She could sense him getting closer. He ditched the truck and was chasing her on foot. She was scared but her instincts took over despite the bad thoughts forming in her head.
She was being hunted. She had no weapons, no back up, just her legs, her will to live and to get to help in the ranch. But what if everyone was still sleeping? What if she couldn’t get there in time? What if Blaze caught up to her?
Cassidy was running as fast as she could through the trees when she heard Blaze call her name.
“Don’t run, Cass. It will only make your punishment worse. I told you to never leave me.”
She cried out, his voice making her scared, and knowing how determined and resourceful he was made her shake and lose her footing. Her knee scared the dirt and rocks as she descended over the top. The ranch was in sight through the trees. She could make it.
“You’re making this worse. I’ve waited months to find you. I hunted for you everywhere. I even went to New York to try to find you. You’ll pay for lying to me. That bitch friend will die next for lying too.”
“Go away. I don’t want anything to do with you,” she yelled and then continued running.
“I’ll kill you right now, Cassidy. I’ll end it all right now I’m so fucking pissed off at you.”
She heard the gun go off. Felt it whiz by her head and hit the tree directly in front of her.
She screamed and then ducked and continued running but, this time, zigzagging between the trees so it would be more difficult for him to hit her.
He continued to take shots at her. Someone had to have heard those shots.
She was getting so tired. She couldn’t keep up this pace. He was going to catch her. The clearing toward the ranch was straight ahead. She ran forward and could see flashing red lights and men in the distance.
She ran forward and felt the strike to her back, and then she was tackled to the ground. She landed with a hard thump. Blaze’s two hundred plus pounds of muscle and anger left her unable to breathe. The wind was knocked out of her, and then she felt the strikes to her body and her face. She was gasping for air and swinging her fists anywhere she could to buy her time to catch her breath.
“I’m going to kill you, bitch. I told you to never leave me. We’ll die together.”
He held the knife in his hand, and he struck down. She grabbed for his wrists with all her might as she turned her head to the right. He missed her face, hitting her upper shoulder and cutting the skin. She bit his wrist, knowing she couldn’t match his strength with hers.
“Fuck.”
He roared, and she broke the skin, tasted the metallic liquid, and spit. He forearmed her throat and then started banging on her body. He was going to beat her to death. He rose up again, and she heard the shot. She heard the yelling from a distance and then looked through blurry eyes at Blaze’s face. His eyes were wide. Then a bullet struck him right in the forehead, sending him backward and off of her.
She cried out in pain and shock, her body quivering as the pain sank in.
“Cassidy. Oh God, Cassidy.”
It was Memphis and Coast.
/> She cried out, and they consoled her as Gunner, Teddy, and Jim arrived along with Cash and Orlando.
“Just lie still, Cassidy. An ambulance is on the way,” Gunner told her. She moaned and cried and couldn’t move.
“He’s dead, baby. He can’t hurt you anymore. God, you’re all beaten up,” Cash said, kneeling down next to her.
“He cut her. I saw the fucking knife.” Coast wiped the blood from her mouth. “You’re bleeding here too. Is your mouth okay?”
“I bit him,” she said with a shaky voice.
“Which one of you guys shot him?” Teddy asked them.
She looked around her at all the men, and no one took credit for it. Then she heard the truck and Red and Stryker call her name.
“Is she alive?” Stryker asked.
“She’s okay. Someone was able to get a good shot and kill him before he killed Cassidy.”
Red patted Stryker on the shoulder. “I told you you still had it in you, son. I knew you could take that shot at that distance.”