Free Lover's Return by Rebecca Airies Page A

settled on her lower back and urged her toward the steps.
    As they crossed the grassy clearing to the path through the trees, a man stepped from the concealing branches. An arc burst gun pointed toward them as he moved to block their path. It could be on stun, but as crazed as he looked, she bet it was on kill. She stopped even before Jericho’s arm swept out. He eased in front of her, blocking the man’s view of her.
    She focused on the man across from them. Black-haired and almost boyish in appearance, the man stared at them silently. He looked short, much shorter than Jericho. That weapon changed things though. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from that silver-and-black weapon pointing at them. Her breath hitched in her throat.
    She’d never seen the man before today. Earlier she’d had a few thoughts that maybe she’d passed him on the street or been at the same social function. Now she was sure. She wouldn’t have missed him. He was just too different from most of the men here for her not to notice him. He looked too effeminate, too soft compared to the men from this colony planet.
    “Come away from him, Charleigh. You’re safe now.” The man motioned with his gun as if urging her to move. “I’ve got him. If he moves, I’ll shoot him. He’s not going to hurt you.”
    “He wouldn’t hurt me anyway.” She pressed her hands against Jericho’s back and didn’t try to resist as he urged her back toward the porch. Sorensen must be crazy. It was the only reason she could think of that he’d believe she’d go to him when he had a weapon.
    “I know you don’t want to be with him, Charleigh. I know your family and his are forcing you to be here. Step away from him.” The man’s voice rose and he took a step forward.
    “She’s not going anywhere with you.” Jericho’s deep voice boomed. She felt the vibrations of the sound through her fingertips on his back.
    “I don’t know you. And you have a gun. Why would I go near you when you come here uninvited and threaten us?” She peeked around Jericho to get another look at the man. If what Rio and Jericho believed was true, maybe she should stand in front of Jericho. If the man wanted to “save” her, he didn’t want to hurt her. Jericho, on the other hand, he’d probably shoot without a second thought. Sorensen seemed to have lost any bit of logic and sanity he once had.
    “Quiet.” He kept easing them back. She felt the step at her heel and took a step up. “Don’t antagonize the crazy man.”
    “I’m never a threat to you.” Tobias Sorensen’s voice softened and a smile curved his lips. “You know me. Your Aunt Hannah introduced us.”
    “No, she didn’t. Her Aunt Hannah loves me. She would ship you back to wherever you came from in several small boxes.” Jericho carefully stepped up onto the next tread without glancing back.
    Her aunt always had been supportive of Jericho, so he could be right about the boast of her loving him. As to the small boxes threat, Aunt Hannah had more subtlety than that, but if necessary, she’d do it that way. As she moved up onto the porch, she got a clear glimpse of the man walking toward them. Definitely crazy. His eyes fixed on them and there was a fervent light in that gaze that wasn’t love.
    “Get away from her. She’s not interested in you.” Tobias raised the gun and pointed it at Jericho. “Come on. You don’t have to be afraid of him.”
    She drew in a gasping breath and her heart slammed in her chest. She grabbed Jericho’s shirt, intending to pull him into the house with her. She wasn’t leaving him out here. They’d lock the doors and wait on Nate. As unstable as the man seemed, she didn’t know how long it would be before he took a shot at Jericho regardless of whether she was close to him. Even if Sorensen fled, they had him on video pointing a weapon at them.
    Jericho urged her back. She kept silent. Tobias Sorensen hadn’t seemed to hear her denials. More wouldn’t make any