Damn if he didn’t enjoy her more and more each time they coupled. And damn if he wasn’t building to an explosive climax as always. And one final damn if he didn’t lov—
He burst in a blinding climax as she wrapped her legs more tightly around him forcing him to plunge even deeper as she tightened around him. He shuddered as his climax ended and he pulled out of her so quickly that her body startled and her eyes grew wide.
He didn’t say a word to her. He adjusted his leggings and stormed out of the cottage leaving her staring after him.
Chapter Thirty-four
Dawn was bewildered. What had she done wrong? Cree had been as eager as she had been to make love. So why had he stormed out of the cottage so quickly when they had barely finished. If he had remained inside her just a moment longer she would have reached a second climax.
She grew annoyed at what she didn’t know. What she did know was that she didn’t intend to remain in the cottage and sulk or linger on having watched two men die today. She quickly adjusted her garments and was out the door expecting to see Neil or another guard stationed there. When she saw none; she smiled. She was on her own for how long she didn’t know but she intended to relish her freedom.
It didn’t take long for her to decide where she was going. First, she would retrieve the basket she had left by Elsa’s cottage and then she would go and see how Lila and Thomas had faired through this all.
A few injured warriors lingered around Elsa’s cottage waiting their turn to be tended. There seemed to be only minor wounds that needed attention. Dawn did not want to be in the way and so she grabbed her basket and walked around to the back of the cottage and headed to Lila’s.
She had taken only a few steps when she was grabbed by her hair and around the waist. She fought her assailant twisting and throwing punches that caused him to lose his grip and stumble. When she saw that it was Goddard she fought even harder. He had caused her immeasurable suffering and there was no way she’d let him hurt her again.
She couldn’t scream, but she might be able to...
She twisted quickly in his arms and when he went to hit her, she grabbed his arm and snuck her teeth into it hard. He did exactly what she hoped he’d do and what she couldn’t do... scream.
Cree had joined Sloan at the top step of the keep when he heard the scream. Both men turned to see where it had come from and saw the warriors at Elsa’s cottage run around back. Cree and Sloan flew off the steps.
Cree couldn’t help it; his first thought was of Dawn. He had left angry, not at her but himself. He could not let love interfere with commitments he had made. He wasn’t even capable of loving. He had turned his heart cold long ago and had no intentions of ever warming it to anyone.
The sheer idea that Dawn could have possibly cracked the ice and slipped in filled him with dread. She would be the one to suffer if he allowed himself to love her and he would not allow that.
Cree ran ahead of Sloan following around the back of Elsa’s cottage where all the commotion could be heard.
“I’ll kill you, you bitch!”
Rage hot and furious raced through Cree when he saw that Goddard had pinned Dawn to the ground, his hands tight around her neck and his men fighting to get him off her. Cree let out a vicious roar and raced at Goddard, slamming into him with such force that the blow knocked Goddard off Dawn and sent the two men tumbling. Cree scrambled to his feet and was on Goddard before he could stand. In one swift twist he broke Goddard’s neck and let his body crumple to the ground.
“Put him where the animals can feast on him,” Cree ordered and two warriors did as he bid, carrying the body off into the woods. He walked over to drop down next to Dawn. “What the hell are you doing going anywhere without a guard?”
Dawn barely had regained her breath, barely had time to register what had just happened when Cree turned his temper on her. She had had enough. She had witnessed death too many times today to dismiss it so easily. And then there was the issue of Cree having made a hasty exit after what had been to her a mutually enjoyable joining. Now he was insinuating that it was her fault that she’d been choked because she had gone without a guard.
She was furious and she tapped his chest hard and shook her head and then tapped her chest.
He scowled. “Are you telling me that I can’t tell you what to do?”
Dawn struggled to her feet pushing his hands away as he tried to help her up. He would have none of her protests. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her to her feet.
“Answer me,” he demanded.
Dawn caught the way his men looked at him as if he was crazy for thinking that a voiceless woman could answer him. But Cree hadn’t thought that. He had spoken to her as if she was no different than anyone else and damn if that didn’t warm her heart... a little.