Rescuing Liberty: Perseverance Book 1 by Amanda Washington Page A

“I’ve taken care of men like
that before.”
    Connor chuckled. His gaze
drifted to her chest and lingered there. Starvation hadn’t robbed
her of all her curves and he took a moment to appreciate that fact.
“Oh, I bet you have.” Wonder if I can get
her angry enough to self-destruct?
    Her arms started to cross
in front of her, but she stopped and lowered her clenched fists to
her sides. “First off, that is none of your business. Secondly, if you think
I’d have allowed that shaggy, putrid, revolting excuse for a human
being to have his way with me, you know nothing about me! I’d have put my
knee through his genitals, or died trying.”
    Connor’s mouth twitched. Unsure of the
exact moment when his anger morphed into amusement, he bit the
inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. She was exactly the type
of person he’d enjoyed getting on the stand; just blow a little
smoke in her direction and she goes up like bonfire.
    “ If you didn’t trust me to keep Ashley
safe, you shouldn’t have manipulated me into taking
her.”
    Connor’s eyebrows
rose. She figured it out? Didn’t see that
one coming.
    “ And
what should I have done?” he asked, glancing at Ashley and wondering if
she’d figured it out as well. “She needed to get out of there, and
she wouldn’t have willingly come with me.
    Liberty raised an eyebrow.
“So you left her locked in a safe with a perfect stranger, and now
you’re getting on my case because you think I’m putting her life in
danger?”
    “ Let me get this straight.” Connor
tapped a finger to his chin thoughtfully. “You’re screeching at me
because I trusted you with Ashley?”
    “ Screeching?” Her voice raised another
octave.
    “ You can be as self-righteous as you
want, but I did the right thing! I knew what I was doing, and I
can’t believe you’re really arguing with me about this. You’re so
determined not to trust me, that you can’t possibly accept that I
trusted you.”
    She sighed, and a vast amount of anger
seemed to escape with her breath. “You could have asked, you
know.”
    “ Right.” He snickered. “Before or
after you threatened to rename me ‘Stubby’?”
    “ You … you … are so
infuriating.”
    She sounded more frustrated and
confused than angry. He couldn’t blame her, but he also couldn’t
shed light on something he didn’t even understand. He’d always been
able to read people and his career had just enhanced the ability.
But how could he explain that to some crazed woman? Instead he
squared his chin and looked her into her eyes. “I will not ever
apologize for doing what I felt was right for Ashley. Don’t ask me
to.”
     
    * * *
     
    After the pancake batter was depleted,
Liberty dumped maple flavor into the pan. Then she added water and
sugar, and stirred the mixture while it heated. Eventually the
contents of the pan thickened into a runny maple syrup. Connor
smothered the fire and the trio sat around the pan, dipping the
pancakes in the syrupy mix, and stuffing them into their faces.
Connor closed his eyes and savored the quiet, flavorful
moment.
    When they were done eating, Ashley
slipped behind a tree and left Liberty and Connor alone. His anger
had dissipated, and hers appeared to have as well, sated by the hot
meal. But the woman’s stubbornness knew no bounds. She took the pan
and spoon to the water and washed them, throwing occasional glances
over her shoulder.
    Connor leaned back, resting on his
elbows in the grass. A few fluffy clouds raced across the sky as
birds chattered in the trees. It was a calm, peaceful background
noise and for a moment he rested his eyes. Then he heard Liberty
zip her pack.
    “ The pancakes were delicious. Thanks,”
Connor said, pushing himself off the ground.
    Liberty’s brow furrowed as she slung
her pack over her arm and approached him. “You’re welcome.” She
cleared her throat and came to a stop directly in front of him.
“Now here’s the deal. Right now you have a clean