Hiding Out At The Circle C

'Don't, Haley.'

'I'll explain better in a letter, I promise. Now you just go home and I'll-'

He swore again. Grabbing her shoulders, he gave her a shake. 'I already know! And I'm getting you out of here. Now.'

'No!' she cried, trying to break free. 'I can't. I-'

'You're leaving,' he said harshly. 'With me.'

He opened his door while keeping a firm arm around her waist.

'Why are you doing this?' she whispered.

'You already know why,' he said, giving her a not-too-gentle shove toward the open door. 'I love you.'

Damn him, she thought, tears threatening again. 'I don't want to go with you,' she said, not having to force the little sob in her voice. 'I want you to leave me alone.'

He didn't even blink. 'Well, there's a surprise. A lie.' He shook his head. 'I'm trying not to lose my patience here, Haley, but you're really pushing it.' Again, he pushed her, but she fought him.

'I mean it!' she cried, holding the door so he couldn't shove her in. 'I won't go with you. I'll scream if you try to make me!'

He stared at her for a minute, then at the guard at the end of the parking aisle. They both knew what would happen if she made good on that threat.

Then, very deliberately, he hauled her up against him until their faces were only inches apart. For the first time, she realized exactly how furious he was. His eyes shot fire. His arms quaked. His heart pounded against hers. But his voice remained quiet and calm. 'You're doing it again, Haley. Testing me. Now listen carefully… It's not working.' He shook her. 'Are you listening? I love you. I always will. I think you love me, too, but we'll get to that later, since much as I hate to admit it, now's one of those times we've got to hurry.'

'Hurry?' She could have laughed. He had no idea the hurry she was in.

'Yeah, hurry. I think Zach's taken care of it, but I want to be sure.' His hold gentled, his gaze did not. 'I know why you're here and there's no way in hell I'm letting you go. He won't kill you. He won't kill me. And he sure as hell won't kill my family. Now get in the goddamn truck so I can get you away from here.' No longer nice and patient, he pushed her down into the driver's seat.

He leaned in, his eyes so dark and dangerous she nearly didn't recognize him. 'Scoot over, darlin', and don't even think about bolting. I'm really quite angry at you, and believe it or not, I'm fast when I'm mad.'

'Cam-' She squeaked and moved over a split second before he sat down on her. Reaching across her, he checked the lock, locked his side and thrust the truck in gear. 'Get your seat belt on,' he commanded and fastened his.

He knew. He really knew. But how? Could he be bluffing?

She reached for her door handle, but he slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt right there in the parking lot. 'Don't even think about it.' He tried to glare at her, but sighed instead and closed his eyes for a second.

When they flashed open, the fury had dissipated. 'Haley, I can't let you go. I just can't. Don't ask me to.'

'I can't stay,' she whispered.

'You don't have a choice.' And he sent the truck screeching out of the lot so fast, she was thrust against the back of the seat.

Cam's mouth was a tight, grim line as he maneuvered them through traffic and onto the highway. He wasn't going to let her go back. She shivered, icy to her bones. He tossed her the denim jacket lying on the seat, the same one she'd worn the entire time she'd been in Colorado. 'Wear it, you're cold,' he said gruffly. 'And next time you run away, be sure to take the correct clothing-I hate worrying about you getting sick.'

He was so quietly furious, so absolutely rational. She, on the other hand, was going insane. 'Please, Cam. Stop the car.'

'Why? So you can jump out?'

He snorted his opinion of that. 'Do us both a favor, Haley, and be quiet a minute.'

'Cam-'

'Are you going to tell me why you left me without a word? Are you going to tell me why you didn't respect me enough to even wake me? Or why you even agreed to make love with me in the first place? Are you?'

'I- Oh, Cam,' she said wearily. 'Why did you come for me?'

He glanced at her in surprise, then shook his head. 'You've got a hell of a lot to learn about me, Haley, if you can ask that.' He drew a deep breath. 'I heard the call you took.' He reached over to take her hand in his large warm one. He ran his thumb softly over the wrist he'd bruised, his gaze hard on the road. His jaw was granite. 'It got recorded on the answering machine.'

She stared at him, at the tense lines in his face. 'He'll never let me stay. He'll hurt-'

'No,' he said flatly, driving fast. 'He won't. Jas took Nellie into town. Zach's taking care of things, I hope, but I still want to get you out of here. He can't hurt any of us, Haley. Whoever he is.' He brought her wrist to his lips. 'I'm sorry I hurt you. You scared me to death.' He whipped his truck around a slower vehicle, keeping her hand to his mouth. 'Now, I need a favor. It's a big one.' His breath fanned the skin of her wrist, somehow warming the chill that had seeped through her bones. 'Okay?'

She tried to take it all in-that he knew, that he'd rescued her, that the others were safe. 'What?'

'I need you to trust me.' His eyes met hers briefly over their joined hands. 'Tell me you do, and mean it.'

'How are you going to stop him-'

His eyes were glued to the road, his teeth locked together. 'Tell me, Haley.'

She thought of how this was supposed to be, how she'd left him safely asleep, thinking she'd never see him again. She had everything to lose, and most of it was looking right at her. His eyes searched hers as he slowed for traffic.

'I do,' she whispered. 'I trust you,' she said softly, meaning it with all her heart.

Instantly, the tension left him. 'We have a lot to discuss, you and I.'

She looked away from him, out the window.

'There're going to be questions, Haley. Plenty of them, and not from me. I wish I could take you far away from all this, but I can't. Not yet.'

'What do you mean?'

'The authorities-'

'You're… going to turn me in?' she asked in disbelief. This was how he was going to repay her trust?

'It's the only way. You're innocent. We'll prove it.'

He believed in her. No one else would, she knew. 'We're going back to the ranch?'

'Yes. We'll meet everyone there.'

Everyone. The police. Extradition. Possible execution. Her stomach sank.

'Haley?' He touched her hair, her face. 'Are you ready for this?'

'Yes.' She had no choice.

* * *

A short time later, he pulled the truck into the driveway and she opened her mouth to cry, No! Wait! First let me have just a minute to think!

But Cam wasn't looking at her-only at his house, and he was frowning. He'd stopped the truck at the bottom of the drive instead of pulling all the way up, as usual.

'What-'

'Shh!' He lightly squeezed her thigh, staring intently ahead at the house. Something was wrong; very wrong, he thought. The house was dark. Okay, so maybe Jas had actually done what he'd said and gotten Nellie out. He better had. And Zach was probably still at the airport with the cops, trying to apprehend the owner of the slick, evil voice on the telephone. But Cam knew how well prepared Zach always was.