Free Untamed by Ciana Stone

padlocked from the outside.”
    That presented a problem. Even if he could kick down the door or shoot off the lock, it would alert the goons to his presence. They needed some kind of diversion.
    It came to him and he grinned. “Think you can give us a diversion?” he whispered. “Maybe a nice fire up around the main house?”
    He could almost hear the grin in her whisper. “I think I can manage.”
    “Okay. Make it big. We want all of them busy with the fire. Stay near the door. Once they’re occupied, I’ll come around and let you out.”
    “Gotcha.”
    Clint worked his way to the end of the shed and gestured to Cam to make his way to the shed. A few seconds later he heard a shout. He hurried to the opposite corner and looked around the side of the shed.
    Tongues of flame were licking the side of the main house, spreading fast. Two men were already working at beating out the fire. Within seconds they were joined by three more.
    Way to go, Lil, he thought as the fire billowed, spreading up the side of the house and into a tree overhanging the driveway.
    He hurried around to the front of the shed and cut a look over this shoulder. Lily’s husband was climbing into a car parked beneath the now burning tree, while the other men shouted and gestured.
    Clint stepped in front of the door, gave the rusty hinge a once over then drew back and kicked the door. Dry-rotted wood gave way under the force of his kick, pulling free the rusty screws holding the lock arm in place.
    Before he could take a step toward the opening, Lily was rushing out. He grabbed her arm and hustled her around to the back of the shed, nearly colliding with Cam.
    “Time to go, bro,” Cam said with a grin.
    “Right behind you.”
    Hanging on to Lily’s hand, Clint followed Cam back the way they had come. None of them spoke until they reached the truck, then Lily threw her arms around Clint. “You came for me.”
    “You had any doubt, sugar?” he replied, hugging her tight.
    “Never,” she said and pulled away to turn to Cam.
    “Come here, you.” She pulled him to her for a long, hard hug. “Thank you.”
    “Anytime, beautiful,” he returned with a grin. “Now come on, let’s get home. I get a feeling that these dicks aren’t gonna take it well when they discover you gone. We need to get home and get ready.”
    Clint had not considered that until Cam said it. He looked at Lily, seeing anger and fear stamped on her face, and took her hand. “We’ll be fine,” he promised.
    She nodded, trust gleaming in her eyes. He hoped he hadn’t just made a promise he couldn’t keep.

Chapter Eight
     
    It would be dawn soon. Lily sat beside one of the windows in the living room, her back against the wall with a hunting rifle across her legs. Clint sat on the opposite side of the window, and Cam was positioned at the second window, scanning the darkness.
    “Maybe you should call the police again,” Lily suggested.
    “They’ll be here,” Clint replied.
    “And maybe those goons won’t show,” Cam offered.
    Just as the thought went through her mind that she hoped he was right, lights slashed the darkness.
    “Car,” Cam announced.
    Clint and Lily both turned, peering from the edge of the window. The car stopped. With the headlights on, it was hard to see much of anything. They all were frozen, eyes searching for signs of movement.
    “I’m going out the back to sneak around behind them,” Cam said.
    “No,” Lily argued as he moved to stand.
    Almost simultaneously, the window exploded and Cam lurched backward. Clint dived across the room, slid on his belly to the window and opened fire.
    Gunfire rained on the front of the house, bullets impacting with the block walls and more than a few shattering glass and slamming into the back wall of the living room. Lily scooted across the room on her belly to Cam.
    His shirt was dark with blood on his left shoulder and chest. “Oh god,” she breathed. “Cam, hang on.”
    She wiggled out of her