Alex helped her over a root. “We found a deceased man on Pine Ridge Trail.”
She sucked in a sharp breath as panic whirled through her like a tornado. But he’d asked about Brady, so it couldn’t be her brother, could it?
Her thoughts must have shown on her face because Alex threaded his fingers through hers. “It’s not your brother.”
“The man who attacked me?”
“Maybe.” Alex’s voice held a grim note. “Hard to know if you can’t identify your assailant.”
“But who killed him?” None of this made sense. First, she was attacked for no apparent reason and now, her assailant could be dead.
What about Brady? Where was he?
They emerged out of the thick forest onto the trail where Alex’s beautiful horse, Truman, waited. Alex quickly stepped into the stirrup and hoisted himself into the saddle, then reached for her. She grasped his larger hand and let him lift her off the ground. She swung a leg over the back of the horse and settled behind Alex on the horse’s back.
“Set your feet on the back of my calves,” he told her.
She did but wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. She lightly placed them on his waist. With sure movement, he clasped her hands and drew them forward so that her arms wrapped around his middle.
Awareness zipped along her veins. She felt secure and cared for as she hung onto him. The scent of his aftershave mingled with the earthy forest and horseflesh, and teased her senses, making her realize how long it had been since she’d allowed anyone, besides Brady, this close.
If the circumstances were different, she’d have been embarrassed by the close contact. But the situation had her stomach tied up in knots and with every step the animal took, she hurt knowing she was possibly moving farther away from her brother.
Alex kept the horse moving at a slow pace because the forest was now shrouded in darkness. With a flashlight held in one hand, he illuminated the trail. They had gone several hundred feet when Truman neighed loudly and reared back.
“Whoa, there.” Alex expertly controlled the horse. Maya shifted, trying to see what had caused the animal to spook.
Someone careened out of the branches of the tree above them, slamming into her, causing her to loosen her hold on Alex and forcing her off the horse. She hit the ground hard on her shoulder, a fiery pain exploded at the point of contact and radiated down her arm.
Her assailant landed on his feet like a ninja from a movie and grabbed her by the backpack, dragging her toward the forest. Hoping to make it more difficult for him, she went limp. The blinding light of Alex’s flashlight shone on them.
“Halt,” Alex yelled as he jumped off Truman with his weapon drawn and aimed at the man’s chest.
Her assailant let go of her and raced into the inky woods as if snapping dogs were at his heels.
Holstering his weapon, Alex crouched down beside Maya. “Are you hurt?”
“Not sure.” She tried to sit up. Agony ripped through her shoulder. She cried out.
“Don’t move.” Alex stared at the forest and back at her, clearly torn between chasing after the assailant and taking care of her. She wanted to tell him to go find the maniac. But she didn’t want to be left here on the ground alone, either. And she desperately wanted his help finding Brady.
Clearly deciding she was the priority, to which she breathed a sigh of relief, he used his shoulder-mounted radio to call in the situation before he positioned himself behind her to ease her into a sitting position. She gritted her teeth as the movement jostled her injured shoulder. He slipped the backpack down her arms with gentle hands and put it on himself.
“I’m going to lift you and put you into the saddle,” he said. “Do you think you can handle that?”
Grateful for his kindness she nodded. “Yes. I can do that.” And she would bear the pain no matter how much her shoulder hurt.
Coming around to her uninjured side, he wedged one arm under her bent knees and slipped his other arm around her waist. With apparent ease, he lifted her into his arms and stood. She’d always thought he looked strong, now she knew for sure. She wasn’t a tiny woman, measuring five feet seven inches with a figure that could be called curvy, but he didn’t seem the least bit exerted in holding her.
She couldn’t help but notice the five o’clock shadow on his strong jaw and the way his dark brown hair curled at the ends. He really was attractive. She’d noticed before but now... She met his warm brown gaze and a blush heated her cheeks. “I’m sorry you have to do this.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m not.”
What did that mean? She didn’t have time to contemplate his words as he lifted her so she could sit in the saddle. At well over six feet tall, he had no trouble placing her on the horse. Thankfully, she could grasp the saddle horn with her right hand while keeping her left arm bent close to her middle and as immobile as possible.
This time he sat behind the saddle’s cantle, mounting with easy grace. One of his arms slid around her waist holding on to her while he held on to the reins with his other hand.
“If it helps, you can lean back against me.” His voice rumbled from his chest, making his invitation inviting.
When was the last time she’d ever leaned on someone else? For anything? She couldn’t remember.
Slowly, she eased back until he took her weight against his chest, reducing the pressure from her bad arm and shoulder. Tiny shivers of shock and adrenaline slid through her. She took deep, calming breaths. Alex’s warmth enveloped her but did nothing to ease the boulder-size fear for her brother sitting in the pit of her stomach.
They headed down the trail until they reached the trail kiosk. She squinted against the flashing lights of the ambulance and the sheriff’s department vehicles.
Two paramedics rushed forward. With Alex’s help, she was taken from the back of Truman and laid on a gurney. The jostling sent streaks of fiery pain through her shoulder.
As the EMTs carried her to the ambulance, Maya nodded at Riley and his son and was grateful to see her friend Leslie Quinn.
The other woman stepped close and grasped her hand. “We’ve all been so worried about you.”
“Brady?” Maya hoped her friend would have good news.
Leslie shook her head.
Disappointment and fear clogged her chest. A crowd had gathered, and Deputy Daniel Rawlings was keeping the townsfolk back. She searched the throng, praying she’d see Brady’s sweet round face. But he wasn’t there.
“Stop,” she told the paramedics. Biting her lip against the aching in her shoulder, she propped herself up on her good arm. “Alex!”
He stood a few feet away and turned at the sound of his name. He handed Truman’s reins to Chase and strode to her side.
“We have to find Brady. I’m not leaving here until we do,” she told him as she swung her legs over the side of the gurney and attempted to stand. The whole world tilted on its axis and a fresh wave of agony from her shoulder crashed through her but she gritted her teeth and rode it out.
Alex held up a hand. “No. You need to let Jake and Gabby see to your injury,” he said, pointing at the two paramedics.
Fighting through the dizziness, she protested, “It’s getting dark. He’ll be frantic. He doesn’t do well in the dark.” Hysteria bubbled within her. She fought for composure. “I’m going back out there. He’s my responsibility.”
She steadied her feet under her and stood. “You coming with me or not?” She turned to the paramedics. “You can put me in a sling or something but I’m