Chapter One

The Hunt

Tucker

He stalked to the cabin door, glancing back at Ella one last time. She was still where he'd left her, chin to her chest. His brow rose at her show of submission. On the one hand, she was an absolute picture and as sexy as hell as she hung from the ancient tree's branch, but on the other… he couldn't quite silence the nagging voice that told him he was being a fool.

She's tricking you.Its voice goaded. Waiting for you to turn your back before she runs.

"No." He whispered the word aloud.

Ella had been genuinely ill. She hadn't faked the copious quantities of vomit she'd spewed or the way the blood had drained from her as she retched on the ground. He was certain the last day had stripped her of both hope and energy, and that was a dangerous combination to lose.

Yes, he wanted to keep her, but he didn't want to slowly kill her in the process. His best-case scenario saw her becoming his bedmate, a woman he could enjoy while she shared the cabin, but that wouldn't happen unless she was healthy.

"She needs the water." He turned back to the door, conscious of his responsibilities. Ella should never have needed to ask for the water. He should have already provided it. Frankly, it was the least she deserved. Even prisoners received food and water, didn't they, and she wasn't his prisoner.

His feet halted at the conclusion.

Isn't she?

Straightening, he denied the urge to peer back and check she was still there. Of course, she was there. The woman was weak and listless. Where else would she be? She needed him, needed the water he would bring, yet still, he insisted on tormenting her with his delay.

Determined to do the right thing for once in his life, he lurched forward into the cabin, his gaze scanning the area for a suitable cup. He couldn't use the one he'd chucked into the hay yesterday. That would need a proper clean, but he was sure there was another around there somewhere.

Searching beneath the counter to no avail, his gaze landed on the small bottle of cologne he'd used before her arrival. Tucker hadn't worn scent for years—the rabbits and trees didn't care how he smelled—but knowing she was coming had inspired him to dig out his old favorite. The tiny glass bottle was one of the final remnants of his old lifestyle.

He moved back to the fireplace, looking for something suitable for her to drink from. There, by the side of the hearth, was the blue vessel he'd had in mind. Striding toward it, he grabbed the cup and assessed its condition. Cleaner than the original one, it would still need a quick wash to pass as acceptable—especially to the eyes of someone who'd lived such a charmed life as Ella.

He smiled as he dunked it into the bowl of water she'd used to wash her hands, grateful that his newest critic wasn't there to evaluate his performance. He might be the one in charge, but she always seemed to have an opinion about everything. He had no doubt she'd look poorly at his cleanliness. Hadn't she already condemned his hygiene?

"Little bitch," he muttered, but the laugh that followed showed how little he meant the insult.

Ella's arrival brought hassle and inconvenience, but he had to admit she'd been a welcome distraction from the routines of his daily life. While he had to work out a way to continue hunting and enjoying the great outdoors without worrying about her fleeing every time he left the cabin, the problem bothered him less as he dried the cup with the same towel that had swaddled the offending pie.

He wasn't sure why, but he felt they'd find a way through and create a dynamic that worked for them both. That things would be all right.

The thought buoyed him, as turning back to the meal he'd cooked and shared, he recalled his guest's unexpected reaction. She'd enjoyed the pie at the time she was eating, but sadly, it didn't appear to have done her much good.

"Poor little girl." He shook his head as he headed back to the door, cup in hand. "We're going to have to harden your constitution for you to thrive out here."

Tucker was still chuckling at the unpleasantness as he stepped out onto the decking and headed for the tap. He'd get her the water she'd so nicely asked for, help her to drink it, then bring her inside to rest. Maybe they could start to reach an accord after that—a stalemate where they each learned to trust the other a little more?

He had to hope it was possible, or the next few weeks would be challenging for them both.

It was only when he got to the tap that he turned back to the tree that harbored her, expecting to see her enticing outstretched body and possibly even her huge eyes imploring him for freedom.

It took a moment for his brain to process what he was actually seeing.

Nothing.

The tree stood where it had been for hundreds of years, but there was no one else.

His heart hammered as the reality of the scene started to bite.

Ella was gone!

Shock melted into a cold panic that seemed to seep into his limbs. Dropping the cup, he ran, closing in on the place he'd left her, only to find that his initial survey had been correct. Ella was gone, and based on what was left of the branch he'd secured her to, she'd broken the large twig to achieve her getaway. The remnants of the branch hung limply from the place it had been snapped.

"Fucking bitch."

Anger swelled in his horror, falling and rising like the tide as he stared around at the neighboring trees. Not only had she fled, but she'd damaged one of the trees in the process. Tucker couldn't abide anything that upset the natural order of the forest. Sure, he hunted what little meat he needed to survive, but he always put back, planting new shrubs and providing food for the smaller animals.

He never took more than he needed.

Ella, on the other hand, had bowled in there and not given a damn. Concerned only for her own wellbeing, she'd acted selfishly and without care.

"I'm sorry." His hand rose to the break in the wood, running his fingertips over the damage. "I shouldn't have let this happen to you."

How had he let this happen?

He'd thought the branch would be strong enough to hold her or, to be more exact, that she would be too weak to break free, but evidently, he'd been wrong, and the tree, which was older than them both, had borne the brunt of his mistake.

Fueled by his fury, he spun on his heel and glanced around.

Where are you?

She'd have a few minutes head-start on him, but she couldn't have gotten far, and Ella didn't know the woods the way he did. He'd be able to track her down and heaven help her when he did.

Sprinting back to the cabin, he collected his flashlight, fresh rope, and ensured his trusty blade was in its usual place.

"Run, rabbit, run." His lips stretched into a smirk at the irony of the statement. "I'll find you, little girl."

He wasn't surprised by the resolve resounding in his voice as he headed from the cabin and tore past the discarded broken branch.

"And when I do find you, Ella," he shouted. "Your ass is mine."

***

Ella

Adrenaline whipped around her system as she pelted through the forest, her heart pounding obscenely fast. She tried not to dwell on its speed or how much more the organ could take before it gave up. She had enough to worry about.

Against all odds, she'd broken free from the spontaneous constraints Tucker had created. Inching forward on the balls of her feet, she'd managed to drag the ropes around her wrists to the thinnest section of the branch, then, with enough force, she'd broken the twig in half and launched herself to freedom.

Ella wasn't certain how long ago that had been, and she dared not look back. If there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that it wouldn't take long for Tucker to discover what had happened and be after her. Hell, he was probably right behind her as she hurtled around tree trunks and dodged those roots that were jutting out from the earth.

Panicked, she permitted herself to pause momentarily. Gripping the edge of one girthy trunk with her bound hands, her gaze flew around the landscape of brown trunks and green foliage. There was no one to be found among them.

Move!The instruction screamed in her head until her feet responded. For God's sake, run!

She did as her thoughts commanded, dashing off past one tree, then the next, and the next. She wished that her bra offered her aching breasts any sort of support, but after Tucker's damage, it was all but useless. Irritated, she scanned the area. The view was nothing but endless nature in all directions, her sprint assisted by the growing strength of the wind.

Branches, stems, and leaves filled the panorama around her. It might have been charming had her lungs not stung with the effort of running and the knot of anxiety in her tummy about her captor's imminent approach not spurred her forward.

Tucker would come for her. He'd track her down like one of those poor bunnies he trapped and skinned, then she'd be done for.

"Stop," she panted, willing her thoughts to quiet as she decided which way to go.

Every direction looked the same. She had no way of knowing if she was heading toward liberty or going around in circles, but either way, she couldn't stay. She refused to play Tucker's games.

When he'd let her down from the rafters in the barn, she'd been silly enough to think that playing nice and complying with his demands might be enough. Maybe she could get through by staying in his favor. Maybe the tantalizing caress they'd shared actually meant something.

But she'd been wrong.

There was no ‘getting through' with Tucker. Even when the man wasn't acting like a brute and accosting her against her will, he still insisted she remained bound and offered her food that might once have been her pet.

The man was disgusting. There was no reasoning with him.

That was why she'd had to get away.

It was why whatever came next was worth the risk of staying as his hostage.

Who knows what would have happened next?

The question pinballed as she leaped over a particularly large root protruding from the ground. He'd talked about tying her to his bed, and then what? Tucker had made no secret of his desire for her. She remembered the way he'd acted the night before, stripping and fondling her. She couldn't let him get away with treatment like that, couldn't give him even the slightest impression that his behavior was acceptable.

The whole sorry incident had to end before she got badly hurt. As it was, a few years of world-class therapy might be sufficient to deal with what had taken place. Much longer with her wild jailor and she wouldn't be so lucky.

She paused by another gigantic tree, darting behind it to catch her breath. Her lungs burned as she struggled to calm her breaths. She swore she couldn't ever recall running so hard before, and she dared not think how long she could sustain the effort. With no refreshments, little sleep, and a madman after her, her predicament was even starker after her recent bout of sickness.

How long could she last out there? How long until darkness crept over the canopy of leaves again and swooped on her like a devil? What would she do then, with no shelter and no ability to free her hands?

She inhaled at the litany of questions. There were no answers.

She'd done what she'd had to do to get away, but in doing so, she'd given no thought to her onward journey. She had to hope that she came to a road. There had to be at least a dirt track around there somewhere, didn't there? How else had her useless father managed to get her there?

Maybe if she was truly lucky, a passing group of hikers might discover her and help her back to civilization. They might even have a phone with a signal that she could use. Hope bloomed in her chest, but it wasn't nearly as prominent as the pain in her lungs or the pounding in her head. She could pray for miracles, but until one revealed itself, her survival was down to her.

"Better keep moving." She peered around the tree, half expecting to see Tucker's twisted expression leap out from behind it. Holding her breath, she was relieved to see that particular nightmare hadn't come to pass.

"He'll be on the move by now." Steeling herself, she tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears. "I'd better go while I still have the light."

She started on foot again, darting from one tree to the next, but this time, the initial burst of panic had passed. Sure, she knew he'd be hunting her, but her adrenaline was waning and knowing she'd need to potentially maintain her energy levels for hours to come, she saw no purpose in tearing off in what was possibly the wrong direction.

Better she be strategic, race from hiding spot to hiding spot, and keep her senses alert. If and when Tucker came, at least she'd have somewhere to curl up and conceal herself, and if she wasn't sprinting around, he'd be far less likely to see or hear her.

Glancing around, she darted to the next enormous tree, using its trunk as cover while she thought through her next move.

What am I going to do?

For one painful moment, panic swallowed her up, jabbing at her knees until she landed in a heap on the carpet of fresh leaves.

I don't know where I'm going. She gasped, overawed by the enormity of her situation. I'm going to die out here!

The sense of hopelessness was debilitating, mushrooming until there seemed to be no space for her to take another breath. Frantically, she pulled in air, resting her head back against the trunk as she tried to compose herself.

She had to be okay, had to get herself together.

Nothing would be gained by losing the plot this deep into the forest. Ella knew that, but she couldn't recall ever feeling this type of desolation before. It dug into her soul, eating her up from the inside.

What if she never saw her mum again? Or her friends?

What if this forest—with its endless cruel trees and suffocating beauty—was the last place she ever saw?

That couldn't be her fate, could it?

Sitting there, she sobbed, surprised at how many tears there still were to cry. Even though she knew wasting her time made no sense, even though Tucker could arrive at any moment and seize her, all she could do was empty what remained of her emotions.

When quiet finally fell over her, her head throbbed with despondency. There'd been no solace in the tears. She was empty now. That was all.

Get up.

Lifting her chin, she blinked into the shards of light that managed to penetrate the cover of leaves. It was still daylight. Tucker hadn't found her. She had to move.

That was when she heard it—the distant sound of water rushing at speed.

A river?

A rush of excitement flooded her body. A river! And if she could hear the water, then however far away it was, it couldn't be too far away. Rivers led somewhere, and whether that meant to a town or the sea, somewhere was better than the nowhere she found herself in.

Gulping back on the nasty taste in her dry mouth, she strained to listen harder. Which direction was the water noise coming from? It took a few seconds before she could be sure, but the more she listened, the more she leaned toward the idea that the river ran somewhere to her left.

With one final glimpse behind her, confirming her pursuer hadn't yet caught up with her, she headed toward the sound of running water.