An enraged yell came from Bill and he lunged with the knife. Slade dodged the plunging, sharp blade. He threw his arm out and Bill screamed. A loud pop sounded. The knife dropped and Bill screamed again, jumping away.
Slade had hit Bill’s knife-wielding arm hard enough to break it. Slade smiled, showing sharp teeth, and then he closed the distance. He grabbed Bill’s shirt and hauled back his fist and punched him in the nose. The human yelled as blood poured from his face while he stared in horror at Slade.
“This is for hitting my woman,” Slade growled. “You’re going to know pain and suffering before I’m done with you. You never should have touched her. For every second of her pain, you will know it as well.” He snarled. “And then you will die.”
“No,” Bill gasped, his terror showing in his wide eyes and bloodied face.
Trisha watched in stunned horror as the men locked in combat. Fear gripped her that Slade might be hurt but within seconds she realized he had speed and strength against his opponent. He easily took command of the fight.
Slade kept a hold on Bill’s shirt as he lifted his leg and kicked the asshole’s right knee. The horrible noise seemed really loud as the leg snapped. The sight was sickening when bone popped through the skin, blood flew, and Slade shoved Bill onto the ground when he toppled sideways as his leg collapsed under him.
Bill sobbed. Trisha was stunned. Slade crouched down, resting on his bent knees while he glared at Bill. Blood poured from Bill’s nose and leg. Bone protruded just above his knee where the bone had separated right through his pants. Slade continued to watch him for a long minute.
“The pain and terror you are feeling right now is what you made my woman feel. You were going to hurt and rape her. Then you were going to kill her when you were done using her body.” Slade paused. “I might be an animal but I’m more merciful than you. I could leave you here to die slowly.” He stood, turning his back on the man. He walked over to the fallen knife, bent and gripped the blade handle. He seemed to be testing the weight of it.
“Bill? Go to hell,” Slade growled. “You never should have touched what is mine.”
Slade turned and in one fluid motion threw the knife. It struck Bill in the chest. Shock and horror fixed on the horrible man’s face as he looked down to see his own weapon buried deep within his body. He fell backward and didn’t move again.
Trisha gaped at the lifeless man. She was certain he was dead. He’d been moaning in pain from the injures he’d sustained until Slade had buried the knife in him to the hilt. It took a lot of strength and skill to throw a weapon that hard and hit the mark. Slade moved toward Trisha. She tore her gaze from the dead body and met Slade’s dark-blue eyes. They were all she could see as he closed in on her.
“Don’t look at me that way,” Slade ordered softly.
He stopped in front of her and reached for one of her wrists. He tore the bandana free. A pained sound tore from her when her arm lowered because it really hurt. She experienced that pins-and-needles pain as it stabbed down her arm and shoulder almost instantly. Slade freed the other arm. As soon as he had her unrestrained, Slade reached for her and swept her into his arms.
“You’re shaking. Come on, Doc. You’re safe. I’ve got you and it’s all good now.”
Slade moved to the sleeping bag and lowered them to the ground until she ended up sitting on his lap. He stared at her mouth and pulled his arm out from under her knees where he’d lifted her.
Gentle fingers brushed her lower lip. She flinched from the pain. Slade’s gaze narrowed. “Damn. He hit you hard enough to split your lip. Open up for me, Doc. Let’s make sure you don’t have any permanent damage.”
Trisha opened her mouth and Slade touched her teeth. His eyes seemed to darken when he moved his finger out and brushed the tip of it over the injured part of her cheek where she’d been struck.
“All there and accounted for but you’re going to have a nice bruise.” His gaze studied her jaw and cheek. “Let’s be thankful he didn’t hit you an inch higher or you’d be sporting a black eye.”
Her shock wore off and she began thinking again. “We have to leave. There are more men with him and they will come back.”
He shook his head. “No. There aren’t.”
“There are. One of them is hurt and two of them went looking for him and you. If the missing guy is found they could show up at any moment. We have to leave before they return. They have guns, Slade. They—”
“Are all dead.” Slade cupped her face with both hands. “I killed them. There were three of them and they had me blocked from reaching you before they did. I heard them state they were bringing you back to their camp. You did good, Doc. You slowed them down and gave me time to come back here. I found the first one inside the tent. I killed him and carried his body away to prevent them from finding him.”
“But—” Slade gently put his finger over her lips and she closed her mouth. “I knew they wouldn’t harm you as long as they thought he was injured and in need of your help. I hid his body, hoping they’d think he walked off to piss and got lost. I followed the younger one and took him out. I had to backtrack the loudmouthed one for a ways. He was smarter and harder to get the drop on. Then I came back here in time to hear you scream.”
“They are really dead?” Shock tore through her that Slade had killed them.
“Yes. The men they are with killed Bart and they were going to kill you. They would have done the same to me too. Trust me. They tried to kill me when I found them. I never would have left you alone if I didn’t think you would be safe. I’m so sorry. I swear I never thought you’d be harmed. When I left he was feeding you and giving you a drink.”
She saw sincerity in his eyes. “I didn’t expect him to attack me either.”
Slade cupped her face and studied Trisha. “I’m really sorry, sweet thing. Do you forgive me?”She nodded, still stunned that he’d really killed those men to save her.
He took her wrists in his hands and peered at them, frowning. “You will have a lot of bruises. Are you hurt anywhere else?” His gaze met hers. “Tell me. Did that bastard hurt you worse?”
“No.”
“Trisha? Tell me. Did he do anything to you besides the wrists and your face? Did he assault you sexually in any way before I arrived? Did I reach you in time or did he molest you earlier too?”
Tears blinded her. “You got here in time.”
“Then why the tears?” He brushed at a few of them with his thumb, eyeing them as though they were something foreign.
Trisha laughed, partly from hysteria and partly from his comical look. “You don’t ever cry, do you?” She sniffed, her laughter gone. “I was terrified. I’m crying because of what he planned to do to me.”
“No. I don’t cry.”
Trisha wasn’t surprised by that admission. “Well, I do. Crap. I’m naked. See what a mess I am right now? I forgot I wasn’t wearing clothes.” She gripped her shirt from behind her neck and yanked it down her body to cover her to her lap. She glanced around the area and found the rest of her things before she looked back at Slade. “I should get dressed.”
“Don’t move. You’re still shaking.” He put his arms around her. “Just relax, Doc. They are dead and you’re safe. There isn’t anyone else around for miles. I made sure of it.”
She turned and relaxed against Slade, putting her arms around his waist and just clung to him. She fought the urge to cry when both his arms wrapped around her. It was a given that she would have been in some serious hell if it weren’t for Slade holding her. He made her feel a little better.
“By the way, don’t ever do that again.” Slade sighed.
“Do what?” Trisha lifted her head, peering at his tense expression.
“Provoke a man into hurting you.” Slade shook his head a little at her. “What if I had arrived later? I wouldn’t have been able to reach you before he’d killed you. I would have come to recover your body from his dying, bloody fingers, Doc. Next time you do anything in your power to stay alive. You can survive anything as long as you keep breathing.”
“He was going to do horrendous things to me. I would rather die than suffer through that.”
Slade growled at Trisha, showing his anger. “No. You survive any way you can but you cling to life. It would have been hell for you and it would have hurt you badly but as long as you are breathing, you have life left to fight for.”
“You don’t understand. That asshole didn’t tie you to a tree and tell you he would rape you in ways that would have left you screaming.”
Slade breathed harder now, angry, and glared at Trisha. He gripped her arms, turning her to face him. “I have suffered many harsh things, Doc. You have no idea of the kind of pain and agony I have endured in my lifetime. I watched them kill my friends and they were all I had. I’ve suffered pain that would have driven most males insane but I am here still. I fought. I bided my time in hopes that one day I might have one like today. I’m free. All the pain and agony, all the hell, all the indignity and humiliation is behind me. I’m here sitting with you on my lap and I’m grateful, Doc. Do you understand? You survive any way you can but you don’t give up. Never provoke a man into killing you again.” He took a ragged breath and his handsome features softened. “Please. I can’t save a corpse.”