Her eyes began to adjust, and she saw the opening in the trees. While she was focused on the trail, she tripped on a root and landed on her knees; thankfully, she hadn’t put her injured wrist out to stop her fall. Regaining her feet, she started again, this time more carefully.
Don’t panic, Branna. It won’t help you.Her father had often used those words when he had been in her life and still loved her enough to care. She’d always been a panicker. Things used to unsettle her easily, small things that really didn’t justify her jitters, so he’d taught her to say, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear,” and it had often worked enough to calm her down, help focus her attention elsewhere.
I need it now, Dad.
The big trees towered over her, and she knew they weren’t dangerous. She knew she was the only person out here, but still the fear nearly choked her. It was hard to move forward without knowing what was ahead. She took it slow and stumbled a few times, but didn’t fall again. Every noise and rustle made her flinch, and fear made her imagine that, at any second, someone would spring out of the dark and grab her and she would never be seen again. She’d never used this track, but Branna knew Jake’s house was close since she’d run past it a few times.
It felt like she’d been walking for hours when she saw it, the long, low house bathed in moonlight. Running off the path as quickly as her shaky legs would let her, she made for the front door. Hammering on the wood seconds later, she hoped he was there. Branna battled to subdue the sting of tears as a light came on through the windows. The door opened and revealed a bare-chested Jake, clad in shorts.
“Branna?”
“I-I need your help, Jake.”
“What’s happened?”
Her body shook as the adrenalin that had coursed through her and kept her moving drained away. She was suddenly weak and fighting the hopeless tears that wanted to fall as she scrambled to find her voice.
“I-I need to use your phone, please.”
He gently pulled her inside and led her to a chair, lowering her into it. “Are you hurt?” He crouched in front of her.
“No.”
“You’re frozen.” His big hands rubbed her arms. “Did you walk here?”
“I just need to use your phone, please, Jake.”
“Branna, it’s three in the morning, honey. Tell me what’s going on?”
“Men, Jake, there were men in my house.”
His fingers bit into her skin briefly before they unclenched.
“Tell me what happened, Branna.”
She desperately wanted to fall into his arms, needed to so badly she had to restrain herself by gripping the arms of the chair. She wasn’t weak and wouldn’t fall apart now that she was safe.
“Something woke me, and I heard them talking and the sound of footsteps downstairs. I listened, and I-I th-think they were trashing my house.”
His body had gone still, alert, as he listened and watched.
“I d-didn’t wait around, just climbed out the window and lowered the ladder that Georgie—”
“I know about the ladder, Branna.”
“I didn’t stop, just kept climbing down, and then when I reached the bottom, I found my boots and ran here. I remembered that Belle said the path led to you, so I was sure I was going in the right direction. I didn’t think I’d make it to town and was worried they’d see me if I tried.” She hadn’t even thought of running into town. He’d been the safety she wanted, and so she’d run to him, not that she’d ever tell him that.
“Christ!”
She was slammed into his chest and two strong arms banded around her as he held her so tight she thought her ribs would crack. It was bliss.
“You stay here, and I’ll go and check your house.”
“No!” Branna grabbed his arms as he released her. “You won’t go there and be hurt. I won’t let you.”
“I’ll be okay, Branna. I’ll be armed.”
“No, I won’t be responsible for you getting hurt. I can’t go through that again.”
