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“Where are you?” Blake immediately responds.
“Up at the top of the ridge.” I say as I start running down the creek bed. “I’m running along the creek.”
“Vi, there’s a game trail on the east side of the creek,” Cody says breathlessly. “Find it and stay on it as you double back toward us. We are only a few minutes away and I’m running up the trail.”
“Okay.” I turn to cross the creek, but don’t even make it two steps before a hand lands on my shoulder with a punishing grip. I scream as I fall, landing on the shoulder I injured before.
“Stupid bitch,” he roars in my face before back handing me so hard I see stars.
He puts both his knees on my thighs, spreading them apart and making me thrash in terror. I still have the walkie talkie in my hand and try to turn it on to scream for help again, but he tears from my fist and throws it in the water. He squeezes one wrist and slams it down beside my head. With my free hand, I feel around for something to defend myself with and find a smooth stone heavy enough to do some damage if I can get him in the right spot.
I bide my time until the sound of Cody yelling my name distracts him. I can’t respond because he’s choking me again. My lungs burn as his dirty fingers dig into my neck and I fight for breath while trying to figure out a way to fight him off. While he scans the horizon for sight of the guys, I take the opportunity and hit him as hard as I can with the stone. A sharp pain shoots down my arm, lessening the power I’m able to put behind the swing, but I do hit him in the cheek.
I stagger to my feet as he falls to the side. I’m crossing the creek as Cody tears through the tree line with an urgency I’ve never seen. A flash of relief crosses his face before turning into rage. As I make it across the creek I run straight into his arms. He easily lifts me by the thighs so I’m wrapped around him.
West tears through the forest a second later, not stopping as he sees me in Cody’s arms. Blake follows right on his heels and they both cross the stream, chasing after my attacker. Shuddering, loud sobs escape me as the adrenaline starts to slow in my system.
Cody’s hand runs up and down my back as he comforts me. “You’re okay. We’ve got you now. You’re safe.” I feel his warm, soft lips on my temple, his breath fanning my hair. “That freak is never going to touch you again. No one will.”
I try to lower my legs, thinking my weight is probably straining him, but he tightens his hold on me. I don’t know how long he stands there comforting me, using his deep voice to put me into a calm, almost trance-like state.
Eventually, West and Blake come back. I’m pulled from Cody and transferred to Blake’s arms. He holds me bridal style, his dark eyes roaming my face and every visible inch of skin. He looks pained as he studies my face, which is probably red from crying and from the hits I took.
“I’m so sorry, Violet,” he says, looking directly into my eyes with so much regret. “We should have stayed closer.”
“Or she shouldn’t have run off this morning,” West grumbles as he kicks at some loose rocks.
“Fuck off,” Cody replies with a scowl. His tone is more serious than I’ve ever heard it.
“No. She knew that fucker was out here, looking for her. And she was so fucking reckless that she ran off.”
Cody steps up to West, chest to chest. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Or I’m going to fill your dick mouth with my fist. She was just attacked and it isn’t her fault, just like it isn’t yours.” They stare each other down for a minute, tension radiating from both their bodies, their fists clenched, ready to explode. “Because that’s what you’re actually upset about. You’re blaming yourself for something you couldn’t stop and we couldn’t foresee.”
ChapterTen
“You’re blaming yourself for something you couldn’t stop and we couldn’t foresee.” Cody stares at me with an intensity he rarely exhibits, a muscle along his jaw twitching with barely restrained anger.
The fact of the matter is that he’s completely correct. Logically, I know he feels as angry and scared as I do, he just contains it so much better. Especially because he saw the fucker hurting Violet. I don’t think I would’ve been able to hold myself back from immediately chasing him down and beating his dirty ass until he was just a bloodstain on the forest floor.
At the end of the day though, I wasn’t here in time. Just like I didn’t stop her from walking out into danger this morning. It seems I’m always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to Violet.
I watch as Blake lowers her to her feet, but keeps his arm around her waist. Her eyes are blank, but her cheeks are both bright red from the assault. Her tank top is pulled perilously down in the front, about to expose everything. But it’s her neck that rocks me, it’s already bruising from the force of his hand wrapped around it. She looks like hell because she’s been through it.
As if she can sense exactly where my eyes have traveled she reaches up and grasps her throat gently. Her hand moves down to touch her mom’s necklace, a habit she’s had for years since she started wearing it. I notice as soon as she does that it’s no longer around her neck.
A panicked sound comes from her throat as she darts away from Blake and back through the creek. I’m only a step behind as she drops to her knees in the spot he pulled her down in. Her hands frantically search through the rocks and pebbles and dirt. I kneel beside her and start looking, too. I know how special that necklace is to her and I’ll be damned if she loses it because of this.
“It’s gone,” she sobs after a few minutes of hurried searching. “My mom’s necklace.” She begins to cry, almost wailing to the sky, her whole body shaking.
I pull her to me and kiss her forehead. “I’ll find it. I don’t care if I’m out here for days, I’ll find it.” I put two fingers under her chin and lift her head until her gorgeous baby blues meet mine. “I pinky fucking swear that it will be back on your neck before you step off this mountain.” I hold my pinky finger up for her, exhaling when her tiny finger wraps around mine and squeezes.
“It’s going to get dark in a couple hours,” Cody says as he looks up at the sky. “And it looks like it might storm again.”
“We should split up,” Blake says decisively. “Cody, take Violet to your family’s hunting cabin, it’s just on the other side of the ridge, right?”
“Yeah, due east about a mile or so.”
“I’ll stay and help West find the necklace. I don’t think any of us should be alone in case he comes back.” Blake looks at each of us, waiting to see if anyone else offers an opinion. When no one does, he looks at me and nods. “We’ll retrace her path from here to the cliff.”
