Chapter Three

Pax

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She looked so weak, so tender and scared as she stood in place, full of fear and confusion. Her eyes shifted around in quick jerks, her fingers nervously braided together, only to untie and braid again.

I couldn't imagine what the hell was going through her head, but I didn't want her to bolt and take off running. She had lost her friend, she had no clue what the hell was going on.

But I wasn't about to chase her down through the woods. If she ran, I would have no option but to just let her go. Tracking her down in the dark, fighting against the cold air and hungry animals would do nothing but drag me back ten steps from where I was.

Don't do it, girl, don't run.

It'll be the biggest mistake of your life.

“Come on, sit. I promise, I'll help you figure this out. I need you to drink something at least, you're definitely dehydrated if nothing else.” Holding out the glass, I nudged it towards her. “Take it.”

Folding her arms over her chest, I watched her cringe as she tried to hug herself. “How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you're not the reason I'm like this?”

Sighing, I scratched my fingers through my beard. “Sweetheart, if I was the one responsible for the way you look right now, trust me, the last thing I would be doing is offering you shit to help.” Stepping towards her, I reached for her hand.

The young girl flinched, but she didn't resist my touch, she just watched me. Her eyes burned into mine, filling with distrust and fear.

Holding her fingers gently, I curled them around the glass and stepped back. “Drink.”

Her tongue dragged across her cracked bottom lip, tempted by the sweet liquid it craved. “Did you put something in it?”

“No.” Holding out my hand, I flipped my fingers. “Here, give it, I'll drink some myself if you don't believe me.”

Studying the water, she swirled the glass and watched the small tornado that formed inside. Cocking her head, her lips thinned as her brows dipped in hard. “Okay, here.”

Snatching the glass from her hand, I took a huge gulp, practically emptying the cup in one swallow. Swiping my wrist across my mouth, I wiped away the droplets that perched on the hair above my lip. “See, it's clean. I'll get you some more and you can watch me if you want to, if that will make you feel better.”

The girl eyed me, her lips turning down as she frowned. “It would make me feel better,” she snapped, squeezing her ribs in between her arms.

I could tell she was trying so hard to be strong, to hold in the tears she wanted to shed and the screams she wanted to lash at me. I wasn't going to get pissed at her for it if she let it all out, but I wasn't the one she should be questioning.

She had been through something, something that might have killed anyone else. But whatever had tried to consume her had lost; this vixen to the eyes had won.

Luck was on her side because I had found her. If it had been an hour earlier or a couple of hours later, I might not have seen the smoke and she might have taken her last breath on the cold, hard ground.

And honestly, I was getting to the point where I wasn't even sure she was going to wake up at all. I prepared for that, I made sure I was ready if she exhaled one last breath and let the forever sleep gobble her up.

Only that's not what happened.

Now I had this wrecked soul standing in my living room, glaring at me like I was the devil himself. I wanted to scoop her in my arms and brush my palm down her hair, smoothing it out against her scalp and allowing her to cry into my chest.

Then there was the other side, the part of me that wanted to drive her into town and drop her off, just to be rid of whatever trouble her presence could bring.

The quiet world I had built for myself was screaming at me to bring back the silence and return her to the chaos outside my wall of trees.

I wished I could listen, I wished I could shut down the small part of me that was still somewhat human and send her packing. But I couldn't. She was in need and I wouldn't let her go unless I knew she would be safe.

It wasn't weakness, it wasn't a soft heart that beat inside my chest; it was life, it was breathing and living that forced me to pick her up and carry her to safety.

It was something about her.

Her feet shuffled across the wood floor, barely lifting an inch off the ground. She looked so uncomfortable and miserable. The girl didn't walk with grace, she hobbled; her face wasn't calm and assertive, instead she grimaced with every movement she made.

I could only imagine what was done to her. I hated the thought, it made me sick to my stomach the pictures that would pop into my head.

And it enraged me, turning my insides into a bubbling inferno. No one deserved to be left that way, especially a fallen angel.

“After you see that I'm not trying to drug you, will you sit down and eat? You really need to rest, your body isn't well enough to be up and around.”

“I'll think about it.” Swallowing hard, she made every attempt to hide the pain that coursed through her body.

Tough little thing.

“Fair enough.” Turing on the tap, I held the cup under the fresh flowing water and watched it fill. “You got a name?”

Shrugging her shoulder, she refused to take her eyes off my hands and the glass. “Does it matter?”

“Yes, it matters a lot.” Flipping the handle off, I passed her the fresh water. “I'm Pax.”

Clutching the drink, she smiled as the water hit her lips and quenched her dry mouth. Smacking her lips together, she moaned from the instant gratification of cold water as she mumbled, “Pax?”

“Yes, Pax. Now it's your turn, name?” Holding up a finger before she could say a word, I barked, “And don't try to cop out and tell me a fake name. Trust me, I'll know if you're lying.”

Shaking the cup over her mouth to get what was left on the bottom, she eyed me. “It's Vera.”

“Okay. . .” Leaning against the sink, I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, how did you end up in my woods, Vera?”

“Honestly—I have no fucking clue. I can't remember anything.” Shaking her head side to side, she held out the empty cup and eyed the faucet. “Can I have another glass?”

Taking it slowly so I didn't startle her, I filled it again and passed it back. Vera downed the second cup even quicker than the first. I stood there studying her, watching her facial features and movements as she gulped the water.

She really was a pretty little thing. Much younger than I was, maybe in her early twenties, but a woman nonetheless.

Her breasts were full, pillowed and peeking out from the v-neck dip in her dirt-stained shirt. Her legs were long and lean, forcing my eyes to the diamond heat between her thighs.

It was wrong, so so wrong for me to feel this primal around a girl who had just gone through what she had. But I couldn't help it.

My brain was shutting down as the animal need built up inside me, turning me from human to beast. I had spent so much time cooped up in this cabin and it had been years since I was that close to a woman.

It was like I could smell her sweet musk as I stood there and it fed my growing desire to bend her over the couch and take her like the wild animal I was.

Get a grip!

She's too young, she probably wouldn't even bat an eye at you if things were different.

Shifting against the counter top, I dragged my hand over my head and tried to not watch her lips as she set them against the rim of the glass. But I couldn't stop the image of her curling those big full lips around my cock.

Fuck! Stop it!

You're too old for her and she's too young for you.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not elderly by any means. But I was closer to forty now than I was to twenty, we were years apart. Two generations that were spawned from completely opposite life experiences.

And yet, I was so intrigued by this girl that the taboo forces of nature pushing my body to the limit were barely controllable.

I spent four days watching her sleep, watching her tits rise and fall to make sure she was breathing, watching her lips as they formed airless letters, just watching this sleeping beauty.

Now she was awake and I could hear the sound of her voice, I could see her large curious eyes; I could see her.

My cock twitched as my chest became tight and heavy. The air seemed to thicken as I tried to breathe in, pricking my lungs and forcing me to cough.

“What can you tell me?” she asked, sucking the last droplets from the bottom of the glass. “How did I end up here?”

Clearing my throat, I tucked my hands deeper into my ribs, crossing one leg over the other. “I know what I found, and that was you all curled up, beaten and battered and left for dead. So I brought you back here. But that's it, I didn't see anything else.”

Resting the glass on the counter, her arm swiped mine, sending a static charge through my nerves and bristling my skin.

The simple touch, that accidental brush of skin to skin made me shiver. And I liked it, I liked it way too much. It was erotic and tempting, triggering my heart to leap inside my chest.

“How long have I been here?”

Taking a step away from her, I clutched the edge of counter top firmly in my fingers. “Four days.”

I watched the color drain from her face as her hands reached up and pulled her hair tight against her scalp. “Four days. . . Four fucking days?” Dropping her head into her chest, she closed her eyes. “Did you call the police or anything?”

“No.”

“And why not!?” Her neck snapped back, one hand shooting to her hip as it kicked out to the side. “You just left me in that room, you—”

Growling under my breath, I cut her off. “Stop right there, I didn't just leave you in there. I took care of you, I kept you alive. Don't you dare think I just dropped you in there and walked away.”

Vera's jaw hung open as her hands curled deeper into her hips. “Why didn't you call the police?”

“Look around, do you see a phone?”

“That's your excuse? That's your damn reason for not getting me any help?” Leaning forward, her shirt cradled her tits as they bounced. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Look—” Holding up my hand, I squared my shoulders. “I don't know who put you in my woods, I don't know who the fuck you are. The last thing I want is a bunch of cops nosing around my place and bringing any shit here.” Stepping in with a quick lunge, my body towered over her as I spoke through gritted teeth. “I don't need whatever bullshit you got involved with finding its way to me.”

Vera sucked in a breath, parting her lips as she eyed me. I wasn't trying to frighten her, that was the last thing I wanted to do. But I was not willing to risk losing what I built for someone I knew nothing about, she needed to know that.

I helped her, can't she see that?

I could have left her right where I found her, but I didn't. Wasn't that enough to show her I had some form of feelings, of concern?

Stepping back, I cupped my chin and let out a sigh. “I'm sorry, it's just. . .” Stroking my jaw, my lips perched high. “I have no clue what you got yourself into, I just don't want it here. I have to look out for myself too.”

Softening her eyes, Vera's brows arched. “Can you tell me where the hell I am at least?” Stalking to the window in my living room, she pressed her face against the glass. “Where the fuck am I?”

I wanted to hug her, wrap her in my arms and tell her not to worry, that I planned on taking care of her, that I had promised her when I found her that I would fix this.

Only I didn't know what 'this' was and right then, I could see she didn't either.

“You're in Whitinsville, does that sound familiar?”

“No.” Vera's hands slipped down to her sides, leaving long streaks on the clear glass. Her body loosened and deflated, rolling forward. “The only thing I remember is driving with my friend Sara, but I don't remember where—or why—or if—we were meeting anyone.”

“Well, you know who you are, so that's a good thing. We can figure the rest out.” Walking up behind her, I placed my hands on her shoulders. “But first you need to eat, you need to rest, you can't do anything before that.”

I felt her muscles tighten as my fingers curled over her collarbone and her breathing stopped. Through the reflection in the black glass, Vera's eyes lifted to mine. There was so much life in her gaze, so much sparkle in her eyes even if she wasn't trying to show it.

Hovering over the shell of her ear, I whispered. “I promise you, I'm not going to hurt you. All I want to do is help.”