Xavier opened a clear pathway between the three of them. “I don’t think it needs saying, but the Werlins have arrived. Sam also passed word they were seen in Bend a few days ago. Little brother was also more than happy to pass your boss’s info, Chloe. Man, that kid loves to see other people get into trouble.” He sighed.
“Anyway, we have a few options.”
Josh continued for him, and Chloe had a good example of how they acted while under pressure. A seamless team of professionals. Add the danger and meanness flaring from their dark eyes, and she found herself turned on despite her resolve to remain clearheaded. Oh man, I’m such a perv. Maybe I am perfect for them.
“Chloe. Pay attention.” Xavier sent the sharp reprimand.
“Oh right. You’re the hothead.”
Josh grinned.
She poked at Xavier with her mind. “Say all that again. I promise, I’m listening.”
Xavier scowled. He probably wasn’t in the mood to hear it made him look even sexier. She wanted to brush away the hank of hair from his eyes but didn’t.
“We have three options. One, we stay and fight.”
“Too risky.” Josh glanced at Chloe, and she glared back.
“Don’t blame me because you’re scared to fight back.” Xavier rolled his eyes. “So option two is to trek it down the mountain and get help.”
“And three?” she asked.
“We take them on out there, in the snow and woods. Josh and I know this area inside and out. Problem is, you don’t.”
“But I have you to guide me. Let’s go with option three.”
“That was my choice too,” Josh said.
“I figured you’d say that. Okay, Chloe, you stick with me. Josh, you take the southern perimeter. Disable the vehicles.”
“Vehicles?” she asked. “I had to hike it out here. Are you telling me there’s a way to drive up the mountain?”
“Of course. It’s a private way, though, and not many know about it. Do you really think we’d build a cabin carrying lumber in one tree at a time?” Now that she thought about it, that made more sense.
Xavier continued. “Chloe, you and I’ll try to see what we’re dealing with from the north side. Go.”
Josh nodded. Before he left, he kissed Chloe hard. “Don’t get dead, or I’ll be really, really angry. Ask him. I’m not that pleasant.” He slipped away like a ghost.
Xavier nodded. “He’s not pleasant when he’s pissed. True. Now come on.” Then he leaned down, his kiss loving and tender. “I love you too. And I’m not about to lose you to these assholes. Let’s nail ’em.”
“My kind of guy.” She lifted her glove to his cheek, wanting badly but not ready to say the words. She wished she knew what still held her back, but then the urgency of their situation overtook everything.
She followed Xavier’s mental directions without a hitch. They moved through the small tunnel and popped up several feet from the cabin, deep in the woods. The hollow tree stump through which they exited blended into the wood line. She would never have thought to look twice for another way into the cabin.
“Nice camouflage.”
“We try.” He moved with her back toward the cabin, where she could see four men positioned at the front of the building. “Damn. Werlin has more than I’d thought. Otis is the old man, his brothers Clay and Arlo are with him, I’m sure.
Those four I don’t recognize. But their guns don’t lie.” The men wore black and carried small arms. Pistols and what looked like grenades—one exploded in the house.
“Yep. Grenades,” she said.
“Shit. Dad is going to blame me for this. I just know it.”
“How is this your fault?”
“Wait until you meet him. He’s kind of a hard-ass. A lot like Josh.” Chloe didn’t see Josh like that at all. “O-kay.”
“We should have taken them out right away instead of playing house. That’s what my dad will say.” Xavier smiled at her. “But once he takes a good look at you, I think he’ll understand.”
She blushed. “Xavier.”
“Hey. I’m in love. Not my fault I can’t think straight.” He sobered as the bastards threw another grenade inside before the four at the front broke through the door and entered, guns drawn.
“And now it’s gonna get really ugly.” He tugged her down into the snow and covered her with his body.
She would have asked him why, but the sudden detonation answered her question. She glanced up to see wood and brick flying everywhere.
“Josh?” Xavier asked, keeping the communication open for the three of them.
“I see Otis’s brothers at the mouth of the drive. No sign of Otis, but I guarantee he’s out here somewhere. I disabled three SUVs.”
“Four men bit it in the cabin.”
“Figure we have at least another four, maybe more out here. Want me to take out the brothers?”
“Do it.”
Her adrenaline rush demanded action. Xavier must have felt the same, because his eyes were overly bright when he looked at her. “Now it’s our turn. You ready?”
She gave him a look and held up her gun.
“Right. Sorry I asked. Okay, I’m going this way. You go that way. We’ll meet up with Josh and hopefully find the other bastards hiding out, waiting for us.” She nodded, kept her mind open, and circled east, on the lookout for anyone not familiar. She didn’t exactly want to kill anyone, but Chloe had no intention of leaving these bastards able to hurt Josh or Xavier.
She spied the first one wearing dark clothes, a ski mask over his features, and a rifle aimed at the house. She looked but saw no one around the debris by the cabin. “Josh, you okay?”
“Fine. I got one of Otis’s brothers. Now I’m on to Arlo. Keep safe, Chloe.”
The man in black tensed and sighted in on something. Chloe didn’t hesitate.
She shot him twice. Once in the chest, once in the thigh; in case he had body armor, the thigh wound would slow him.
Checking him after he fell, she scooped up his rifle and learned he didn’t, in fact, wear Kevlar.
She continued slowly, looking for more of the enemy.
Xavier signaled. “I found two waiting for me. They’re down. Josh?”
“I can’t find Arlo or Otis. The vehicles aren’t going anywhere, though.”
“Good.”
Tuned in to their conversation, she didn’t notice the man in front of her until he knocked her down. Another body landed on top of her and stripped her gun.
She didn’t call out, didn’t want Xavier or Josh to know she’d been distracted when she should have been paying attention.
The man on top of her narrowed his eyes behind the ski mask and drew back to slam his fist into her face.
“Big mistake. You should have killed me,” she whispered while she reached for the knife tucked into her jeans. She pulled it out and shoved it into him while dodging the fist that would have knocked her out.