The sun was still out, which kept the demons at bay, so I got up, put my robe on, and moved to the window. He was out there somewhere and I wanted to make sure he didn’t sneak up on us again. Lifting the blinds, I searched the front lawn and the forest beyond. There was a police cruiser parked outside, but I couldn’t see the officer. I moved to the other side of the window and scanned the opposite side of the yard.
Nothing.
“Where are you?”
Snapping the blind shut, I moved to the door and out into the hall.
I listened.
Nothing.
Maxine was asleep, but I should have been able to hear Shane puttering around the kitchen.
Taking a deep breath, I followed the hall to the living room and then through the great room to the kitchen.
It was empty.
Movement caught my eye out the back window and I froze. It was Shane. His gun was drawn and sighted as he swept the yard. He looked like the soldier he was as he moved on swift but silent feet.
I jumped when gunfire rang out and Shane dove for the cover of a tree.
Screaming, “Shane,” I ran to the back door and ripped it open. The body of a police officer was slumped on the deck, with blood pooling around his head.
I cried out in surprise and Shane looked over at me, thundering, “Get Maxine, and get the fuck out of here!”
A bullet splintered the wood next to my head and I fell on my ass avoiding it. Gunfire bounced off the trees as I got to my knees. I could see Shane returning fire as he ran to the deck. He crouched low as he came up the stairs and then dove through the door, taking me with him. He kicked the door shut, got to his feet, and hauled me with him as he ran through the house, pulling out his phone as we went. Maxine met us in the living room with a pink-handled ax. Even in the chaos of the moment, I was stunned that she did, in fact, sleep with an ax under her pillow.
“Chester, I got a man down, repeat, man down. We’re under fire,” Shane growled into the phone as he herded Maxine and me into the hallway. He listened, then barked out, “Roger that,” before hanging up.
“Is Chester coming?” Maxine asked.
“Quiet,” Shane ordered sternly and we bit our lips. He pulled out a magazine from his pocket while his attention stayed focused on the front window. He never looked down as he discharged his empty magazine, inserted the full one, and racked the slide. When he was done, he turned to both of us and commanded, “Don’t fuckin’ move. Not a sound out of either of you. Do you understand me?”
Maxine and I both nodded, our eyes wide at the transformation in Shane’s face. He was focused, alert to everything around him. At that moment, he was a warrior, ready to slay the dragon with his bare hands if it breached the cabin.
God Bless the United States Army!
Without another word, he raised his gun, sighted it, and moved into the living room, sweeping back and forth like he’d done outside.
I looked at Maxine and mouthed, “WOW.”
She nodded and mouthed, “HOT.” She wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to think about how turned on I was watching him take control.
Shane disappeared from our sight for a minute or two, then made his way back toward us. Maxine was still gripping her pink-handled ax, ready to slay a dragon herself if need be. I decided she had the right idea and made a note to buy a pink-handled ax for myself the minute I could.
Shane positioned himself near the window and kept watch as we waited. Five minutes later, sirens cut through the twilight air, then came to a stop outside the cabin.
Shane’s phone rang and he answered, grunting, “Maxine is fine, the house is secured.” The roar Shane received in reply identified the caller as Max. He listened as Max railed, then grunted again, “Right. On it,” and ended the call. He looked back when someone pounded on the front door and said, “Cavalry’s here. Both of you pack your bags; we’re leaving with Max and Mia.”
“Leaving for where?” Maxine asked.
“ . . . Gunnison, Colorado.”
***
Laughter raised the roof of C-Terminal Baggage Claim at Denver International Airport. Shane grinned as he watched Sage, Mia, Maxine, and Jenn laughing.
“Jesus,” Jack grumbled, his eyes narrowed as he took in the women. “It’s like a gaggle of geese.”
“It was your idea,” Max pointed out.
“Temporary insanity,” Jack grunted.
“I hear it runs in your family,” Shane replied, eyeing both men with a smirk.
“Just on the female side,” Jack deadpanned.
All three mouths tugged into a grin and chuckles rumbled low in their throats.
“Of course, I knew Sage was meant for Shane as soon as I heard her name,” Maxine beamed.