Read Online Untainted: (Crime Romance: The Photographer Trilogy #3) by Sarah Robinson - Free Book Online Page B

made it to the back of the stable, having quickly cut across the field to spend the least amount of time in plain view. With his body firmly against the wall, he slid sideways toward a larger opening with a wooden door slid across it.
    It was both tall and wide enough for horses to enter and he knew that it connected to the same entrance he had seen around the front, spanning a hallway in between, if it was anything like other stables he had been to.
    There was a window he was passing, covered up so he couldn’t see what was inside, but he heard noises and saw cracks of light around the window’s edge. As he slid past it, about to enter the hallway, he heard a bone chilling scream coming from inside that he instantly recognized as belonging to Kate.
    Every rational thought for safety and precaution left his mind as he rushed inside the stable and instantly followed the continuous screaming to an open door right by where he had come in.
      Bursting into the room, Derrick was confronted with a scene he had only pictured in his nightmares. His eyes first found Annie, laid out on the ground in front of him like a rag doll. Blood seeping from her head, her eyes closed, and her body limp.
    Next, he saw Kate behind a large figure of a man who was on top of her. She was tied to a pipe and he had one hand all the way up her skirt and another around her throat.
    “Get off of her!” He roared, anger firing him at Kate’s attacker who spun around in surprise at the sudden interruption.
    “What the fu-” Frank started just as Derrick’s fist slammed into his cheek, knocking him sideways onto the ground.
    Derrick didn’t stop. Next, he was kicking Frank in the ribs as the man moaned in pain and curled up to protect himself. Kate was still screaming, but it had changed from a tortured scream to panic.
    “Derrick! Be careful!” He heard her, but wasn’t able to focus on her words.
    All he saw was red, he wanted the man under his boot to die right then and there by his hand. His fists were back in on the assault as he jumped on top of Frank and landed punch after punch to anywhere he could make contact.
    Blood streamed down his knuckles and he couldn’t tell if it was only Frank’s blood or if his own was mixing in with it. He didn’t care, he fed his anger on the pain in his fists and it only pushed him on. Kate’s screams turned to cries as minutes went by, or maybe it was just seconds, he had no way of knowing when he finally slowed to a stop.
    Pushing off of Frank’s limp body, Derrick stood and looked at what he had done. Half of Frank’s face was indistinguishable under the broken skin and bones.
    His arm was twisted at an unnatural angle and one leg was under him in the wrong direction. His tongue hung slightly out of his mouth and his eyes were swollen shut. Derrick took a deep breath, calming himself, and turned to look at Kate who was still crying.
    “Kate?” He whimpered this time, the masculine fight in him having seeped out through his fists as he slid to her side and kneeled before her.
    She looked so broken, he couldn’t stand it. Blood was dripping down one side of her face, her cheek swollen.
      “Derrick, you found me.” She whispered, he kissed her gently on the lips as his hands found her cheeks.
      “I never would have stopped looking.” He responded and then began tugging at the ropes around her hands, loosening them and quickly unraveling them.
    Her hands fell free and she fell against him, into his lap, where he just held her for a moment.
    “I’m so sorry, Kate. I’m so, so sorry.” He pressed her against him tighter as he rocked back and forth on his heels, holding her and covering her face with soft kisses.
    She just smiled halfheartedly, relief flooding her expression as she allowed him to comfort her.
    “Don’t be sorry, this isn’t your fault.” She told him, between soft sobs and gentle kisses.
    “It is, I failed you again. I wasn’t there when I