“Let’s just hope the terrain stays like this. Neither of us are dressed for hiking, but the undergrowth is pretty sparse right now, maybe we’ll get lucky.”
We set off again, and despite my worries over all three men, the warm sunlight filtering through the trees was bliss. Birds sang, and occasionally some small animal scuttled in the bushes trying to get away from us. The walk remained easy, the two of us picking our way around trees and shrubs with no difficulty until I found myself actually enjoying it.
“What are you smiling at?” Heath asked, a small grin of his own plastered to his lips.
I shrugged. “Simple pleasures, I guess. You’re not in a jail cell.”
He slung his arm around my shoulders and tugged me into his side. “No, I am not. You know the best part about that?”
“Seeing the sky? Not having a toilet by your bed?” I wrinkled my nose at the memory of the tiny solitary cell. We’d stolen moments there, because it was all we’d had, but in hindsight, it had been very bleak.
“Seeing you whenever I want to. When I woke up this morning and you weren’t there beside me, I thought for a second I’d dreamt it all.”
I wrapped my arm around his lower back, clutching the fabric of his borrowed T-shirt. “It’s not a dream.”
He pressed his lips to my hair. “I just want you to know that for however long this lasts…”
I pulled away to stare up at him. “You’re not going back.”
He diverted his gaze, looking over to his right and into the trees. “I’ll be glad for whatever time I get with you.”
I didn’t want to think like that. “Can I take you on a date?”
He chuckled at my attempt to change the subject. “A date, huh? Like, we both get dressed up real fancy and go out for cocktails and an expensive dinner before a stroll along the beach?”
“Is that your idea of a perfect date?”
“No,” he admitted. “This is.” He spread his free arm out, gesturing around us.
“Tramping through the woods in inappropriate footwear?”
“Being in nature with a beautiful woman beside me. Finding some special spot where we could put down a blanket and just watch the water trickle down a stream.”
“That does sound nice.” I could imagine it. Another time, another place, where he wasn’t being hunted. We hiked along in silence for a while until the rushing sound of water filled the air around us. “The lake,” I told him. “We mustn’t be far from Rowe’s place then.”
I fished out my phone and checked the map. “Only a mile to go, and we’re pretty close to on track, too.” I raised my hand to slap his palm in a high five. “Told you my shoes would make it.”
I didn’t mention that my feet were killing me and I had a blister the size of the sun.
The last mile felt like it took forever, and it did take a little longer because we stumbled across one of Rowe’s neighbors, though I used the term loosely, because the house was surrounded by woods and still quite a hike away. But we stopped and took the long way around when we heard voices and country music coming from a speaker.
The music faded, and I followed my phone’s directions until we found ourselves in the clearing surrounding Rowe’s cabin. “Well,” I said. “This is it. What do you think?”
Heath stared up at the log walls and the wide wraparound porch before taking in the yard with its firepit and shed. “It’s perfect. And so are you.”
He leaned down and kissed me, tasting slightly of sweat and dirt, but it was an earthy taste that I lapped up because it was him.
“If you two are done making out, you want to tell me where you’ve been all night?”
I pulled away and stared up at Rowe, standing on the front porch. It took a moment for my feet to catch up, but then I was running for the stairs, kicking off my heels to thunder up to the porch, and then launching myself into his arms.
“Oof,” he said quietly, wincing as he caught me. “Go easy.”
I jerked away. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? Show me.” I yanked up his shirt.
He batted my hands away, trying to pull it back down, but not before I’d taken in the full extent of his purple ribs.
Evidently, Heath had seen the extent of it from his spot across the yard. He came storming up the stairs behind me and yanked Rowe’s shirt up once more.
Heath and I both stared at the damage across his torso. It matched the bruises beneath his eye and cheekbone that I’d barely even noticed in my haste to get to him.
“How bad does it hurt?” Heath gritted out.
“Not much,” Rowe lied. “The concussion was the bigger problem. They only just let me out of the hospital. The ribs aren’t even cracked. Just bruised. I’ll be fine.”
I was suddenly glad Liam wasn’t here to see the extent of Rowe’s injuries. He already felt bad enough for what he’d done.
Heath’s and Rowe’s gazes collided, and like always, something hot and heady passed between them. But when Heath put his arms around Rowe and hauled him in for a hug, it was with nothing but tenderness. “I can’t believe you did that for me. You’re a fucking idiot.”
“Yeah, well, I can’t believe you went and got yourself death row. You didn’t give me much choice, did you?”
“I’m tempted to punch you in the ribs right now.”
“Please don’t.”
All three of us chuckled, then froze at a buzzing noise.
“Is that a drone?” Heath asked, ducking beneath the porch roof.
My heart picked up a rapid beat as the three of us scanned the blue sky. There was nothing but the odd cloud and birds coasting leisurely on wind currents, and yet the noise kept coming, getting louder and louder with every moment.
“Fuck, it’s not a drone, it’s a helicopter.” The noise of the engine and the whip of the blades doubled in intensity when the huge mechanical beast with POLICE in huge letters on the side flew into view. I looked around wildly for Heath, but he’d completely disappeared, the bang of the screen door the only indication of where he’d gone.
Rowe and I watched the helicopter fly over without pausing, and both of us let out wobbly breaths when it disappeared and the silence of the woods engulfed us once more.