Fleeing the clutches of her disreputable relatives, Sera Livingston has made her escape to Australia's Outback. Disguised as a boy, sharp-tongued Sera searches for her sister but is attacked by bushrangers. Thievery becomes her only chance at surviv...
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Sera would never forget that sound.
Bullet meeting flesh and bone.
His head cocked back as blood and bits of brain sprayed everywhere, staining the sand red. Then he dropped, like a sack filled with rocks had hit the ground as he collided lifelessly with the dirt, sand billowing around the dead carcass. She turned toward the one with his pistol drawn. The gun smoke stretching toward the darkness was the only indication of the bullet that had escaped from the chamber.
The man she tried to steal from, saved her.
How he reacted so quickly floored her. She stared at him as he slid the gun back into his holster. He stepped towards her once more and this time his calloused fingers touched the tender spot by her hairline, causing a thrill to shoot down her spine. She winced. Her hat had been covering the old wound she had received many weeks ago.
Without a word, the man gathered her into his sinewy form. His arm swiped under her knees as he brought her against a warm solid chest. He carried her over to the fire and sat her under the tree where he had been sleeping.
Now with the fire's light casting away the darkness, Sera stared ponderously at the striking man before her. Lean chiseled face, dark swarthy skin, and hard full mouth pressed into a tight line that reached to his coal-black eyes.
He squatted in front of her, his elbows on his knees and his roughened finger lifted her chin so he could leisurely regard her. Sera pressed her back hard into the tree, making unwanted tears form in her eyes. She glared at him, not knowing what his intent was. He had saved her, yes, but something about the way he held himself, his eyes barely showing emotion, how his presence was almost suffocating, all of it made her wary.
"Trust me, pet. If I wanted to hurt you, you'd be lying next to that man right now."
"Wh..." Sera's voice croaked from being so dry and she licked her lips. "Who are you?"
"You are not from here obviously. You will learn it in time. Are you from the States?" Without blinking, Sera met his intense gaze, refusing to answer. She knew better then to expose herself or where she came from. Plus, she didn't know who to trust. This man could very well see the reward for her and ship her right back to her uncle.
"Were you brought here?"
His gaze assed her as she shook her head. "No."
"Are you running from someone?"
"Beside bushrangers?" Sera said curtly. She narrowed her gaze, wanting to push his fingers away from her chin, hating how he was treating her as if she were a child.
For a man so foreboding, Sera figured his patience would wear, however, he smiled as if pleased by her short, snarky answers. "You're a smart little mouse. But with my line of work, I know when a woman is running from someone."
