Storm Watch (Woodland Creek) (12 page)

She hadn’t forgotten what he’d said about credit cards and debit cards, but what did it matter when Raymond knew where she was anyway? She could get some cash.

Storm sighed and slumped down onto the bed. She loved Luke. She couldn’t bear to be responsible for his death. Her mind made up, she stood and walked back to the living room.

“I’m ready,” she said quietly.

“Good. Give me a minute to grab my coat.” He walked past her and into the bedroom.

Storm stood looking around the small cabin. She was going to miss it, she realized. She looked up when he walked back into the room and took his hand when he held it out. She loved his hands. Strong and tender at the same time.

The caw of a crow and the loud bang of a gunshot broke the silence as Luke opened the front door. He shoved Storm down and moved over her. “Don’t move!” he growled against her ear. He knew the crow was Mercedes. Damn it, why hadn’t they fixed the damn phones yet?

Storm lay beneath him paralyzed with fear. He’d found them! They hadn’t gotten away soon enough. “It’s just me he wants,” she hissed. “Let me go out. If I go with him, everyone will be safe.”

Luke ignored her. He moved off her, pulled her away from the door, and slammed it shut. He shot her a look. “Move away from the windows and stay down.” Once she’d complied, he drew a gun from beneath his coat. “Don’t move from that spot.”

Luke went to the back of the cabin and looked out the window by the back door. He saw nothing, but then, he didn’t expect to.

“Send her out, Steele. I know you have her.”

Luke cursed. He opened the door a crack. He recognized that voice. His sense of smell told him there were at least four out there. “Not a chance, Samuels.”

“I just want the woman. There’s no reason for you to be involved.”

Luke would have laughed if he hadn’t been so furious with himself. He should have shifted first and done a perimeter check. Of course, he’d brought the gun and a pair of cuffs, but coming out without checking had been stupid. He’d damn near gotten her shot! “I’m involved alright, Samuels. Didn’t you think she’d tell me what a piece of scum you were?”

He saw a glint of light as a gun barrel moved. There! At least one of them was there. He aimed carefully.

He heard a movement behind him and realized instantly that it was Storm. She’d opened the front door before he had time to stop her. He cursed beneath his breath. If he got them out of this alive, he promised himself, he was going to turn her over his knee. “Samuels, let’s make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” yelled Samuels.

“You and your goons get the hell away from here and I won’t kill you, you sick bastard,” he yelled. He had no choice now. He had to take the shot before Storm could make it around to the back of the house. Damned if he wasn’t going to make sure she couldn’t sit for a week when this was over.

He saw movement and fired. A pained yelp came in reply. He’d gotten the bastard at least. He opened the door wider and ran out just as Storm came around the corner at a dead run. He tackled her to the snow-packed ground, covering her with his body. “I am going to bust your ass, lady,” he promised roughly in her ear. “Don’t move!”

Luke kept her beneath him and waited, but nothing happened. He slowly moved to the side. “Get back in the house!” he whispered. “Crawl.” He waited until she was safely inside before he rolled and crouched, his gun pointed toward the stand of trees he suspected Samuels was standing in.

He had no idea how badly he was injured, but wasn’t going to sit here and find out. At a dead run, he zigzagged his way toward the trees.

“Help me, you bastards,” Samuels cried. “He shot me.”

Luke kept his gun pointed at the fallen man’s head. He heard movement, but they were running away, not toward Samuels. Apparently, their loyalty didn’t run to being shot. He could see that it wasn’t a mortal wound. The shot was high on his right shoulder. “Get up,” he snapped.

Samuels struggled to his knees. “She’s mine!” he said. “The baby she’s carrying is mine.”

Luke’s smile wasn’t pleasant. “No, you piece of shit. She’s mine.
Her child
is mine.” Luke yanked him roughly to his feet and quickly pulled his arms behind him and put on the pair of handcuffs he had on his belt.

“You’re hurting me,” Samuels snarled. “Let me go!”

Luke ignored him and half dragged, half shoved him back to the house. He paused just inside the door and searched him quickly, although he’d seen the dropped gun outside. Satisfied his foe was unarmed; he shoved him into a chair, and then looked at Storm. “Get me something to stop the bleeding.”

Storm ran to the bathroom and came back with a thick towel. She handed it to him. Luke shoved it none-too-gently on the wound.

“We’ll have to take him to town. The phones are still out,” he said.

Storm shook her head. “The phone works. I called 911 when you were outside with him. TJ was already on his way here. Apparently, the clerk at the Inn had called to let him know the men all left with a new man. TJ is coming, and so is an ambulance—just in case, the dispatcher said.”

Luke grinned. “Now that was a smart thing to do. Still not gonna save your ass, though.”

Storm blushed.

“I have money, Steele. I’ll pay you,” Samuels said. “Men like you always want a paycheck.”

It was all Luke could do not to punch him. “I don’t want your money,” he said, then ignored him.

He walked to Storm and pulled her shaking body into his arms.

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair. “You scared ten years off me going outside like that.”

It was the first time he’d said those words, and her heart melted. “I wanted to help,” she said softly.

Luke gave her a little shake, and then held her tighter. “I should still spank you,” he whispered against her hair.

Storm looked up at him and grinned. “But you won’t.”

Luke tried to look fierce. “I might.”

Storm smiled, the first genuine smile he’d seen since that second day. “Promises, promises.”

T
J arrived with three of his officers, followed by an ambulance.

He and his men had caught the men with Samuels heading back toward town. They were all in custody. He knocked on the door of Luke’s house, leaving his men outside just in case Samuels had more men with him still hiding.

“Hey, TJ. Thanks for coming. Got some garbage here for you,” Luke said easily.

“Officer, I want this man arrested. He shot me for no reason at all. I was out hunting with friends, and he shot me.”

TJ raised a brow and looked at Luke, Storm, and then at Samuels. “Well now, Mr. Samuels. Deer hunting is before sunrise, and at sunset.”

“Obviously, I wasn’t aware of that,” Samuels said. “But, regardless, I want to press charges.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Check his gun. It’s been fired. I’m pretty sure the bullet is on the door jamb.”

Samuels glared at him. “It was an accident. I stumbled.”

TJ just shook his head. “I have the medics outside. They can get you treated before I take your sorry ass to jail. You’ll live—unfortunately.”

“On what charges?” Samuels asked sharply.

“We’ll start with murder, and work our way down,” TJ snapped. “One of your men apparently didn’t like the idea of being fingered for something you’d done. He told us about the man you shot.

“I didn’t shoot anyone. Storm shot him. I have been trying to protect her,” he said.

“Give it a rest, Samuels. The game’s over. I doubt you’ll see the light of day ever again,” Luke said. He walked to Samuels and moved so he was on eye-level with him. “But just in case you do, know this: Come near Storm or this town again, and you’re a dead man.”

Samuels looked over his shoulder at TJ. “Are you just going to stand there and let him threaten me?”

TJ shrugged. “I didn’t hear anything but some very good advice, Samuels. All your money doesn’t mean a damn thing in this town.”

Samuels gave a smirk. “You have no idea what kind of connections I have. I’ll be out in less than an hour.”

TJ nodded. It was possible—even if not likely—that he’d make bail. “That may be. But then, there’s always the good advice Steele here gave you.”

Storm stood in the corner of the room, shaking, watching the exchange. They wouldn’t be able to keep him locked up? She reached for her stomach and rested her hand over it.
NO!
The bastard was never going to terrorize another woman again. “Bastard. I hope you rot in hell,” she bit off.

Samuels smirked at her. “You won’t get away from me, bitch,” he said.

And just like that, he was free. He’d gotten out of the cuffs somehow, and had a gun in his hands.

“If I can’t have her, no one will,” Samuels said, taking aim.

Luke didn’t even blink. He shifted, ignoring the tearing of his clothes and pounced all at the same time, knocking Samuels to the ground, and had his throat between his jaws.

“Get him off me!” Samuels sputtered.

TJ kicked the gun from Samuels’ hand and knelt down next to him. “How’d you get out of the cuffs?”

Samuels just glared, but he couldn’t hide his fear.

Luke tightened his grip on his neck, barely breaking the skin.

“I’m a wizard,” he said quickly.

Luke waited until TJ had assured Samuels had no more weapons before releasing his jaws.

TJ rolled him over roughly and put on another pair of cuffs, then keyed his radio for the medics to come in. “Better get out of the room, Luke,” he said quietly.

Luke growled low in his throat, but he brushed past Storm with a soft purr, then strolled carelessly into the bedroom to shift back and put on clothes.

TJ opened the doors for the medics. “Careful, boys. This one is wily. Make sure you take two of my officers with you.”

The medics nodded and within only a few moments, had the shoulder wound bandaged, and had loaded him onto a stretcher.

Luke walked in just as they neared the door. “Remember my advice, Samuels. Don’t ever show yourself here again.”

Samuels didn’t respond, but Luke could smell his fear.

Storm ran into his arms. “God, I was afraid he was going to hurt you!”

“I’m fine, love. Don’t worry. It’s over,” he soothed.

“I’m going to need you both to come into town to make a statement,” TJ interrupted. “The sooner the better. Samuels does have a lot of friends. I want to make sure this is sealed up tightly. No loopholes for him to crawl through.”

§§§

Samuels was seething on the ride in the back of the ambulance. These fools had no idea who they were messing with. His shoulder was killing him, but the damn cop had refused to uncuff his hands. Not that he couldn’t get them off—but he didn’t have a weapon any longer. The damn cop back at the house had taken it, of course.

He’d bide his time, he decided. Surely, the doctors would want his hands free once they arrived at the hospital. He could make his escape then.

When they pulled up to the hospital, Samuels smiled to himself. He was going to enjoy making sure that Storm Reynolds and her lover didn’t live long enough to see another sunset.

§§§

Luke and Storm followed TJ and his officers back to town. “I’m glad it’s over,” he said quietly. “Now, we can concentrate on us.”

“Are you sure he can’t escape again? He did it once already.”

“He’s got two men guarding him. He’s not going anywhere, darlin’. Other than to jail after they patch him up.”

“But if he’s a wizard…”

“That doesn’t make him a god, love. Let’s not borrow trouble,” he soothed, and pulled her hand to his lips to kiss. “It’s over. We’ll make our statements, and call it done. You might have to testify in court, but after that, you’ll never see that bastard again,” Luke said.

“But he’s fooled people for years,” she worried. “He might have more men.”

“He might, yes. But, we are not going to worry about them. As long as he’s locked up, his men aren’t going to want to be associated with him. I’d bet on it,” Luke insisted.

He didn’t know how wrong he was.