Because he had seen how Wade had acted around her?
Because he had seen how frightened she was of Wade?
She didn’t want to think it might be that, even when her heart screamed that it was. Knox was trying to help her with her problem. He had led her to this place and she was sure he had a plan, a way of getting her safely away from Karl and his men. Knox cared about her.
She cursed. If he cared about her, then why the hell had he left while she had been sleeping? Why had he never tried to contact her? Never come to see her?
He looked at her as he turned and leaned against the wall near the window, his blue gaze steady and his air calm, but she could see the agitation in him, knew him well enough to spot that he was on edge around these men.
Or maybe it was being around her that had him so uneasy.
She wanted to ask him the thousand questions that had plagued her in the years since he had walked out on her, but she didn’t want to lower her shield, and asking him would strip her armour from her and leave her exposed and vulnerable.
She forced herself to remain on topic instead. “I’m not sure what could have woken a bear at this time of year.”
Knox grunted and shrugged. “Takes less than you think. Rowdy neighbours maybe? You been making lots of noise?”
“No.” Karl’s expression hardened as Knox slid him a look that called him a liar. “You’re sure you haven’t seen anyone or heard anything?”
Knox pulled a thoughtful face, pursing his lips as he frowned. He shook his head.
“Is there anywhere else our friends might have ended up?” Karl glanced at Wade.
The bastard meant to silently order his man to be ready to take Knox down. She shot to her feet, drawing Wade’s focus to her instead, and froze. What now? Every man was looking at her. Her pulse thundered and she glanced at them all, and then smiled shakily.
“I thought I heard something. Just a bit jittery I guess.” A lame excuse, but the best she could come up with on the spot.
“Nothing out there that’s going to hurt you.” Knox gave her a look that told her nothing in this cabin would hurt her either.
She wasn’t worried about herself. She was worried about him. She kept facing him as she slid a look towards Karl, trying to tell him that the man was up to something.
Knox looked from her to Karl, darkness reigning in his eyes again. He rubbed his jaw, scratching his stubble close to the dimple in his chin. A dimple she distinctly remembered kissing once. It had made Knox smile, and then he had banded his arms around her, lifted her as if she weighed nothing and kissed her breathless.
She felt a little breathless all over again as she remembered the feel of his lips against hers, how intense his kiss had been, spreading warmth through her that had reached right down to her soul and set her on fire for him.
His gaze skimmed over her, darted back as he pulled in a breath. He stared at her, the hunger that surfaced in his gaze heating her, rousing that ache he had always stirred in her whenever he had looked at her like that—as if he wanted to devour her.
She swallowed hard.
Wade moved, stepping into the room, and she glanced at him. She didn’t like the way he scowled at her and then at Knox, and looked as if he was contemplating hitting him or worse.
Knox casually looked across at Wade and stared him down until Wade looked away from him.
Unfortunately, that meant Wade was looking at her again. She kept her eyes locked on Knox, trying to shut Wade out, telling herself that Wade wouldn’t try anything, not while they were in the cabin at least.
“There’s a lodge up the valley, near the glacier.” Knox dropped his hand to his side, his fingers curled into a fist, and then he folded his arms across his chest.
She had the distinct impression he had been contemplating punching Wade.
“There is?” Her eyebrows rose as she stared at Knox.
He nodded. “Private property. I’m not surprised you don’t know about it. People who own it don’t like trespassers. If your friends went up that way, they’re probably dead.”
It didn’t deter Karl. “Do you have a map you can point it out on? I want to check it out.”
“No. Don’t need a map.” Knox tapped his temple. “It’s all up here. I know every inch of this valley.”
Skye didn’t like the way Karl looked at him, as if he was considering trading up, forcing Knox to guide him instead. Knox looked over his wide shoulder at the window.
“Weather is closing in fast. Last chance to get out of Dodge.” His blue gaze slid back to Karl, as cold as the glacier he had mentioned.
“We’ll be on our way then.” Karl signalled to Wade and Cooper.
Relief swept through her and she silently thanked whatever higher power was watching over her as she moved to let Karl pass her. She was glad he had seen sense and they were going back to town.
Time slowed for her as Karl reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun, aiming it right at Knox.
“And you’ll be leading the way to that lodge for me.”
Chapter 12
Knox was like a coiled spring and the moment Karl made the mistake of drawing his weapon, pulling it out into the open, he reacted. He launched forwards faster than the humans could track him and batted the back of his right hand against Karl’s, ripping a bellow from him. Knox caught the gun as it dropped and lunged for Skye’s arm. He snatched hold of her and yanked her forwards with enough force that she yelped.
Knox pulled her to him as he twisted towards the door.
Ducked under the fist Wade swung at him and punched the male hard enough in his side that he heard ribs crack. Wade grunted and began to bend forwards, crumpling. Knox grabbed him and shoved him into the room, hurling him at Cooper and Karl. He didn’t wait to see if Wade took them down.
He pushed Skye in front of him. She stumbled onto the deck and shrieked as a bullet tore through the doorframe just to her right. Godsdammit. More than just Karl had a handgun on him.
Knox saw red.
He growled and released her as he twisted at the waist and squeezed off a few rounds, nailed Cooper in the shoulder but the rest of his shots missed, hitting the doorframe and the log wall of the cabin. Cooper fell backwards but didn’t miss a beat, fired his black pistol again. The bullet whizzed past Knox’s head, dangerously close to hitting him. Too close.
The temptation to deal with the men here and now dissipated in an instant as he spotted Wade drawing another gun from beneath his jacket and sensed Skye growing more distant from him. Getting her to safety took priority.
He fired a few more rounds into the cabin, forcing all the males to duck and take cover, and kicked off as he spun on his heel to face the direction he had been heading before they had shot at Skye.
Only Skye wasn’t there.
His head swung to his left and he growled again as he spotted her running into the woods in the direction she had come to reach the cabin. He caught up with her in a handful of strides and grabbed her arm, tugging her in the opposite direction, towards the glacier.
Knox gripped her hand in his left one and ran with her, weaving through the trees, forcing her to keep up with him. Her loud breaths cut through the thick silence as she struggled to match his pace and he wanted to growl again as he sensed her slowing, as he felt how tired she was and that she was close to stopping.