I’m stuck somewhere where the car keeps moving if I move. Nobody has any idea that I’m up here except my brother and knowing him he won’t even check to see where the hell I’m at.l
I’m stuck. The car isn’t stable. My wrist is killing me and I’m not sure but it feels like one of my legs is in pretty bad shape.
It’s only a matter of time until the car falls down the mountain with me with it.
Sighing, I lean my head back and close my eyes, fighting to keep my terror under control. The rain pours down, the thunder rolls, my whole body shakes and I grit my teeth, not sure ifanybody will find me before the bad thing that I know is going to happen…finally happens.
CHAPTER 2
Jeremiah
“What the hell are you looking at, Linc? We’re hunting, you dumb dog,” I grumble under my breath.
The beagle howls like an idiot and lunges forward, yanking so hard at the leash that he rips it out of my hands.
And then I have other concerns. Namely, that the idiot dog won’t hold still and leaps up in the air and then springs into the woods and howls and barks like he’s he’s on the trail of a serial killer.
“Dammit, dog! Get the hell back here.” I howl in annoyance, my voice breaking on the last word as I strain what’s left of my vocal cords.
The damage done to them is permanent and easily aggravated. Cold, yelling at a dumb dog. All of it can set off a break and the loss of my voice for an extended period of time.
Just one more thing to thank my military service for. Besides the loss of my buddies.
My heart jolts in my chest as I push the memories down. The trees shiver in the early spring chill. The mountain doesn’t warm up that fast and it’s still early in the year. Still too soon to feel thewarmth in my bones and know that the growing season is here. Renewal.
If only I could have my own renewal. But there’s nothing like that for a man like me. I don’t do soft things. I break soft things.
Just like I broke her.
My heart jolts again and I groan when my dick pulses with hunger. There’s been nobody since I fell in love with Marina. There never will be. My hand is a poor substitute for her pretty face and soft curves.
But that’s all I deserve.
My head jerks up and I pull myself back from lost memories that no longer mean anything. Just a false comfort on a cold, rainy day to lose myself in.
To know that someone loved me. Someone cared.
And I fucked it all up. Because I couldn’t wreck her the way my daily life wrecked me.
The scars itch and burn on my throat and I force my hands to stay still. It’s like they’re trying to tell me something today.
The dog howls like a banshee off to my right and I follow the sound, growling under my breath. I knew I shouldn’t bring him with me. Knew he wouldn’t listen. He’s the worst-trained dog I’ve ever had. But he’s a comfort up here alone. I convinced myself that’s all I need and the dog’s quirks wouldn’t be that big a problem.
Rolling my eyes, I follow the full-throat baying. He’s a problem.
When I pull up at the edge of the road and spot the cloud of debris that’s still hanging in the air, painting my fresh, clean air dark and deadly-looking, I groan under my breath.
“What fresh hell have you found on my doorstep, you monster?”
When I peer over the side of the road, I see the little compact car stuck half-way down the slope of a cliff along the roadside.It’s hanging by the thread of a huge tree that’s fallen partially down and embedded itself into the dirt and debris. The wheels spin listlessly, like a toy hanging in the air.
“Hello down there!” I yell, swearing when my voice breaks again. Nothing moves and my heart lurches into my throat.
Maybe they’ve got out already and they’re somewhere on the mountain making their way to help.
Or maybe they’re dead.
My brain and my body are completely at work. I need to help those people, whoever they are. But the thought of the blood and gore that I might run across when I make my way down there makes my limbs lock in place, my heart thud in terror.
