“Fuck.”

What the hell was a damned woman doing out here in the middle of nowhere? A woman with a full head of dark hair and an ass that had him quickly looking away from it. Double fuck.

Crouching down at the woman, Darien gently pushed the hair back from the side of her face. His eyes narrowed on the dark circle surrounding her eye and the dark red sheen on her cheek. He gnashed his teeth together. It wasn’t any of his business. Yeah, right, like he could ignore the shiner someone had given her.

She’d fallen on her stomach and face for that matter. He pressed his fingers to her throat and found a steady pulse. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized a pressure had been wrapped around his heart. It eased more and more at the feel of her skin pulsing against his fingertip.

He rolled her over gently and went to inspect her for wounds. He didn’t get any further than her face.

The black and red bruises that marred the side of her face couldn’t begin to take away from her beauty. Fuck, he felt like he’d just been punched in the gut again. Her jaw was soft and pointed, her lips pink with perfect points on her top lip, and her brows and nose were dainty. Talk about the last thing he needed.

Gently he wrapped his arms underneath her and lifted her to his chest. She was so damned light; the woman must not eat a thing. Yet as he looked down at her in his arms, he saw the full flush of her curves, rounded thighs, and press of her breasts against her shirt.

His cock twitched in his pants. The sensation was so shocking that he stumbled a step and nearly dropped her. Breathing erratic, he closed his eyes until he had his body back under control. It was just a fluke. His body was just having a spasm—it wasn’t her. He hadn’t been sexually attracted to a woman since Dana. He couldn’t be, even if he wanted to.

He kept his gaze forward as he carried her back to the cabin. What the hell should he do with her? If he trekked with her to his truck, he could take her to a hospital. His gaze slowly lowered to her face and he jerked it back up. He had no business looking at a woman when she was unconscious, and he certainly had no fucking right eyeing a woman who’d been hurt. Guilt nagged at him. And doesn’t Dana have a right to be in your thoughts?

He kept his gaze straight for the rest of the trip. When he reached the cabin, he set her down on his bed. She sighed a little and snuggled into his pillow. He bared his teeth at some unseen foe as his chest tightened.

Was living with the pain of Dana not enough? Did life really have to send another complication into his life right now? Of course it did, because life was a brutal bitch with a gun-wielding vendetta against wrongdoers.

Darien pulled a chair up next to the small cot. At once he wished he had a clean, big bed to put her in and not this lousy half-a-thing he’d dragged through the woods to get here.

Swallowing hard he quickly felt over her front pockets, then moved her side to side to feel her back ones. No wallet. No ID. Well, the one plan he’d had just kicked the bucket. So much for calling her family.

He’d have to wait until she woke up. The thought sent him pacing across the cabin.

“Where do you think you’re going, Cassandra?” The cruel voice spiked her fear and made her run faster, blindly flying through the night and away from his voice. His laughter taunted her, staying so close behind her that no matter how hard she pushed herself, he was always there, one step behind. “You will never get away from me.”

“No.” Her hoarse whisper was drowned out by his laughter. The dark floor suddenly turned into stairs and she was falling down them, slamming her elbows and knees into the hard wood. She cried out and rolled over onto her knees, crawling and straining away. Away from him. His steps, coming closer. He stopped at her face, kicking up dust into her face, and making her hack and sneeze.

He grabbed her hair and jerked her to a stand. “Why do you make me do these things, Cassandra? Don’t you see how easy it will be when you just submit? Submit like you’re supposed to. Say the words right now and all of this will stop.”

His arm pulled back and she watched in terrified slow motion as his fingers curled into a fist that soared towards her face. It was too fast, she tried to turn her head, but it hit her. The blows came again and again, she desperately fought to turn her head to slide down the wall, to run away, but he held her by the hair on her head, the sharp pain of it bringing tears to her eyes.

As the last blow landed, he released his grip on her. Her knees gave out like they were made of jello, and she slid listlessly down the wall, hot tears spilling down her cheeks.

The walls around her shook. Her vision blurred to black and spun out of control like an old-time movie reel spinning too fast. The man before her faded, and then her eyes shot open, wild and frightened.

“Hey, it’s all right,” a deep voice said.

Cassandra’s scurried to a sitting position, pushing herself as far away from the deep voice as possible. She blinked quickly, frantically searching the room she was in. Where the hell was she? Who was he?

“Just take it easy,” the giant of a man said. She tensed as he stood and walked as far away from her as he could in the small house...bedroom...whatever this was. Giant was a good description of him too. She swallowed hard just looking at him and couldn’t help but wonder how someone grow so tall and wide and--she licked her lips--muscular. Someone fed this boy all the veggies and milk. She took deep breaths until finally her racing heart slowed to a normal speed.

“Who are you?” Her voice had seen better days, but then again screaming would do that to you.

He ignored her and said, “I’d like to know yours first.”

He lifted his dark eyebrows and she experienced a thread of desire. The man was...sexy. So tall that his head nearly touched the roof with skin dark from sunlight. His face was also covered in bruises.

The thought sent her hand fluttering to her own face. She cringed as she poked the painful spots around her eye and cheek. She hung her head and for a moment, wanted to curl up and cry.

“I asked who you are,” the giant repeated. His voice was so deep. He should be on radio or in movies because he could make women shiver with just a word.

“Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time, Goliath.” She kept her eyes on him as she sidled off the cot and came to a stand. She eyed the front door and briefly wondered if she should make a run for it. But then her gaze fell back to his very broad shoulders that spread his dark t-shirt so deliciously wide, and some small voice goaded her into staying where she was. “Why don’t you tell me who you are,” she countered.

He cracked his neck and it popped loudly. She had the distinct feeling that she was annoying him, and it was getting hard not to smile. “This,” he said flinging out his very big hand to encompass the room is all my land. So you will tell me why you are here on my land.” His voice was deep, though she supposed it had to be for a man as big as he was. She bit her lip, would he be big everywhere? Not that she knew anything about that!

“My name is Cassandra. What’s yours, cutie?” He looked disgusted at her nickname.

“I’m Darien Kategan.” The way he said it was as if he expected her to recognize it. Arrogant and almost cocky.

“A sexy name for a sexy man, I see.” She smiled at him but quickly lost it when a sharp jolt of pain shot through the bruised side of face. She laughed and said, “Guess it’s too early to smile.” When the throbbing hot pain finally faded, she raised her eyes to find him standing right there in front of her. “How did you—”

“Shh,” he commanded. Cassandra clamped her mouth shut as several things happened at once. His fingers touched her chin, the touch gentle and warm. He tilted her head to the left so he could inspect her face. She closed her eyes and let him look, unconsciously showing him a submissive side she’d always fought to show men before.