The Badass Protector

COLT

MY SHOULDERS stiffened.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” I hissed in anger.

Cora got inside the tent, and two white men about our age followed. They didn’t look like military, but they had handguns on their sides.

Everyone has guns nowadays, and it shouldn’t be a shock anymore.

“Why do I feel like she’s using herself to trade some food?” Frost suspected.

“Alone? And why? It’s more than that.” And it suddenly reminded me of something. I hesitated to tell Frost, but he needed to know.

“I slept with her.” I grimaced the moment those words came out of my mouth.

“What?” His head jerked with eyes focused on me, reading me as if I was just shitting him.

“I was…” I breathed through my nose. “I don’t know. She just knocked on my door, and I let her in. I didn’t even stop her.”

“You don’t have to explain. I also slept with her. I know it’s not surprising, but what’s this all about?”

“What if these people are looking for Iris? What if she’s selling info about our camp?” Blood rushed through my head-heat shot across my face.

“Why do they want Iris back? It’s not that she reported them to the authority for brutally murdering her brother.”

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

Frost’s expression showed he wasn’t impressed with what we saw. “Let’s head back. It’s almost sunset,” he finally said after a deep breath.

Our way back to the camp was slower than we used to. We needed to take precautions that we were not being followed, though it was useless when Cora had already traded our location to those men, or I was too paranoid.

I still couldn’t believe she was dealing with them without telling Gael. Gael would never allow her, no matter how terrible her attitude was. I hoped they were not from the Colony Iris was talking about.

“Should we tell Gael?”

“He has to know,” I said bluntly.

“He won’t allow Cora to get back to the camp, Colt.”

“Then let her stay with them.”

Frost grabbed my arm. “This has nothing to do with Iris, has it?”

I shook my head. “No. Not entirely. This is about our camp. We’ve been there for months and are still safe because we used precautions. And if she told them where she came from, others are waiting out there and following her the moment she left that tent, then what?”

“She’s maybe a bitch, but she’s not gonna put us in danger, especially you and Gael.”

“You don’t know that.” I continued walking. “Maybe not on purpose, but we were all in danger when she told them about the camp. And I won’t let them get into us without a fight. She should know that before she went out there. That’s why I need to tell Gael.”

“Look, I owe you all my life, and you don’t have to question my loyalty because it’s always been to our group, but I don’t think those men are after the camp or Iris. They’re just campers and just want her. I guess.”

“You don’t owe us anything. We’re family. But I hope you’re right.”

“Don’t do this, Colt.”

“It’s not your call, Frost. This is for everyone’s safety.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“So you’ll gonna let her die outside?”

“It’s up to Gael. She fucked up, Frost. She chose her fate when she sneaked out and betrayed her group. We don’t even know if she still stays inside or out there. I haven’t seen her in the kitchen or camp for days. That’s why we are here, right? To scout,” I pointed out.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

***

IT WAS already dark when we reached the camp. Frost used the exit gate from the back while I sneaked through the main entrance.

I heard everyone’s conversation around the fire, which gave me easy access to Cora’s cabin. I picked up the lock and got inside.

Her bed was well-made, and clothes were neatly folded above the bed. Her backpack was missing, and nothing suspicious was in the nightstand drawer.

I lifted the mattress-nothing was hidden under it. It was almost perfectly set up as if Cora knew something was coming or I was overthinking everything.

But there must be something about why Cora was out there, and she hadn’t come back until now.

“What she’s doing out there?” I asked myself and carefully tucked her mattress back like it was before. I walked out and locked the door behind me.

Iris called out my name on my way to the dinner they had prepared.

I froze on the spot.

“Hey.” My voice came out a whisper. The moment our gaze met, a lot of thoughts scattered in my head.

“Hey, you.” Her eyes lit up. Fascinating.

I pulled her tightly into a hug. This time I didn’t hear a gasp from her. She wrapped her tiny arms around my body, and my heart instantly galloped. Warm hands rubbed my back, causing tingles of electricity to spread all over me.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her even though I was somewhere. It felt like we had some fucking cosmic connection that was hard to explain, and there was no way this could be relieved by sex alone.

Frost was right. Iris was like a plague to my brain in a damn good way. When I was with her, my brain didn’t seem to work.

All I knew was I deeply cared about her.

I planted a soft kiss on top of her head.

When she loosened her arms around me, I felt the sudden emptiness the moment our bodies were apart.

The moonlight reflected in her blue eyes as she looked up and met my searing gaze.

She smiled at me-it encouraged me to cup her small round face with my hands and caress her dashing, pretty pink soft cheeks.

Make a move, Colt. The voice of Frost echoed in my head.

My gaze dropped to her lips.

Tension suddenly thickened around us.

Electricity sparked.

Heartbeat skyrocketed.

Her breathing caught, then she breathed out, almost like a sigh, and whispered, “I-I don’t mind.”

And it was my cue to lean down, brush my lips against hers, and let my lids flutter close.

Desires blasted through me with just three simple words. I leaned in, kissed her, and tasted the sweet mouth I wanted to possess the moment she threatened my cock.

She parted her lips, and I captured her mouth, and all the restraints I had vanished in the air. Her fingers gripped my front shirt, then released them to run through my hair.

I released my hands, cupping the back of her head and the other at the small of her back. Our mouths moved in sync like we’d done it several times. Perfect.

My tongue licked the seam of her lips, and she opened up, meeting with hers in her mouth. Iris moaned, pressing herself against mine. The heat we created was racing down toward my dick.

I was overwhelmed by our kiss, and lust overtook me, finding me hard to stop kissing her.

This was all I’d wanted, but now it was not enough.

I desperately wanted something more-I wanted Iris. I wanted her in my bed. In this cruel world. In my life.

Pain pierced through my heart. I kissed her hard one last time and freed my mouth from hers.

Her confused blue eyes met mine.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, still panting. She then looked down as disappointment laced all over her pretty face. “I get it. It’s a mistake.”

It took a moment for me to let those words sink in seemingly. Fear rushed through me when she started walking backward.

“Iris.”

“Sorry if I kissed you. I guessed I was just a little overwhelmed, but I’m glad you’re back. Safe. Everyone is waiting for you for dinner.”

“Iris, just hold for a moment.” I ran my fingers through my hair and stepped closer to her. “Um.” I rubbed my beard. “Shit.” I held her hand. “Look.”

“We’ll talk later.” That was it. She then walked away.

What the fuck?