Badass (31 page)

“Avery! Avery!” He knew there was little chance she could hear him or even answer, but he couldn’t stand not to try. The only thing he had taken time to do was run to his truck; get his portable spotlight and his Sig 40 caliber. Walking to the back of the bathhouse, he shone the powerful beam around until he saw a lot of footprints. They were biker boots, much like what he wore. Not a big foot, but the idea of Avery at the mercy of another man made him sick. If it was Ajax – God! He was going to hurt his precious doll. All he could think about was her soft skin, her sweet smile and her delicate spirit. When he got his hands on Ajax this time – he wouldn’t be walking away.

****

Nathan had found three candies. He had quit calling out, a niggling feeling of awareness was making the hair stand up on the back of his neck. Like he had told Cady – and Cady was the only one he had told – since his near drowning, he just knew stuff. And at this very second, something was telling him that he was walking straight into trouble. But he also had this sense that he needed to go, that it was important. So, he stayed on Lady’s Hansel and Gretel trail of pecan pralines. That she hadn’t stopped to eat them made him think that the retriever was on the trail of bigger game than a full belly.

Looking around, he realized he was near the hunting cabin. Knowing it was just under a mile from the ranch house, he wondered who could possibly have wandered over here from the party. It was probably a smoochy couple; he had seen guys and girls sneak off to the barn and lots of other places. Only lately had he begun to think that this might not be totally gross. But a faint female scream made him stop and listen. Was that a happy scream or a scared one? He couldn’t tell. Moving slower, he kept his mind focused on hearing anything that was out of place. From out of nowhere, a familiar whine caused him to turn abruptly to the right. “Lady? Lady? Girl, is that you.” Making a few sweeps with his flashlight, he realized that the old well was only a few feet away. Was Lady in the well? Hurrying, he stepped to the edge and shone the beam of light. Peering through the darkness, he saw his dog lying on her side. She didn’t even lift her head. “Lady, you’re hurt! Just hold on girl, I’ll go get help.”

He turned to run, but he didn’t get anywhere. “Hold it, kid. I’m sorry, but you can’t leave – not until I think about this real hard.” Crowbar had considered letting the boy go get help and stop Ajax from hurting the girl. But, what about him? How much trouble was he going to be in?

“Avery,” he had gone too far to hide, now. Maybe it wasn’t too late to do the right thing. The boy showing up seemed like a sign. “You go get some help and you tell them that old Crowbar helped you and that he was forced to be bad. Okay?”

“Uh – yeah – sure,” Nathan tore loose and started running. He had to hurry! Avery was in trouble and so was Lady. His legs were pumping like pistons, his adrenalin was running so high, he could have made the track team. “Help! Help!” He began to yell, when he thought he was a safe distance away. Barreling through the woods, he ran head long into someone. For a moment, he struggled; thinking that one of the strange men had him.

“Nathan – it’s Isaac, what’s wrong?”

Talking in a rush, Nathan spilled his terror. “There’s a man back there in the woods and he says they have Avery and Lady is hurt. She’s in the old well. And the slow-acting man said that it wasn’t his fault – he was forced to do bad things. I’m scared, Isaac. And I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too, buddy.” Isaac hugged him quick. “Are they at the hunting cabin?” At Nathan’s nod, he sought to reassure him. “Everything will be fine, I guarantee it.” If only that were in his power - “I’m going to go help Avery and I won’t forget Lady, either. You go tell the others where I’m headed and what’s going on – and make sure Kane’s informed. Then you take care of the women. Can you handle it?”

“You can count on me, Isaac. Please help Avery and Lady. They need you.”

Wasting no time, he made his way to the hunting cabin. Whoever talked to Nathan was nowhere in sight, so he had to assume that Ajax would have help. A popping sound reached his ears and his heart sank – he knew that noise – the bullwhip. “No!” he ran harder. Bounding up on the porch he could see through the front window and what he saw made his heart come up in his throat. She was chained to a tower pole, arms over her head. His beloved had been stripped and he could see evidence of abuse – blood and bruising. Hatred boiled up within Isaac, the man who did this would die. Every instinct told him to plunge through the window and step between Ajax and Avery, but the pistol in Ajax’s hand gave him pause. He couldn’t risk her life. For just a few seconds, he surveyed the room and saw what had to be the man Nathan was referring to – it was Crowbar. What the hell? The look on his face was one of distaste – why was he going along with and even helping with this travesty? It didn’t make sense. Nevertheless, Isaac prepared to go in. Edging around to the side door, he found it open. Good.

“You won’t get away with this,” Avery said. “Someone will come.”

Ajax walked in a half moon path in front of her, studying his handiwork. “Dream on, slut. They’re partying over there and your man isn’t even in this part of the country. He left you, didn’t he? Why was that? You weren’t woman enough for him, were you?”

Isaac could hear – and he hated what he heard.

Avery met the eyes of the other man who had brought her here. She knew him from the bar; he had been nice to her that day. Clearly, he was uncomfortable with all of this. She silently pleaded for help. How could he stand and watch this pervert hurt her? “I may not be woman enough for him, that’s true. But he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be. Isaac is a good man – you’re a sniveling eunuch. I bet you can’t even get it up, can you? Is that why you do this? Is hurting women the only way you can get off?”

Isaac listened to her bait him, “Don’t do it, baby.” He moved cautiously, positioning himself to take Ajax down.

“Why, you cunt!” He lashed out at her with the whip, leaving a stripe that went from her breastbone to the middle of her abdomen. She flinched. He continued his tirade. “Submit to me, bitch! Bow your head and plead for your life. That’s the only thing that will save you!”

Instead, she fought back. “I will never submit to the likes of you. I will only submit to Isaac – only to Isaac. I love him.”

Another blow. But what he said stung worse. “You may love him, but does he love you? I know what kind of woman Isaac McCoy craves – a real submissive - and that’s not you. You’re not worthy to be McCoy’s woman.”

All the tenseness – all the fight left Avery’s body. “You’re right.” She submitted to the bonds that fettered her, and bowed her head.

“That’s more like it, cunt.” He struck again, just like a maddened serpent. “Hitting you is sweet – I promised McCoy that I would hurt him by hurting the ones he loves.”

As if his words strengthened her, she lifted her head one more time – almost triumphant. “Well, you’re out of luck, you bastard. Isaac doesn’t love me. You’ve failed - you may hurt me, but you’re not hurting Isaac. And for that I’m grateful.”

“Then I better make this blow count, cunt!” Ajax drew back the whip to strike a blinding blow, but his arm came up short.

He had him! Isaac couldn’t wait another second. He wound the leather around his fist and jerked – hard. “It’s my turn to do the hitting, asshole! You do not abuse what belongs to me.” Isaac lunged at Ajax and literally plowed him down.

“Watch it, Isaac!” Avery screamed. “He’s got a gun!” She directed her next plea to the other man. “Help him. I know you didn’t want to do this. I’ll defend you. Please?” That was all it took. The other man stepped forward.

Ajax wasn’t going down easy, and he didn’t intend to go down alone. Before Isaac could stop him, he pulled back the gun and shot Crowbar in the stomach. The other man stumbled back, holding his gut, which was blooming with a red stain. Disbelief colored Crowbar’s face and Avery screamed.

Ajax was big and furious, which made him dangerous. They wrestled and Isaac managed to knock the gun out of his hand, but when that hand was free of the gun, it didn’t remain empty long. Isaac didn’t see the knife, but Avery did. “A knife, Isaac – he has a knife!” She struggled, to no avail. He had no need of her assistance, however. Isaac was like a man possessed. She had never seen his face look like that – he was hard, dominant – totally in control. Wresting the knife from Ajax’s grasp, he threw it across the room and took up his bullwhip and began whipping him across his body. Seemingly, this was the first time Ajax had been on the receiving end and he screamed and squealed like a stuck pig. Holding his arms over his face to protect it, he begged for mercy.

It seemed like forever – everything was in slow motion, but it was only seconds before the other McCoys burst into the room. Avery was mortified for them to see her naked. But, she shouldn’t have worried. Noah grabbed an afghan off the couch and immediately wrapped her in it. “Damn, Avery girl. Let’s get you covered up and out of here.”

Jacob and Kane assisted Isaac and Joseph went to Crowbar, getting towels to staunch the flow of blood. “It’s a damn gut wound. A helicopter is on its way, fella.”

“He tried to help me, Kane.”

“We’ll get your statement later, Avery,” he promised. Pulling Ajax off the floor, the Sheriff cuffed him and read him his rights.

“I’ll take her,” Isaac edged Noah out of the way and picked her up. “Let’s get you to the hospital.” He started out with her to one of their trucks. “Call ahead and tell them we’re coming. And somebody see to Nathan’s dog. She’s in the old well, and she’s hurt pretty bad,” he directed in a loud voice.

Avery placed her hand on his cheek. “I don’t need to go to the hospital. There’s no need. I’m not hurt that badly. All I need is to get cleaned up and put some antiseptic on the spots.”

“Are you sure?” His voice was hoarse and Avery could feel a quaking in his body. Isaac was scared – for her.

“Perfectly, I kept him too mad and distracted for him to do too much damage.” Actually, he had landed some hard blows, but nothing was broken and the doctors couldn’t do anything about the bruising. “The helicopter will take the other man to the hospital?” she wanted to hug him, she wanted to kiss him – but she held back. Confidence in her place in his life was a thing of the past.

Stepping quickly into one of the back bedrooms, he stood her down, whisked off the blanket and began examining the damage done to her body. Despite their history, she crossed her arms over her breasts. “That was pretty bad, wasn’t it? I can’t believe your whole family walked in on me while I was hanging up there exposed,” she was grasping for something to say.

“Sit right there while I get some warm water and medicine,” he sat her down gently and took a moment to cup her cheek – rubbing his thumb gently against a tear trail. “God, I’m so sorry, precious. I’m sorry for everything. You got swept up in a storm that you didn’t create.”

As he walked off, she whispered, “Great, he feels sorry for me.” This didn’t bode well. Taking in the room, she noticed how comfortable it was. She had heard of the McCoy’s hunting cabin and now she was here. Pity it wouldn’t hold very happy memories. And she had no clothes! That fiend had ripped her stuff beyond repair.

“Oh, Criminey” – Avery winced. “That burns.” She heard him hold his breath, but he didn’t say anything. His face was stoic, and there was a tick by his lips. “You look miserable. I can do this,” she started to take the sponge from him.

“Damn!” he threw it to the floor and gathered her – oh, so carefully – into his arms. “What are we going to do, my Avery? Where do we go from here?”

What was he saying? She, tentatively, hugged him back. “If you can get me a t-shirt and some of your lounge pants like before, I can go home. You have lots to sort out with your family. And I’ll be fine.”

“If you think for one moment that I’m ever letting you out of my sight again, you’ve got another think coming.” He said this close to her neck, his face buried in her hair and he was petting the back of her head. Elation desperately tried to get a foothold in Avery’s heart – but she tamped it down. Disappointment and disillusion was too fresh. She had to be sure. And then she felt it – dampness. Isaac was crying. Her big tough Dom was shedding tears – for her.

“Isaac, what are you saying? You do realize that I’m not what you need. I’ll never be the perfect submissive – Ajax was right. I’m too mouthy and inexperienced.”

He drew back and the look on his face took her breath away. “I’ll tell you what you are – you are perfect. You are perfect for me, Avery Rose. I enjoy being in control, but only as long as it brings you pleasure. I’ve changed. You make me happy – whatever we do, together, makes me happy.”