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So hehadbeen the one behind her recent run of so-called bad luck.
“But now you’ve upped your game.” Fury began to swirl through her as the havoc this man had wreaked on her life began to fully register.
“I’m done talking.” His lips settled into a grim line. “Get moving.”
She tightened her grip on the limb. “My leg hurts too much.”
“We don’t have far to go.”
“I’m telling you, my leg hurts too much. Thanks to you.”
He edged in a couple of feet. “And I’m telling you, we can’t stay here.”
She made a halfhearted attempt to push herself to her feet. Sank back to the ground. “I need a hand.”
“Use the tree trunk and push yourself up.”
Keeping a firm grip on the limb, she pretended to try, then let loose with a whimper and collapsed against the trunk.
He edged nearer, and she peeked at him.
Not as close as she’d like, but within striking distance if she took him by surprise.
“Try again.” The gun wavered. “We have to keep moving.”
Now!
Gripping the branch with both hands, she sprang upright, pivoted, and lunged for him. Raising her improvised club, she swung for his temple as she came within target range.
It should have worked.
Wouldhave worked if she hadn’t stepped into a hole left by a foraging raccoon or a squirrel burying his winter stash.
Instead of a bullseye on the temple, all she managed was a glancing blow to his chin.
Not near hard enough to stun him.
But it made him mad.
Very mad.
Growling deep in his throat, he came at her swinging.
She tried to duck, but the metal flashlight connected with the side of her face. Hard. Fireworks went off in her field of vision, and she staggered.
A follow-up punch to her nose sent her sprawling to the ground.
Flat on her back, chest heaving, she tried to clear her vision through a haze of pain.
The darkening sky gradually came into focus through the shriveled leaves clinging to the trees above her, but thehorrendous ache radiating through her head rippled the image, like a rock dropped into water.
All at once, Travis blocked her view of the heavens and glowered down at her. “Get up.”
Impossible.
He nudged her none too gently with his toe, the barrel of the gun aimed at her. “I said get up.”
Would he shoot her here if she didn’t?
