Laurie had tears running down her face as she scrambled forward on her hands and knees and leaned over Zach’s body. “Oh my God. You scared me to death.”
“I wasn’t so sure myself, baby.” He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her tight.
Corbin was so choked up, he could only stare at the two people who meant the world to him.
“How did you manage to survive that long?” Laurie asked. “You didn’t have air.”
“I don’t know. I got knocked out. My head hit something.”
“Jesus. You could have died.” She lifted off his chest and grabbed his face with both hands. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
He chuckled. “Noted.”
As soon as everyone caught their breath, they made their way back up the mountain toward the upper lodge.
Corbin stayed in the rear, watching in amazement as Zach managed to get to his feet and walk with Laurie by his side. It was incredible he wasn’t injured worse. A miracle.
“How did you find me,” Zach asked them both silently.
“Spirit guided us,” Laurie responded.
“And thank God Laurie was here, because I doubt that spirit would have made its presence known to anyone else, including me. She was the one to spot it first. I don’t think anyone else even saw it. They were too busy working.” Corbin set a hand on Zach’s shoulder as he reached his side.
“Let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough snow for one day,” Zach said.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Zach hung up the phone and turned to face his mates. “That was Trace calling from the sheriff’s office. We need to go make a statement.”
Corbin rolled his head against the back of the couch and groaned. “I hate statements. I hate taking them, and I hate making them.”
Laurie stood from beside him and tugged on his hand to haul him to standing, as if she had the strength for that. “How many times have you had to make a statement exactly?”
“None.” He grinned. “But I don’t want to start now.”
“Then maybe don’t hit people in the face next time.” Laurie jumped out of his way as he reached out to grab her around the waist.
Zach watched this banter with a grin. These were his mates. For life. For better or for worse.
“And you’d rather I let some asshole rape you?”
She shrugged with a giggle, the sound making Zach’s cock rock hard for the third time that morning. “I had it under control. No way was that guy going to rape me after I vomited in his face.”
“That was pretty awesome,” Zach added as he shrugged into his coat. “How did you manage to do that?”
She reached down to tie her shoes. “You think I can make that shit happen on purpose? That Brock guy made my stomach roil. He smelled foul. And his lips were disgusting. Anyone would have vomited with him on top of them.”
“Fair enough.” Zach handed her the pink coat from the rack and waited by the door.
Ten minutes later, they walked into the station.
Trace waved from across the room and motioned for them to come toward his desk.
The sheriff came out of his office and greeted them as they approached.
Trace introduced them. “Sheriff Bergman, this is Laurie Hamilton. And you know Corbin and Zach.”
The sheriff shook each of their hands. “Thanks for coming in. I’m sorry about the timing. I know you three have been through a lot lately.”
“Yeah, we’d love to wrap it up too. I’ve had enough action in my life for the next ten years.” Corbin ran a hand through his hair as he spoke.
“Let’s sit. I think the second conference room is open.” Berman motioned toward the far wall with his outstretched hand and led the group to a huge window and then into the room.
Zach pulled out a chair for Laurie and then took the one next to her. Corbin sat on her other side. It was painful to keep from touching her, but Zach knew he needed to pull his head out of his ass where society was concerned. When they were out in public, they needed to rein in their PDA. Regular humans weren’t into the ménage. It made them uncomfortable.
Zach watched as Sheriff Bergman tapped a file on the table and then set his palm over it. “You’re in luck, sort of.”
“How’s that?” Corbin asked.
“Turns out Brock Henson’s fingerprints were all over your windowsill.” He nodded at Zach. “He confessed to breaking into your condo and opening the natural gas knobs on your stove.”
“Seriously? What a prick.”
“Yeah. He’s in a heap of trouble.”
“And yesterday?” Corbin asked. “Can he press charges for assault?”