“Copy.”
“It’s reported he’s driving a green Holden Ute. Unsure of the exact make and year. The bird dogs know what to watch for. Over.”
“Copy. Over.”
How long ago had it been since he’d left Kaycee’s house? It hadn’t been five hours. Didn’t think it’d been four. Course it also felt like years. All the should-have’s came rushing back at him. He pushed them away. Didn’t have time for them now.
In the distance the rumble of a small bird grew closer.
Another call came across the radio. “Big M. Lee here. I checked north first. They have to have already traveled past Doc’s. You want a lift? Comeback.”
“Eh. Set the bird down and we’ll trade. Comeback.”
“Copy.”
“See?” Ace thumbed toward the radio. “He doesn’t sound gay.”
Miller gave him a hard look. Didn’t have time for that either.
At the approach of the plane, Miller pulled the truck off the road. They didn’t speak as they switched modes of transportation.
Once airborne, Ace stated what Miller had tried not to think about. “It’s going to be dark soon.”
“Eh, I know it. Check and see who’s down south.” Miller worked to calm down. He needed to stay focused. Needed it badly.
Ace spent a few minutes on the radio. “Jack Baron and the crazy bloke Minogue. Which means Kaycee’s gotta be somewhere between them and us.”
Miller bet they were closer than the other birdies. There hadn’t been that big of a head start.
We’re coming, luv.
Just hang on.
Agonizingly slow ticks of the clock passed before eagle eyes spotted something. “There!” Ace pointed at what looked to be a speck from their distance.
Miller dropped the birdie lower.
Ace pulled out his high-power glasses for a better view.
Miller swung the plane, putting Ace in the best possible position to see into the vehicle.
“Kaycee’s in the front seat alongside him.” He lowered the equipment. “He’s got her chained up and she looks to be gagged. Sorry, M.”
A shudder of malevolence shook him. That bastard would be sorry.
“The crazy fuck also put a seatbelt on her. Thoughtful of him, huh?” His cousin set about getting others in position. The law would be hightailing it to their location. Doc had been notified of possible injuries.
Miller couldn’t wait for the others to get there. He’d gotten Kaycee into this. No way could he sit back and have her suffer any longer. She’d trusted him…had loved him, and he’d failed her.
“Hey, M. You’re supposed to be dropping back.”
“Impossible.” His jaws ached from his clenching teeth. “Impossible. I love her, Ace.”
“I know, mate.” Ace’s hand gripped his shoulder like a brother. “We all know you do.”
Miller’s throat clogged. Kaycee didn’t know. He’d never told her. Not telling her had been his first mistake. Christ, he wouldn’t make any more.
“The fucker is shooting at us.” Ace adjusted his headset.
“Eh.” As long as the bastard fired upon them he wasn’t paying attention to Kaycee. Anything to keep the whacker off Kaycee. “How many rounds do you think he’s used?”
Adrenaline and fury had him on edge. His woman was down there.
“What?” Ace flashed him an are you a nut? look. “Shit. I don’t want to go to hell sooner than I had planned.”
Miller growled in frustration. Kaycee was down there. With a man who was radically firing a bloody gun.
“Want me to stick my head out to count the empty casings? Give him something smaller to use as a bloody target?” Ace shook his head. “Back off before he nails us and we go up like a can of petro.”
“If I drop back he has a better shot of hitting us.” As it was, he kept them close in a zigzag motion, erratically changing his pattern.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
“Eh. Fuck.” He nodded in agreement.
With a wild wave of his arm another shot was fired.
“At least he’s a poor shot.”
“So far.” But the bastard might still get lucky.
His cousin sent a call out that they were being fired on.
“I need you to take over.”
“What?” Ace grabbed the controls as he got in motion.
“Get me as close as you can.”
“What? A mate gets a steady piece of arse and he loses his bloody mind?” Ace kept the birdie steady.
“Keep me in close to the truck bed.” Growing up he’d taken his share of licks from falling off the back of a horse before. A hard landing from this height he could handle.
“Oh, hell. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. Your mum will skin me if something happens to you.” Ace laughed but the sound wasn’t happy. “Be ready. I’m going to set this tin can down for you.”
Miller grabbed his headphones to remove them. The difference between Ace and him was that his cousin was a show off. Loved pushing planes past their limits. Pilots with Ace’s attitude normally died early. For that fact alone, Auntie had forbidden Ace from ever teaching Travis.
Today, Miller was thankful to have him along.
Ace did his thing as Miller got into position on the wing. The roar of the birdie’s engine rattled his brain. He didn’t think about anything other than a good landing as he eyed the truck bed.
Didn’t matter which way the truck moved, Ace was there on top of it. Already the truck slowed as the bastard tried to dislodge Ace. Not a good thing considering the bird needed speed to stay up.
But just as promised, Ace maneuvered the plane’s wheels over the top of the cab. This allowed him to slide down into the truck bed. Still, the landing was hard. Every bone in his body vibrated when he hit.
Despite the risks, he spun around, used all his might to kick the back window out.
The truck came to a sudden stop sending him crashing into the cab. His left shoulder dislocated on impact. His head ached from his skull making contact as well. He groaned as he was tossed back half as hard. A bullet wizzed by his right ear, rattling his eardrum.
The bloke was out to kill him. With no time to think, he rose up into a crouching position with his knife in hand.
“You fucking Neanderthal!” A bullet hit him in his already-injured left shoulder. A second bullet hit the hanging arm as he sent his knife toward the bastard’s heart.
Miller didn’t miss. The blade went through the breastplate to impale him.
The man stumbled back, the corner of the opened doorframe embedded in his head.
Shaking, Miller climbed from the back of the truck. As his feet hit the ground his whole body jarred painfully. In slow motion, he shuffled to the passenger side.
Already he heard Ace pulling up.
He managed to get the door open. “Kaycee.” At the sight of her, he leaned on the door frame. “Oh, Christ, Kaycee.”
Mouth gagged, her head had fallen back.
In her throat a slow, even pulse beat.
Handcuffs secured her wrists to a safety bar.
The bastard had bound her feet together as well.
But it was what she wore that blinded Miller. Her breasts were barely covered in some fancy white dress shirt that dipped low along her cleavage. Pussy and hips had been encased in some contraption with a padlock on it. It looked painfully uncomfortable.
The sight infuriated him, terrified him.
Guilt clawed at his guts.
His fault. His fault.
“Kaycee, come on, luv.” With his good hand he managed to get the gag off of her mouth. “Come on, luv. Can you hear me?”
A groan rumbled up from his chest. What else had the bastard done to her? He couldn’t bear thinking about it. Nausea rolled in his gut. Haunted by his past he’d run away from her, and she’d been kidnapped. Whatever happened was his fault. No one would blame her if she never spoke to him again…
“Come on, luv.” Tremb
ling, he caressed her cheek with his thumb. “You need to wake up. You’re all right now.” He swallowed.
Ace slapped a bandage on his arm. “Hold this. Too bad neither of us is a bloody octopus…” He trailed off. “Mate, let me in there.”
Fuck! He was useless one-armed. Bile rose in his throat. Noticing the blanket his cousin carried, he nodded. “Cover her up.”
Gently, Ace put the blanket over her best he could.
Stomach pitching again, he turned away to chuck. He wiped his mouth and straightened. The world spun.
“Mate, stay with me.” Ace clasped his good arm. “I’ve got her loose but I’m worried about hurting her.”
“No. Don’t hurt her.” Miller wiped his mouth again. She’d already been hurt enough.
“What the fuck is she wearing?”
He managed to shake his head. The bastard had hurt and humiliated his Kaycee. “Oh, fuck.”
“I think she’s coming around. She moaned a time or two while I got her loose.”
In the truck seat, she was still unconscious. Ace had removed everything but the metal belt she wore.
“I don’t know what to do.” Miller didn’t have a clue. Whatever was around her middle, he’d not encountered before.
“Okay, fuck it. I say we just cut it off.” As Ace took hold of the padlock, she screamed and fought. “Hey, take it easy. It’s over.”
“Kaycee. Shh, luv.” Miller’s world spun, sheer will keeping him on his feet. “Let me hold her.”
“Hold her?” Ace struggled to get her to settle down. “Shit. Bleed all over her, see if I care.” His cousin stepped back.
Dropping the bandage he’d been holding to a wound, he moved in, leaned down and wrapped his good arm around her. “I’ve got you.” Sobs racked Kaycee’s body as he held her. “Shh, everything is all right now.”
No matter what he tried, she wouldn’t look at him. Wouldn’t say his name.
“Ace is going to cut this… I need you to try and stand so he doesn’t hurt you…”
“I want it off!” Head down, she nodded. “Oh, God, I want it off.”
Chapter Seventeen
Kaycee came to slowly, hesitantly. She didn’t want to wake up. Didn’t want to break away from the warm body that held her cocooned from the world. Her head rested on Miller’s arm. His masculine scent tickled her nose. Front to back, he spooned her body in the small hospital bed.
If she didn’t wake up she didn’t have to face anything, let alone the future. She could stay in the dream.
She had to face reality. Miller had left her. He’d left her without looking back. That’s why he hadn’t called. The farewell had been far worse than she’d thought it would be. It’d had nothing to with the accident with Doug. Nothing at all.
She bit her lower lip to still its trembling.
He hadn’t trusted her.
After what Craig had quite gleefully admitted telling Miller… Well, in her heart she knew he’d left her for good. And still, after the terror, the humiliation and shame Craig had made her endure, Miller’s leaving hurt more.
The rational part of her brain concluded Craig had manipulated Miller, had manipulated everything to his own designs. Yet in the end, Miller hadn’t trusted her. Hadn’t cared enough for her to find out the truth.
But on the other hand, he’d turned around and saved her. If it hadn’t been for Miller, Craig would’ve taken her to who knows where so they could live happily ever after.
She shivered.
Strange how fate sometimes dropped the pieces together.
Even stranger how someone could feel so numb. From the moment Craig had told her what he’d said to Miller, her life had dulled.
“G’day, sheila.” A blond man touched her shoulder.
“Hello.” She swallowed to moisten her dry mouth.
“So you’re Kaycee. Miller has told me a lot about you.”
“He has not.” Talking wasn’t his way. The Native sure didn’t take after his mom.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ve never known my brother to talk so much.” He glanced down at his watch. “Up until about an hour ago, he pretty much told me everything I’d ever want to know about you. Until he fell asleep.” He smiled. A truly breathtaking smile. Still it wasn’t sexy or shy like Miller’s.
No way would she believe Miller had been discussing her, but she didn’t say anything. It’d be pointless.
“You up to company?”
She pulled the sheet up to cover most of her face.
“We spoke on the phone, I’m Ethan Thorn.” He sat in the chair. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”
Yes, she’d been asleep a long time. Connor had given her a sedative. She’d gotten freaked out when Craig had put that belt on her… The gag had equally frightened her. She’d been sure she was going to suffocate. Though she’d passed out sometime after Craig laughed at her terror of the situation. And upon waking to discover Miller and Ace there, she’d been just as freaked.
For more warmth from Miller’s big body, she cuddled back into his chest only to have his injured arm prevent her from getting close enough. Remembering his injury and not wanting to hurt him she tried to ease away. He remained sleeping. Light snores buzzed in her ear.
“Constable Morgans on the other side of the room needs a statement from you.”
“Oh.” She lifted her head to see the other man.
“G’day, sheila.” He tipped his hat. “Whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Settled back down, she brought the sheet back up to cover most of her face.
“It doesn’t have to be now.” Ethan got her attention. “But I’m here as moral support if you need it.”
“Now is fine.” It was best. She’d be leaving as soon as she could. It’d be for the best to get this over with. “Thank you.”
“Constable Morgans has a recorder.” A gaze so much like Miller’s regarded her. “Is it all right to tape the conversation?”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes. The scene slipped away as the policeman spoke his name and gave his credentials for the record.
This wasn’t the first time she’d gone through this procedure.
God willing, it’d be her last.
Slowly starting with her name, she explained what had happened. Though she trembled, the telling wasn’t as painful as the accident with Doug had been. That one she remembered she had to repeat to several people.
On a breath to continue, she noticed Miller no longer snored. She attempted to move away in the confined space, but the arm she rested on wrapped around her shoulders.
“Kaycee, did he rape you?” The officer’s voice was calm.
“No.” What he and Doug had done didn’t count now. And not worth wasting her tears on.
“Doctor Giese found…”
She cut him off to focus on Ethan instead. “Once he made me put that chastity belt on, he ejaculated on me. I can tell you a hundred things he had planned for me…” Oh yes, the bastard had taken pleasure in tormenting her. “His goal was to get us as far away as possible before…before he… He slapped me a few times, pulled my hair.” Her scalp still ached. “But most of it came down to humiliating me. I wasn’t raped.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Her chest tightened as it became hard to breathe.
She pulled the cover up further on her head.
There was no reason she had to look at Ethan to talk to either of the men. She didn’t have to look at anyone.
“E, get my shoulder out of this sling.” Miller’s accent rumbled across her nerve ending. He shifted up a little behind her.
“Doc’s not going…” Footsteps sounded from Ethan’s way.
“I’ll handle Doc. Just get my arm out of this bloody thing.”
At the feel of his other arm going around her, she whimpered.
“You’re all right now, luv.” His arm weighed heavily on her bruised body. “If you need more from Kaycee, get it tomorrow.”
“Sure. You two get some rest.” Morgans
moved away.
“I’ll be back later. Hooroo, sheila.” Ethan followed the officer out.
The door closed before Miller spoke.
“Kaycee.”
She tightened the sheet over her head.
“I’m bloody sorry that whacker ever got to you.”
Oh, please don’t…
“I’m bloody sorry that I didn’t get to you sooner.”
Fresh tears pooled behind her eyelids.
“I’m bloody sorry for being a pig’s arse.”
Please stop…
“I’m bloody sorry I hurt you, made you cry.”
She pressed her thumb to her mouth and bit down to whimper. No. No. No. Don’t be sorry. He was confusing her battered emotions.
“If you let me I’ll make it all up to you.”
Kaycee cried then. The tears started slow but turned to huge sobs. Because if that declaration had come before Craig had told her…it would have made her the happiest woman in the world.
“Shh, luv, don’t cry anymore.”
Working at it, she calmed. For his sake, she’d not cry again. “It’s okay, Miller.” Chills racked her body as she forced words past a tight throat. “There’s no need to feel any guilt.”
“Kaycee.” His body got impossibly closer to her.
“It’s all over now.” She swallowed. “I’m going to go home as soon as I can.”
“Home?”
“Back to Iowa. I never fit in here anyways.” Her mouth trembled. She’d wanted to fit in so badly. She’d been ready to stay.
His breathing came harsher. “All right, if that’s what you want.”
She expected him to say something more. But he didn’t.
The numbness that had held her in an unfeeling trance faded away to leave a terrible pressure under her breast.
Miller’s eyelids drifted closed again, only to open at the touch on his arm.
“You need to go to bed.” Arms folded, Kaycee stepped away from him. She looked tired.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. Nearly one in the morning. For hours now, he’d been trying to write his sister, Shania, an e-mail in response to the one he’d received about the ordeal. She was away at university studying to be a veterinarian like their cousin Paul. He wasn’t any good at letter writing, while Shania tended to write him books.
True Blue Love: The Thorns, Book 3 Page 22
