Taz let out a chuckle, but Crystal surprised him by tightening her hand on his thigh, squeezing. Wolf could see Taz’s eyes flicker with heat and his grin fade. Crystal stared up at him, completely submissive, her other hand reaching up to stroke up his other thigh, moving slowly toward Taz’s belt buckle. He stood there, unmoving, allowing her touch.
Wolf watched intently, hating to see this, his stomach turning at the thought of Crystal having to suffer that man’s touch, but knowing in his heart, it was the only chance she had, her sexuality was the only weapon she had left. And if he was being honest, it was a longshot that Taz would let her free, no matter what she did.
Taz took a half step closer to Crystal, and hope soared in Wolf. Maybe, just maybe.
Taz took another slug of the whiskey bottle he still held in his hand. And Wolf said a silent prayer that Taz was just drunk enough to let his guard down.
Wolf hung there, swinging slightly, the rope creaking. He tried to hold himself completely still, wanting to give Crystal what might be her only shot. Not wanting to draw attention to himself for fear the spell Crystal was casting over Taz would be broken. His skin was on fire, searing pain from a half a dozen slashes burning through him, making his muscles tighten and clench. He wanted to close his eyes against the pain, but he couldn’t look away from Crystal, not for a second.
Wolf heard the clink of the buckle opening under her nimble fingers. He watched as Taz lifted his free hand and threaded his fingers through her hair, his fist closing tightly. She fumbled with his zipper, pulling his cock out.
And then Wolf silently swore as Ta
z pulled the knife from the sheath at his hip where he’d jammed it when his cell had gone off, and he tossed it well out of Crystal’s reach. Goddamn, there went possibly her only chance. Wolf didn’t think for a minute she’d be able to overpower him. Taz outweighed her by eighty pounds at least. Eighty pounds of solid muscle.
Crystal took him into her mouth, and began to give him a blowjob. Wolf gritted his teeth at what she was forced to do. As minutes passed, she began working him at an ever increasing pace. It wasn’t long before the whiskey bottle was slipping from his hand, so that he could bury his fingers in her hair, controlling her movements with two fists pulled tight in her tresses. He fucked her mouth, his pace increasing. Finally, he came with a bellowing grunt, staggering a step as the strength drained out of him.
In a flash, Crystal had both hands curled around his waistband, fists wrapped tight around his belt, pulling him off balance and down to the ground at her side. Her right hand grabbed up the discarded liquor bottle, and in an arcing swing, she brought the bottle smashing down on Taz’s head with a loud crack. He went limp instantly, and she began frantically digging through his hip pocket. She came up with the key and undid the padlock to the chain around her ankle. When the chain fell away she was scurrying across the ground in a flash, scrambling for the knife. Then she was staggering to her feet and moving toward Wolf. She reached for the rope strung diagonally and tied off at the tree trunk. She began sawing quickly through its thickness.
Wolf swung slowly as she sawed.
“You did good, baby. But you should run. You’re wasting precious time on me.”
“I’m not leaving you. We’re getting out of this together.”
They heard a groan from across the campsite. Taz stirred.
“Baby, he’s coming around. Please, just save yourself.”
Crystal sawed harder. She was only half way through the rope that was as thick around as her wrist. But it was enough, because a moment later the rope snapped, and Wolf crashed to the ground. He groaned with the pain that shot through him at the impact. Crystal was on him a second later, trying to gather him in her arms, but he could see beyond her that Taz was staggering to his feet.
Wolf stuttered out frantically, “Get his gun, baby. Bring it to me. Hurry.”
It was lying across the campfire on top of Wolf’s cut. Crystal scrambled across the campsite and returned to Wolf with it. He took it from her, grabbing it in his hands which were still tied at the wrists. He lifted his arms, pain searing through his abdomen with the movement, aimed at Taz and fired off three rounds.
Bam. Bam. Bam.
Taz’s body jerked three times and slid to the ground. Then before Wolf could say anything, the world faded to black as he lost consciousness from blood loss.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Wolf! Wolf!” Crystal cried, trying to shake him. “Oh, God, please don’t let him die.” She took the gun, shoved it in her waistband, and then ran to the van. Fumbling with the keys in her shaking hands, she managed to get it started and drive it across the campsite, stopping next to Wolf. Throwing open the cargo doors, she dragged Wolf over and somehow managed to roll his body inside, throwing the long thick rope still tied to him in with him. She jumped behind the wheel and tore out of there. The van bounced as she hit the highway, but when she looked back at Wolf, he was still unmoving.
“Oh, please God, let him live,” she prayed as she tore down the highway. After several tense moments of hearing nothing but the roar of the engine and the tires on the pavement, she turned back to Wolf and yelled at him, “You can’t die on me now, Wolf. Not after all this. Baby, please, talk to me.” He didn’t respond, and she pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor as she sped toward the only place she could think to take him, the Evil Dead’s campsite. It wasn’t too far, and they’d know what to do. They’d help him. If only she could get there, everything would be okay, she told herself over and over. Cole would make everything okay. He’d take care of this. He wouldn’t let Wolf die.
She just had to get there, and everything would be all right.
“You’re going to be okay, Wolf. We’re almost there, baby. Just a little further. Hang on, baby.” She kept talking to him. In her mind, as long as she kept talking to him, he would be okay. “I see it, Wolf. We’re almost there. You’re gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be okay.”
She flew into the camp, brothers scattering out of her way to avoid being rundown. When she came to a lurching halt, half the camp was running toward the van. She stumbled out and ran smack into Red Dog’s arms. She was covered in Wolf’s blood from having dragged him to the van.
“Crystal. Jesus Christ. What happened?” He caught her to him.
“It’s Wolf. Taz almost killed him. Please. You have to get him to the hospital. He’s bleeding so badly. Oh, God. There’s so much blood. You have to help him,” she pleaded brokenly, clutching at Dog’s arms.
“Baby, calm down.”
The other brothers were already scrambling into the van. Crash yanked his shirt off and pressed it to one of the deeper cuts on Wolf’s leg.