by Jill Sanders
“We are,” Blaine jumped in. “Let’s go.”
“I have to talk to Emily first.” Rafe turned and disappeared back into the room for a moment.
When he came back out, he had a look of determination in his eyes. “Let’s go get your girl.”
Chapter Nineteen
She waited for a chance, any chance, to escape. But the car continued to speed down the road at a steady pace. When the pavement gave way and turned to a bumpy dirt lane, she thought for a moment about chancing it. After all, jumping onto dirt had to be far better than hitting asphalt. Right?
She second-guessed herself too long and, before she knew it, the car was jerking to a stop. Without thinking, she leapt from the back of the car and darted down the dirt road. She’d removed both boots, since she doubted running in heels would get her far against a man in police boots.
Still, she only made it a few yards before he overtook her. Damn, she needed to exercise more.
Still, she fought, using her nails. When she felt his skin give way under her pointed manicure, she lashed out even more.
He grabbed her hair and yanked as he fought to hold onto her.
“Bitch!” he cried out as she used her elbow to his solar plexus.
Finally, he wrapped his arms around her body, locking her arms to her sides as he lifted her and carted her back down the dirt road.
The small house he carried her towards looked like an ordinary home, but when she looked around, she realized they were in the middle of nowhere. She couldn’t see another home or building anywhere. It was too dark to see very far, but she couldn’t see any lights except for those coming from the building that he was dragging her to. She was doomed.
“Why?” she asked, figuring that the last thread of hope rested in stalling. Surely Emily had gotten help by now. God, she hoped her friend was okay. She hated the memory of watching her hit the pavement and roll to a stop.
“Why what, bitch?” he said, grunting when she used her legs to stop him from walking her through the open front door.
He struggled for a moment, trying to push her through the door. She spread her legs in a large V with her feet braced against the sides of the door, blocking them from entering the home where she would no doubt take her last breaths.
Finally, he gave up and yanked her backwards, then turned and walked backwards in through the door while she fought him.
“Why me?” she screamed as he started to pull her through a small living room that looked lived in.
“You know why,” he growled next to her ear. “When I found your library card in the front seat of his car after they pulled it out of the lake, I knew it was you who killed my brother,” he said as he opened a door that led down a dark hallway.
“Scott Alcott?” she asked, trying to think of a way to escape from his hold.
“Don’t you say his name,” the man growled. He tossed her against the wall. Her body flew, trapped for a split second in midair, before crashing into the wall.
Her temple hit the wall with a smack, and she slid to the floor. Still, she recovered quickly and used her thighs to push her entire body at his gut. Connecting her shoulder with his stomach, she sent him tumbling backwards through a door. The old wood shattered under their weight, sending splinters and shards of sharp wood flying. She felt them dig into her shoulders and bare skin, but the pain didn’t register. She knew that she had to keep fighting, just like she’d done with his brother, until there was no fight left in either him or her.
Using her fists and her nails, she attacked his face with new vigor as she sat atop him.
It was his eyes, she thought, as she watched him try to protect his face against his attack. They were the same as the ones she remembered in her drugged state. They almost matched those of the man who had coerced her out of the club that night two years ago. They were an eerie dull slate color and held no compassion behind them.
Striking out, she jabbed them with the sharp acrylic nails she’d splurged on only a few hours ago. The man’s red blood splattered over her cream blouse, marring her nails and skin. She felt an acrylic nail break off as it pushed into the softness of his left eye. She would have been grossed out, if he hadn’t bucked her off, tossing her into the splintered door and out into the hallway.
Without waiting, she crawled down the hallway, trying to catch her breath as she remembered the small kitchen area they had passed. She hoped there was something close to a weapon there. She focused on getting down the hallway as quickly as she could.
She screamed when she felt a hand wrap around her ankle. Twisting, she kicked out and caught him in the chin as he crawled after her.
His left eye was bloody, and fluids were oozing down his cheek as he crawled towards her. He was spewing curse words and promises of her suffering and ultimate death as he yanked her legs out from under her.
Since her ears were still ringing from the first blow to her head, she ignored his words and fought as hard as she could, using everything and anything she could get her hands on.
At one point, she tossed a small lamp in his direction. The ceramic base hit him on his injured eye, sending long shards into his skin, and he released his hold on her momentarily.
Instead of crawling this time, she jumped up and rushed towards the kitchen. Seeing a block of knives, she grabbed one and held it out in front of her.
He slowly stood up across the room and, after seeing her holding the knife out in front of her, started to laugh.
“You stupid bitch,” he said moving closer to her. She watched in horror as he reached for his belt and pulled out his service weapon. She’d forgotten, during all the fighting, that underneath the animal she battled, he was still a cop.
Her heart skipped as he waved the weapon towards her.
“Drop it,” he said softly with a smile. His voice held no emotion, even though she knew he must be in great pain. The fact that he remained calm ensured her that he was the crazed psycho she’d feared all these years.
“Why?” She shook her head. “Why are you doing this?”
He smiled and blood and ooze from his damaged eye washed over the upper part of his lips. He acted as if he no longer noticed it.
“Because we can,” he said easily. “Because it’s what we are. Scott and I. We used to love to play our games.” He laughed and she watched as his one good eye glanced off into the distance behind her shoulder. “We used to love to see who could last the longest. Whoever picked a slut that lasted more than a week would get to pick the next one.” His eye moved back towards her. “I had lost, which is why Scott got to pick you that night we went to the club.”
“You… you were there?” She shook her head.
“For a while. He decided he wanted you. I had my eye on another slutty redhead. Then I got called away.” He groaned. “I only joined the force so I could have easier access to sluts.” He laughed. “It’s so easy to spot a mark and get them to do whatever you want. Of course, Scott had a harder time of it. He had to drug his prey in nightclubs like some common horndog.” He shook his head. “Still, some of the bitches he found put up a fight, which was always more fun.” He laughed.
She felt her stomach roll as he talked and knew that no matter what happened, she was not going to give anything to this man.
Thoughts of taking the knife and plunging it into her own heart surfaced for a brief moment.
“When he didn’t come back here that night, I thought for sure he’d just taken you out for some fun somewhere… quiet.” He smirked. “Now I understand that he’d taken you to the lake. What I don’t know is what happened to him. How did a skinny little slut like you get the better of him?”
“I’ve almost gotten the better of you,” she pointed out. “In case you didn’t notice, you’ve almost lost an eye.” She smiled as he reached up with his free hand. She watched in horror as he rubbed the spot and more blood oozed from the socket. Instantly, she understood that the eye would never work again. She threw up a little in her mout
h as she watched it slide around in the socket like a marble.
“Oh, that was just the foreplay,” he said with a smirk. His good eye slowly ran over her as if he was enjoying the pain.
A shiver raced over her as he gawked at her. The gun was still pointing at her heart, almost forgotten. “How did you kill him? Did you really bash his skull in? Did it make a sound?” He smiled as if he was enjoying the thought. “Tell me, did it get you off?”
“You’re sick!” she screamed as memories of what she’d done to his brother surfaced.
“I’m going to enjoy having fun with you.” He moved slowly closer to her. “Then I’m going to make you suffer just like you made Scott suffer. I’m going to crush your skull with my bare hands.”
He was less than a foot from her, the gun still pointed at her chest. She made a split-second decision and was about to turn the knife on herself, with the single thought of making it count, when the front door burst open.
Bright lights exploded, and she screamed and threw herself to the ground.
She heard loud popping noises but didn’t lift her eyes or head to investigate their origins. Shouting pierced through the tinnitus caused by the loud sounds. Smoke caused her lungs to burn and her eyes to water.
When a gentle hand touched her shoulders, she cried out and backed away, pushing herself into the dark corner, her face buried in her knees as she held the knife up in self-defense. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the smoke and the bright lights flashing around the room. With her ears still ringing, the sound of Blaine’s voice break through the haze of fear.
“Baby, it’s me,” he said reassuringly.
She blinked a few times, willing her body back under control. Finally, instead of the horrors she’d witnessed flashing before her eyes, Blaine’s face came into view.
Slowly, she ran her eyes over him. Fear and worry flooded his face. His hands were stretched out towards her and she watched him remove the knife from her hands and set it on the counter. Then he pulled her up into his arms.
A flood of emotions burst from her. Her entire body went lax as he carried her from the destruction. Her mind dulled as he shifted her and crawled into the back of a car. She knew time must have passed, but she only focused on the feeling of Blaine’s strong arms wrapped around her and the sound of his steady heart beating next to her ear.
He continued to rock her and tell her how much he loved her.
“I’m here, baby. I’m right here,” he kept saying over and over.
She didn’t know how much time had passed or where she’d ended up, but when the sound of Rafe’s voice finally registered, her mind snapped back.
“Emily!” She jerked away. “Where’s Em?” She glanced around desperately and registered that he was carrying her into the hospital.
“She’s inside, waiting for you,” Rafe answered easily with a smile. “She’s okay.”
“She is?” She cried and started shaking.
“She’s going into shock,” Rafe warned.
“Shit.” Blaine shook her lightly. “Baby stay with us. You’ve been doing so good so far.”
“Emily,” she cried.
“She’s okay,” Blaine assured her. “We’re going to get out of here, just the four of us. We’ll take Pressure Point out on the water and head to South Bimini again.”
“We will?” Her mind sharpened. “Just the four of us?” she asked as he laid her down on a gurney. She tried to hold onto him, but her arms were like wet noodles.
She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open under the bright lights. It was as if all of her energy had suddenly drained from her body.
“I promise,” Blaine said into her ear. “I’m going to take you away from this madness. All of us are going away, together.”
“Blaine.” She pulled on his hand until he returned to directly in front of her face. “I lied.” She sighed and felt her entire body relaxing for the first time in hours.
“About?” he asked softly.
“I do love you,” she said as she drifted off.
Epilogue
Jaimie turned her face towards the sun and smiled as its warmth toasted her skin.
“Happy?” Blaine asked beside her.
Glancing over, she ran her eyes slowly over his golden chest and legs. Her smile doubled.
“Very,” she answered.
“Keep looking at me like that, and it won’t matter if Rafe and Emily are right here.”
“Gross,” Emily said from beside her. Jamie chuckled and glanced over at her best friend.
Emily’s casted leg was propped up on several pool chair pillows. She was sipping a virgin strawberry daiquiri that Rafe had made her, and Jamie held up her own spiked drink.
“To us.” She clinked her glass against her friend’s. “Best friends who can kick ass.”
Emily laughed. “Maybe you can kick ass. I can’t do anything until I get this thing removed.” She motioned towards her cast.
“Three more weeks,” Rafe said as he climbed out of the pool.
“Damn, you’re pretty,” Emily said as she watched him walk across the pool deck towards her.
“Right back at you.” He sat next to her and kissed her.
“Gross,” Blaine mimicked Emily.
“Can we really stay here for a whole week?” Emily sighed as she rested back against the cushions. Jamie followed the move and tilted her sunglasses to block out the bright light.
“We can stay as long as you want,” Blaine answered.
“But I may not have a job to go back to,” Rafe warned.
“Right.” Emily groaned.
“And, since we’ll be moving in together, we’ve got to pay the rent somehow.” He chuckled.
“Right.” She perked up.
“Are you sure you want to live with me?” Jamie turned to Blaine.
“Very sure,” he answered.
“Do you know how happy I am that I gave you that GPS key chain?” Emily broke in, reaching over to take her hand in her own.
“Tell me about it.” Jamie rolled her eyes.
“I’m never again going to knock any childish gift you give me.” She laughed.
Emily reached up and touched the silly necklace Jamie had purchased for her the day they had been kidnapped.
“Best fucking bitch.” Emily chuckled as she read it again.
“No truer words were ever written.” Jamie laughed. “It’s crazy how things happen.” She glanced around at her friends.
“How so?” Blaine asked, sipping his beer.
“I mean, the four of us here.” Jamie shrugged. “What we’ve been through and this is where we ended up.” She frowned into her drink for a moment, knowing that all it would have taken was one wrong move and things could have ended. “It could have turned out way worse.”
“It could have,” Blaine agreed. “You could have been with Rafe and I could be with Emily,” he joked. She reached over and pinched him on the arm.
“We did end up in bed that one time,” Emily reminded them with a laugh.
“Yeah, mine,” Rafe added.
Jamie lifted her glass. “There’s nothing like a failed ménage à trois and a murder…”—she glanced around at the people she loved and laughed—“to bring loved ones together.”
“Here, here…” everyone said at the same time, and they toasted their glasses together.
Also by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
Finding Pride
Discovering Pride
Returning Pride
Lasting Pride
Serving Pride
Red Hot Christmas
My Sweet Valentine
Return To Me
Rescue Me
The Secret Series
Secret Seduction
Secret Pleasure
Secret Guardian
Secret Passions
Secret Identity
Secret Sauce
The West Series
Loving Lauren
Tamin
g Alex
Holding Haley
Missy’s Moment
Breaking Travis
Roping Ryan
Wild Bride
Corey’s Catch
Tessa’s Turn
The Grayton Series
Last Resort
Someday Beach
Rip Current
In Too Deep
Swept Away
High Tide
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Best of Luck
A Little Luck
Silver Cove Series
Silver Lining
French Kiss
Happy Accident
Hidden Charm
A Silver Cove Christmas
Entangled Series – Paranormal Romance
The Awakening
The Beckoning
The Ascension
Haven, Montana Series
Closer to You
Never Let Go
Holding On
Pride Oregon Series
A Dash of Love
My Kind of Love
Season of Love
Tis the Season
Dare to Love
Where I Belong
Wildflowers Series
Summer Nights
Summer Heat
Summer Secrets
Distracted Series
Wake Me
Tame Me
Stand Alone Books
Twisted Rock
For a complete list of books:
http://JillSanders.com
About the Author
Jill Sanders is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Sweet Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Western Romance, and Paranormal Romance novels. With over 55 books in eleven series, translations into several different languages, and audiobooks there’s plenty to choose from. Look for Jill’s bestselling stories wherever romance books are sold or visit her at jillsanders.com
