Alicia had left a little while earlier to bring some food back to her fridge and head to bed.
As Claire walked along the path to her cabin, she picked up her pace, sensing someone was behind her. She hoped it was her imagination. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and had them ready in her hand. Suddenly Peter grabbed her from behind and pulled her off the path and up against the outside wall of a guest cabin. He pressed one hand over her mouth and with the other he held both of her wrists, forcing her hands over her head.
"Shhhh," he slurred as he spoke. The reek of beer mixed with sweat was overwhelming for Claire's senses. She stood rigid and terrified.
"I am looking to have one last night of fun before I strap on the old ball and chain and you're the lucky lady who gets to have me last," he said as he pressed his lips into her neck.
Claire struggled but he overpowered her with his heavy body pressed up against hers. She tried to bite his fingers.
"Oh, you like it rough, eh? Me too," he hissed in her face. He slammed her head back into the wall with the hand that was holding her mouth. Pain seared through her head and Claire saw stars. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Suddenly out of the darkness, she saw a figure approach. In one swift movement, Peter's feet were kicked out from under him, knocking him on his back. Before Claire even realized that it was Cole, he had jumped on Peter delivering three quick punches to his face. Peter was out cold on the ground but Cole continued to punch him with brutal force. Terrified that he might kill him, Claire yelled, "Stop Cole! Stop! He's out."
Cole's arm pulled back and then he stopped himself. Otis was with him growling and barking in Peter's face.
Ben came running up from the direction of the lodge, followed by two of Peter’s friends.
Cole glared at the guests, "Get him to his room and make sure he stays there. Tomorrow morning, I'm putting you all in a cab before breakfast. You are not welcome here anymore," He spoke with such levelled rage, that the two men had no choice but to pick up their friend and drag him away. Ben followed them to make sure they got back to their rooms.
Claire stood against the wall breathing heavily and sobbing, her knees started to give out as the reality of what had just happened sunk in. Cole caught her as she slid down the wall.
"You OK, Claire?"
She nodded bravely, as her eyes filled with tears again, "I really think he would have..." she couldn't even bring herself to say the words.
He pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to the top of her head, his voice hoarse. “Don't let your mind go there.” His eyes were filled with tears as he stood holding her up. He never had felt so strongly about protecting anyone before.
"I'll call the police, you should press charges," Cole said.
"No, you stopped him and I think you might get charged with assault," Claire responded quietly.
"I don't care about that. He should be charged after what he did to you."
"Cole, I don't want to go down that road. I would just have to relive the whole thing in detail over and over. And think of the bad publicity for the ranch. Let's just leave it alone."
"I couldn't care less about the publicity but I'll handle this any way you want, Claire. The only thing that matters is keeping you safe," He looked down at her, "Are you hurt? Should I take you to the hospital?"
"I think I'm okay but he slammed my head into the wall. It really hurts," Claire said, her voice breaking.
"Come on, I'll take you back to your cabin and have a look."
Cole kept one arm around her while they walked further along the path. He tried to get a sense of how steady she was on her feet. Otis followed them along and then sat on the porch as Cole unlocked the door and the pair went inside.
Claire dropped down onto the couch with a despondent look on her face. Cole picked up her throw,
As Claire walked along the path to her cabin, she picked up her pace, sensing someone was behind her. She hoped it was her imagination. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and had them ready in her hand. Suddenly Peter grabbed her from behind and pulled her off the path and up against the outside wall of a guest cabin. He pressed one hand over her mouth and with the other he held both of her wrists, forcing her hands over her head.
"Shhhh," he slurred as he spoke. The reek of beer mixed with sweat was overwhelming for Claire's senses. She stood rigid and terrified.
"I am looking to have one last night of fun before I strap on the old ball and chain and you're the lucky lady who gets to have me last," he said as he pressed his lips into her neck.
Claire struggled but he overpowered her with his heavy body pressed up against hers. She tried to bite his fingers.
"Oh, you like it rough, eh? Me too," he hissed in her face. He slammed her head back into the wall with the hand that was holding her mouth. Pain seared through her head and Claire saw stars. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Suddenly out of the darkness, she saw a figure approach. In one swift movement, Peter's feet were kicked out from under him, knocking him on his back. Before Claire even realized that it was Cole, he had jumped on Peter delivering three quick punches to his face. Peter was out cold on the ground but Cole continued to punch him with brutal force. Terrified that he might kill him, Claire yelled, "Stop Cole! Stop! He's out."
Cole's arm pulled back and then he stopped himself. Otis was with him growling and barking in Peter's face.
Ben came running up from the direction of the lodge, followed by two of Peter’s friends.
Cole glared at the guests, "Get him to his room and make sure he stays there. Tomorrow morning, I'm putting you all in a cab before breakfast. You are not welcome here anymore," He spoke with such levelled rage, that the two men had no choice but to pick up their friend and drag him away. Ben followed them to make sure they got back to their rooms.
Claire stood against the wall breathing heavily and sobbing, her knees started to give out as the reality of what had just happened sunk in. Cole caught her as she slid down the wall.
"You OK, Claire?"
She nodded bravely, as her eyes filled with tears again, "I really think he would have..." she couldn't even bring herself to say the words.
He pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to the top of her head, his voice hoarse. “Don't let your mind go there.” His eyes were filled with tears as he stood holding her up. He never had felt so strongly about protecting anyone before.
"I'll call the police, you should press charges," Cole said.
"No, you stopped him and I think you might get charged with assault," Claire responded quietly.
"I don't care about that. He should be charged after what he did to you."
"Cole, I don't want to go down that road. I would just have to relive the whole thing in detail over and over. And think of the bad publicity for the ranch. Let's just leave it alone."
"I couldn't care less about the publicity but I'll handle this any way you want, Claire. The only thing that matters is keeping you safe," He looked down at her, "Are you hurt? Should I take you to the hospital?"
"I think I'm okay but he slammed my head into the wall. It really hurts," Claire said, her voice breaking.
"Come on, I'll take you back to your cabin and have a look."
Cole kept one arm around her while they walked further along the path. He tried to get a sense of how steady she was on her feet. Otis followed them along and then sat on the porch as Cole unlocked the door and the pair went inside.
Claire dropped down onto the couch with a despondent look on her face. Cole picked up her throw,
Similar Books
