Page 28 of Redemption in the Dark (The Righteous 5)
“Hmm?”
“It’s almost daylight.” His eyes fluttered open, those thick black lashes revealing the brandy-colored eyes that made her heart race.
They locked stares, and she was conflicted. He made her want to run and hide and rip his clothes off at the same time—such a confusing man.
“Do you need help to stand?” His voice was soft.
Heat spread throughout her body, and she cleared her throat. “Yes, sorry, my side is still really sore and stiff from sleep,” she said, breaking their eye contact.
She slowly sat up, her side pinching as she did, but Wolf stood with her in his arms like he hadn’t been sitting up and holding her all night. As her feet touched the ground, she wanted to turn and hang onto him. As irrational as it was, he was something solid, and she didn’t want this moment to be over.
“I’m going to go get dressed. I’ll be right back,” Maeve said as she grabbed her clothes and walked further into the trees to change.
From where she stood, she could peek around the large tree. She watched as Wolf made his way around the camp, packing up. She’d never pictured herself as the type that would like to live off the land. How many times had Morry sent her out to camp and learn to live with minimal supplies, and how many times had she said she’d never do it again. Yet, as she watched Wolf walk around the small firepit, making sure the embers were out, she couldn’t help but want to stay.
Wolf offered Viho a smile and soft words as he petted the stallion’s neck, and she had to lean against the tree as a sensation she couldn’t explain spread throughout her body. If you’d asked anyone that knew her to explain who she was in one word, it would be livewire. She didn’t believe in sitting still. Sitting still allowed her inner demons to surface, which was scary and dangerous, but Wolf’s presence alone resonated with her on a level she’d never experienced. If he asked, she’d stay out here in the bush with him forever.
Maeve stared at her clothes still in a pile. Had she really just thought that she would stay with him forever? Like never go back to the city? No more wild parties? No more anything from her old life?
“We need to get going, Maeve,” Wolf called out.
“Just a minute.” She quickly pulled on the still, slightly damp clothes before rolling up the blanket and walking back to Wolf. He was finishing tacking up Viho who looked in her direction and gave a nicker as she neared. Her heart warmed at the sound, a smile pulling at her lips.
“Here, you can have the last protein bar.” Wolf held out the bar.
“Why don’t we split it?”
He pointed to the empty cans they hadn’t gotten to last night.
“I just scarfed down those. I don’t mind food cold. You eat the bar. It will be our last meal until we reach my property tomorrow.”
“How do you do this? Live like this and act like it’s no big deal where your next meal is coming from,” she asked as she opened the bar that was supposed to taste like peanut butter and chocolate but really tasted like sawdust.
Wolf turned to her as he laid an arm over the saddle.
“I’ve lived on a lot less. Your perspective of what’s needed shifts when you’re so thirsty you drink your own piss and so hungry that you’d take your chance with a poisonous snake for food.” He pointed around at the lush trees. “This place is like an all-you-can-eat buffet if you know what you’re looking for.”
Maeve glanced at the protein bar and tried to picture biting into a snake. “Did you really eat a poisonous snake and drink your own piss?”
“Like I said….” Wolf smiled. “I’ve lived off much worse than a can of beans.” He mounted up and held out his hand to help her up into the saddle.
“So you haven’t said, what are you planning on telling your work,” Maeve asked as she slipped her leg over the saddle and settled in front of the man that made her body sing with every little touch.
“I don’t know. We need to prove your innocence first.”
She sighed and shook her head. “You still think there’s hope, but I keep telling you that there is no way to prove my innocence.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because I had the best lawyer money could buy, and he had amazing resources, but they couldn’t find a single lead.”
“How did you afford that?”
“Pro bono. Look just trust me. There’s no way to prove that I’m innocent. My only chance is to change my identity and run and then keep running.”
“Don’t you think you’ve run enough,” he asked.
The comment stung because it was too close to the truth, but she bit her lip and let the topic drop. She didn’t want to argue with him, and she didn’t want to end up having an emotional breakdown all over again. There was only so much emotion one person could handle at a time.
