CHAPTER 270: CHAPTER 270: TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS

Tanya Sinclair frowned slightly. Being a woman herself, she could tell from Declan Pierce’s sister-in-law’s enchanting gaze that her intentions were far from pure. However, the priority was to get Declan his medicine.

"Alright, I’ll trouble you then," Tanya said with a smile.

As she watched the woman sway away, Tanya glanced at Brock, who was smoking by the side, and said with a smile, "Your sister-in-law is truly a kind-hearted person, being so eager to help my husband, a complete stranger."

She said this deliberately for Brock to hear.

Brock listened with an unchanged expression. Putting out his cigarette before it finished, he stood up and walked out.

Tanya casually looked out the window and saw that he was heading towards the woodshed.

Tanya composed herself and focused on performing surgery on the man who was delirious with a high fever. The conditions here were very limited, and she could only use alcohol and fire for basic disinfection.

The bald man stayed to assist her, bringing in a basin of hot water and taking out a basin of bloody water.

"Ah!" Suddenly, a woman’s scream sounded from outside, followed by a southern-accented curse, "Brock Wallace, how dare you hit me! I’ve been with you since I was seventeen, and now you’re raising your hand against me! You might as well kill me!"

"Dare to flirt outside and think I won’t beat you to death?!" Brock’s tone was fierce.

The bald man had already gone out to mediate the quarrel. After he calmed down the brother-in-law and sister-in-law and brought them back inside, he saw Tanya single-mindedly stitching up the second brother’s wound.

The woman was sitting quietly at the edge of the bed, her movements swift and crisp. There was no electricity here, and they only had the most primitive oil lamps and candles for lighting.

The lamp light made her face appear especially delicate and beautiful.

The bald man fetched a stool and sat down, admiring the woman in front of him.

"Clever move, getting my brother to deal with my sister-in-law, so she wouldn’t seduce your man away..." the bald man chuckled lewdly, "If your man hooks up with Vivian Fairchild, and you’re upset, you can come to me!"

Tanya endured his vulgar words, acting as if she hadn’t heard him, and wiped the blood from her hands.

"I’ve treated his wound. On the way here, I saw some herbs growing nearby that can be applied to external injuries. You should pick some; it’ll help his wound heal. Do you have paper and a pen? I can draw them for you."

The bald man stood up and walked towards Tanya, his small eyes gleaming with lust.

"Why don’t you come with me to find them... it’ll be faster that way?" he said, reaching out his rough, black hand towards Tanya, but the next second, he was no longer laughing.

Feeling a chill around his throat, the bald man stiffly looked down to see a small but sharp folding knife resting on his neck.

The woman’s voice was as cold as a sharpened blade.

"It takes just two seconds to cut open your carotid artery with this knife. You won’t even be able to scream, just watch your blood spray out, then feel yourself losing warmth, growing cold all over, and eventually die. The whole process wouldn’t take more than ten minutes. Do you want to try it?"

Tanya stared icily at him, applying pressure, causing the blade to draw blood.

The bald man stared back at Tanya, the mockery in his eyes faded considerably, replaced by a hint of fear. After a few seconds of confrontation, he raised his hands and mockingly retreated, "I was just joking, no need to take it so seriously."

Tanya didn’t lower the knife, "That joke wasn’t funny at all. I don’t want any trouble. After tonight, my husband and I will leave. Let’s just pretend we never met after tonight."

She glanced at the man on the bed.

"Given the limited conditions here, whether he pulls through depends on whether his fever breaks tonight. If anything happens, you can find me in the woodshed."

With that statement, she also reminded them that if they wanted to stay safe, they shouldn’t touch her or Declan Pierce tonight.

When Tanya left the room, the knife was still tightly held in her hand.

Brock and his woman entered a room, closing the door tightly. Tanya had no interest in knowing what they were doing inside. She returned to the woodshed and relaxed when she saw Declan lying safely on the haystack.

Tanya turned and closed the door to the woodshed, which was essentially just a wooden slab with two hooks holding it loosely.

Someone from outside could easily open it.

Tanya found two thicker sticks to bar the door.

Declan watched her from behind; she hadn’t let go of the knife throughout.

Once Tanya firmly secured the door, she turned and walked towards Declan.

Fearing eavesdroppers, she lowered her voice, "These people are fugitives, we need to be cautious. One of their accomplices has been severely injured by a gunshot. They need me to save him, so they probably won’t harm us tonight. If we get through tonight, Officer Crawford and the others should find us tomorrow..."

Tanya spoke on, utterly oblivious to the fact that she was trembling.

Declan’s gaze deepened as he looked at her, filled with silent yet intense heartache.

He gently took the knife from Tanya’s trembling hand.

There was blood on the blade.

She must have gone through something just now...

Declan silently pulled her into his arms and gently kissed her hair, comforting her with heartfelt pain, "It’s okay."

"..."

Tanya felt the tightly-strung nerves in her mind suddenly slacken.

She buried her face deep into Declan’s chest, enveloped by his scent, and an inexplicable sense of security slowly wrapped around her.

"Declan..." she mumbled his name.

"Hmm."

Tanya lifted her head, her eyes and nose slightly red, but her eyes bright, clearly reflecting his face.

Even in this downtrodden state, he didn’t appear disheveled. Rather, he exuded a sense of a fallen noble gentleman with broken elegance... No wonder that woman was so interested in Declan.

"...Did that woman come to give you the medicine?" Tanya asked.

"Yes, I took the medicine," Declan replied calmly.

Tanya hesitated to ask too directly.

"...I heard them fighting outside. Did the woman do anything to you?"

How could Declan not understand what she meant? He smiled faintly and raised his eyebrows, teasing her on purpose.

"Are you referring to giving me the medicine, or where she touched me?"

Tanya: "?!"

Her eyes widened.

"She touched you? Where? She didn’t press on your wound, did she?"

Declan shrugged, maintaining an expression as serious as possible.

"I’m not sure, it seemed a bit painful. Why don’t you feel around?" He helpfully pointed out, "She started at my shoulder."

Tanya: "..."

She reached over and gently pressed on Declan’s shoulder.

Declan shook his head slightly, "Lower, try the chest area."

Following his instructions, Tanya’s hand moved downward, touching his heart. Through the thin fabric, his heartbeat was steady and strong against her palm, sending shivers of warmth that seeped into her bloodstream...

Tanya shivered as if she had been electrocuted. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, Declan held it in place first.

His pitch-black, deep-set eyes were fixed intently on her.

Since confessing, Declan made no effort to hide his feelings. The emotions in his eyes were intense and honest, laid bare for her to see.

"Not just here," Declan said hoarsely, staring into her eyes. He guided her hand further down to his abdomen muscles.

Tanya was stunned.

Did that woman really... touch him all the way down here?!

And further down...

Instinctively, Tanya’s gaze drifted towards Declan’s dangerous area.

Declan narrowed his eyes dangerously, "What are you imagining?"

In reality, that woman hadn’t touched him at all...

Tanya felt a bit embarrassed and tried to withdraw her hand, but he held it tighter.

He smiled with a hint of mischief, "Not going to continue checking? I don’t mind..."

Suddenly, Tanya remembered something, her expression turning serious and grave.

"Of course, I must continue checking!"

His most severe injury was on his leg!

Tanya pulled her hand from his grip, and without a word, used both hands to undo his belt.

"Pants off!"

Declan: "?"