by MJ Fredrick
“Your parents?” he asked, glancing sharply at her.
Those words caused more pain than she expected. They brought back images of another lifetime, one she never should have left behind. Only if she’d followed that path, she wouldn’t have Hector now and she wouldn’t give him up for anything. She glanced at the newspaper in her lap. “No, they won’t—I mean, they’d love him, but they’re not young. And—”
“They don’t know about him,” he finished for her.
She looked up at him. “No, I haven’t told them.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do with a little kid, providing the authorities let me do anything at all. But it doesn’t matter, because nothing is going to happen to you, all right?” He glanced over, his eyebrows drawn together, intense, as if he could drill that belief into her head. “You and Hector will be safe, this will be over, we’ll all go to Disney World.”
She stopped the thrill that ran through her. Wasn’t that what everyone said when they achieved a goal? “I’m going to Disney World?” She would not take it personally.
He turned on the ignition, and the voice on the radio startled them both. Alex reached over and snapped it off. “Remind me. How long has he been missing?”
“Four months.”
He blew a breath through his nose, almost a surrender, she thought. “We’re going to find him, Bella. I promise you.”
What did that cost him, to promise her something he had no way of guaranteeing? She didn’t know how to tell him she appreciated it, either.
“There’s a diner. Let’s eat there,” she said instead, pointing to the low-roofed restaurant that must have been built before she was born. Her growling stomach reminded her she hadn’t eaten before he took her back to bed.
He grimaced. “We have food at the trailer.”
She wanted to bounce in her seat in frustration, like Hector would. She could smell the fries and her mouth was watering. “But it’s right here, and I haven’t eaten at a diner in forever.”
“We don’t know how long we have to make our money last,” he reminded her. “Besides, when I talked to Lionel, he wanted me to check on some traps. I want to do it before it gets dark.”
She made a face. “He poaches?”
“Yeah, probably, but he’s doing us a big favor. Do you want to turn him in?”
“If I was going to turn him in, it would be for the condition of that cabin,” she muttered, glancing down at the newspaper and trying to convince her mouth canned chili was something to look forward to.
They rode back to the trailer in silence. Isabella found she couldn’t read in the truck that bounced along the unpaved roads, so she tucked it beneath her and ate a candy bar, aware of Alex’s disapproval.
“I’ll make lunch, then go check the traps,” he said when he parked. “You can eat your junk and read while I’m out.”
“I’m feeling pretty worthless,” she murmured. “I can make lunch. All I have to do is open a couple of cans, right?”
“Sure.”
Once they entered the cabin, though, they were silent again as she found the cans and pots and rinsed them out. She couldn’t stop thinking about the morning, how he’d made love to her, then turned away so abruptly. Something had changed.
Something that kept him quiet as he made his way down the narrow hall to the bedroom.
Lunch was ready quickly. They ate standing up since the table was still crowded with their supplies from Walmart. She opened a can of peaches too and savored the sweetness of the fruit packed in syrup. She glanced over to see him looking at her oddly.
He set his paper plate on the counter, dusted off his hands and opened the door. “I’m going to go check those traps.”
“Be careful. Alligators.”
He nodded. “And snakes. I’ve got my gun.” He patted his hip, under his shirt. “You stay inside.”
Had he been armed when they stopped for gas? Maybe that was why he hadn’t wanted to stop for food. Surely he didn’t think they were in danger out here.
She washed up in the kitchen, feeling very domestic. She’d never had a home of her own, with responsibilities. That had been her mother’s life, the life she’d been escaping. But now, for some reason, she found it satisfying. When she was done, she folded the washcloth over the sink, then took the paper and one of her novels, along with the remainder of her Diet Coke, and went back to the bedroom, the only place to sit in the cabin.
She hadn’t realized she’d drifted off while reading until she woke when gravel crunched beneath tires on the road in front of the cabin. She didn’t think Alex had taken the truck.
Her heart pounded at the thought of intruders. She had seen a few guns just inside the screened porch, but even if they were loaded, she didn’t know how to use them. Would she be able to get to them in time, and without being seen?
She eased to the window and pushed aside the curtain a mere centimeter. Relief exploded in her. Lionel Danes. Thank God. But what was he doing out here? Maybe he had news and wasn’t able to reach them by phone. Excited by the possibility, she tucked her feet in her shoes and hurried to the door, pushing the screen open in welcome.
“Mr. Danes,” she greeted, heart pounding in anticipation. Maybe he’d found something to lead them to Hector. Maybe he’d found Hector already. “Alex isn’t here—he went to go check your traps.”
The old man nodded as if it was what he expected. “He can meet us. But we need to go back to the city.”
As he approached, every nerve went on alert. His face was grim, not bearing the news she’d hoped. He wanted her to go without Alex. She didn’t want to leave him behind. She didn’t want to be alone with this man. “Go back? Why? I thought it was too dangerous.”
“They found out where you are.” He came forward in two strides and took her arm. “They traced Alex’s phone call.”
Pulse tripping, she looked down at his grip, which squeezed her arm tighter than necessary. She tried to pull free, to go back in the cabin. She didn’t want him to see her panic, and this close, he wouldn’t miss it. Maybe once inside, she could act casual and stall him until Alex returned. “I’ll just get my things.”
Danes shook his head, jaw set stubbornly. “No time. No telling how far they are behind me.”
“Alex—”
“He can take care of himself.”
“He won’t know where I’ve gone.”
“We’ll call him.”
“His phone doesn’t work out here. Please, just let me leave him a note and get my purse.”
“No time,” Danes repeated and tugged her toward the truck.
She looked past him down the empty road, twisted, her arm still captive in his big rough hand, to look behind her. Her stomach clenched. No sign of Alex. Danes was still pulling her, and she dug in the heels of her Keds and tried to tug free.
“I want to wait for Alex,” she said.
“Alex would want me to get you out of here.”
That was true, if there was danger. She took a couple more steps toward the truck, then stopped. “He’ll be worried when he sees I didn’t take anything.”
“Girly, do you give him this much trouble?” Danes asked, turning in frustration.
“Yes.”
With a growl, he dipped his shoulder and tucked it into her belly, swinging her over his shoulder. The abrupt movement knocked her breath out of her so she couldn’t scream before he tossed her in the passenger side of the truck.
Once she was in, she fought for breath and screamed her lungs out, scrambling for the window to roll it down. Surely Alex would hear her. Surely Alex would come.
Danes lunged through the driver’s side door and tackled her, clubbing her hard on the side of the head so she saw spots and lost her breath. Then he hit her again and she lost everything else.
Alex came back to the cabin hot, sweaty and frustrated. He didn’t know what the hell kind of traps Danes had been talking about because he’d followed the old man’s directions exactly and hadn’t found traps or
animals. He had killed a big-ass snake and brought it back to show Isabella. Maybe that was a bad idea, maybe the carcass would freak her out, but he thought it was cool. He’d tease her a bit and tell her it was dinner. He’d love to see her face when she thought she’d have to eat it.
Maybe he’d take her back to that diner, tell her he had to check in again. She’d seemed so danged wistful.
But first, he needed a shower. He walked over to his truck to drape the snake over the tailgate, and that’s when he saw the stirred-up gravel.
Someone else had been here.
He whipped his head up. “Bella,” he shouted, his voice echoing back through the wilderness. “Bella?” He ran to the cabin, saw the door between the cabin and the screened patio open and her purse on the table. “Bella!” The trailer sounded hollow, empty. Had a neighbor come upon them, or had someone else found them? He knew Saldana had resources, but damn.
He pushed the thought out of his head. She could be looking for him, though he could hardly see her picking her way through the wilderness, unless she wanted him very, very badly. His heart jumped into his throat and he circled around. Which way could she have gone?
No, she wouldn’t have gone. She was too skittish about the alligators and snakes. Someone had been here. Someone had taken her. But who?
Chapter Fourteen
Alex sped down the dirt road with his arm stretched in front of him as he held the phone, glancing from the road to the phone, looking at the bars.
He’d gone around the cabin but hadn’t seen any sign that Isabella had walked into the wilderness. She had to have gone in the vehicle. With dread grabbing hold, he’d tracked the vehicle onto the paved road, and north, but from there, he couldn’t tell where they’d gone. His chest tightened with fear, but he pushed it away. This was his job. He couldn’t think about Isabella and whatever feelings he had for her. He couldn’t think about how scared she would be. He had to follow the clues to learn who had her, where they’d taken her and how he’d find her. He wished he knew how much of a head start they had.
No bars yet. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He pounded his fist against the steering wheel, looked across the cab at her purse, beside the rest of her things that he’d flung into the truck. She’d left the cabin without them, so she must have gone out to meet whoever had come. He hadn’t seen any sign of struggle inside.
Had it been Saldana’s men? Someone had to know how to secure her cooperation. Whoever it was had more than likely used Hector.
How many people knew about her searching for her son? Too many, and that was his fault. He should have kept that information quiet, should have known it could be used against her. He just hadn’t thought someone would come out to the Everglades to find her.
Finally two bars. He dialed with his left thumb, swerving a little on the two-lane road. He brought the phone to his ear and as soon as Julian answered, he barked, “Where’s Isabella?”
Nausea rose up in Isabella as Lionel Danes barreled over the bumpy road. She couldn’t tell if her stomach rebelled because of the road, or the blow to her head, or the terror that lumped the chili in her stomach. Alex had trusted this man to keep them safe, and he’d betrayed them.
“Are you working for Santiago?” she managed.
He glanced over with a jerk of his head, as if surprised she was conscious. He hadn’t bound her, her hands were free. She was only restricted by the seat belt. What she would do about it, at this speed, she didn’t know.
Alex would know what to do. She needed to think like Alex. He would try to get as much information as he could, no doubt. So she swallowed her nerves and pressed.
“Is Santiago paying you?”
“There’s a price on your head.”
Her skin iced. “Dead or alive?”
He blew out a harsh breath, his attention back on the road. “More alive than dead. But I think that’s because it’s his preference to punish you.”
“Does he have my son?” Because if she had that to look forward to, she could calm down. Then it wouldn’t matter so much if Alex couldn’t find her. At least she’d have her child.
Danes didn’t answer.
“Do you even know?”
No answer.
His phone rang and Isabella tensed, but he didn’t react. He glanced at the display, then at her, before answering it.
“Who knew we were out here?”
She could hear Alex’s voice through the phone. Danes must have the volume turned up high. Relief washed through her. “Alex!”
Hesitation on his end, a roll of the eyes from Danes, then, “You?” Disbelief from Alex. Betrayal? She could hear it even through the phone’s tiny speaker. “You sent me out on those traps so you could come get her?”
The older man sighed. “I didn’t want to fight you.” He almost sounded sorry.
“You didn’t have to fight her?”
“Just a little tap to the head.” Danes looked over at her and grinned, thin lips stretching. “She’s nice and feisty now.”
“Where are you taking her?”
“You don’t want to follow, son, believe me. Let it go.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I warned you not to get involved.”
She couldn’t hear what Alex said next because his phone crackled. Her initial relief at hearing his voice returned to panic. He was still too far away. “We’re in an SUV, Alex,” she shouted toward the phone, hoping he could hear her. “A big blue one, a Chevy—”
Lionel backhanded her, sending her head bumping off the passenger window. She cried out and heard Alex swear as Lionel righted the vehicle on the road. Liquid gushed into her mouth, a coppery taste, and her ears rang as she tried to focus on the conversation.
“I’m just a delivery guy, son.”
“Delivering her to Santiago?”
Danes was silent.
“He’s going to kill her.”
The connection was clear now, because Isabella could hear the frustration in Alex’s voice.
“Not sure he will,” Danes lied, though to appease her or Alex, Isabella wasn’t sure. “Make her suffer, most certainly. But you know women like this, my boy. She deserves what she gets, no matter how tasty she is.”
Her skin crawled when the old man reached across the cab to caress the cheek he’d just hit.
“Lionel, don’t do this.”
Danes turned his focus back to the phone. “You’re mistaking lust for affection, Alex.”
“She’s a mother looking for her kid. He’s just a little guy. What chance is he going to have without her?”
The old man’s expression in the dashboard light tightened. “With the price on her head, what chance will I have?”
Isabella understood, then. He was in debt to Santiago in some way and she was the payment. She was nothing more than currency. He must have crossed a line with Santiago. He must really believe turning her over would get him off.
“It’s a done deal, Alex,” Danes continued. “Walk away.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Look, son, I’m sure she’s a nice piece of ass, but you know as well as I do, they’re a dime a dozen. Walk. Away.”
“No, sir. I’m coming after her.” Alex hung up.
Isabella’s heart tripped over his words. He was coming after her.
How, she had no idea.
Several miles passed before she dared speak again. Her cheek still stung from his last blow. But anger and resentment bubbled forth, and she decided to risk speaking out.
“He trusted you,” she said, low.
He glanced at her in surprise, as if he’d forgotten she was there. “What?”
She gained confidence, straightening in her seat as she turned to him. “He came to you because he trusted you.”
“I didn’t hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt him.” The old man was on the defensive. Did he really think he’d done nothing wrong?
“You betrayed his trust. To Alex, that’s the same thing.”
>
He whipped around on her, and the truck swerved in the lane. “What do you know about Alex? For that matter, what do you know about trust?”
“I trust Alex,” she said, lifting her chin. “He said he’d come after me and he means it.”
“I’m a Ranger, like him. He won’t choose a woman over a fellow Ranger.”
The words silenced her for a minute. Maybe he was right. But no, the Alex she knew protected those who couldn’t protect themselves. The choice wouldn’t be easy, but he would choose her.
Maybe he would hate her afterward for making him choose.
She couldn’t care. She had to stay alive, had to get away, had to stick with Alex until she found her son. That was more important than anything else.
Isabella could see the lights of a city glowing ahead. Which city, she didn’t know, but they were approaching civilization.
And anonymity. The realization chilled her.
Danes would ditch the SUV, or it would blend in with others, and he’d put her back in Santiago’s custody. Her only hope was that Hector would be there too and that she would survive Santiago’s wrath to raise her son.
Before they reached the outskirts of the city, Danes turned right, onto a long narrow stretch of road. She felt the car hesitate, as if he’d eased off the accelerator, as if he was having second thoughts. She wouldn’t have another chance.
“Santiago will kill me,” she murmured, hoping she could appeal to his human nature but hearing the hopelessness in her own voice. Of course, if he had a conscience, would he be doing this? “Can you live with that?”
“I’ve lived with worse.”
She swallowed the tears she’d held back for days. “All I want is to raise my son. Please, you have to turn back.”
He cast her a disgusted look. “Those tears may work on Shepard, but they won’t work on me.”
Just the mention of Alex’s name was another kick in the gut. She wouldn’t see him again. Would he find Hector for her and keep him safe? Or would he forget about her? No, he was too honorable. He would get to her son because he was a protector. He would punish himself for not protecting her.
She dropped her concern for Alex the moment Danes rounded a hangar and she saw two black SUVs parked at odd angles around a small plane, headlights blazing through the dusk. Even with the six men in silhouette in front of them, she recognized the stocky shape of Santiago Saldana.
