Dangerous Territory

by Becca Van

  Lily tugged away from her little friend and stormed toward the fence line near him. She had her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face. If only one of the other brats would find the fucking snake so he could make his move.

  When he saw a couple of boys heading toward the pit, he opened his door and slid out, making sure his head was below the roofline of the car. The two lads stopped at the edge of the sand and started screaming at the top of their lungs.

  Every single pair of eyes turned in their direction, including Lily’s. Todd ran to the fence, leaned over, snagged an arm around her waist, and pressed his other hand tightly against her mouth to muffle any of her screams. He spun, raced back to the car, and shoved her in the back seat, before quickly diving into the driver’s seat. He engaged the child lock on the doors and windows, started the ignition, and drove away.

  Now all he had to do was deliver the letter and wait in the abandoned cabin he’d found on his daily sojourns through the county.

  He glanced over his shoulder to gaze at the brat. She was sitting in the middle of the back seat with her thumb in her mouth, staring at him with fear in her eyes. Todd just hoped she didn’t start screaming and wailing up a storm. The last thing he wanted was for the little bitch to draw attention to him.

  He pulled over into a quiet side street, got out of the car, and walked toward the trunk where he’d stashed his supplies. He didn’t want to tie the kid up or gag her, but it was the only way he was going to stay safe. When he had what he needed, he opened the back door and got to work.

  The little brat didn’t utter a sound as he taped her hands together in front of her and then covered her mouth with a thin strip of duct tape. She just stared up at him with abject horror.

  Once he was done, he lifted her into the footwell, got back into the car and headed to the library.

  When he saw a girl of around fourteen years old heading toward the library steps, he called out to her. “Hey, wait up.”

  She turned to look at him warily as he got out of the car, envelope in hand, and walked slowly so as not to spook her. “Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor and hand this letter to Sammy Reilly? She’s an old friend, and I don’t have time to go inside and see her.” He glanced at his watch and then shifted from foot to foot impatiently, trying to portray his need to hurry. “I have a meeting to get to in ten minutes, but I was hoping to catch up with Sammy tonight. This letter has all my contact details I was hoping you’d pass on.”

  “Sure thing, mister.” The girl took the proffered envelope and turned away.

  “Thanks so much,” Todd called out as he rushed back to the car. “I really appreciate your help.”

  The girl didn’t bother to reply or look back. She just raised her hand in acknowledgement.

  Todd practically dived into the Beemer, put the car into drive, and sped away. Thank fuck the library was on the outer eastern edge of town. No one but the girl had been there to see him.

  He didn’t care that the teenager could give a description of him because he planned to take off as soon as he exchanged the sluts for the money. Once he had that cash, he’d have the means to do whatever he wanted.

  Todd was going to be so fucking rich, he’d never have to worry about living on the streets again.

  * * * *

  “Are you Sammy?”

  Sammy looked up from the computer she’d been working at to gaze at the young girl standing in front of the counter. “I am. How may I help you?”

  “Here.” The girl thrust the envelope in her hand toward her. “Some guy out the front gave it to me to give it to you. He said he was a friend and wanted to catch up with you, but had to rush away for a meeting.”

  Sammy took the envelope with dread forming in her gut. Her hands shook as she stared at the blank white paper. She saw the girl walking toward the computers in the back of the room from the corner of her eye. Her heart was thudding hard and fast, and she was panting. Sweat sheened her skin and trickled down between her breasts. Trying to push her misgivings aside, Sammy slid a nail under the edge of the envelope and ripped it open.

  She drew out the letter and unfolded it. A loud roaring set up in her ears when she saw the familiar handwriting. Her first instinct was to drop the paper and run, but she sucked in a breath to try to calm her nerves and started reading.

  I have your brat. If you ever want to see her again, come to the cabin at the address written down. You owe me. Don’t fucking tell anyone where you’re going. If you don’t turn up within the hour, alone, I’ll kill the kid. T.

  Sammy felt all the blood drain from her head, and she swayed on her feet. She gripped the edge of the counter and tried to stop the screaming in her head. He had her baby. He was going to kill Lily if she didn’t hurry. Quickly stuffing the envelope and letter into the pocket of her trousers, she spun on her heels.

  Shyann frowned at her as she came out of the break room. “Can I please borrow your car?”

  “Sammy! What’s wrong? You’re as pale as a ghost.”

  “Lily’s sick.”

  Shyann frowned. “I didn’t hear your cell or the library phone ring.”

  “Please, Shyann? Please? Lily needs me,” Sammy begged. She thanked God that Shyann hadn’t been dropped off to work by one of her men or that the other woman’s guys hadn’t been able to visit for lunch today. If they had…she didn’t want to think about it.

  Shyann moved toward the counter, grabbed her purse from the shelf, and dug into it. She held her keys out to Sammy and placed them into her hand. Before she could race away, Shyann covered her hand with both of hers.

  “Are you sure everything’s all right, Sammy?”

  “Yeah,” she lied, glancing away. “I just need to go get Lily. She puked everywhere.”

  “I’ll call you later to check up on her,” Shyann said, as she dropped her hands.

  “Thanks.” Sammy turned and hurried toward the entrance.

  “Sammy, you forgot your purse,” Shyann called out.

  With an inward groan, Sammy turned back. Shyann rushed over and handed Sammy her purse. “Thank you,” Sammy said when Shyann opened mouth to speak, and then she hurried away.

  Shyann wasn’t stupid and knew there was something wrong, but Sammy wasn’t about to tell her. Her daughter’s life might very well depend on it.

  * * * *

  “What?” Maddox roared into the phone.

  Brax Rhodes had called Maddox after Shyann had contacted Brax. He didn’t like what he was hearing. Sammy had left the library, claiming that Lily was sick. His gut knotted and his stomach churned. He was worried that Sammy had had a change of heart where he and his brothers were concerned. He shook his head. That couldn’t be the case. She’d been all smiles and happiness this morning. She’d told him and Logan she loved them before Haden had driven her to work.

  “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

  “Hold up, Maddox,” Brax said. “Ajay’s got Shyann on his cell. What do you mean she’s missing? Lily went to pick her up. Is Yasmine sure Sammy didn’t go to the daycare center?”

  “What is it?” Maddox asked.

  “Get your brothers and get here ASAP. Shyann just got a call from the daycare center saying that Lily’s missing. Sammy should have been there to pick Lily up by now, but no one’s seen her.”

  “Fuck!” Maddox disconnected the phone and yelled for his brothers. “Logan, Haden. We need to go. Now!”

  “What’s going on?” Logan asked.

  “I’ll tell you when we’re in the truck. Now fucking move!” Maddox urged his horse into a trot, then a canter, and finally a gallop, leaning over the neck of his mount, praying that Sammy and Lily were all right. However, his gut wasn’t letting up, and he had a feeling both of his girls were in dangerous territory.

  He had no idea what was going on, but he intended to find out, and if someone had threatened Sammy and Lily, they were dead.

  * * * *

  Sammy glanced at
the navigational system to make sure she was still heading in the right direction. She was breathing hard and fast and gripping the steering wheel so tightly, her knuckles were aching and white. She’d turned from State Highway 141 onto 10R fifteen minutes ago. The road was little more than a dirt track, but thankfully, Shyann’s vehicle was a four-wheel drive and could handle the terrain. As she circumvented the curve in the road, the track changed names to S9, and moments later, she was driving past Hank’s Pocket according to the map. She had no idea what that was because there was nothing there, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was getting to her baby and saving her.

  She had no idea why Todd had kidnapped Lily since he’d never wanted anything to do with his daughter before, but again, she didn’t care for his reasons. She just needed to hold her baby in her arms and make sure she was all right.

  Sammy had never been so scared in her life. She just hoped that Todd hadn’t taken his temper out on her daughter. If that asshole had harmed her little girl in any way, she was going to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat. The fear in her heart wasn’t for herself but for Lily. However, she was also furious. How could that man abduct his own child?

  Sammy pushed the fear aside and latched onto the anger, and then she built it up higher and higher until she was in a full-blown rage. That man had made her and Lily’s life a living hell. Well, no more. She was done with the asshole.

  Sammy knew what it was like to be treated gently, lovingly.

  There was no way in hell she was letting Todd control her ever again.

  She reached toward her purse on the front seat for the cell phone her men had bought for her. She wanted to call them and the sheriff’s department, but she also wanted to face the bastard she’d stupidly believed she’d loved. There was no way she was going to let him intimidate or bully her ever again. Nevertheless, she would do anything necessary to save her baby, even if it meant she had to pretend to cower. Sammy remembered all too well how to do that. She wasn’t above acting so that she could rescue Lily. She was so angry right now, she could kill.

  But would she be able to kill Todd to save Lily and herself?

  Sammy wasn’t sure of the answer.

  * * * *

  Logan clenched his fists and ground his teeth as he and his brothers raced toward town. Maddox had told him and Haden what was going on, and for the first time in his life, he was terrified. Terrified for Sammy and Lily.

  “It has to be her ex,” Haden said from the back seat. “No one here would ever do anything to hurt a woman or child.”

  Logan silently agreed, but he kept his mouth shut. He was so fucking scared and furious, he was worried if he opened his mouth, he’d start yelling and wouldn’t be able to stop. He was angry at the teachers of Lily’s childcare center. Where the fuck had they been when his daughter had been taken?

  Just as they got to a T intersection—if you could call dirt roads intersecting an intersection—Brax called again. Maddox who was in the driver’s seat hit the answer button on the steering wheel. “Where are you?” Brax asked.

  “Just turning onto S8 Road,” Maddox answered brusquely.

  “You need to get across to the Dolores River,” Brax said. “We’ve tapped into the tracking system in Shyann’s SUV. It’s stopped about five hundred yards east of Hank’s Pocket.”

  “Isn’t that where the abandoned cabin is?” Haden asked.

  “Yes,” Brax replied. “Are you guys packing?”

  “We are,” Maddox said.

  “Ajay, Cael, and I are on our way. Try not to kill the fucker, but if it’s a life-or-death situation, shoot to injure. I want this asshole behind bars for a long fucking time.”

  “You know who it is?” Logan asked. This was the first time he’d spoken since he’d climbed into the truck.

  “We’re not sure, but we think it might be Sammy’s ex,” Brax explained.

  “How do you know what he looks like?” Maddox asked.

  “My brothers and I did a check on her and Kat when they were hired to work in the library. We wanted to make sure our woman was safe. Todd Lowell has an abusive history against his ex-girlfriends. A couple even put out restraining orders on the fucker.”

  “Sammy?” Logan asked through clenched teeth.

  “No.” Brax sighed. “Maybe he would have been behind bars if she had.”

  Logan didn’t think so, but he didn’t respond. People like Sammy’s ex always seemed to come out on top. Nevertheless, this time the bastard wouldn’t.

  He’d make damn sure the fucker paid no matter what.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sammy slowed the SUV when she saw the old wood cabin. It looked as if a slight breeze would send it toppling to the ground. She stopped the vehicle, turned the ignition off, and pocketed the keys. She wished she had some sort of weapon, but there was nothing. She’d searched the glove box as soon as she’d gotten into the car.

  All she had were her wits, and she prayed they’d be enough. She opened the door and stepped out just as Todd appeared on the sagging front porch. He had a malicious smile on his face, and he leaned against the post, crossing his ankles and his arms over his chest as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Sammy walked closer, trying to keep her instinctive fear at bay. When she was at the bottom of the steps, she stopped and stared up at him. He was wearing a worn suit, and there was stubble on his jaw, but even though she wasn’t that close to him, she could still smell the stench of alcohol emanating from him. She hated that smell. Her stomach lurched, and she swallowed back the threatening bile. Todd smelled worse than ever. In fact, mixed in with the stale beer smell was the pungent odor of rotten socks. The alcohol in his system was leeching out of his pores.

  “Where’s Lily?” she asked in a strong voice.

  Todd shoved upright and swept a hand toward the door. “Inside.”

  Said the spider to the fly, Sammy thought.

  She ascended the steps one by one, keeping a wary eye on her daughter’s biological father. As soon as she passed him, she rushed inside, blinking to try to adjust her vision to the dimmer light, all the while searching for Lily.

  Her heart broke when she saw her baby girl huddled in the corner on the dirty floor, her eyes staring out blankly, arm wrapped around her own body. Sammy fell to her knees with a sob, scooping Lily up into her arms and holding her against her chest. “Shh, sweet pea. Momma’s here now. I have you, baby girl.” Sammy carefully removed the strip of tape from over her daughter’s mouth and then tugged away the band around her wrists. She wanted to scream at Todd for doing something so horrible to his own flesh and blood, but she didn’t want to scare Lily more than she already was.

  Lily blinked and then met her gaze. Her daughter’s eyes shadowed with fear as she looked up over Sammy’s head. Sammy didn’t need to turn around to know that Todd was standing right behind her. She bent over Lily and started whispering in her ear. “I need you to stay really quiet for Momma, Lily. Can you do that, sweet pea?”

  Lily didn’t get to answer, and if she did, Sammy doubted she would have heard her. Todd grabbed hold of Sammy’s hair and started dragging her across the dirty floor. She yelled with pain, reaching up to grip Tod’s wrist to alleviate the burning on her scalp.

  He dropped her on the floor and then kicked her in the ribs. “Shut the fuck up!” Todd stepped over her until his feet were on either side of her body, and then he sank down to his knees. She gripped his ankles, trying to get him to move, but he didn’t budge. Before she could try something else, he dropped down onto her hard and fast, forcing all the air into her lungs out. “Listen up, slut.” He slapped her across the face.

  Pain blossomed, heating her skin, but she refused to cry out again. She wasn’t going to give him the gratification.

  “You’re going to call those men you’re screwing and tell them I want two million dollars in cash by the end of the day. If you don’t do as I say”—he glanced over his shoulder at Lily before meeting her ey
es again—“I’ll break her fucking neck.”

  Todd held up his phone, his lips curved up in a sneer as he stared at her expectantly. She sucked in a deep breath when he partially lifted his weight from her chest, and after exhaling, she inhaled again.

  Sammy wished she could see Lily and make sure she was all right, all the time hoping her baby didn’t make a sound to draw Todd’s attention. She tapped on the screen with trembling fingers, glad that she’d taken the time to memorize each of her men’s cell phone numbers as well as the ranch house number, but she knew that her guys would be out working on the land, so she punched in Maddox’s cell.

  He answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

  “Maddox,” Sammy’s voice wavered.

  “Sammy, are you okay? Is Lily? Where are you?”

  Sammy could hear the sound of an engine and wondered how he already knew she and Lily were in danger. She pushed that thought aside and said, “He wants two million dollars by the end of the day.”

  “This is about fucking money?” Logan roared in the background.

  Tears welled and rolled down the sides of her face over her temples and into her hair. She sniffed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

  “Give me that, slut!” Todd snatched the phone from her and lifted it to his ear. “If you ever want to see the whore you’re fucking and her brat, get the money.” Todd glanced at his watch. “You have two hours. Call me back on this number when you have the cash, and I’ll give you further instructions.” He disconnected the call, pocketed the phone, and then grasped her face in a cruel grip. “You always were willing to spread your legs for anyone.”