“It was a dream,” he said. “Let it go.”
“It was more than a dream, Cutter. It was a nightmare. You were covered with sweat and crying out in your sleep.”
Straightening, he turned to her. “Mattie, this is not your concern. Let it go.”
“It is my business when I have to worry about you mistaking me for someone else and cutting my throat.”
When he raked a hand through his short- cropped hair, Mattie saw his whole arm was trembling. What had upset this seemingly unflappable man so completely?
“Cutter, you’re shaking.”
“It’s damn cold.” He sent her a scathing look. “What the hell do you expect?”
“The truth would be a nice place to start.”
He gave a small, bitter laugh and looked away. “Coming from you that’s almost funny.”
Mattie let the jab roll off her. “You called out a name in your sleep,” she said.
His shoulders went rigid. A man made of stone and about to crumble, was all she could think.
“Monique,” she said. “You were speaking in French.”
Turning away from her, he strode to the window and looked out at the lightly falling snow.
“Who was she?” she asked.
“I don’t know anyone by that name. Never have.”
But Mattie knew he was lying. And she knew that whoever Monique was, she’d had a tremendous effect on this man. That the relationship hadn’t ended well.
“Does this have something to do with The Jaguar?” she asked.
His eyes were hard when he faced her, all traces of emotion wiped clean. “The storm has broken,” he said. “Gather your things. We need to leave.”
“You’re not going to talk about this, are you?”
“No.” Turning away from her, he began to gather a few scant items.
Sighing, Mattie glanced out the window. The prospect of going back out into the cold and snow sent a shudder through her. “We don’t have gear for hiking in this kind of weather. We don’t even have coats.”
Cutter walked to the blanket lying on the floor. Kneeling beside it, he withdrew his knife and began cutting it.
“Why are you cutting up our only blanket?”
“I’m making you a poncho.”
“Are you going to make me breakfast and a pair of boots, too?”
“Maybe next time.” Rising, he crossed to her and placed the poncho over her head. She jumped when he reached out and lifted her hair out of the collar.
“Good color on you,” he said thickly.
“I’ve always looked good in dusty old blankets.”
He didn’t smile, but there was a flash of amusement in his eyes.
The distinct sound of a chopper shattered the moment. Cutter jolted, rushed to the window. “Son of a bitch,” he hissed.
“Please tell me that’s someone coming to rescue us.” But from the look on Cutter’s face she knew it was not the case.
“Get out!” he shouted, running toward her. “Run! Now!”
Grabbing her hand, he jerked her hard toward the door. They were midway through it when the cabin exploded.
Chapter Nine
The next seconds passed in a blur of smoke and flames. One moment Cutter had been rushing through the door, the next he was flying through the air. Mattie’s hand was wrenched violently from his. Something large and hard slammed into his back, and he was flung into a foot of snow.
Lurching to his feet, he looked around wildly. The cabin had been reduced to a pile of burning rubble. In the distance he could hear the chopper’s rotors cutting through the air as the big bird prepared to make another pass. Then he spotted Mattie, and the rest of the world ceased to exist.
She was lying facedown in the snow twenty feet away as still as death. It wasn’t the first time Cutter had seen death. He’d crossed paths with the grim reaper too many times to count. But there was something obscene about seeing her small body twisted and still.
“Aw, no,” he heard himself say. “Mattie…”
The world went into slow motion as he rushed toward her. All he could think was that there was a very good possibility she was innocent. That her safety had been his responsibility. Now her death was his responsibility as well, and it was a load Cutter was not equipped to bear.
He went to his knees beside her. Gently he rolled her onto her back. In the distance he was aware of the chopper’s engines and the whop! whop! whop! of the blades as the craft drew nearer. Even without looking he knew the pilot was lining up to fire another rocket.
But he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Mattie. A crimson line ran from the corner of her mouth to her cheek. Oh dear God no…