Rescued by the Major (Winter Rescue)

11. Anders

11

ANDERS

A rage for the man that hurt her simmers in my belly, but even more powerful than that is the instinct to give Eva what she needs. But she surprises me with her next statement.

“What I was looking for, though, I found it here.” She laughs at my surprise. “I got stuck in the snow and you helped me. You made sure I was warm, and that my feet were warmed up the right way. You fed me, and let me wear your clothes, and you’ve made me happy. So, even if this short time is all you want between us… thank you. Thank you.”

The smile on my face freezes, slipping away, and she sees it.

Before she can apologize, or backtrack, I level my gaze at her. “Eva, I want you to know something. Since you came here, since the night I found you out there in that storm, you’ve changed things for me. You came to this mountain needing something, and honestly, so did I. Except I didn’t know what it was. I thought I wanted to get away from everything. The way people looked at me. The questions they wanted to ask when they saw my face. But now, I know I was waiting for you. So I want to be clear when I say, no, this short time is not all I want. I want a lot more from you. I want all you’re willing to give me. I’ll make you breakfast any time you want, I’ll rub your feet and keep you warm. Anything you need, I’ll find a way to get it for you.”

Now she’s the one who’s stunned.

Her throat works, and my gut clenches with the fear that I’ve said too much. Gone too fast.

Then her pretty lips curve up in a bright smile and happiness hits me full force. This right here is worth every moment that came before.

She leans in and whispers, “I was so afraid I was the only one feeling like this.”

I cross the distance, until there’s barely an inch between our lips, and say back, “Definitely not alone.”

Eva kisses me and I have to swallow a groan at the way she tastes. Strawberry jelly is a flavor that will live in my memory forever because of this moment right now.

“I want you to take me back to bed.” Her words are husky when we separate, her eyes heavy lidded, and I’m nowhere strong enough to turn this chance down. I stand, scooping her up into my arms, and carrying her toward the bedroom.

“What about the food?” she asks, lips against my neck as she nips at the skin there. “We can't just leave it like that.”

“Yes, we absolutely can.” I growl. “Because the only thing I want to eat right now is you.”

Her laughter tells me that was the right answer and once I have her spread out in my bed, naked and reaching for me, I do exactly that.

Eva

We spend the next few hours in his bed, and it’s so freeing to know he's seen all of me. Every bump, wrinkle, dimple, or scar, he’s seen it and still wants me. And there’s no doubt I want him. He’s strong, corded muscle that's hard earned, and I can see the focus that made him excel in the military in the way he looks at me. With anyone else, it might make me uncomfortable, but when it’s Anders, it just makes me feel seen.

He kisses me sweetly on the temple and rolls away, swinging his legs off the bed. When he stands, he stretches, and I drink in the sight of him in the sunlight.

“It’s stopped snowing. I’m going to grab another bunch of firewood.”

He gives me a hot, lingering look, as he walks away, pulling sweatpants up and covering those delicious divots that point down to the part of him that had me screaming his name half an hour ago.

I stretch, arms up over my head, toes pointed, and I relish the delightful soreness I feel in multiple areas. Anders had left his mark on me, inside and out, but in this case, those marks were helping to heal me. And with healing, I started to think about a future. One with Anders in it.

Smiling, I get out of bed, and reach for the sweatshirt Anders left for me, pairing it with my leggings that were cozy and dry once more. I can hear him outside, his heavy tread noticeable on the porch, and I jam my bare feet into my shoes, determined to go outside and help him.

Anders’s voice was a mumble through the heavy wood of the front door, and I grinned, pulling it open as I said, “I don’t care what you say. I’m going to help you with that load.”

I stumble to a stop, as I take in the scene in front of me. Every muscle in my body freezes. A large vehicle idled in front of the cabin, a man I didn’t recognize standing beside the driver’s side. He looked nice, normal. I catalogued a dark beard, a cap on his head that had a pompom on top. It looked like it had been knitted by someone's grandmother, and the lime green and orange combination was unexpected.

But the sight of him isn’t what makes my heart pound so hard my chest hurt and that feeling of suffocation wash over me again. That was due to the other man standing in front of me, feet planted in the snow. I blink, desperately hoping that I’m not really seeing him, that he will be gone when my eyes opened again.

Except he was. Gary was here.

“Evangeline,” he said, his voice carrying easily in the cold. “Finally found you.”

My mouth opens, but I can’t form the words I want to scream at him. This isn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to be safe here.

“Found your girl, did we?” asks the man with the pompom cap, clapping Gary on the shoulder as he points to Anders. “I told him if anyone up here was going to find a stranded tourist, it was you. Had to reassure him the whole way up here.”

I can feel Anders watching me, and as he takes a step closer, Gary chooses that moment to cross the scant distance between where he stands and the porch. “Let’s go, Evangeline. I’ll take you home.”

My ears ring, and I will myself to move, to say something, but Gary’s here, coming toward me, his hand reaching out. The scar on my arm goes white hot, just like that night. At the last moment, I flinch away and the end of his fingers graze the space where I was standing.

“No.” I say, stumbling back as I finally manage to choke out, “You aren’t supposed to come near me.”

Then Anders is there. His wide shoulders block my view of Gary, and I can breathe again.

“You need to leave.” His voice hard, every word firm and distinct. It cuts through the fear swarming me. Because Anders doesn’t have to threaten or even throw a punch. Every inch of him is poised, ready for battle, and I can see his military training simply in the way he stands. A fortress of a man between me and the one who would do me harm. Again.

“What’s going on?” asks the kind man with the green and orange hat. I see the pom on the top as he gets closer, and there’s worry in his voice. “Isn’t she his girl?”

Anders snarls. “Not even close, Mickey. This is the guy that attacked her when she broke up with him. Left her bleeding and alone. Just got out of prison, in fact.”

He recites the facts in a cold voice, derision dripping from every syllable. Before, I always felt such shame when the case was discussed, but hearing his summary of it, relief washes over me. It’s the simple truth. A moment I lived through. I fought and survived. That’s how Anders sees me. And because he sees me that way, I view myself that way too.

I step out from behind Anders, my fingers finding the steady strength of his forearm. Linking my arm with his, I stare at the man who haunted me these past months, and since I heard he was released out of prison early. Who’d made me so afraid of life that I’d run to somewhere remote; to hide myself away and hope he wouldn’t find me.

Gary gapes at me, his eyes dropping to where Anders and I are connected. His mouth curves in a smirk, that scary light I remembered so well sparking in his eyes. I know the words he wants to say before his mouth even opens.

“No, Gary.” I’m impressed by how strong my voice is now, and I let that carry me forward. “You don't get to call me names and try to trash me. I know who I am, what I’ve lived through to this point, and most of all, I know what you are. You’re nothing .”

I spot the man who drove Gary up here on a phone, similar in style to the one Anders has inside. His lips are moving, but I can’t hear his words. I’m too focused on what more I have to say.

“Never come near me again. Never.”

Anders shifts his stance, and Gary flinches back a step. “He won't be coming around anymore. Won’t be tracking your phone. Won’t try to contact you at all. Isn’t that right, Gary?”

I wait, my eyes darting back and forth between the two men, and ice settles in the pit of my stomach. “Tracking my phone?”

“That’s how Max and Livvy knew where you were stranded. I’m guessing Livvy has your permission to access that information.” Anders frowns, his eyes returning to Gary, and I see his fist clench with anger. “But this guy, he didn’t bother with anything like that. Naw, he felt entitled to that information. After all, you belonged to him.”

The fear from earlier has cleared now, replaced by a rising tide of anger. “I never belonged to him.”

Anders smiles down at me, the warmth I’m used to seeing when his gaze meets mine is back. “Oh, I know that, honey. The difference is, now he knows it too.”

Gary turns around, his skin the color of soured milk, and he jerks his head at Mickey. “Take me back to town.”

Mickey shakes his head, that pompom on his head bobbing with the motion. “Not happening. In fact, the sheriff has a vehicle on its way here now. Special order. Just for you.” Then he crosses his arm over his chest, and I’m struck by how big he actually is. Maybe it was the ridiculous winter hat, but he’s a true mountain man.

I see the moment that defeat settles over Gary and all the bravado leaves him. He looks back at me, a plea in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Eva. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You know that, right? It was just an accident.”

I think back to that night, the fury and violence on his face still so clear in my memory. As are the thoughtless, cruel words he said to me leading up to that night. The fact that even after everything that’s gone on, he still thinks he had the right to find me, track me down, come claim me like property he was owed. It’s another moment of clarity.

“No, it wasn’t, Gary. Whether you'll admit it or not, you wanted to hurt me that night.” I take a deep breath and tack on the information I only learned from the attorney who prosecuted him. “Just like the other women you hurt before me. And I’ll say for all of us that we should never have to see you again.”

With that, I spin on my heel, only pausing as Anders squeezes my fingers. He gives me an approving smile and my stomach flips with excitement. I strut back into the cabin and shut the door.

And when I lean back against it, I close my eyes and laugh.

I’m finally… free .