Wolf erupted like a furry explosion from the bushes to Daniel’s right, and hit the big Anglo hard in the side, knocking him to the ground. The bat flew out of the man’s hand as Wolf’s massive jaws gripped his arm. Screaming, the man hammered at the dog with his fist, but Wolf seemed oblivious to it.
Daniel kicked the second man in the chest at the same time Wolf neutralized the first, then delivered another blow to his target’s midsection that knocked him to the ground.
The Anglo fell hard, rolled, then scrambled to his feet, and took off running.
“Out!” Daniel ordered Wolf, who had pinned the taller attacker to the ground. The one-word command caused Wolf to release the man instantly and sit.
The man sprang to his feet and fled, holding his tattered sleeve, now wet with blood. Daniel didn’t pursue them. He had other things to worry about. Going after the men would have been satisfying, but not in line with his primary duty.
Expecting Hannah to have fled during the confusion, he glanced behind him. What he saw took him by complete surprise. Hannah had retrieved the tall man’s baseball bat, and had it cocked back, ready to swing. Her body was trembling so hard, even the bat was shaking as she held it.
Her gaze remained on his rapidly retreating opponents as he approached her.
“Easy there,” he said. “It’s over now.”
Hannah lowered the bat, then dropped it on the ground. “Get me out of here,” she said, her voice surprisingly firm.
“Two minds with one thought,” he said, quickly leading her down the dirt track to where his SUV was parked.
Hannah’s show of courage made him look at her with newfound respect. She could have cut and run, but she’d stayed with him, ready to help. That spoke well of her.
Events had also revealed another important fact. He was certain now that Hannah was in real danger, and that put a different slant on things. He couldn’t turn her over to anyone else until he was sure it was safe to do so. He’d lived all his life by certain rules, and he wouldn’t walk out on a woman who needed his protection…even if that meant risking his job.
AS SOON AS THEY REACHED Daniel’s SUV and were safely underway, Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. “They wanted me. But why? What have I ever done to them? I don’t even know who they are!”
“I don’t have the answer to that. But don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt you while Wolf and I are around.”
Hannah wasn’t used to anyone defending her, yet this man and his dog had fought to protect her, and had probably saved her life.
“But there’s something I want you to tell me.” He glanced over at her and she nodded. “You could have run, yet you stayed with us. Why?”
“I couldn’t just leave you in the middle of that. You were in that fight because of me. But, by the time I got the baseball bat, it was obvious you two didn’t need any more help.”
She saw the way he looked at her, his gaze missing nothing. Hannah forced herself to suppress the shiver that ran up her spine. This man exuded power of every kind. He was tall and broad-shouldered, but his strength was more than physical. It came from inside him. He had confidence, the kind that said he wasn’t afraid of a challenge because he knew he’d defeat whatever stood in his way.
He was truly a warrior, one whose skills had been honed to the maximum. He’d flattened a much larger attacker with a few effortless moves. Lightning was as quick and powerful as the force of nature he was named for. He was a dangerous man, too, of that she had no doubt, but he was not a danger to her—at least not yet.
Lightning smiled at her with a gentleness that belied all she’d just seen and thought. As their gazes met, Hannah felt a stirring deep inside her and her heart began to hammer in a way that had nothing to do with fear.
She shivered slightly, wondering what it would take—and what it would cost—to win this man’s trust. She needed an ally with his extraordinary qualities. But a man like Lightning did nothing halfway, feminine instinct assured her of that.
Hannah’s thoughts drifted and she remembered how secure she’d felt in his arms as he’d pulled her out of the water. Raw, carnal emotions had flooded through her as she’d seen the darkness that had smoldered in his eyes and recognized the force of his desire. Most surprising of all, that knowledge had held an eroticism all its own.
“Now it’s your turn to answer me. Why did you expect me to abandon you?” she asked, her voice steady.
He blinked, but otherwise gave no indication of what thoughts lay behind his narrowed eyes. “You weren’t a match for those men. Running would have been a sensible choice.”
“Maybe, but I couldn’t abandon someone who was fighting for his life because he chose to protect me. You were in that situation because you stood up for me and that deserved something in return,” she answered.
In the quick glance he gave her she saw respect and admiration.
As the SUV reached the main road, she saw the way her rescuer glanced around, studying the area carefully as if he were expecting more trouble.
Wolf, now in the back seat, gave a low growl, his gaze scanning the wooded section behind them.
“Do you think he sees them coming again?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“No. He’d be reacting differently if he’d sensed approaching danger.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it, then gave her a playful smile. “Don’t worry. Wolf’s just itching for another piece of them. We’re on top of things.”
Chapter Three
From the moment he’d reached for her hand, cradling it with his own, Daniel hadn’t been able to find a good enough reason to relinquish it. He caressed the back of it now with his thumb, making lazy circles he hoped would reassure her, and was satisfied when she made no move to pull away.
“You can’t take me back to Farmington,” she said, her voice soft. “Now you have to believe that I told you the truth. Someone is out to get me. And the fact that they found me here, right after you did, can mean only one of two things—either you’re with them, and I know you’re not,” she added quickly, “or they somehow used you, hoping you’d lead them straight to me.”
Daniel considered everything that had happened. Only Handler, Silentman, the deacon, and the church committee who’d hired Gray Wolf had supposedly known about Lightning and his assignment. There was also the police officer he’d shown her photo to, but he seemed a pretty remote possibility.
Yet the fact remained that those two men had called Hannah by name. That meant there was nothing coincidental about the attack. They’d either trailed her on their own, or followed him there.
“If you take me back, you could be throwing me into the lion’s den,” she warned.
Hannah’s gaze was so direct and guileless, he felt the impact of her look all through him. “I have to call someone,” he said after they’d traveled a few more miles down the highway.
He pulled off on a side road, took out his cell phone, then stepped out of the SUV. Thinking about the trust he was trying to build with Hannah, Daniel decided to leave the keys in the ignition. “Sit tight. Wolf will guard you.”
The animal jumped to the front seat, positioning himself between Hannah and the steering wheel. As Daniel walked a few feet away, so he could speak privately, he saw Hannah reach out to the dog and begin to stroke its massive head. Daniel could see the animal was still focused on his job, but there was something special about the woman that made Wolf treat her like a friend. His tail was wagging, and he actually tried to lick her in the face.