Rushed (Adventures in Love #1)(21)

“Yeah, it’s too soon,” I agree. “Then again, I don’t know that I’ll ever think it’s funny.”

The truth is that seeing the look on her face as she ran into my arms when I finally found her caused me to feel fear like I’ve never felt in my fucking life. I wasn’t worried about myself; I was worried I wouldn’t be able to protect her from whatever it was that had scared her.

“Well, thank you for finding me. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t show up.”

“You would have been okay.” I curve my fingers around the back of her head and tuck her face against my neck. This woman in my arms is stronger than she thinks she is; she just needs to be reminded of what she’s capable of.

“I’m not so sure about that. I used ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ to choose which direction to go, and it obviously didn’t work.”

Groaning, I close my eyes. “You didn’t.”

“I did. It was cloudy, so I couldn’t make a compass with a twig like you taught us, and honestly I didn’t know what direction the river was, so it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.”

“Right. Well, tomorrow, I’ll get you a compass, and from here on out, I’ll make sure you know which way you should go if you get lost again.”

“So we’re staying here?” I hear the worry in her voice. “I thought we would be leaving tonight, after what happened.”

“After we talk to the warden and the cops, Blake, Maverick, and I will have to discuss what we should do,” I tell her gently while kissing the top of her head. “Whatever happens, I promise you’ll be safe.”

“Okay, I trust you,” she whispers, and my gut tightens, because fuck it feels good to hear the truth in her voice, and it means more than I even thought it would to get that from her.

“Tanner,” Maverick calls, breaking into the moment. “Blake’s on the way up, and the warden and sheriff are right behind him.”

“Be out in a minute,” I call back as Cybil burrows into her sleeping bag.

Placing my fingers under her chin, I tip her head back and search her gaze before touching my mouth to hers, unable to help myself. “I’m sorry, sunshine, but you’re going to have to get dressed. They’re going to want to speak to you.”

“I knew I wouldn’t be lucky enough to get out of that.” She sighs, and I smile before I roll away and get up.

Giving her one last look, I leave to give her some privacy to change, and I head to where the group is talking.

Maverick turns to meet my gaze as I approach. “Is she okay?”

“She’s good. She’ll be out in a minute,” I assure him, and he lifts his chin. Really, I’m proud as fuck at how she handled everything. I know grown men who wouldn’t have been able to handle a situation like that, and she did it, stayed calm, used her head, and then warned me before I could walk into something that might have cost me my life.

“Should I go see if she needs anything?” Avery asks, turning to look at the tent, and I start to tell her she can if she wants, but at that moment, Cybil emerges looking no worse for wear and as beautiful as always. Before she has a chance to make it even three steps, the entire group swarms her, asking questions and taking turns hugging her. Even Lauren steps forward to give her a hug, which surprises me—and Cybil, judging by the look on her face.

Turning back to Maverick, I cross my arms over my chest and drop my voice. “We need to figure out a plan for tonight when Blake gets here.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. It’s going to be pitch black soon, so that’s going to make getting off the mountain tonight almost impossible without making multiple trips with the four-wheelers. I don’t like it, but I think we’d be better off if we all stay here, and you, Blake, and I can sweep the area with the cops when they arrive. If anyone’s in the vicinity, hopefully that puts them off from approaching.”

“I doubt they’re still out there.” I look into the woods. “My guess is the shot they fired at us was meant to scare us away from where they were so they could finish what they were doing. They’re probably long gone by now. That said, I don’t know how comfortable Cybil is going to feel staying here, considering what happened.”

“Then I’ll take her down to the lodge and stay with her there,” he says, and my hands ball into fists, the reaction as involuntary as the “Fuck no” I growl.

“Figured you wouldn’t be down with that.” He shakes his head. “Blake’s not going to be happy about you and Cybil hooking up.”

“Blake’s going to have to get the fuck over it,” I state clearly as the roar of multiple engines fills the night air. I turn to look for Cybil, finding her heading my way, and as soon as she’s within touching distance, I reach for her hand and keep hold of her as the sheriff and the warden arrive with Blake.



“We’re close. This is the tree they hit when they shot in Cybil’s and my direction,” I say, shining my flashlight on the trunk of the large fir, which has a chunk missing.

“This is fresh.” Sheriff Montero bends to pick up one of the splinters from the base of the tree. “How far away did you say you were when they fired?”

“Maybe fifteen feet.” I walk away with my light to the ground, looking for the place where I took Cybil down when the shot was fired. When I come across it, I look back to where the sheriff is still standing, and anger curls around my insides. I knew it was close, but now seeing the distance, which is less than I thought it was, I know that if they had been trying to kill either Cybil or me, they easily could have in that moment.