“What’s the matter, boy?” she asked. “Sledge?”
He didn’t respond and she caught the familiar scent of Jeremy’s cologne. Her hair stood up on the back of her neck.
“Who’s there?” she said forcefully, refusing to show fear.
Ice’s growl deepened, and he pushed her toward the hallway.
Scarlett didn’t fight him and played dumb. “Did I forget something? All right, we’ll head back to my room. Do you want your ball?” She pulled him along with her until she felt the doorway. She turned and tried to push Ice inside and slam the door. The attacker pushed against the door with enough force, it sent Scarlett flying to the floor. She waited until he neared and kicked out. From the sound coming from her assailant, she knew she hit her target close to his private parts. She scrambled to her feet, reaching for anything to use as a weapon. Jerking the lamp from the wall, she swung wildly. Ice barked incessantly. The stranger grunted and rushed her, shoving her against the wall. The scent of the cheap cologne filled her nostrils as she struggled against him. She screamed at the top of her lungs as two large hands grabbed her around her neck, choking her. She kicked out and chopped his arms as she turned, making him lose his grasp.
“Help,” she screamed as Ice growled and attempted to shield her from her attacker.
The door to the cabin burst open, and the sound of thudding feet running toward her room seemed far off as Scarlett fought for air. “Get away from her,” Sledge said in a deadly voice.
The attacker let her go, and she dropped to the floor, choking and holding her neck. Sledge attacked, pulling the assailant from the room. Crawling to the edge of the bed, Scarlett grabbed her phone from the bedside table. She pressed a number and let it ring as Ice barked and Sledge continued to fight off the attacker. The sound of a gunshot burst in the air, paralyzing her. Silence filled the cabin as she reached out for Ice. Someone ran from the cabin.
“Sledge? Sledge? Answer me,” she cried out as she grabbed her dog. Ice stopped, and she felt a body on the floor. She dropped to her knees, and her phone fell fromher grasp. Her hands roamed over the person, and she felt the blood as the metallic scent hit her nose.
“Sassy P get in your room. Lock the door,” Sledge ordered weakly.
“You’re bleeding,” she said, pressing her hand against the wound.
The cabin burst with men coming in from all directions, terrifying her even more.
“It’s Leo, Scarlett. Patch is here. I need to move you so he can work on Sledge.”
“Footprints outside the front door leading into the woods. Bear, shut the hospital down. Whiskey, get the kids and vets inside,” Saint said into his mic.
“Taco and I will track the suspect,” Shadow called out, and she heard the sound of people running.
“Call a bus,” Patch ordered.
Leo said something into his com, and a minute later, an ambulance appeared. Two men wheeled a gurney in as Patch called out instructions. Knight approached Scarlett, who stood in the corner of the kitchen in shock.
“Hey, sweetheart. Why don’t I drive you to the hospital and have Doc check you out?” Knight asked gently, guiding her away from the scene.
“Will he be all right?” she asked.
“You have a lot of blood on you. Did you get hit? May I check? We can get you a pair of clean clothes before we leave,” Knight said gently.
“I have to call Kim. She doesn’t need to drive here alone with a baby,” she said numbly.
“Kassie will make arrangements for her,” he assured her, throwing her clothes from earlier in her backpack. “Do you need anything for Ice?”
“Can you have Allie examine him? He growled at Jeremy,” she said.
“How do you know it’s Jeremy?” Knight asked.
“His cologne. I smelled it the night of the fire,” she said as he guided her with her dog out of the cabin and into his truck. Even blind, she knew the entire mountain appeared lit up.
“Leo, it seems Jeremy found his way onto the mountain. Scarlett says he’s our suspect,” Patch said, opening the back door for Ice and helping her inside. He took off his sweatshirt and covered her.
“I forgot my phone,” she said, panicked. “I’ll need to contact Rocker.”
“I picked it up. It’s broken,” Patch said, handing it to her. “We’re taking you to the ER, and you can use my phone if you want to call anyone.”
“How’s Sledge? I’m getting blood all over your truck,” she said, suddenly aware her hands were coated in her brother’s blood.
“You’re sitting on plastic for a reason,” Patch said. “We’re already at the hospital. Kassie’s waiting for you.”
