Savage Cinderella Read Free

the man tumbled down the hill—a blur of flailing arms
and legs—and crashed with a thump against a tree.
    After a moment’s hesitation, she slipped and
slid down the slope, her heart thundering with the fear that he
might be dead. Though she had no reason to concern herself with the
well-being of a stranger, she couldn't fight the desperate desire
to help him. She’d led him up this trail knowing full well how
dangerous it could be. She prayed he wasn’t hurt because of
her.
    The spark of connection that she’d felt when
their eyes had met touched a distant place deep inside. Flashes of
the family she’d lost long ago surfaced with unexpected clarity,
intensifying the panic that rose in her chest.
    When she reached the bottom of the hill, she
slowed her steps and approached him carefully. He might be playing
possum in order to capture her.
    From a few feet away, she could see that
wasn’t likely. Blood oozed from a nasty gash on his head, darkening
his soft brown curls. His ankle was twisted awkwardly and already
beginning to swell. Even if he was conscious, he wouldn’t be
walking on his own, let alone running a chase. She sat down and
considered her pursuer, watching his chest rise and fall, a sign,
at least for now, that he was still alive.
    The light was fading as the sun settled below
the tree line, casting dark shadows like pools of marsh water. The
cool air chilled her warm flesh, and she knew she had to get back
to the cabin for the night. Left behind by some early settler, it
was well hidden and far from any main trail—a place no one would
ever find her. A safe haven from weather and the prying eyes of
strangers, the abandoned shack was her home.
    Bringing this man to the cabin was
unthinkable, not to mention unmanageable, based on the width of his
shoulders and his long-limbed frame. Brinn frowned.
    He was a stranger who meant nothing to her.
Why had his smile and the sunshine warmth of his eyes sparked such
a response of longing? The pain of loneliness tugged at her heart.
She disregarded the familiar and constant ache, having convinced
herself that it didn’t matter.
    She knew she should just leave him there, but
the thought of him in the woods at night, injured and alone,
plucked at a distant memory.
    It was another night in May when the cool
mist of the mountains had rained down on her and she had
awakened—bruised, terrified, and alone, covered in dirt and leaves.
Eight winters and springs had passed, but the feeling came back
sudden and sharp. She knew she could not leave him there to
die.

Chapter 2
    Prisoner or Patient?
     
    When Justin regained consciousness, darkness
surrounded him. Shadows of massive trees towered above, their
canopy of branches against the cloud-covered night sky lending to
the eeriness of the endless forest. The searing pain in his head
and the throbbing ache deep in his bones discouraged even the
smallest movement.
    He felt himself being dragged over bumps and
rocks which drove shards of pain into his ankle with every shift of
his body. He clutched the sides of the makeshift litter that he lay
on as he heard the grunt and growl of a large animal close by—very
close by. Then he registered a soft humming sound from somewhere
behind him.
    Not sure which way was up or down, Justin lay
still. He listened to the sounds of the black night and the
haunting melody that filled the air, wondering how much time had
passed and where the girl was taking him. Despite the darkness, he
sensed her presence. Icy needles of rain stung his face, and the
air was cold around him, his clothes soaked and clinging. He
shivered, and pain shot through his head.
    For one brief moment, before even the shadows
disappeared, he wondered if this was what it felt like to die.
     
    ∞∞∞
     
    When the world appeared once more, the aches
and pains in his body let him know that he was indeed alive. The
mattress beneath him lumped at his hip, a spring poked into his
ribs, and he was covered in musty