maybe you’ll distract me with thoughts of f**king it.”
She rolled her eyes, still catching her breath. He insisted on threatening her with it.
“Like any of Grange’s men have a c**k like that,” she pointed out breathlessly. “If it were normal-sized, Dash, I might let you try.”
His eyes narrowed. “Oh darlin’, I’ll do more than try when the time comes. Now flip it around and let me see it.”
“Let me catch my breath.” He was a demon.
“Tell it to Grange,” he snarled. “See if he lets you rest before he kills you. You might catch him in a good mood.”
Her teeth snapped together as she fought a vicious reply. But every time she snapped at him he came back with something that only pissed her off further.
“Fine.” She flipped around. “Get a good look, assho…”
She was on her ass. Before she could prepare herself he was on her. Hard hands flipped her around, a foot sweeping hers from beneath her as his big body followed her down, immobilizing her.
“Who do you think you’re wrestling here, baby?” he taunted her as she struggled weakly against him. She was on her back, staring up at him, breathing heavily as he smiled with lazy humor. “I’m amazed you’ve managed to escape Grange for two years. I thought you were better than that.”
She was exhausted. He had out-maneuvered every lowdown dirty trick she had ever learned, as well as the ones he had taught her. “Not fair,” she panted. “You were expecting me.”