Chapter 30

Cassidy couldn’t believe her long-time friend, her former partner, was behind the attacks all along. At one time, she’d been closer to Colin than anyone. He wasn’t the kind of person to murder people in cold blood. At least she thought she’d known him. How could she have been so fooled? His hatred for her was tangible. The things he’d done to get back at her were unconscionable.

Her heart hurt. Even though they’d grown apart the last few years, she still counted him as one of her closest friends. They’d known each other since they were young. Mason thought that Colin was in love with her, but apparently there was a fine line between love and hate, and he’d definitely crossed over to the dark side. His betrayal would leave a wound that she didn’t think could ever be repaired.

When she’d regained consciousness in the car, waiting for him to return, she’d prayed that he’d only take her and leave everyone else out. Mason would worry, and he’d look for her, but she didn’t want him anywhere near Colin’s evil. Then the door had opened and she heard what sounded like a pipe hitting a brick wall and a pain-filled grunt before the car bounced with added weight. Though she couldn’t see from under the blanket, she knew Mason was in the car with her. She felt his strong presence and she worried about what Colin had done to him. Was he dead? She might eventually get over Colin’s betrayal, but she would never get over the loss of Mason. He was her everything. He was the light in her life, the wind beneath her wings. Her soulmate.

She’d been so overjoyed when he’d spoken softly to her that tears flooded her eyes. He was alive. He would get them out of this and they would go on to lead a long, happy life together. At least she hoped he felt the way she did. She wanted marriage, kids, a dog, the whole nine yards. She knew he was gun-shy from having been married before, but she wouldn’t give up on him. There would never be anyone else for her.

Now, as they stood at the edge of the cliff with Colin holding a gun on them, she didn’t see any way out of this. Colin would kill them both without an ounce of remorse. Would he ever be caught? No one suspected him. He’d play the part of grieving friend and then go on his merry way, knowing he’d killed the person he thought was responsible for all his woes.

When he lifted the hand holding the gun, she knew time had run out. “I love you, Mason.”

“Hold that thought, babe,” he replied with a wink.

The next thing she knew, he’d broken free of the plastic tie around his wrists and tackled Colin to the ground. Colin had managed to pull the trigger and blood had exploded from Mason’s arm. She didn’t have time to react as the bullet passed through him and grazed her, knocking her off balance.

“Mason!”

She stumbled, trying to regain her balance but it was no use. Her feet lost purchase. Then she was falling off the cliff.

A small ledge protruded from the side and she frantically reached for it. The tie binding her hands caught and a searing pain shot through her arm when she was jerked to an abrupt stop. Her knees crashed into the side of the rocks.

Her shoulder was on fire and she didn’t know how long the band would hold her weight. She was afraid to move, not wanting any friction to saw through the plastic.

“Cassidy!” Mason’s beautiful head appeared. Relief tore a sob from her throat. “Hold on, babe, I’ve got you.”

“My shoulder,” she gasped when he reached down to grab hold of her wrists. She cried out in agony.

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. This is going to hurt, but I need to pull you to safety.”

She gritted her teeth and nodded. Mason clamped his palms around her forearms just as the zip tie loosened and then snapped. He lifted her to safety, chanting, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

When her head crested the cliff, she spotted a dazed Colin sitting up and pointing a gun at them. “Mason, look out!”

A loud shot rang out.

#

Mason lost ten—no twenty—years off his life when he saw Cassidy tumble out of sight. He crashed a fist into Colin’s temple, knocking him out, before springing off him and diving for the edge of the cliff. His damaged arm screamed in protest, but he ignored it. He was afraid to look over the side. It would gut him to see Cassidy’s broken, battered body lying on the rocky shore. Instead, he glanced into wide blue eyes, rounded in pain, blinking up at him. She’d managed to grab on to a ledge.

At her cry of pain, he knew her shoulder was probably dislocated, and he hated like hell to hurt her more, but he needed to get her to safety. He fought through tears, knowing he was hurting her, and kept apologizing as he lifted her up. He was just so thankful that she was alive.

She didn’t make a sound as he hauled her up, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Her toughness was just one in a long line of reasons he’d fallen head over heels in love with her. As soon as he had her on solid ground she yelled, “Mason, look out!”

He spun around to see Colin, though dazed, had regained consciousness. He must’ve concealed another gun on him because Mason had tossed the other one away before he ran to Cassidy. He hadn’t had time to check for backup weapons.

He thrust Cassidy behind him and when shots rang out, he flinched, waiting for the searing pain. He prayed the bullets didn’t pass through him and hit her, but the pain didn’t come. Instead, Colin tumbled backwards and crashed to the ground.

Sawyer and Kellan rushed forward, approaching from each side. He wasn’t sure which of his coworkers nailed Colin in the head, and he didn’t care. The man was dead. He couldn’t hurt Cassidy any longer.

He spun around to her, her eyes wide in horror.

“How did they know where to find us?”

“I have a panic button on my watch. I managed to push it when I woke up in the car. They were able to pinpoint our location through GPS.”

She was cradling her arm and he could tell it was definitely dislocated. He wanted to wrap her into his arms, but he needed to take care of the injury first. He’d performed the maneuver dozens of times in the military, but those were big, strong men. Cassidy was delicate and fragile and he’d give his life to never hurt her.

“Cass, honey, I need to pop your arm back in the socket so you aren’t in so much pain.”

She nodded, clearly in shock. “Okay.”

He brushed a kiss on her lips because he needed to taste her as much as he needed his next breath. Then he positioned his hands on her and with one quick move, snapped the arm in place.

She gasped but didn’t cry. As soon as the ball joint was back in the socket, he did what he’d wanted to do since he realized she was lying in the floor of Colin’s car: He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.

“Mason, your arm. You’ve been shot. You need to go to the hospital.”

“Shh. It’s fine, babe. The only thing I need—I’ll ever need—is you.”