Chapter 11 Indie's scream pierced the phone line, making Colt's heart jackhammer in his chest. "Indie?" No answer. He slammed the car door closed and ran, sprinting through the trees. He knew exactly where Indie liked to take photos. It was the same place he'd proposed to her-right on the edge of a cliff. Why had she screamed? Was it his father? Was the asshole there? Had he hurt her? Air whipped at his face, his feet sinking into the wet earth with each step. He ignored the cool rain hitting his skin and forced his body to move. When he finally reached the break in the trees, his gaze went straight to Indie's camera bag near the edge of the clearing. She wasn't here. Where was she? Then he saw her fingers, just a hint of them poking over the edge. Fear wrapped around his throat, trying to choke him. He lunged forward and dropped to his knees to see Indie hanging over the edge, barely holding on. Fuck. He grabbed her wrist and, in one powerful tug, pulled her up to the surface. She collapsed into his arms. "Colt! Thank God!" She wrapped her arms tightly around him, and he just held her, completely unmoving. Fear paralyzed him. Made his limbs feel nailed to the ground. "You're okay," he breathed, like he needed those words to be out in the world. As if that could cement them as truth. "I'm okay," she repeated. After what felt like endless minutes, he forced himself to lean back, but he still gripped her shoulders, unable to let go. "What happened?" "I thought I heard something, and I spun around too quickly." Her chest heaved with panicked breaths that were just beginning to slow. "I slipped." "What did you hear?" "I don't know. The shuffle of movement. The crack of a branch." Colt's fear twisted into something else. Something darker, that made every muscle in his body twitch as he turned his head and scanned the area. It looked like they were alone. But there were a hell of a lot of places to hide in this forest. Indie shook her head, raindrops hitting her face. "It's raining and windy. I doubt there was actually anyone here. I should get my camera to the car before it gets too wet." "I want to call Jesse." "Why?" "I want his deputies to do a search of the area-" "No, it was probably an animal." "Indie." She started pushing to her feet, and he helped her up. "I was clumsy. I don't want to waste my cousin's time." His jaw clenched. "It's not a waste of time. It's making sure my father isn't stalking you." "Your father doesn't even know me." "He saw you with me. He saw me being protective of you. He knows you're important to me. He could use that against me." "He doesn't even know I'm here." In the small town of Amber Ridge, it wouldn't be hard to find that information. She reached to lift the camera bag, but he grabbed it first. Then he gripped her hand and tugged her behind him as he moved. His gaze never stopped scanning the forest around them while they made their way back to the parking lot. He had a bad fucking feeling in his gut, and it had everything to do with that asshole being back in town. And Indie had just slipped over a cliff-a fucking cliff. If he hadn't been there to pull her up... No. He couldn't think about that. When he reached her car, he put her camera bag in the back before turning to her. "Are you okay to drive?" She nodded, but her fingers continued to tremble in his hold. "Indie-" "I'm okay." She stepped closer. "I'm a bit rattled because I slipped, but you pulled me up. I'm okay to drive. I'll see you tomorrow." He could have laughed. "I'm following you home." "You don't need-" "I'm following you home, Cricket." She sighed. "Fine." She stretched up to her toes and kissed him before sliding behind the wheel. Colt fisted his hands to stop from pulling her back. When he reached his Audi, he'd already heard Indie try to start her engine two times. Her car...another damn problem. He needed to get her a new one, and he needed to do it fast. But he already knew Indie wouldn't accept it willingly...not yet. On the way to her house, he called both Jesse and Ben just to update them on what had happened. Ben said he'd check the area, but Colt already knew he wouldn't find anything. If it was his father, the man would be long gone. Indie took one hand off the wheel and squeezed it into a fist. She needed to get rid of the tremble. Colt was already losing his mind. She couldn't let him see how shaken she really was. She'd slipped off the edge of a cliff. She could have died. If Colt hadn't been there, she would have. With the rain and wind, a couple more seconds and she wouldn't have been able to hold on any longer. She swallowed hard, begging her beating heart to slow. Had there been someone in the trees? She'd said no, but she thought she'd heard someone. And yes, it could have been a wild animal. Or maybe she was just trying to convince herself it was an animal because the idea of Colt being right, that his father had followed her out there, made a chill sweep over her skin. She pulled into her driveway and her gaze went straight to Colt in her rearview mirror. He was already out of his car, his shoulders bunched, jaw clearly tense. The guy looked every bit the former spec ops soldier he was. And he looked angry. He came to her door. When he opened it, the hinge groaned. "We're getting rid of this pile of metal." "No, I'm getting rid of it." She reached behind her for her camera bag and climbed out, rain dribbling on her shoulders. "But until I do, this pile of metal, as you put it, is perfectly capable of getting me from point A to point B." Was it nearing the end of its life? Yes. But it was still getting her places. He took the camera bag from her hold. "What if you finish a shoot in the mountains-it's dark, wet, you have no signal, and your car stops working?" Talk about worst-case scenarios. But...it was true. "A lot of things would have to go wrong for that to happen." "Yeah. A lot could go wrong." She slotted her key into her door and stepped inside. "I'll get a new car soon." Colt set the camera bag onto the hall table. "Why isn't your heat on?" he asked, obviously noting how cold it was in the house. "I don't leave it on when I'm not home." "You used to. If I recall correctly, you said you keep the heat on so that the house feels like a warm hug when you get home." Oh God, she had said that. "I guess with maturity comes the knowledge that I was just throwing money out the window." His brows lowered, and he did that thing where he studied her far too closely. Crap. She quickly walked to the linen closet off the hall and grabbed two towels before handing one to Colt. "Thanks." His deep rumble of a voice rippled over her skin. "Are you okay?" She stopped at the kitchen counter and used the towel to dry her arms and face. Her clothes were damp, and yeah, she was wishing she'd kept the heat on. "I'm fine." "Not convincing, Cricket." He closed the space between them until he was close. Too close. She crossed to the fridge and opened the door, then pulled out bottles of water. When she turned, it was to find Colt not looking at her. He was looking at the now closed refrigerator doors. He switched his attention back to her. "You have hardly any food." Double crap. His frown deepened. "You sold your car and bought something that barely runs. You don't leave the heat on because you're worried about the bill. You have almost no food in your house, and you haven't been doing many photo shoots. You're having money problems." "I'm fine." The words were a reflex. She moved to step past him, but he gripped her arm. "Cricket, you have money in our shared accounts. Use it." "No." Frustration cut across his expression. "Why?" "Because that's your money. Your family money, and the money you earned as a Marine. It's not mine to use." "It will always be yours to use because you're my wife, and it's my job to make sure you have what you need." "I do have what I need." "You barely have food, heat, or transport! Let me take care of you." "Colt. I'm okay." He didn't look like he believed her. Another step forward. "I want to stay here in case my father makes an appearance." "No." She shook her head as if to emphasize just how much of a no it was. "Why not?" "Because we're not ready for that. A couple months ago I was signing our divorce papers." "I never wanted that. And neither did you." It was true. But no way was she admitting that out loud right now. When he touched her hip, she pressed a hand to his chest, intending to push him away, but she realized his shirt was soaked. "Hang on, I have some of your old shirts. I'll grab you one." She walked away, speeding out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. In the bottom dresser, she pulled out one of his shirts. "You kept them in there." She jumped. Jesus Christ, he moved quietly. "Yeah. I boxed a lot of stuff and took other things to your mom's, but I kept this drawer. I'm not sure why." Lie. She knew exactly why. Because the thought of removing the last bit of Colt from the home hurt. And she'd already been hurting too much. When she handed him the shirt, their fingers touched, and a bolt of electricity shot down her arm. She wasn't sure what she expected, but the second he tugged off his wet shirt, air stalled in her lungs. Good God. The man was just as sculpted as the last time she'd seen him. Maybe more. The urge to touch him was so intense that she actually shoved her hands behind her back to stop herself. When she looked back up at his eyes, it was to see him watching her, desire aimed back at her. A desire that matched her own. "When you look at me like that, going slow is the last thing on my mind," he whispered. Hers too. But slow was smart, wasn't it? A year ago, she'd been a shell of the person she was today. She had to make sure she was safe in this relationship. That he would choose her over anything else. She took a quick step back and cleared her throat. "Thank you for saving me today, Colt." "I'll always save you, Cricket. And these conversations...about me staying close and money...aren't over." He tugged the shirt over his head. But before leaving, he stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. And she felt that kiss everywhere. In her toes. Her blood. Even her bones. "Lock up after me." His warm breath brushed over her skin. Then he walked out, but she didn't move for a full minute after he'd left. All she could do was breathe.