Page 57 of Slide

“Then why are you acting like this?”

“Like what?” He knew what she was getting at, but admitting she was right meant admitting he wished he could have more with her than the next thirty-six hours.

“Like I popped your cherry, slapped you on the ass, and sent you on your way.” She shoved back and climbed to her feet. “You’re acting like a scorned maiden, like I’m some predator forcing you to stick your dick in me.”

What the fuck? “Lucy—”

“I just want to leave. I’m going back to the car.” She scooped up her clothes and took off, naked, toward the track.

“Lucy!”

The she-devil ignored him completely and started running.

After yanking on his jeans, he scooped up the rest of their stuff and ran after her. He heard the car roar to life in the distance. The fuck? She was going to drive off and leave him on the side of the road? He reached the tree line and burst out into the clearing…

And nearly stroked out.

Lucy, in only a pair of panties, was attached to some guy’s leg. No, not some guy, the same fucker who had stolen the car the first time. He was kicking out, trying to shake Lucy off.

Adam sprinted toward them. “Lucy!”

The guy was behind the wheel and spun around, saw Adam barreling down on him, and let his fist fly. It connected with Lucy’s face, knocking her back, and her body hit the gravel. He slammed the door and he tore off, stones spitting from the rear tires as he went.

Adam skidded down to the ground beside her. “Lucy. Fuck. Baby, are you okay?”

She was lying there, eyes wide with shock. She blinked twice then the shock vanished and she looked pissed as hell. “That motherfucker hit me.” She struggled up to her elbows and winced.

“Be careful. Just stay still for a second.”

She touched her nose. “He didn’t actually hit me that hard. Just stunned me, really.” A trickle of blood slid from one nostril, over her lip.

“You’re bleeding,” he growled. “I’m going to kill that motherfucker.”

“Oh.” Her hand flew to her face, staring at the blood she’d wiped away with her fingers. “It’s nothing. My nose bleeds easily, even from a light tap.”

She sat up and scrambled forward, causing the blood to drip off her chin, splashing her bare breasts. That’s when the fear subsided and Adam’s anger hit a whole new level. That fucker had hurt her, he’d punched her. Had seen her. “I am going to kill him,” he said again.

“Can you do that after you pass me the blanket?”

He’d dropped everything in his arms the moment he’d broke into the clearing, so helping her to her feet, he led her back to the tree line. Once he had her settled back down, he got busy cleaning her up. It helped to keep his mind busy, to contain the murderous rage pounding through him. Pouring some water from one of their bottles on the corner of the blanket, he started to wipe her skin clean. His hand was shaking, he realized, jaw locked so damn tight it ached.

“He must have been following us,” she said, eyes wide, watching what he was doing.

“Yep.” He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed. But then that wasn’t a surprise since he’d had Lucy sitting beside him.

“Adam, I’m fine,” she said, touching his arm.

“Fine,” he repeated, but he couldn’t contain the anger and fear inside him any longer, and totally lost it. His head snapped up. “What in the fuck did you think you were doing?”

She clamped her mouth shut, sucking in a sharp breath through her nose.

“You could have been really hurt.” A growl tore from his throat. “You were hurt!”

“Adam, really. I’m fine,” she said again.

He held up the edge of the blanket, now soaked in her blood. “You’re not fine!”

“Stop yelling!” she yelled back.