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“Mama,” Dillon said, struggling to pull back from me. “Maxie got the ball.”
Max snagged it from the water, shaking his head as he turned around to face us, his tail whapping back and forth. When he stopped cold, staring at something in the patch of woods just off to the side, I thought nothing of it. Squirrels, birds, deer. He would chase after anything.
But the sound he made, a low, throaty growl, immediately raised the hair on the back of my neck. I told myself it was nothing, yet terror tore through me, enough so I had difficulty taking a deep breath. I willed myself to walk closer, doing what I could to fight the fears. It was the only way to keep the panic attacks away.
“What is it, boy?” I barely whispered, my throat tightening.
He continued to growl, but he wasn’t racing away, just protecting us. His behavior was a slightly good sign. I inched closer, pressing my hand against the back of Dillon’s head. With every step I took, nausea tore through me. I usually adored the small patch of trees that gave me more privacy from tourists and other houses. Today the tall maples and oak trees did nothing but provide ominous shadows.
I took another step then another, my son wiggling in my arms in his effort to get down. Seeing nothing, I almost turned away, but Max barked once, moving deeper into the woods. From where I stood, I could see the mucky shoreline where the water met dirt and patchy grass. I could tell something, a larger animal maybe, had been lying on the area. When I moved a little closer, I was forced to suck in my breath.
Someone was lying face down on top of debris, apparently hurt or worse.
Oh, God. Normal people would call the sheriff’s office, but I couldn’t risk it. Not for this. Not now when I had a new life that I enjoyed. I hadn’t tested my identity other than in getting checks from my publisher. What was I doing to do? First things first. I had to get Dillon back inside. I turned away quickly, heading toward the house. “How about I put in a movie for you, baby? Would you like that? Come on, Max. We’re going inside.”
“Yeah, Mommy. Dumbo.”
“Then Dumbo it is.” I hurried up the slope toward the house, thankful that Max was trotting behind me. As I opened the door, I peered back, half expecting the man who’d appeared dead only a few seconds before would be following me with a gun in his hand. What if the guy was really dead? What was I supposed to do then? I walked my boy toward the enclosure I’d set up for when I was working, something that would keep him from getting into things. As long as I popped a movie in and kept a few of his toys behind the barricade, he was happy.
I prayed to God today wouldn’t be an exception. After easing him down, I realized my hands were shaking. I managed to turn the television on, trying to keep my breathing even as I searched for the movie. Once found, I hurried in my actions, flipping it on then grabbing a couple of Dillon’s favorite toys from the toy bin in the room.
“Here you go, baby. Mommy will be right back. You stay here. Max will keep you company.”
Max whined since the new smells were far more attractive, but he was a good boy, sitting back on his haunches. I couldn’t risk grabbing my weapon, but I headed into the kitchen, pulling a knife from the butcher block before slipping out the back door. This was crazy. My hands were sweaty, forcing me to wipe them on my jeans, one after the other.
I walked quickly, not wanting to leave my baby alone for too long even though the front door was locked, the boy unable to work the latch at this point. Still, my heart remained in my throat, so sick to my stomach I wasn’t certain I could make it.
My steps slowed the closer I got to the area, my grip firmer around the handle of the knife. Holding my breath, I retraced my earlier steps, thankful he hadn’t moved. Although it made me more nervous and certain that the man was dead. I stole a glance back at the house before heading into the trees. Whoever was lying in my yard was wearing a suit, which meant he was no tourist. And tourist season had yet to come into full swing. Still, I doubted he’d walked here and collapsed, which likely meant he’d been on a boat.
Finally, when I was within a couple of feet, I crouched down, studying him for a few seconds. The mystery man was breathing. Thank God for that. I crowded even closer, touching the side of his neck. If I had to guess, I’d say he’d been in the water for hours. With no obvious signs of injury, I wouldn’t know anything further about his condition unless I turned him over.
That would require me to put down my knife. After a few seconds of hesitation, I did, fighting with the briars and mud as I struggled to turn him over. The man was dead weight and when I’d accomplish the difficult task, I was immediately thrown. Not by any additional fear but by his stunning good looks. Even with his hair matted to his head, a gash on his forehead, I could easily tell he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen.
His strong jaw was covered in two- or three-day stubble, his high cheekbones and olive skin giving him an aristocratic appearance.
I was no expert on men’s clothes, but I didn’t need to be to tell he was wearing a high dollar suit, including a silk tie. What the fuck was he doing here? I hadn’t heard there were any emergency situations on the lake, and I listened to the local report every night to ensure there wasn’t something going on. After glancing across the body of water, I crowded even closer, patting down his suit jacket in hopes of finding his identity. I couldn’t find anything, even rolling him slightly so I could reach under him.
He had no wallet. Nothing. As I eased him over once again, I realized his shirt had been torn. Peeking through the material bothered me. I glanced at his ashen face before fumbling with his buttons. I had to know what I was dealing with. The answer scared the hell out of me.
The mystery man was wearing a bulletproof vest. And lo and behold, there was a bullet that had nearly penetrated the Kevlar material, which was almost impossible to do. If I hadn’t known that from the months I’d spent in hell, I’d researched it for one of my books. The blow from the bullet must have hurt, causing shock to his system. I might be wrong, but I’d guess given the gash on his head he’d been on a boat, the shot knocking him overboard. Why hadn’t I heard anything about a crime on the lake?
A moan slipped past my lips before I could stop it. I resisted scuttling backwards, trying to figure out what do to.
Suddenly, he was awake, his eyes open wide and before I could react, he’d snapped his hand around my wrist, jerking me down to within inches of him. The man was even more striking so close, the intensity of his gaze smoldering. While there wasn’t a part of me not on fire, the rupture of heat from my core volcanic, the mystery man also reeked of danger.
I reached for the knife, managing to wrap my hand around the handle. He was shocked when I pointed the blade against his throat. Little did he know my hand was shaking, my nerve slipping by the wayside. I wasn’t a killer, no matter what I’d been through.
He took a few gasping breaths, glancing over my shoulder then to his right, staring at the shore without blinking. His grip remained firm, his fingers digging into my wrist. It was easy to tell the man was dazed. That still didn’t take me away from the edge of paranoia.
“Let go of me,” I hissed, pressing the blade under his chin.
The way he lifted his head didn’t indicate he was frightened of what I could do. I was so stupid. What if the bastard was playing me, figuring this was the only way to get to me?
Great, Charity. Now you’re turning everyone into a monster.
Charity. I hadn’t even thought about my old name in over a year. I’d purposely done everything I could to exorcise her from my system. Being this distraught had to be the reason why my old life had flashed in front of my eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt you, princess,” he said in a quiet voice, the tone devoid of all emotion.
