Authors: Xander Daniels
“I mean would he study your town before coming in after you. Think about it. It is a small town with a small town mentality. Everyone in town knows you. Everyone in town, or most anyway, own firearms. Small town are notorious for circling the wagons around one of their own. I wouldn't have come after you in your home town. I would have waited until you came back to school. Greater population, better places to hide. All of that.”
“Then of course there is me. Did he notice me that day at the swimming whole and ask around? It would not be hard for him to look me up in the online Marine website. I am listed as well as most of my postings. If he would do these things then he knows far too much. If he asked around in the right places he could know my family has this place. It is hardly a secret. Not to mention I do not trust who he has with them,” he stopped there in thought. Then he reached for the cigarettes she had left out.
“Mind?” He asked. Tanya shook her head and took another for herself.
“What do you mean his friends? Probable buddies from the city,” Was Tanya's thought as he lit her smoke.
“At the swimming hole yeah I agree. But there were several guys with him at the carnival I did not like the looks of. They moved like I do. They have training. It makes me think he did his homework and asked around before he got too hot to be seen. If that is the case then he may have called in a few people whom he believes might be able to take me,” he stopped again.
“That is enough for now,” Tanya began. “Here I was thinking the whole reason you were worried was that you loved me,” She was only half joking and he froze. She took another sip of her coffee. He shrugged.
“I take it you have seen it before?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. She nodded and took a drag on her cigarette.
“Yeah, and I believe so have you. It is not as if every woman in town wasn't hot for your bod, as they say,” Tanya grinned at him. He smiled.
“So why resist then. Is it the family thing?” Was his question.
“No, not really. Sure it would seem a little strange maybe but no, it is the pledge thing. I have a bad picker. You just gave an accurate description of a man I was with for two years and never knew.” Tanya stubbed out her cigarette and turned to the window cradling her cup. He came up next to her. Both of them looking out.
“So you do not trust me?” He asked softly. She laughed an honest laugh.
“Oh no, I trust you completely. It is me I don't trust. Every time I trust my instincts I am screwed. Believe me, this is truly all about me. If someone had asked me after first meeting you, if I thought you could have my back, I would not have hesitated a second. You are that kind of man. Even if you are a smart ass. Me trusting my heart has lead us to being hiding in this lovely cabin. Thanks again by the way. This really is a nice place.” She said. He chuckled.
“Maybe that is your problem. I have had a few, ah, bad relationships. Each one because I only followed one part of me. The first time I was young and I followed my dick. That never works out. The second time I trusted my heart, but ignored my brain. The third time I trusted my brain and not the rest. None of them worked out. Maybe going with only the heart is your problem,” he smiled softly as he finished. Tanya wondered how he got so wise.
“I promise to think about it. You already know how I feel don't you?” She asked. He nodded agreement. So did she.
Tanya took a tour of the cabin and it really was nice. Artfully designed in soft muted colors for peace and relaxation. His mother had designed and neither he nor his father wanted to change that. It was sweet. She made a breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and toast. The place was stocked. Then he pulled out some guns and began showing those to her. It reinforced her resolve when he did this. Regardless of her feelings she had to stay strong. No matter how bad she wanted to fall apart. Jason deserved that much. Once they finished that they were going to go set some traps, just in case, when he froze looking out the window. The way his stance changed alerted her.
“We have company Jason?” She asked, already knowing. He turned to her and his face was blank, no expression and his eyes were hard and dangerous. She could feel it was not directed at her but she had a brief feeling that whoever was coming, was in serious trouble.
“We agreed to be a team right?” He asked. She nodded.
“Ok then. Take these guns here and you communicate with them and stall them. I am going up on the roof with these. There is a hatch in the attic. When you hear me start going you get down. If this works you will not have to do anything beyond that. If not these will see you through, ok?” he asked. She wanted to yell, hell no, but she did not. She had to stay strong.
“He is not going to want to kill you. You are his prize, so you are fairly safe unless they get close. A warning shot would work to keep them back and talking,” he told her and then turned to go. He turned back and picked her up in a bear hug and gave her a big kiss that melted her body, it now was joined with her heart. He put her down and with a fierce grin disappeared into the back room. Tanya turned to the door.
Chapter Six- Showdown At Coopers Cabin
Tanya put the Glock handgun in her belt and picked up the shotgun. She was a country girl and knew how to use them. She opened the door and she could see the cars reaching the area about forty yards from the front door. Six men got out and came forward with Jared in the lead. He motioned to them to stop and he came forward alone. When he got within twenty feet she pointed the shotgun in the air and pulled the trigger. After the loud bang she smiled.
“Any closer Jared and I will shoot you. You need to get your buddies back in the car and turn around,” she told him pointing the gun at him. It was cocked and ready to go, he knew it. He smiled though, not appearing too worried.
“You now I won't hurt you Tanya. You are mine you know. Cheryl was just a piece of tail. She did not matter. Jillian was not even that. Good riddance to both. Come on down and no one else has to be hurt,” he smiled as he spoke and it turned her stomach.
“I know that you screwed up and did not kill Jillian, or whoever you had doing it did. She is going to be fine so you are batting five hundred boy. Now you are in the sticks with every country boy with an automatic weapon wanting to kill you. Do you really think I want to go with a man who has already signed his death warrant?” She asked him. He chuckled. His buddies were beginning to look nervous.
“It is you that have no chance. Nor does your Marine boyfriend. Does he really think he can take us? Come on Tanya. We do things the street way” He said softly. That was followed by a huge booming gunshot that blew a hole in the ground at Jared’s feet. Then more precise fire starting picking off his running friends as Jared hid behind a nearby stump. Tanya jumped back into the house and mostly closed the door, getting on the floor.
She watched through the cracked door as two of Jared’s men went down screaming and Tanya shuddered at the sound. This was all because of Jared. He was the ultimate perpetrator in this. He was the one to deserve whatever he got, she thought to herself. When Jason's gunfire from the roof stopped Jared jumped up and ran for the door. Tanya was pissed and ready.
She swung the door open while continuing to lay on the floor and carefully sighted, then pulled the trigger just before he reached the stairs to the cabin. His left leg went out from under him and he screamed. A few more shots rang out from the roof and she saw another of Jared’s men go down. She shut the door and crawled over to under the window. Unfortunately fire began coming for the cabin so the glass was exploding inward and she lay with her arm over her face wishing it was all over. There was silence again except for Jared screaming. That she did not mind as much.
“Stop your whining Jared. You are lucky she did not aim for you balls. What you have of them,” He said. She heard a faint voice and then Jason's louder “SHIT,” Then a running on the roof. I looked up and he came down off the roof and ran into the cabin just before the two remaining men out front began firing.
“Tanya!” He yelled for her.
“Right here!” She returned and began crawling out from under the window. Once up he took her hand and they ran into the bathroom. The bullets had slowed.
“The bathroom, really?” She gasped out. He shrugged.
“The only room without a window,” he jumped up on the toilet and pressed out a ceiling tile. He then helped her up and she crawled back in there. He soon joined her. Jason had one more weapon in his hands. A huge hand gun, a fifty caliber. He lay on his stomach over the open ceiling and hung down pointing back at the door. They waited in silence and Tanya knew better than to say anything. Then they heard careful footsteps. Closer they came and then silence. After about twenty seconds gunfire erupted into the room below and she tried covering her ears from the echo but it did not help much. Then that stopped. It was only two seconds later that Jason fired two shots from his gun. She heard a body drop as her ears really rang. That gun was very loud. He straitened back up into the crawl space.
“We have to risk it. We have to go down. Ready Tanya?” He asked her breathlessly. She leaned forward and kissed him. She could not logical find a better man.
“All three agree, lets finish this,” She told him. He showed a brief sign of surprise but it did not slow him down. He went back into the bathroom and helped her down. They quietly walked out. He checked the hall and when she followed him she saw just a body on the ground and a lot of blood. She shuddered but kept her calm. They walked into the living room and a voice behind them made them freeze.
“Your good son, but you forgot to watch you back,” said the voice behind just before a loud gunshot. Tanya screamed but when she finished nothing else happened. They turned around and a man was standing behind them with blood coming out of his mouth and slowly falling forward. The Sheriff came out of the back room. He looked down at the man on the floor.
“Actually you should have watched your back. His was being watched,” he looked up at the two of them.
“You are good boy. You too Tanya,” he told them both.
“Now is a good time, I think” Tanya said feeling a fuzziness coming over her thinking and she fainted.
Chapter Seven- What Taboo
Tanya looked herself over to make sure she looked good. She was finally getting some alone time with Jason after the Jared incident. They were considered heroes in town and had made the news. That of course meant Jillian had found out and as soon as she could she called and they had a long talk ending in her saying she did not blame her for breaking her pledge. She had seen him on the news and hubba, hubba. That was Jillian.
Tanya thought she looked pretty good. Her hair was long, black, silky, and fresh smelling. Jason did not like perfume scents. She wore a simple red spring dress. It accented her figure without being too obvious. She took a deep breath and went out into the front room.
They had planned on renting a cabin but a friend had loaned them theirs for a week and they took them up on it. Jason's cabin was still under repair. She had promised to decorate it exactly as his mom had done it. Jason was waiting in the living room on the couch with a beer. There was one for her too. Perfect she thought. She had never been this nervous with a guy before. He was dressed in slacks and a button down. Both gray and well fitted.
“Hey Jason, looking good,” She said and immediately knew how stupid it sounded. She was actually getting tongue tied around a guy! This had never happened to her. She walked forward and picked up the beer and had a drink.
“You are amazing as always Tanya. I can’t believe you are here. Even better you are having trouble speaking,” He joked and she smacked his arm and they both laughed. Tanya relaxed some then. He put his arm around her and her body reacted so she leaned into him. Then she turned to face him. Screw it, she thought, we both want it, let’s get this show on the road. Then she met his eyes and just held him forgetting her urgency, reveling in the love in his eyes. It was something she had never seen. Not like this anyway. So compelling and passionate it filled her with her own desire and love. They kissed and slowly, not at all rushing now, caressing each other. When he caressed her breasts she arched her back with a soft moan.