Ensnared (Brutes of Bristlebrook, #1)(128)

Beau’s lips twitch in response, and Jayk just scowls.

“How do you feel?” Beau asks, moving forward. He pulls his stethoscope up from around his neck and presses the chilly metal against my chest. Jasper watches him with concern.

“Horny,” I respond, then cough when my raw throat protests.

Jasper stands quickly and pours me a cup of water as Beau gives me a dry look.

“You have no idea how lucky you really are. An inch either way and either of those bullets would have ended you in seconds. As it was, I wasn’t sure you’d make it.”

I’m not really sure how to respond to that, so I just say, “I knew you’d take care of me, doc.”

Jasper makes a sound suspiciously like a growl as he hands me my water, and I shoot him an innocent look.

Beau removes the stethoscope from my chest and studies me. “So how are you rea—”

“He’s fine,” Jayk snaps impatiently, seeming to break out of his momentary surprise. “He’s talking. We’re all thrilled you’re alive yada yada, and Beau can keep patching you up all night, but for now just tell us where your fucking stash is.”

I frown, confused. “My—”

“Your stash, your hidey hole, whatever you call it where the weapons are. We’ve been searching for it for a day and a half.”

“Are we still under attack? Why are you all here when—”

“For fuck’s sake,” Jayk bursts out, and that interrupting thing is getting really annoying.

Still, he looks more agitated than I’ve ever seen him. He steps toward me aggressively, and Jasper steps in front of him, cutting him off. Jasper may be tall, but Jayk has him well and truly out-muscled. And yet Jasper looks as cold and calm as he ever has. I’m going to get hard despite how shitty I feel if he keeps defending me like this.

Beau grimaces. “Jayk, I said I’d ask him. Step out if you can’t control yourself.”

Some of that floating sensation starts to fade as I take in the tension in the room. I meet Beau’s eyes, knowing he’ll give it to me straight.

He nods at me. “The hunters have scattered. Eden brought Dom an arsenal from your stash, and he blew the bulk of them to pieces while we got to safety. There’s no sign that they’re coming back to the house—wouldn’t be much point now anyway, since it’s shot to hell, and they’ve realized there are no women here like they thought.”

Jayk hisses in impatience, but Beau doesn’t react, keeping his gaze steady on mine. This is all sounding like good news so I know there has to be more.

“In the middle of this, Eden went back to get more weapons.”

My stomach sinks, only now reading the fear and worry in Beau’s face.

His voice turns husky. “That was over eighteen hours ago. We haven’t seen her since. Dom’s out looking, but . . . we don’t know where to start, and there are tracks everywhere.”

I shake my head, not understanding. She was meant to be safe. Out of all of them, they were meant to keep her safe.

“You’re not—” Trembles crash over me. “You can’t be saying that—”

“Eden’s missing,” Jayk bursts out, and I recognize the agitation for what it is. Fear. “And we think they took her.”





Chapter 38


Eden


SURVIVAL TIP #340

That sound behind you?

Oh, yeah, you’re fucked.

Eighteen hours earlier

T he duffel over my shoulder is even heavier than the damn bazooka, but I managed to get most of what Dom asked for. As I make my way back out of Lucky’s secret cave, I realize the sky is darkening now, banishing even the filtered light through the trees. I wish I hadn’t dumped my pack with Dom. My flashlight would be useful about now.

I’m not usually skittish in the forest, even at night, but there’s something about knowing there are men who are willing to murder me and everyone I care about that really changes the tone. The shadows seem to shift unexpectedly and every tiny crack and rustle makes me flinch. But I adjust the duffel and keep moving, swallowing down my nervousness.

I just need to get back to Dom.

I’ve hardly been moving for five minutes when a prickle lifts the hairs at the back of my neck. Glancing around casually, I don’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean much. My eyesight is shocking at the best of times, and between the sinking light and the hazy woods, I’m pathetically vulnerable.

I pick up the pace, hoping I’m imagining things, when a sharp crackle sounds to my right. That was too loud, and too close.

Nope. No, thank you.

I move to my right and stumble on a log I didn’t see. I bite my lip and step over it, looking around again. Damn it, why is everything so dark? After a tense moment, I start moving again, and as I do, a low, taunting laugh follows me.

Fear ices my veins, and I give up, jumping into a jog. My muscles protest, telling me we’ve done too much over the last few days, but there’s no way I’m slowing down.

I’m not alone.

I know I shouldn’t, but I can never help myself. I look over my shoulder, sure that there’s someone right behind me. But there’s . . . nothing.

The relief is only slight, and I whip my head back around in time to see a wide, stocky chest. I slam into the man, and his arms come around me with none of the kind firmness of my brutes.