giving her some much-needed space.
She reached for the envelope, keeping the knife within reach.
“I’m so sorry.” His words were apologetic, almost pathetic. “I didn’t know. You have to believe me.”
She opened the envelope and pulled out the pictures. Her stripping by the hot springs before getting in the water. She flipped to the next one. Him doing the same. “Oh God.”
She flipped through the rest. One of her head thrown back in ecstasy, the next one of them kissing. The next of him getting dressed and leaving, and the last of her doing the same.
“You did this.” She waved the pictures in the air. Her voice grew louder with each syllable. “You knew my routine. You were the one who approached me in the hot springs. You set this up. You. Did. This.”
She dropped the pictures onto the counter and grabbed the knife again, clutching it tighter. The fire grew in intensity. She didn’t care. Her life was ruined.
“I didn’t.” His voice softened. “You only looked at the front of the pictures. You didn’t read the back.”
Her breathing turned labored, and every fiber of her being burned like the flames that flickered in the fireplace. She needed to calm down, or she’d burn down her house. She turned the pictures over, and all the fire in her veins turned to ice, and the blood rushed out of her face.
One day you’ll learn, even if I have to kill them all. She’ll be number two all because of you.
She flipped over the next picture.
Can you feel the flames getting closer? Can you smell the burnt flesh? Soon you will.
She flipped the next picture that showed her head thrown back in the pinnacle of her orgasm.
This one will make the same face for me.
She flipped the last one.
You aren’t man enough to save this sweet little piece of ass. Just like the last one.
She flipped the one of him standing nude in front of the hot springs.
You still wear the battle scar I gave you. I’ll make sure to leave another.
Alexis felt her world tilt as the blood rushed through her body. Her vision blurred, and her ears rang. She heard Cole through the ringing. Saw him coming near before her world faded away.
Chapter 4
Cole paced the living room and continually stopped to look over at Alexis. He knew he had to do something, anything to keep her safe. What had started out as fun and games had turned into a nightmare in less time than it took to flame her fire. He debated his options as he listened to the sound of her breathing. He could call the cops, the sheriff being her cousin, but that would entail him seeing the pictures, and that was sure to win Alexis’ hatred forever. He could call her brothers and have the shit beaten out of him; although, with his training, they might be the ones hurt, and then she’d hate him. Both those options resulted in her hate, and that was unacceptable.
He could carry her away, but that was kidnapping. Her brothers and the law would be after him, and she’d still end up hating him. His options were dwindling, just as she had in the kitchen. Getting to her before she knocked the crap out of her head had been pure luck. He knew the man responsible. He knew the score and what he was capable of. Hell, if he was honest, he even knew why.
Cole moved to sit beside the couch. The gun in his waistband prodded his back, reminding him of why he’d come. He hadn’t meant to involve her and drag her into his mess.
Her eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need to rest and you should go home.”
Cole lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hall to the only bedroom. He laid her on the bed and covered her up. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her hair. “Get some rest; we can finish this later.”
Her eyes fluttered closed again and she rolled onto her side.
One hour turned into two, and Cole had made a cup of coffee. He needed the warmth, the reminder he was still alive,
She reached for the envelope, keeping the knife within reach.
“I’m so sorry.” His words were apologetic, almost pathetic. “I didn’t know. You have to believe me.”
She opened the envelope and pulled out the pictures. Her stripping by the hot springs before getting in the water. She flipped to the next one. Him doing the same. “Oh God.”
She flipped through the rest. One of her head thrown back in ecstasy, the next one of them kissing. The next of him getting dressed and leaving, and the last of her doing the same.
“You did this.” She waved the pictures in the air. Her voice grew louder with each syllable. “You knew my routine. You were the one who approached me in the hot springs. You set this up. You. Did. This.”
She dropped the pictures onto the counter and grabbed the knife again, clutching it tighter. The fire grew in intensity. She didn’t care. Her life was ruined.
“I didn’t.” His voice softened. “You only looked at the front of the pictures. You didn’t read the back.”
Her breathing turned labored, and every fiber of her being burned like the flames that flickered in the fireplace. She needed to calm down, or she’d burn down her house. She turned the pictures over, and all the fire in her veins turned to ice, and the blood rushed out of her face.
One day you’ll learn, even if I have to kill them all. She’ll be number two all because of you.
She flipped over the next picture.
Can you feel the flames getting closer? Can you smell the burnt flesh? Soon you will.
She flipped the next picture that showed her head thrown back in the pinnacle of her orgasm.
This one will make the same face for me.
She flipped the last one.
You aren’t man enough to save this sweet little piece of ass. Just like the last one.
She flipped the one of him standing nude in front of the hot springs.
You still wear the battle scar I gave you. I’ll make sure to leave another.
Alexis felt her world tilt as the blood rushed through her body. Her vision blurred, and her ears rang. She heard Cole through the ringing. Saw him coming near before her world faded away.
Chapter 4
Cole paced the living room and continually stopped to look over at Alexis. He knew he had to do something, anything to keep her safe. What had started out as fun and games had turned into a nightmare in less time than it took to flame her fire. He debated his options as he listened to the sound of her breathing. He could call the cops, the sheriff being her cousin, but that would entail him seeing the pictures, and that was sure to win Alexis’ hatred forever. He could call her brothers and have the shit beaten out of him; although, with his training, they might be the ones hurt, and then she’d hate him. Both those options resulted in her hate, and that was unacceptable.
He could carry her away, but that was kidnapping. Her brothers and the law would be after him, and she’d still end up hating him. His options were dwindling, just as she had in the kitchen. Getting to her before she knocked the crap out of her head had been pure luck. He knew the man responsible. He knew the score and what he was capable of. Hell, if he was honest, he even knew why.
Cole moved to sit beside the couch. The gun in his waistband prodded his back, reminding him of why he’d come. He hadn’t meant to involve her and drag her into his mess.
Her eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need to rest and you should go home.”
Cole lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hall to the only bedroom. He laid her on the bed and covered her up. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her hair. “Get some rest; we can finish this later.”
Her eyes fluttered closed again and she rolled onto her side.
One hour turned into two, and Cole had made a cup of coffee. He needed the warmth, the reminder he was still alive,
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