eleven
Tranquillity
“We can’t find her.”
Using the glare he’d developed in prison to save his ass and intimidate the hell out of others, Alden slowly shook his head.
Ben Hamilton, one of the largest of Tranquillity’s men, had likely been elected to deliver the news to Alden. News he refused to accept. The girl had to be found; there was no other option.
Though it was true that she could be dead, eaten by wild animals or from falling off a bluff, he couldn’t take the chance. Their community was nestled in a remote area, between two large mountains, their access road well hidden. However, she must be found, dead or alive. Until he saw her body, or at least a piece of it, he couldn’t rest. If she somehow survived and was found, she would tell. He’d worked too long and hard to create his ideal life to let it fall apart on him. One little bitch would not destroy his dreams.
“How many do we have looking?”
His face going slack with relief that Alden hadn’t punished the messenger, Ben answered eagerly, “Twenty.”
Leaving the community undefended was worrisome, but Alden had little choice. The girl had to be found. “Call together every able-bodied male over the age of sixteen to help with the search. Cancel all classes. Stop all entertainment at the stable. Any work that has to be done, the women will see to it. We need to go on full lockdown mode until the girl is found.”
“This is our marketing week. Our supplies are low.”
“Tabitha and two of the younger boys can go. She knows what we need, and the boys can carry the heavier supplies.”
Brother Hamilton swallowed audibly as he glanced hesitantly at the closed door behind Alden. “She is up to the task?”
Alden raised both brows at the question. How he reprimanded his children was no one’s business and had never been cause for discourse. Perhaps it was time to remind the citizens of Tranquillity that while he was a gentle-natured man, his word was law and never to be questioned.
“You have a problem with how I’ve disciplined my daughter?”
His eyes widening slightly, Ben swallowed hard again. “I came by earlier. The screams were quite loud. I just wasn’t sure—”
“The screams released the demons within her. Tabitha knows she was responsible for the girl’s escape. And she accepted her punishment as a woman should.”
He moved closer to Ben. At six foot four, Alden could intimidate most people with just one look. Brother Hamilton was not only shorter and less bulky in frame, he had nothing on Alden when it came to determination and discipline. “If you’re questioning my authority, you would do well to recommit to our purpose here.”
Ben backed away awkwardly; he knew he had crossed the line. “I overstepped my bounds, Brother Pike. Please accept my most humble apologies.”
“Tell me, Ben, are you pleased with your woman?”
A look that hadn’t been there before sparked in his eyes: fear. “My woman pleases me greatly. We’ve been together for over two years now. She fulfills all my needs.”
“That is good to hear. I would hate to have to remove her from your care. A woman who isn’t satisfying her man isn’t a happy, fulfilled woman. We want our women happy … do we not?”
“I assure you, my Lucy is extremely happy and fulfilled.”
“Good. Still … perhaps it would be helpful for you to spend some time in solitude, reviewing my manifesto and our purpose.”
“If that is your wish.”
Alden kept his expression benign. “I, of course, only want what you want.”
“Yes, that’s what I want. Thank you for suggesting it.”
“Of course.” Alden gave the man his special smile, a blend of condescension and kindness. “Why don’t you get started this evening?”
“Don’t you need my help finding the girl?”
“I think solitude will be more beneficial than your help in finding one wayward lamb. Don’t you?”
“Yes, yes. Thank you again for suggesting it.” Brother Hamilton wisely almost ran from the room.
There were certain advantages to having everyone terrified of him. Not that he punished unjustly. Actually, he almost never punished the men anymore—it just wasn’t worth his time or energy. Their women were another matter. He’d learned long ago that most men were led around by their dicks. When and if they did behave incorrectly, the root cause could always be traced back to a woman. Besides, the men behaved so much better if their women were brought to heel occasionally. It always amazed Alden what a man was willing to do for his woman.
Being a follower meant obedience to the leadership. Brother Hamilton would return in a couple of weeks with a renewed sense of purpose. And if not, there were other ways to ensure his obedience. Alden had enjoyed taming Lucy once; he had no problem with giving her a refresher course.
She eased her feet into the ice-cold spring, hissing out a soft curse at the biting pain. She couldn’t decide which hurt worse, the freezing temperature or the sting of the water on her torn, bruised flesh. A breath shuddered from her as she pushed past the initial agony. Lowering her hand into the water, she rinsed her meal—the wild huckleberries were a godsend. Though tempted to stuff the entire handful in her mouth, she made herself eat one at a time, relishing the burst of flavor on her tongue, the texture of each berry … the sheer pleasure. They were the best things she’d eaten in weeks.
Even though she’d been fed twice a day, each meal had been shoved through a slot at the bottom of the door and had always landed inches out of reach—intentionally, she knew. Forced to stretch every part of her body to reach the food, she found the process excruciatingly painful and, as it was meant to be, dehumanizing.
An hour after sunrise, she’d stopped running long enough to climb to the highest point she could reach. Beautiful rolling hills and majestic mountains stretched before her in every direction. She had been here before. Not in this exact spot, but she thought she recognized the terrain as either Wyoming or Montana. Years ago, when they’d still been a family, before her parents had turned into two bickering people she didn’t recognize, they’d vacationed in Montana. And last year, she’d gone backpacking with a group of friends in Wyoming.
So she knew approximately where she was … she just needed to figure out how to get out of here. And once she did, she had to lead people back to where those monsters lived.
After placing the last berry on her tongue, she took a breath and looked down at her feet. She’d held them in the water as long as she dared. They were numb from the cold, but at least they no longer throbbed. She lifted them from the water and winced at their appearance. Now that the blood had been washed away, she could see that they hurt for a good reason—a multitude of bruises and cuts.
When she’d picked her berries earlier, she’d found some thin, flexible vines she thought would come in handy. Pulling them from the pants pocket, she took off the shirt she’d stolen from the guard. With her teeth, she tore two large strips off at the bottom of the shirt, wrapped the rags around each foot, and secured them with the vines. Not exactly great protection, but better than nothing.
Both feet now wrapped, she pulled the ragged shirt back on and pushed herself up to stand. Hours had passed since her escape. She had covered her tracks as much as possible, and though it had been a while since she’d heard the howling dogs, she knew, without a doubt, that she was still being hunted.
She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath as she plotted her next path. The spring was small, maybe just two feet wide, but it meandered around a curve and looked as though it flowed into a larger body of water. If she found a lake, maybe there would be people fishing or camping.
She took a step and swallowed a cry at the agony in her foot. Then she took another step and another. Gaining speed, with the drive to survive growing stronger and stronger, Anna Bradford headed down the stream, hoping and praying for freedom.
* * *
Honor stood at the entrance to the hotel gym. Seth was already at the bench press, and despite all her self-lectures over the past couple of days, she couldn’t help but stare at the man who’d been the subject of numerous steamy dreams. When she slept, her subconscious somehow didn’t care that he’d broken her heart. In her dreams, she remembered the heat, the passion … the sheer beauty of Seth Cavanaugh.
Dressed in a gray, sweat-dampened Dallas Cowboys T-shirt and black gym shorts, the real Seth Cavanaugh made every erotic dream she’d had of the man inconsequential and silly. Years before, Seth had been lean and well-defined. This Seth had matured not only in definition but also in bulk. Taut muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged as he moved the heavy bar up and down over his torso.
The deep concentration of his expression turned her on as much as his perfect body. Now, that was a look she remembered all too well. When Seth made love, he had the same kind of concentrated intensity on his face. Always determined that she find pleasure first, he’d set a course for her arousal as if on a quest. And Honor remembered eagerly answering with just the response he’d sought.
Feeling a throbbing between her legs, her nipples peaking, her entire body now on fire, she was tempted to strip and jump into the pool instead of working out. Only problem with that was, she had no swimsuit with her, and as much as she wasn’t shy about her body, stripping down to her underwear in a hotel pool wasn’t in her makeup.
Afraid he’d look up and notice her lascivious stare, Honor walked over to the nearest machine—a butterfly press—and sat down. Taking a breath, she concentrated on her own need to work out. Expending energy this way was so much healthier than starting something up with Seth. Okay, not as enjoyable, but mentally, so much sounder.
She couldn’t let herself love him again. Taking pleasure for pleasure’s sake could last only so long. When the heartbreak came again, as it inevitably would, it would be bad; she refused to be caught in that tidal wave again. She’d been there, done that, and still had the crack in her heart to prove it.
Lifting her arms into position, she stared straight ahead, pressed hard, and repeated. Counting her reps, concentrating on her breathing, and focusing on the blank wall in front of her, she was able to get into her workout. No use trying to forget or ignore Seth. Her concentration skills were good, but not enough to overpower the gorgeous hunk of masculinity sweating and flexing only a few feet away. Besides, a woman could look without touching, couldn’t she?
Seth’s breath almost exploded from his chest when Honor finally started working out. How the hell was he supposed to lie here and lift weights when she’d stood at the door for a solid five minutes and stared at him? Her gaze had been so hotly caressing, he was surprised his body wasn’t steaming. The longer she’d stood there, the harder he’d gotten. He was just damned glad they were the only ones in the room. The giant bulge in his shorts sure as hell wasn’t meant for anyone other than the sexy strawberry blonde with the burning look of need on her expressive face.
She still wanted him. He’d recognized that last night. That kiss had almost set him on fire, but she’d been the one to pull back … the one to say no. It had been the right thing to do. As much as he wanted her, he couldn’t do what he’d done before. When this was over and Kelli was home and safe, Honor would return to Paris and he’d go back to Florida. What they’d had before couldn’t be re-created. They were two different people now. Too much water under the bridge—or whatever the hell other cliché described a hopeless, too-late scenario.
His muscles stinging with just the right amount of burn, Seth sat up. Still rock hard and hurting, he turned to Honor, who had gone from the butterfly press to the rowing machine and was working up a fine sheen of perspiration all over her cream-satin body.
Hell, he had to get out of here, or in a few minutes both Honor and the hotel management were going to be severely shocked.
Getting to his feet, he headed toward the door that led outside to the parking lot. “I’m going for a run.” He didn’t wait to see if she followed. He figured she wouldn’t … he hoped to hell she wouldn’t. No way could he run in the condition he was in now, and if she went with him, his condition was only going to worsen.
A coolly challenging voice said softly, “Or are you just running away in general?”
In mid-stride, Seth turned around and stared. “Excuse me?”
With a grace few people could pull off, she rose from the rowing machine in one smooth move. “You’ve had a bee up your butt for the last couple of hours. What’s your problem?”
Despite the challenging words and his explosive urges, Seth fought the need to laugh. “Baby, if I had a bee up my butt, I’d be doing more than running.”
She burst out laughing. “I guess you’re right.”
Seth sighed inwardly. That was one of the many things he’d loved about Honor. She could be as mad as a sore-toothed hound, but she could also laugh spontaneously, ridding herself of that anger in a flash.
“So you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Honey, if you can’t figure it out by looking at me, then you’re either not looking in the right spot or your eyesight isn’t what it used to be.”
He watched her gaze drop to his shorts, where the raging hard-on still raged and then grew even harder at her perusal.
“What are we going to do about that?”
Was that an invitation or his wishful thinking? Testing her, he said, “You got any suggestions?”
She walked slowly toward him. Seth stopped breathing. Every argument he’d just given himself about ships sailing and water under the bridge disintegrated. If she wanted him, he’d fall on his knees and love her like she’d never been loved before. Hell, the management could call the cops on his sated ass for all he cared. He just wanted Honor now, no matter what.
Reaching him, she used a slender finger to trace the lines around his mouth. “These are new.”
“Holy hell, Honor. Don’t touch me if you don’t want this. I’m about to go off like a rocket.”
A rare show of vulnerability flickered in her eyes. “And what then, Seth? If we appease this hunger we obviously both have … what then?”