“Hush, hush now, princess. What are you afraid of?” Nick sat her up, smoothed her hair back off her forehead and dropped a gentle kiss there. “Is it Pasquale?”

“No.” She shook her head adamantly. “It’s you.”

“Me. Why me? I would never hurt you.”

“No, not physically. But I told you I don’t want to get involved with a cop. It’s a heartbreak waiting to happen. But I’m afraid now it’s too late.”

He turned away for a moment and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. When he swung back around he had a hard look on his face.

“I can’t help it, Darcy. I am a cop. I’ll probably always be a cop. But, dammit, that doesn’t mean I’m going to get killed tomorrow. Hell, look at my dad, he’s been in for almost 40 years and never had to fire his gun in the line of duty. Most cops live!”

“But some don’t. My dad didn’t, and that changed my life forever. My mom loved him so much she fell apart without him.”

“Darcy, honey.” He pulled her to him. “You are not your mom. Your mom was weak, dependent. She never learned how to stand on her own two feet. But you’re not your mom. You’re a strong, independent young woman. You know how to take care of yourself. You are courageous and brave; you will never have to depend on someone else to take care of you.”

He stopped talking for a moment and looked down at her tear-streaked face, brushing the hair away from her damp cheeks. “Darlin, there are no guarantees in life. Love doesn’t come with a guarantee of forever, and it sometimes comes when you least expect it. You have to grab on to that love and take it for everything its worth. That’s life. No guarantees. You could be eaten by a bear tomorrow and be gone, but I don’t want to miss a minute of sharing life with you while you’re here, even if it is just one more day.”

She couldn’t help but giggle at his analogy. “Really, Nick, eaten by a bear?”

“Well, you know what I mean. Let’s enjoy this time together, babe. It’s precious.”

She kissed him and felt her insides melting again. Damn, she liked him, maybe even loved him. But she couldn’t deny the feeling of dread dwelling deep within her.

 

They did eventually eat a light supper and drank a couple glasses of wine then wound up in Nick’s bed. They made love multiple times, trying different positions and discovering new pleasures. Once they did it doggie style with Darcy on her hands and knees, Nick behind her. She truly liked this uninhibited position because it allowed her head to twist and toss about, and his balls spanked her ass with a noisy rhythm. Her boobs danged freely so Nick could grasp them and pull on the nipples, and he rubbed her clit as he pumped away at her. It was incredible and when they were finished Darcy collapsed on the bed.

“Stop. I give. We’ve got to stop before I have a heart attack,” she gasped, her breasts heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Nick leaned on his elbow and looked at her, his eyes twinkling. “Really? You’re done already? Quitter.” He tugged a lock of her hair playfully.

“Quitter or survivalist?” she queried with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, maybe we do need a break. But it’s hard to stop loving you.” He breathed the words as he nipped gently at her lips. Her eyes took on a dreamy hue as she tasted him.

“Hmm. Maybe I have just one more session in me.”

 

They slept nested together, her head resting on his arm. Darcy slumbered peacefully, Nick’s thigh thrown over her leg. Nick snored lightly, deeply asleep. Darcy was dreaming. In the dream, they were here at the cabin, and it was summertime. They were in the lake, and they were naked. Her wet hair streamed down her back, her hands holding on to Nick’s shoulders. Hmm, a sweet dream.

A sweet dream that ended abruptly when a crash exploded through the night. They both shot up at once. What the hell? Even Warlock leaped up from his curled position at the foot of the bed, hair standing on end.

It sounded like breaking glass.

Darcy’s heart thundered in her chest, and her hand clutched Nick’s arm.

“My God, what was that?” she breathed.

“I don’t know. Maybe the weight of the ice broke one of the tree limbs, and it crashed through a window. I’ll go see.”

“No. Don’t leave me.”

“It’ll be okay, darlin. Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

She held her breath as Nick climbed out of bed and pulled on his jeans. He hesitated, then reached into the nightstand and took his pistol out. “Just to be on the safe side. It could be a bear.”

“Oh, Lord, a bear?”

“Probably not, but better safe than sorry. I’ll be right back,” he said then slipped silently from the room.

Darcy crouched on her knees, trying to control her shaking. She reached out and grabbed her robe from the bench at the end of the bed and slipped into it, pulling it close around her shivering body.

It seemed like Nick was gone forever. What was taking him so long? She strained to hear any sounds from downstairs, but silence was her only reward. Should she go check on him? What if he’d fallen or gotten cut on the broken glass?

She waited a few more minutes then made up her mind. She needed to go down there and check on Nick.

She had just climbed out of bed and slid her feet into her slippers when the bedroom door burst open. Nick stood there, weaving back and forth, blood pouring from a gash on his head. His eyes were unfocused.

And he wasn’t alone. A man stood directly behind him, a gun rammed in Nick’s back. Another man was visible in the shadows behind him.

Her heart stopped as she stared at the man with the gun.

Dimitri Pasquale flashed her evil grin.

“Hello, Darcy. Surprised to see me?”