Free Rogue (Book 2) (The Omega Group) by Andrea Domanski Page B

thoughts back to the
present. She’d assumed she was alone out there at the edge of the reservation,
but the curse words that wafted through the trees told her otherwise. She took
a few hesitant steps toward the unknown voice, her curiosity getting the better
of her. As she rounded the trunk of a particularly large tree, she saw the
source of the noise.
    A tall man wearing a baseball cap was dragging something
heavy through the woods. He was obviously not strong enough to carry it by
himself. Grateful for the interruption of her thoughts, Gina started forward,
intending to offer her help.
    Then the heavy bundle moved, rolling on its side. The man in
the cap reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a needle.
Gina’s jaw dropped as the reality of the situation in front of her sunk in.
    “Hey!” she yelled as she ran forward. She had no weapon but
couldn’t allow any harm to come to the person splayed out on the ground. Any more harm, at least. “What are you doing?”
    The man started to turn toward her but stopped before his
face was revealed. He took a quick look at his captive, then ran off through
the forest.
    Although Gina wanted to follow—if for no other reason than
to find out who he was—she knew the person he left behind needed her help. She
moved slowly, not entirely sure this person hadn’t deserved their fate. No .
His fate. It was definitely a man. He was turned away from her but the
muscles in his back were obvious through his shirt. As she closed to within a
few feet of him, she saw his long black hair trailing across his face. Only his
slightly parted lips were visible. Lips that looked just like Carter’s.
    What is wrong with me?
    Shoving all thoughts of Carter aside, she placed her fingers
gently on the man’s neck. His pulse was steady. He’d either been knocked
unconscious or drugged. Although neither was going to keep him under for much
longer. What began as a low growl in his chest, turned into incoherent mumbling. “Hun,” he said, then, “Jackie.” Perhaps the
girlfriend. The closer he got to consciousness the more agitated he became. She
reached down to push his hair from his face, hoping to lend some comfort.
    His move was so sudden she gasped. His hand shot out and
grabbed her wrist then pulled her over his prone body until she lay inches from
his now uncovered face. Her heart leapt into her throat, choking her. “Carter?”
    “Gina?” He sounded as surprised as she felt. “What the hell
have you done?” He threw her off as he stood on shaky legs.
    “What have I done?” She could feel her cheeks redden
as her anger increased. Five years after he ruined her life, he shows up and
attacks her. While she was trying to help him, no less.
    “I should have known you’d be a part of this.” He swung
around, looking in all directions. “Where the hell am I?”
    Gina crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a stern
stare. “Outside my village, where you are most unwelcome. So, why don’t you
just go away?”
    Carter’s gaze turned quizzical before flaring into
full-blown anger again. “Seriously? You go through all of this just to tell me
to leave? Where are Han and Jackie?”
    Han? Not Hun? Try as she might, Gina couldn’t stop
the speck of warmth that invaded her heart as she realized he hadn’t been
mumbling some term of endearment earlier. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”
    “They were with me on the trail when you shot us.”
    That warm speck was immediately extinguished. “When I—? Aah!
You are the most selfish, self-centered, arrogant man I have ever met. How dare
you?” Words couldn’t express her fury as she stomped around in circles. “This
is what I get for getting involved in other people’s business. I should have just
stayed at home today instead of coming out here and saving your ass.”
    By the time she looked up, Carter’s demeanor had changed. He
was now standing with his arms folded over his muscled chest, watching