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"That's not what happened!" I pull out of his grip and manage a few steps away from both Travis and the steep drop to the icy cold river below us. "Rebecca didn't jump and Martin Diaz survived his fall. God, Travis, you should have stayed and listened to the rest of Mable's story."
Off in the distance, I can head engine noise. I can't tell if it's another snowmobile coming up the trail or if it's Vale coming down from the cabin, but I know that as long as I can keep Travis from getting a grip on me again, I'll be safe.
"I like my version better, Sparrow." Travis sneers and lunges for me just as my ankle rolls as I misstep on a rock under the snow. "I think we can give these falls a better story; star-crossed lovers, plunging to their death in tandem so they can spend eternity together when the world was against them."
"The fuck?!" Travis's arms wrap around my waist from behind me, and pain blooms through my ankle as I do everything I can to avoid being dragged any closer to that river. "No one's going to believe I jumped with you, you asshole!"
I've never been so grateful for my curvy figure as I am right now. Travis is a skinny guy who's never seen the inside of a gym. Dragging me fighting and screaming isn't easy on him and now I can tell that the engine noise I hear is coming from both directions on the trail.
"Vale!"I see the dark shape of an older sled coming down the trail from the direction of the cabin. The machine catches air as it hits a small hill at high speed and then hits the ground again with enough force to send snow and ice exploding out from under its weight.
There is no mistaking the dark figure standing up and leaning forward over the handlebars as he steers in our direction.
Travis mutters as I grab a fistful of his hair and yank, but it's not enough to make him let go of me.
* * *
Vale
This might be the sled's last trip, God knows I'm pushing it beyond its limits as I open up the throttle and jump every hill, but there's no way I'm going to let anything--anything-- happen to my little Bird.
I can hear the sound of a newer four-stroke up ahead and I don't know if I'm catching up with that asshole that took Sparrow or if Hawk's already on his way up the mountain.
As I hit the next snow bank and steer for the falls, I silently thank my brother for removing the governor on this thing years ago.
Up ahead, I spot a neon green snowmobile parked closer to the river than is safe, considering how much snow is built up over the bank.
Then I see them and my blood boils. Red hot fury blurs my vision when I see that idiot with his arms around my woman, struggling to drag her toward the river while she fights like a hell cat.
Truth is, it's a damn good thing that the sled drops through a drift of rotten snow and the chain crunches on the rocks hidden beneath the deceptive white landscape. I might have kept driving, taking that bastard out and going over the edge with him.
"Vale!"
My name doesn't sound nearly as sweet on her lips when she's screaming in terror as it did last night when she was coming on my cock.
"Birdy!" I reach in my pocket, smoothly disengaging the safety lock as I pull the pistol free.
"Get the fuck away from her, asshole!"
At the sound of my voice, Travis's head snaps up to see me galloping toward them, the gun clutched close to my side.
Years of training drive my muscle memory now and my steps slow to a stalk that has me placing my feet much more carefully in the deep snow.
"She belongs withme!" The kid yells, his face near purple with rage and the frustration of realizing he doesn't have a chance of winning this fight.
I can't get a clear shot at him while he's so close to Sparrow though.
Now the sound of another sled is getting closer, echoing up the trail where the canyon narrows just downhill from the river crossing.
Hawk is almost here, but I don't have time to wait on him. Travis has Sparrow too close to that bank. I can see the ice ledge that's holding the kid's weight, making it look like the cliff runs out farther over the river than it really does.
Do I run for them and hope to get Sparrow away from him and safely on solid ground? Or do I take the shot from here?
Sparrow makes that call for me.
"Fuck you!" She sounds like a damn warrior in battle, "I said 'no!'"
With one hell of a good aim, I watch her hand fly toward Travis's crotch. It's not till just before she makes contact that I see the rock she must have pulled out from under the snow.
