“That turbulence I was telling you about,” Mike called back. “Get those seatbelts on.”

  I could see he was fiddling with several of the instruments, moving from one to the other in rapid succession. The plane swerved to the right, hit with a wind shear, the fall in altitude forcing my ears to pop and my stomach to lurch.

  “Shit. Shit. Shit,” she whispered, shaking as she reengaged the belt.

  “Just take it easy. Mike is an experienced pilot. Remember?” I offered, as if I have freaking idea about his qualifications. Snow and ice were pelting the windows, the pings loud enough I could hear them over the roar of the engine.

  Or maybe it was just my imagination. Either way, visibility had been all but shut down.

  She took several deep breaths, glancing from one side of the plane to the other. “I hate flights. Planes. All of it. Look at this. Oh, Jesus.”

  I had to smile hearing her words. “We’re in the same boat, sweetheart, but you need to relax.” I knew she was ready to retort, but the loud popping off to my right dragged our attention back to reality.

  “Shit!” Mike yelled. “You guys make certain and stay locked down. We just lost an engine.”

  “No. No!” she cried, huddling in her seat.

  The plane lost another two thousand feet if not more of altitude, enough that the plane jerked, anything that hadn’t been locked down tumbling forward. I struggled to see anything out the side windows. Everything was a white blur. Then a small break in the distance. Mountains. “Where are we?”

  “Coming into Montana.” Mike’s voice no longer held the same confidence he had before.

  “Why did we lose the engine?” I snarled, now trying desperately to jerk out of my seat.

  “Happens sometimes,” Mike answered. “As long as we don’t lose the other one, we could make it.”

  “Could? Are you out of your fucking mind?” Harper jerked at her seatbelt, trying desperately to get free.

  “Harper. Listen to me,” I managed just as the plane took another fall, the rumble under us unlike anything I’d ever experienced. “Don’t do that. Harper. Look at me. Now!”

  Still shaking, she did as she was told, her fingers dancing over the seatbelt. “What? What is...” Her words died off, her voice sounding more like a frightened little girl.

  “We’re going to be okay. Try and relax.” I’d been in enough small planes during my stint in the military to know when an engine was ready to go.

  “Hey, folks, looks like I’m going to have to try an emergency landing.” Now Mike sounded like some fucking sheepdog.

  I was pissed, wanting nothing more than to wrap my hands around his throat, but I wasn’t going to get that chance.

  As the plane took a dive, Mike desperately trying to pull back on the controls, I turned my attention back to Harper.

  “Keep your eyes on me. Breathe for me. When I tell you, put your head between your knees. Do you understand me?” I tried desperately to keep my voice as calm as possible.

  “Uh-huh.” All color had drained from her face.

  I knew Mike had cut back on the speed, dropping us in altitude as fast as he could as the engine sputtered.

  Then there was nothing.

  We were in a free fall.

  “Brace yourselves!” Mike screamed.

  “Harper. Do it. Do. It. Now!”

  Then there was only the screeching of metal.

  Chapter Five

  Harper

  Cold. I was bitterly cold, unable to feel my arms or legs. I could hear some kind of a noise. Wind. No, there was something else. Dripping. Yeah, a dripping sound. So comforting. I kept my eyes closed, trying to snuggle in, but all I could feel was a dull ache. Breathing was difficult. What was...

  My eyes snapped open as the realization of what had occurred settled in. Oh. Oh. Oh! I was able to move my head even though the pain was blinding, thudding right behind my eyes. A nasty smell assaulted my nostrils. Fuck. Gasoline.

  I began to fight, realizing that I was hanging upside down in the plane. Oh, God. Oh, God. Think and breathe. You can do this. The whispered words in my mind didn’t do a damn bit of good. The plane had crashed and I was lucky to be alive.

  Lucky.

  God, I hated the word.

  The wind howled, sliding in through a portion of the plane. After struggling for a full minute, I realized that the entire front of the plane had been sheared off. There was no cockpit. No Mike. And... Wincing, I was able to turn my head toward where I believed Stone’s seat should be. Was that blood?

  While the seat itself seemed intact, there was no prisoner, dead or otherwise hanging by the seatbelt. I knew I had to get out of here. What the hell? Where was he? Where did we land? I whimpered, the terror finally settling in, my fingers nonfunctional as I attempted to claw my way out of the restraint. “No. No!” I was exhausted from the effort, the frigid air not allowing my lungs to expand.

  What was that sound? I bit back a scream as I heard clanging, the stench of gasoline increasing significantly. Was the plane going to explode? I finally let out a hysterical scream, still fighting, still losing the battle to free myself.

  The thumping sound added to the terror, my mind reeling from the possibilities. Then a hooded person.

  “Help... me...”

  The person moved forward, reaching up and easily undoing the belt, catching me as I fell. “You’re okay. You’re alive. For now.”

  “Stone. What the hell?” I could easily see he was no longer in the shackles. I took a full breath, wincing as the putrid smell assaulted my senses.

  He held me close, too close against his chest. I pushed as hard as I could, trying to break the connection.

  “Hold on, sweetheart. Don’t use so much energy,” he instructed as he eased me to the floor.

  I stumbled trying to get away from him, but he caught my arm, keeping me upright. “What happened?”

  “Lost the second engine and I doubt the instruments were working properly. We’re alive,” he said gruffly, surveying the wreckage. “But we need to get the fuck out of here.”

  “We can’t leave Mike.”

  He lifted an eyebrow as he pulled my coat tighter around me, searching my pockets. “Gloves. Where the hell are your gloves?”

  I was shaking like a leaf as I attempted to find them. “But Mike. Where is he? Maybe he knows what to do.”

  “Listen to me, Harper. Mike is gone as in permanently. The front part of the plane was torn away, and there’s no way he could have survived.”

  “What? What?”

  He gave me a stern look then shoved my hands into the gloves. “We don’t time for this. Just listen to me. The storm is letting up some but we’re going to have to hike it from here.”

  “And go where exactly?”

  “That I don’t know, but we can’t stay around the plane. The gas tank is leaking. One spark and it all blows. Grab what you can. Shove whatever drinks were in the cooler in your bag. They may come in handy.”

  Yeah, if we didn’t freeze to death.

  “How did you get out of the handcuffs?” I had to ask.

  Stone lifted a single eyebrow, leaning in close until I was able to feel the chill of his breath cascading over me. “I already told you, sweetheart. Never underestimate me.” He grinned as he backed away, yanking one of the satchels I’d brought with me. “Get going.”

  I shuddered, willing myself to react as the dripping sound increased. Everything seemed to be a blur as I grabbed what I could, shoving water and Cokes, even a bottle of whiskey into my bag. I was unable to stop shaking as I moved toward the gaping hole that had once been the front of the plane. My imagination dragged me straight into the pits of hell. How could this have happened?

  Stone was right there, waiting to help me jump out and the first glance at the area around us was both breathtaking and terrifying. We were in the mountains and in the middle of nowhere. There was no evidence of anything other than wilderness, trees surrounding us on all sides, several of the tops sheared off from where we’d landed. I slung the bag over my shoulder, bracing myself against the chilling wind as he led me several difficult steps away from the twisted metal and steel.

  Looking back was just as terrifying as experiencing the ordeal. I had no idea how the two of us had survived. I was already feeling guilty, finding it difficult to comprehend what had occurred. All around us was nothing but ice-covered trees and snow, the wind creating an almost whiteout feel.

  “We’re going to die,” I said, shivering as Stone continued to pull me along.

  “We will if we stay here. Just before the plane went down, I thought I saw something. We’re headed in that direction.”

  Whether or not he was simply saying the words to try to instill confidence honestly didn’t matter. I wanted to live. I adored life, well, mostly. The fresh start I’d received had pulled me out of the depths of despair, dragging me back onto the right path. Karma wasn’t going to derail me.

  Not now.

  Not ever.

  And so we walked, lumbering through well over a foot of snow, barely moving ten feet every few minutes. I lost track of time, had no sensations in my feet or legs whatsoever, but Stone refused to allow any rest.

  Until I collapsed.

  I was vaguely aware of the snow hitting my face, the softness inviting, luring me into just letting go. Everything in my body seemed to be shutting down, incapable of feeling the cold any longer. I was so tired, my joints and muscles thankfully numb. Then the softness was taken away, replaced by limited warmth and one hard body.

  I had no strength to fight him, had no idea what he was doing but as the light began to fade from my eyes, I could swear he was telling me everything was going to be all right.

  * * *

  “Harper. Can you hear me?”

  I was floating, the most beautiful images rushing by, one after the other. Flowers and the ocean, faces of friends and family. So vibrant. So intense. “Mmm...”

  “Harper, I need you to wake up now.”

  The voice was so deep, so sensual. I shifted, stretching until the world around me became suffocating. “What is...”

  “No!” The scream settled into my lungs after rushing past my lips. Anger unlike anything I’d ever known swept through me, catapulting me into the kind of pain that became sheer blinding torture. “Why? Why?” I held my blood-covered hands into the air, lifting my head toward the heavens. There was no answer, only lies.

  She’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time, this innocent and beautiful girl who’d only wanted to get the hell away from a monster.

  And I’d allowed her to be murdered.

  There would be no solace for the broken girl, the one who’d just lost everything that meant anything to her. There was only one thing on my mind—revenge. I would have it one day. I would wait until the right moment, but I would hunt him down and kill him.

  “Harper. Jesus. Wake up.”

  I barely managed to open my eyes, the wretched images fading away, replaced with the deep blue of the ocean staring back at me. So concerned. Caring. “What... happened?”

  “You were having a nightmare. Effects of the near frostbite. We need to get you warm.”

  I tried to piece together what I was seeing, everything in my mind foggy. I could still see her face, the terror as well as the belief she would be saved, but there was more. Warmth. I could feel some kind of warmth. “Where...” Who was this man? My savior? No, I knew him. The stubble covering his chiseled face, the angular cut of his jaw.

  The man hovered over me, shaking his head. “Just rest.”

  “Not until you... tell me.” My voice was almost nonexistent, a husky whisper.

  “I found a cabin in the woods. We’re safe here for now.”

  All the pieces were starting to fall into place. The capture. The plane ride. The crash. The criminal who’d... I whimpered, yanking at whatever was covering me. Then I realized that my clothes had been removed. No. No! “What did you do?” I tried desperately to crawl away from him, my limbs refusing to work as they should. I was still so cold, my teeth chattering. A flicker of movement caught my eye.

  I was alone with the monster. The horrible criminal.

  The man who saved your life.

  I was sick to my stomach as the entire situation reverberated through my fuzzy mind.

  “I carried you about two miles until I found this place. We’re lucky. We wouldn’t have made it through the night.”

  “Snow,” I managed.

  “Over three feet. Hard to tell with the wind drifts,” he answered, his eyes studying me.

  “How...” I shifted, glancing at the perimeter, my eyes finally able to focus. The cabin was beautiful, wooden beams crisscrossing the ceiling, an ornate staircase leading to a second floor. While sheets still covered the majority of furniture, it appeared that Stone had pulled the material from a leather couch and coffee table. I tried to imagine who owned the beautiful home, the interior exactly like I’d always wanted.

  “Had to break in. I don’t think the owners have been here for a while. Probably a summer cabin. I took a look around while you were out cold. We have enough wood to last us for a couple weeks if necessary. There’s some food at least. Coffee. I brought you some brandy. I thought it would help.” He moved toward the coffee table, grabbing a glass.

  “You’re planning on us staying here for weeks?” He had to be out of his mind.

  His look was long and hard, his eyes turning cold. He took a swig from the second glass before heading back in my direction. “The same situation applies as before you poisoned me. I’m now in control and you’re my prisoner. We will stay here until I figure out a plan. And there will be rules.”

  “Rules? Are you out of your mind? I’m not following any rules.” A rush of the very blatant memories in the bathtub was almost too much. I’d actually enjoyed his mouth taking me to the kind of pleasure I’d only had once before. I hissed inwardly, more ashamed than ever that I’d allowed the man to find a trap door to my soul. I’d even agreed to obey him. Fuck. There was no way I could even tolerate the concept.

  “Oh, yes, you will, Ms. Rollins. You will do exactly as I tell you no matter my command. Everything has now changed; however, that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to follow my instructions to the letter.”

  His husky voice sent a series of shivers dancing down my spine, a reminder that he was on the edge, facing life in prison. He had nothing to lose.

  “Do you hear me?” he asked, the snarl I’d come to know appearing on his lip.

  “Fine.”

  He took a deep breath, studying me before hunkering down. “I won’t hesitate to punish you severely and often if necessary.”

  The crash hadn’t changed anything. Jesus. This was the true nightmare.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  Stone exhaled before answering me, his expression one of annoyance. “To keep you alive. Would you have preferred I left you out there?”

  “I... Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “Then you need to thank me for rescuing you.”

  The audacity of this man, this fucking asshole was off the chain, but I was in no position to argue. He had saved my life.

  Twice.

  “Thank you for bringing me here and for keeping me alive.”

  I could tell he was weighing if there was an ounce of sincerity. “And you’re going to obey me?”

  I knew what he was asking really wasn’t a question. He expected my full cooperation, including submitting to his particular needs, no matter how dark or perverse. “Yes, I’ll obey you.”

  “Better.”

  I swallowed as he crept closer, holding out the glass. I was still shaking, unable to feel my toes, but the warm glow of the room was mesmerizing, easing some of the anxiety. I’d go along with his requirements for now. Whatever else would come I’d need my strength for.

  “First, we need to get you warm. Come on, take it. This will help relax you. Just stay by the fire. I’m going to see if there are any other clothes for either one of us. Everything you brought is soaking wet.” His tone was softer, albeit just as dominating.

  A fire. A burning, blazing and beautiful fire. The scent finally wafted across my nose, amazing in the pine and woody fragrance. The sight of it was the most incredible thing I’d seen in such a long time. I fought to ease into a sitting position and even though he reached out, he allowed me to accomplish the task.

  As the blanket began to fall, hunger filled his eyes, his nostrils flaring. I jerked at the soft material. He’d even removed my bra. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing any distress. “You’re like Jekyll and Hyde.”

  “I’m many things, sweetheart, including a killer. That isn’t a lie. Just something for you to keep in mind.”

  “Do you want me to hate you? Is that why you’re such an A-hole?”

  He leaned in until his lips were far too close to mine, dragging his tongue back and forth. “Hate me. Despise me. That’s fine, but you will obey me.”

  I wanted to defy him in every manner. He confused the fuck out of me. Why save my life, carrying me through a damn snowstorm to treat me like his property? Why save me from wolves instead of allowing them to rip me apart?

  Because that’s what he’s really made of.

  A good man forced into a horrific situation.

  I was beginning to realize that I’d ignored my instincts from day one, only seeing the fifty grand instead of the man behind the series of supposed crimes. What little Stone had told me certainly added fuel to the fire.

  What I knew about the man from before had given me pause.

  There was a cover-up of some kind. However, that didn’t negate the fact that he’d admitted to doing some terrible deeds while being under the influence of the Red Devils.

  I knew about undercover work, the challenge of keeping your sanity while working with some of the vilest, most ruthless creatures on the planet. Some lost their battle to madness after returning, others to alcohol. And there were the stories of completely turning traitor, giving up careers and family for a sick and violent way of life. Maybe he was too far gone, unredeemable.

  The hairs on the back of my neck told me otherwise.