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  Gunshots fill the air. Before I can make a move, Kelli is pushing past me, Dodge hot on her heels. Her sweet earthy scent surrounds me. Closing my eyes, I take a moment to breathe it in. Dodge pauses to look at me then follows her. More shots. My body finally cooperates, my military training kicking in and I move forward. The scene before me is bad. The handcuffed guy is laying on the ground, blood pooling out from under his head. Paul is still partially lodged beneath the body, struggling to get up. Paul and Ricky are both dressed to go out on the town, not walk through the woods. With their pressed dress pants and expensive loafers, they look more out of place than a virgin in a strip club. Kelli and Dodge are in a standoff with Ricky. He has two guns, one trained on each of them. Kelli has the perfect shooting stance and I know from looking at her, that she can have the perfect kill shot. What I wouldn’t give to be out on a shooting range with her.

  “Listen Ricky,” I say calmly, trying to turn this situation around, “You may kill them, but before you can swing that gun onto me, I’ll get you and your brother,” I say to him. He looks at me, confused for a moment.

  “Ahha, Ranger Calhoun. How have you been?” He laughs at me, as if we’re long lost friends. “Nice day for a hike huh? This man just attacked us. Should I file a report? Self-defense right?” The sarcasm and ego that drips from his voice is abundant.

  “Oh yea Ricky? This handcuffed man attacked you? With what? Why don’t we go talk about this at the station, I’ll see if you have enough of a claim to file charges.” I answer back at him. The evil grin that spreads on his face sends shivers down my spine.

  “Well Sir, I thought he had a gun. I must have been mistaken, but it’s still self-defense.”

  “Mm-hm, and why are we holding officers of the law at gun point then? Why don’t we head into town and chat about this at the station?”

  That quickly wipes the grin off his face. Paul finally gets out from under the man, whom I can only assume is Kelli’s convict, and stands, reaching for his gun. Before he can get there, I squeeze the trigger, popping one in his right arm. He cries out, but Ricky’s doesn’t move his gaze from us. What a cold hearted family. His brother’s just been shot and he doesn’t even flinch. Not like he’s really injured. I just grazed him.

  “Ricky, put the guns down. Now,” I shout out to him. He doesn’t even blink. Bastard. I walk in between Kelli and Dodge, closer to her. Dodge can take care of himself. I’m more worried about her, but if I show that to Ricky, he’ll take advantage and shoot her faster than you can say ‘Oh Shit’. Unwilling to play this game anymore, I peek a glance at Dodge. He winks at me. Crap. I know what’s coming. We’ve been in this position before. Except last time, it was three Marines, not two Rangers and the woman I love.

  Dodge taps his foot, and I quickly leap onto Kelli, knocking her to the ground as Dodge pulls the trigger. Gun fire erupts again, disturbing the peacefulness of the woods around us. I know she was unprepared for what happened, and felt the looseness of her body as we connected. Wrapping my arms around her torso, I pull her to the ground with me, pinning her down. She squirms beneath me and it does nothing more than turn me on. Not that I wasn’t already, but it definitely doesn’t help the situation. A searing pain flares through my bicep, finally registering with my brain. Looking over my shoulder, I see Dodge standing up, and Ricky getting ready to aim again.

  “Run,” Dodge screams out. Shoving to my feet, I yank Kelli up and drag her behind me into the tree line. Ignoring the path we were following, I run, checking to my left to make sure Dodge is still there. I can see him between the trees here and there and take his lead, following him to the North. Branches whip at my face, biting into my skin. As I cross over the path we had been on, I spy my med bag. Shoving Kelli ahead of me, I back track a few steps, grabbing the bag as bullets fly past my head. Staying low, I continue at a jog, slipping between two bent trees and falling into step behind them. About fifteen minutes later, we finally stop, all of us panting.

  “Shit, what the hell was that?” Kelli yells. I signal for her to be quiet as I listen to the surroundings. Birds are fluttering away, meaning we spooked them, but no clumsy Italians underfoot, so we have a minute to breathe.

  “That was the Gessatti brothers. Who was the cuffed guy,” Dodge asks before I can catch my breath.

  “That was my convict. Hopefully they don’t trash his body. I get no fee without a body.” She’s definitely not the innocent, wide eyed beauty I fell in love with. Before me stands a goddess warrior. Her blonde hair blowing in the breeze, cheeks red from running and a stunning body. But what makes her so gorgeous, is the strong willed, kick ass attitude emanating from her. There’s no weak kneed damsel here, waiting for a man to lead the way from danger. She’s right there with her gun in hand.

  “You’ve been shot,” she says to me. I shake my head no to her and look down at my body.

  “Nah, I’m ok.” She steps towards me, her slender hand reaching out to pull at my sleeve. I wince in pain remember what I felt back there. Shit, she’s right. Shot in the arm damn it. My adrenaline must have kicked the pain from my mind so I could run. So what, I’ve been shot, it isn’t the first time and won’t be the last. All I can think of is getting my hands on her. Dodge walks over, pushing on my shoulder, signaling me to sit down.

  “I think we’re ok for now, we need to get you fixed up then find her father.”

  “Come on man, it’s nothing, a scratch,” I say as my body betrays me.

  “Stop acting macho,” Kelli yells at me, “You’re shaking, just sit down and let him help you.”

  Nodding, I plop myself on the ground and hand the med bag over to Dodge. I’ll let her win this battle, it’s not worth fighting. As he pulls items from the bag, I peel off my shirt. Looking up I see something flicker across Kelli’s face. Maybe I have a chance at reconnecting with her. Her eyes are dark and hooded and there’s slight smile on her mouth. I should be focused on this shit storm we’re in, but all I can think of is getting my Kelli back. I’ve wasted too much of my life without her.

  “See something you like Kel?” I ask her, she turns her head away, blushing. I can’t help but laugh. Damn she’s grew up nice.

  Chapter 4

  Kelli

  Turning away from Mitch, I try to wipe the drool from my mouth without anyone noticing. My cheeks burn and I hope he can’t see me blushing. The green button down he is wearing hides a lot. The man has the chiseled body of an Adonis. His shoulders, arms, chest, abs, all of it massive and well defined. He has a stomach you can do your laundry on and it’s covered with tattoos. His left arm and right side are decorated in ink and it just makes me want to jump on his cock right here. I may have a slight weakness for tattoos, and muscles, oh and guns. Yea, I’m not your average woman. He certainly doesn’t look much like the teenager I used to be in love with. Too bad his friend is here. Sex Kel, that’s it, it’s only sex. I say it in my head like a mantra. It’s not love, just a dry libido needing watering. Taking a deep breath, I turn back, and his pale blue eyes are fixed right on me. For real? The man has just been shot and all he can do is stare at me like he wants to eat me. Which, normally, would be absolutely fine with me, except its Mitch. The man who broke my heart. My first love. I’ll never forget that empty feeling, the pain I went through when I realized he didn’t love me. The fact that his brother was right about it, only made it worse. Why him? Why did the rescue team have to include Mitch? I have to remember the pain. That’s the only way I’ll survive this. I can’t let him back in to hurt me again. I made that promise to myself ten years ago. I won’t back down from that. Looking away from him again, I can’t bear to see the bullet wound in his bicep. Blood runs down his skin, and I feel bad that it’s my fault. His arms are like a piece of art and not only is this a man I saw myself marrying when I was young and dumb, but it’s also a law enforcement officer, hurt, because of me. How had I missed the Gessatti connection in Billy Joe’s file? Plus, if there’s crooked Rangers, then maybe that explains how he seeme
d to have gotten away so easily in the first place. This whole thing should have been an easy pick up. Billy Joe’s not even that smart. But the whole thing is turning into a mess.

  “Ok darling, we’re all done here,” I hear Dodge say. Looking back at the two men, they seem so alike. Both attractive, built, strong men who obviously take care of themselves. They are the type that makes women weak in the knees. But Mitch does it for me. When I look at him, my heart flutters and I can’t even remember his partners here. I’m in deep shit. Already I can feel myself falling back into that familiar, comfortable routine with him. I have to fight it, there’s no way I can allow this to happen.

  “Ready to go find your dad?” Mitch asks me. Shit. I can’t believe I even forgot about dad. Nodding my head, I run my hand through my hair. I hope he’s ok. Crap, what if those guys find him before we can make our way back there? This is not good.

  “I have a map here, can you show us where you left him? We’ll figure out a way to get back there quick, hopefully without running into those guys again,” Dodge says, handing me the map. His boyish grin compliments the green eyes and blonde hair he has. Never have I been happier that I deal with potbellied cops instead of these gorgeous Rangers. I mean, is it a requisite that they’re attractive? Do they have to hand in head shots when they fill out the application?

  “Darling? You ok?” Mitch asks me. Snapping out of my thoughts, I kneel down next to the guys, glad that I’m a woman and they can’t see my arousal. Though, the grin Mitch is giving me says he might. Unfolding their map, Dodge shows us about where we are. According to this, we aren’t too far off. We can already hear the water from the creek, and Billy Joe’s campsite was near the water.

  “Ok, this is about where dad is,” I point to a clearing on the surface map. “We can follow the water down and get to him pretty quick. Should only take us about twenty minutes.” The guys look at each other and nod. Mitch slowly puts his shirt back on and though part of me is sad to see it covered again, some part of me is filled with relief. I can tell he tries to hide it, but I know better. I see the flicker of pain that flashes across his face as he shoves his arm in the sleeve.

  Picking up the med bag, Mitch swings it over his shoulder and heads towards the water. Dodge looks back, waiting for me to move, then follows. The two men silently make their way along the water, carefully watching each step, Dodge behind me, Mitch ahead. We come across a particularly slippery part of rocks and Mitch reaches his hand out to help me across. Hesitating for a moment, I suck it up and grab his hand. Instantly an electrical shock flows through my body. My core heating from just that small contact. As soon as I’m across, I yank my hand out of his. Looking into his face, that cocky grin reappears.

  “I won’t bite Kel. Not unless you ask me to.” Ignoring his comment, I continue on.

  “Hold up a sec,” Dodge calls out. He opens the map again. Figuring where we are, he points north. “We should be able to head into the woods due north and come right across the clearing.” Following his lead, my heart races. I’m anxious to get back to my father. A few minutes tramping through the trees and I see the clearing. I begin to run until two arms wrap around my waist, stopping me in my tracks.

  “What are you doing?” I hiss at Mitch.

  “Sugar, I need to make sure it’s safe to rush out there. You need to be patient for a minute.”

  “Patient? My father could be dying. Let’s go.” As we bicker, Dodge creeps out to the opening, scanning the area, his gun in his hand.

  “Does everything look the way you left it?” he whispers over his shoulder to me.

  “With the exception of my convict not being tied to the tree anymore, yes, it does. Can we go now?” Dodge scans one more time then nods, motioning us forward. As we step into the clearing, I take off, running to my father’s side. For fifty, he’s in pretty good shape. We work out four times a week and I’ve seen him run faster than kids half my age. His brown hair makes his face look paler than it is, unless he’s really lost that much blood. Then it’s not good.

  “Dad, hey, we’re here. I brought some Rangers with me. Dad, can you hear me? Do you remember Mitch?” His eyes flutter open as he tries to focus on me. Dodge and Mitch get to work tending to his wound. Mitch tries to push me back, but I sit firm and won’t budge.

  “If you’re not going to move then you need to help. Here, hold this on there for pressure until we have everything ready,” Mitch growls at me. He hands me a clean gauze bandage and I toss aside the dirty tee. Holding the fabric on my fathers’ shoulder, I look down into his face. Still trying to fully open his eyes, he half smiles.

  “Mitch, you broke my girl’s heart. I never thought I’d be able to forgive you, but if you get her out of here alive, I won’t haunt you. I promise. I love you Kel. Always have, and I’m sorry for not being around for so many years. But I’m glad we had this time.”

  “Dad, don’t talk like that. You’re going to be fine. It’s ok. These guys are going t-“ A loud boom cuts me off. The air around us feels electrified. The ground shakes, and the fear must show in my eyes. Mitch reaches towards me, again I pull away.

  “Shit,” Dodge says under his breath.

  “What was that?” I ask.

  “That would be our helicopter exploding,” Mitch says, checking my father’s vitals. How are these two so calm? If our ride home just exploded, what the hell are we going to do? Looking up at the sky, I see the start of a black cloud flowing up above the trees. Smoke, not a good sign.

  “Please tell me you’re joking? How the hell did your helicopter blow up?” I look at both men. Before they can answer, my father gasps, then goes silent again. Lifting my hand, Mitch looks into the wound.

  “He’s lost a lot of blood Kel. If we could get him out of here immediately, he’d be fine, but I don’t know how much we’re going to be able to do right now. And, you know who blew up the copter. Your buddies the Gessatti’s. I mean really Sugar? Didn’t you look into his associates before chasing him into the woods? What if something had happed to you?”

  “Um, hello Mitch, my father was shot. What the hell else can happen that’s worse?”

  “You could be dead,” he says matter of factly. Dodge pulls a sat phone from his pocket. He steps away to make his call.

  “Something did happen to me Mitchell, my father’s been shot. To me that is worse.” Mitch grabs my hand.

  “He’s going to be ok Sugar. Alright? I promise, I’m not going to let him die without a fight. I’m gonna get you out of here safely too. Then you and I need to have a little sit down.” I don’t even know what to say. I’m concerned for my father’s safety, I’m cool under fire. But the thought of sitting and having a talk with Mitch scares the crap out of me.

  “We don’t need to sit down over nothing. The past is just that, the past. Let it go Mitch. There’s nothing left here.”

  “I beg to differ,” he says, then turns back to Jeff.

  Dodge returns and he looks serious.

  “There’s a news traffic copter heading our way after reports of an explosion. Boss is gonna get them to land here, but there’s only room for two. Also, we have a lot of explaining to do to the boss as to why we no longer have a borrowed bird to come home in.” This last comment raises a slight smile on the man’s face.

  “So are they sending anyone else out here? Anyone to help us with these goons?” Mitch asks him.

  “No, there was a bomb threat at the court house so all man power has been diverted there. We’re on our own,” Dodge says, his voice remaining calm, but I can see the worry in his eyes.

  “Shit. Okay Dodge, you go with him, and I’m going to get Kel out of here. Who knows, we may even find her horses along the way.” He gives me that damn grin again. I wish I could just smack it off his face.

  “Why can’t I go with him? He’s my dad.”

  “Because Sugar, you don’t have the medical training to help him on the twenty minute flight to the nearest hospital that has a helipad. These are news people
, not medics. Dodge has to take care of him. Trust him, he’ll keep your dad alive.”

  “Fine, then you go and Dodge can help me out of here.”

  “Sugar, just face it, you’re stuck with me. I’m getting you out of here just like your father asked. Stop arguing and help me get your dad ready for transport. I can hear the copter coming now.” Straining, I faintly hear the noise. He’s got to have some amazing hearing for that. Damn. I can’t help but look into his eyes, once again getting caught and held there. Pulling away, I bend down to kiss my dad.

  “I’ll see you soon, I promise dad. I love you.”

  Chapter 5

  Mitch

  Surprisingly, Kelli lets me hold onto her shoulder as we watch Dodge and her father fly away. She takes a step away from me and I have no clue what to do. What I want is to hold her, kiss her, make her feel better. But she doesn’t seem to want anything to do with me. Maybe trekking through the woods will give me time to get her back on my side, make her remember what we had. For ten years I’ve been dreaming of the day I would have this chance. This isn’t how I dreamed it, but I’ll take what I can get. I’ve been given a second chance with her and I won’t let it slap fate in the face. Only now, I’m up against her worrying about her father. The barriers she puts up around her won’t be hard to climb over. I’ve been on the other side of them before and I can get there again. Over the trees I can still see the black smoke of our copter floating into the air. The burning smell of fuel finally reaching us.