Cobb’s lips peeled back. “Oh, I’d love to fight it out.”
Daniel chuckled. “As would I. Isobel? Do I have your word you’ll cover Anya?”
“Absolutely.” Isobel pointed toward the handcuffs on the counter. “Just cuff her first.”
Daniel’s body moved against Anya’s, and the knife finally left her throat. The wind burst out of her lungs. Okay. She took several deep breaths. He slapped a cuff around her left wrist and dragged her over to the sofa, where he fastened the other cuff to a ring set into the wall. “The rings will come in handy later,” he said against her ear. “I’ll be quick in killing him. You can always count on me.”
She shuddered.
Isobel strode over to sit on the opposite end of the couch and pointed her gun at Anya’s chest. “Make it speedy, gentlemen. Good luck to you both.”
Cobb shoved his gun into his waistband. Before he had finished, Daniel was on him, propelling him outside in a harsh tackle.
“Makes sense,” Anya said, her mind fuzzing. “Daniel doesn’t feel the cold.”
“None of my boys do,” Isobel said, glancing at a diamond-encrusted watch on her left wrist. “What’s it like to know you’re going to die tonight?” she asked, her eyes gleaming.
Anya glared. “Excuse me?”
“I’m a scientist, dear. Curious about everything. So?” Isobel’s gaze ran over Anya’s body. “Answer me, or I’ll shoot you in the foot.”
Hatred burned hot through Anya. “I’m not planning on dying tonight.”
“Oh. Denial. Interesting.” Isobel lost the smile. “How is my Heath doing?”
“He’s not yours, lady.” Anya measured the distance between them. With her arm extended over the side of the sofa and attached to the wall, her other arm wasn’t long enough to go for the gun. “In fact, none of them are yours. Why are you trying to get them back so badly?”
“My work isn’t finished.” A man’s howl of pain echoed through the storm, and Isobel turned to look toward the open doorway. “I wonder who will win.”
“Maybe they’ll kill each other,” Anya said hopefully.
Isobel turned back toward her with a scowl on her flawless face. “Be polite.”
“All right.” It was now or never. Anya balanced herself on the couch with her good hand and swung as far as the restraints would let her, kicking Isobel in the face. Anya’s foot connected with Isobel’s jaw, and then she brought her ankle down on the gun. It flew to the floor, spinning around and around.
Isobel screamed and leaped for the weapon.
Anya kicked her again, sending the woman crashing over the other side of the couch. Grunting, Anya dropped to the floor and reached for the gun. Her shoulder protested, but she ignored the pain. Her fingers closed over the weapon, and she drew back just as Isobel jumped for her.
Anya fired.
The bullet hit the doctor in the shoulder, and she fell toward the fireplace. Oh God. Anya pointed the gun at the cuff and turned her head before pulling the trigger.
The bullet hit metal with a sharp ping, and she fell away from the wall.
“What the hell?” Sheriff Cobb’s big body blocked the doorway.
Almost sobbing, Anya pointed the gun and started shooting.
He bellowed and jumped out of the way as Daniel did the same.
Anya kept shooting and ran full bore for the doorway, clearing it and leaping from the porch. She partially turned and fired at both men, who stood on the porch and then ducked out of the way.
Her aching feet slapped ice and snow, but she turned and ran as hard as she could for the trees.
“Isobel!” She heard Sheriff Cobb yell, his boots stomping across the porch.
“Anya, wait!” Daniel bellowed.
Anya took a sharp left and then a right while the storm battled her. Somebody crashed through the forest behind her. She fought against snowy bushes, her movements panicked. She had to get out of there.
Daniel was coming.
Her feet froze, and her toes cracked. She halted, looking around. Where was the lake? She had to get back to the lake. The sound of water smashing into shore competed with the storm.
Too much sound swirled around her. She could no longer hear him coming. God. Where was he?
She turned toward the sound of the lake and barreled around a pine tree—right into strong male arms. Bouncing off a hard chest, she opened her mouth and shrieked.
CHAPTER
42
Heath grabbed on to Anya’s arms before she could fall.
Her eyes widened. “Heath?” Sobbing, she rushed back into his arms.
In that second, his entire world settled. He breathed out. Snow and sleet pelted all around them, and the wind whipped the world into a frenzy. Yet he wanted to shout for joy. He’d had to circle around to catch her before Daniel did, but now he had her, and he was never letting go. His hands shook, and he probably held her too tightly. She was so fucking small. Her strawberry-like smell soothed him, and he calmed down. The snow reflected around them, and he could see her clearly. “Are you all right?”
She lifted her head, tears sliding down her pale face. Her eyes were a tumultuous green, and her pupils were wide open. Fright and shock filled her face. Even her lips were blue. “I shot Isobel Madison.”
“I know.” He hurried out of his coat and put it around her, helping her into the sleeves. He had to get her warm, and now. “I was outside getting ready to come in, and all hell broke loose. We have to run, baby.” There wasn’t time to take off his boots and give her his socks. So he lifted her up. She felt like a block of ice. “Hold on.”
A force plowed into his shoulders, and he went flying. At the last second, he turned in the air and tucked his body around Anya’s. He landed on his back and slid several feet, his head thunking against the rough trunk of a tree. Branches swayed and dropped snow and ice on him. He coughed. Pain attacked his eyeballs, and his stomach roiled.
Anya scrambled off him, a gun in her hand. Snow scattered from her. “Stop,” she said, using both hands and settling her stance.
Heath shook off dizziness and stood, swaying. Pain still filled his body from the bombing earlier, and he had to concentrate to force it away. To not feel his nerves. The figure moving toward them was a haze and then took shape. “You must be Daniel.”
The man strode through the trees, seemingly not bothered by the cold. His nose looked broken, and lacerations covered his jaw from his brief fight with Cobb. Heath had almost lost his lunch when he’d seen Cobb walk out of the cabin. Then the two men had started fighting, so he’d angled around to the kitchen window, planning to get inside for Anya, his nightmares doubling when he’d seen Isobel Madison again. Then Anya had shot her and run out the front door.
Daniel kept coming. His smile revealed bloodstained teeth. “You’re mine, Anya. Time to go.” His deep voice cut through the storm.
Anya paused for a second, her hair blowing wildly. “Fuck you, asshole,” she yelled, pulling the trigger.
Nothing happened. Ah shit.
Daniel grinned. “I counted the shots. You’re out.”
She shook the gun out and then tried again. Panic spread over her wet face, and she gave a slight whimper.
The sound centered Heath. He had to concentrate and do this right. Anya was all that mattered. He reached for his gun in the back of his waist. “I have bull—”
Daniel leaped for him in a fast tackle, hitting Heath in the gut and sending them both crashing through trees. Fuck. Heath had forgotten other people could move as fast as he could.
His shoulders hit the ground first, followed by the rest of him. His gun went spinning through the snow and into a bunch of dead bushes, and his vertebrae compressed and then relaxed. He stopped breathing for a minute.
Daniel smiled. “Anya is mine.”
Heath lost it. He clapped both hands to Daniel’s ears and manacled his leg around Daniel’s neck. Daniel punched Heath in the throat. Heath moved his neck enough to keep it from getti
ng broken, but agony still rushed down his spine.
Daniel back-flipped off him, sliding in the snow and then gaining his balance. He shook out his hands, anticipation lighting his face.
Heath stood and wiped blood off his temple. Then he launched into motion, reaching the asshole and plowing a fist into his cheekbone. Daniel’s head jerked back, and he retaliated with a front kick to the gut. Heath bent over, pivoted, and shot a side kick up into Daniel’s jaw. All the hours of worrying, and all the pain the bastard had caused. “I’ll kill you.”
Daniel laughed, the sound high-pitched through the wind. “That’s my job.” He attacked with a series of punch-kick combinations that had Heath seeing stars and spitting blood. Everything from his jaw to his knees protested and wanted to give out. Pain centered in his gut and spread in every direction.
“Heath!” Anya screamed.
Anya. Heath shoved the pain away like he’d learned to do as a child at the boys home. No pain. Just think. Yeah. Ryker had taught him that.
Heath set his stance and focused. “Let’s do this, dickhead.”
Daniel smiled and whipped a double-edged blade from his ankle. “You’ve got it. When I’m done with you, I’m taking my time with Anya.”
A helicopter rose high into the air, lights blinking through the murk. It turned and sped quickly away, over the lake and surrounding mountains.
Heath snorted. “Your ride just left.”
Daniel angled to the side, the knife in his right hand and pointed for a fast strike. “Wasn’t my ride. I’m sure the good sheriff is getting Isobel to a doctor.” He cut a look to the side at Anya. “You shot her, and you will pay for that.”
“I hope she dies,” Anya spat, edging behind Heath.
Daniel shook his head, and snow went flying. “It was a shoulder shot. She’ll live, but she isn’t going to appreciate the scar. I assume she’ll take it out on your brothers when I fetch them for her, Heath.”
“Not me?” Heath asked, watching the smooth movements of the man and waiting for an opening.
“You’re going to be dead,” Daniel said easily. “But I do like giving people a choice. Leave right now, and I won’t kill you. Anya and I have a date to finish.”
The man was crazy-town. “I’ll pass,” Heath said, stepping closer.
Daniel held the knife like he knew how to use it. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he said.
Heath angled more to the side to protect Anya. There was only one way this could go, so he settled into a mental place of action and no thought. It was too late to consider alternatives here. “I had a nice talk with Cinnamon while we were looking for you,” he said conversationally.
Daniel stilled. “Excuse me?”
“The whore who trained you? I tracked her down.” Heath set his stance. Good thing Shane had told him everything.
Daniel’s voice hitched. “You did not.”
“Sure, I did. She’s living back East, still screwing for money. She told me you could rarely get it up, and she’d have to slap you around to turn you on.” Heath made up the lie on the spot.
“That’s not true,” Daniel spat.
Heath eyed the man’s legs. He could take out Daniel’s knees. But the knife was key. He had to get that fucking knife. “Sure, it is. When I told her you were the Copper Killer, she laughed her ass off. Said you probably had to tie them up to get them interested in you. Also said you have a small dick.”
“You bastard!” Daniel roared, running with the knife.
Heath pivoted, shot an elbow into Daniel’s broken nose, and smoothly took the knife. Flipping it around in his hand, he kicked Daniel in the back of the knee. Daniel dropped, partially turning. Grabbing his hair, Heath sliced the knife across his neck, cutting as deeply as he could.
Blood arced as Daniel gurgled. His arms dropped to his sides. He pitched forward, his head hit the snow, and his feet flopped back. The snow all around him turned a deep red.
“Heath!” Anya rushed into his arms, tears falling down her face.
He dropped the knife and held her with one arm, tucking her close. “It’s okay, baby,” he whispered into her wet hair. “You’re all right.” Slowly, he moved her away so he could see her face. “How hurt are you?” He had to know. “Whatever it is, whatever you went through, we’ll fix it together. I’ll help you. I promise.” The words rolled from his tongue and came from his heart.
She shuddered. “I’m fine.” Her eyes darkened as she looked at the dead man. “In fact, I think I hurt him more than he hurt me.” Her lips trembled as she almost smiled. “Broke his nose, you know.”
“I saw his nose—didn’t know you’d done it, though.” Heath held her to him again, not liking her trembling. “You did good.”
She sniffled against his chest, her body moving from trembling to full-on shaking. “I may have a nightmare or two later on, though.”
“Me too.” Heath picked her up, and the snow tried to fight him. They’d comfort each other in the nights to come.
She settled and pressed her freezing face to his neck. “What now?”
“I’ll get you to the cabin and warm. Then I need to bring Daniel here to his truck, where hopefully he has the Copper Killer stuff he used.”
She looked up at the sky. “What about Cobb and Madison? Shouldn’t we get out of here?”
“We will. We’re safe from them, considering you shot Madison.” His heart swelled. His woman was quite amazing, now, wasn’t she? “I’m so proud of you, by the way. You really are a badass, you know?”
She kissed his neck. “We can talk later. Let’s get out of the storm now.”
“Good plan.” He turned and started slogging back toward the cabin. He had a lot to do. “I promise I’ll get us out of this, sweetheart.” They reached the cabin in record time, and he put her right next to the fire. “Stay here and get warm. I’ll go fetch Daniel’s body.”
She nodded, her face contorting in pain from the sudden warmth.
His chest ached, and he pulled Denver’s phone from his back pocket to quickly dial.
“What?” Detective Malloy snapped.
“Malloy, it’s Heath. How’s my brother?”
“Where are you, dickhead?” Malloy roared. “I’m going to arrest you for sure.”
Heath winced. “Seriously. Denver?”
“He’s fine. Doc patched him up again, and then guess what? He and your other brother disappeared. Gone. Cleared out of the blue house within minutes.” Malloy’s voice rose even higher. “You’re on your own. I can’t keep the FBI off you now.”
Heath rubbed his pounding jaw. “Sure you can. Congratulations. You just caught the Copper Killer. Call Special Agent Reese and share the collar with him.” After giving directions to the cabin, Heath clicked off. He couldn’t help but place a gentle kiss on Anya’s forehead. “Warm up, sweetheart, and I’ll be right back. Then we’re gonna talk.”
CHAPTER
43
Anya looked out at the expanse of Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho, her feet up on a hand-carved coffee table and her butt cupped by a plush sofa. After a good night’s sleep, she wanted to keep on relaxing without any deep thoughts or concerns. Being with Heath felt right, but everything had been so emotional and scary, she didn’t truly know where they stood. Well, she knew how she felt, but what about him?
If he still wanted to keep her at arm’s length while he confronted his past, he was in for a fight. She’d fight for him and this life. After she relaxed for a day, for goodness’ sake.
Though she was no longer the scared girl hiding her feelings and keeping people away. She wanted a family, and she wanted Heath Jones. Patience was her friend, and she’d take her time if he didn’t see things her way. They would end up together. She needed him, and she was fairly certain he needed her, too. Period.
Heath strode in from the kitchen, gripping two steaming mugs. He handed one over. “How are your feet?”
“Better.” She took the fragrant coffee and wiggled her to
es in the thick socks. No frostbite for her. Although her entire body was sore from the last few days. “How many safe houses do you own, anyway?”
He took a drink of coffee and looked at the lake. “Just this one and one in South Dakota. We rent the rest only when we need them.” He winced. “We’ve needed them a lot lately, and I don’t see that changing for a while. We’re always on the move.”
She sighed. “Where is everyone?”
“Denver is sleeping and recovering from the last set of stitches, and Ryker took Zara for a hike around the lake.” Heath sat next to her and stretched out his legs.
“Is Denver going to be all right?” She glanced at the clock. He was due another antibiotic in an hour.
“Yeah, he’s tough. Sleep will help him more than anything else. Speaking of which, are you sure you don’t want to take a nap?”
“I slept all night, Heath.” After meeting Detective Malloy and handing over the body, they’d driven to this comfortable house and fallen into bed. Zara had cooked a delicious breakfast, and here they were. She’d told him about her conversation with Isobel Madison, and he’d been stoic the whole time. “Are you all right about your mother’s killer being dead?”
He breathed out. “Yeah, although I wanted to kill him. I believe she told you the truth, but when I find her, I want the guy’s real name, and I want to see his grave. I only knew him as Spyder. Asshole.”
She nodded. “Sorry your soldier dad probably passed on, if she was to be believed.”
“She had no reason to lie this time.” He shrugged. “I made my own family, and I’m happy. It’s time to forget that part of my past and move on.”
Sounded like a good plan. “Have you heard from Malloy?”
“Yeah.” Heath settled an arm around her and tugged her against his hard body. “With the evidence found in Daniel’s truck—mainly burlap, tape, and pictures of other redheads—the FBI has agreed that he was the Copper Killer. Carl’s watch was found as well, so the FBI figured out that Daniel set me up with the fake ID at the crime scene. They’re pinning it all on Daniel, rightfully, and they all look like heroes. The FBI has stopped their search for me.”