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?”
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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 80
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.”
Trisha nodded her understanding, her anger gone. He had suffered and she had no idea how deeply that anguish had gone. He’d spent year after year being a test subject.
He’d seen many people he had to have cared about being tortured to death. One really horror of a nightmare day she’d had to undergo paled in comparison to Slade’s entire life.
“I promise.”
The tension in his body eased. “Good. We’ll eat their food, take their supplies, and get out of here before someone comes to check on them. I’m sure teams of my people have reached the area and are searching for us.”
