by Davy, Wendy;
“I want to keep you alive.”
That would be nice. Too bad he was lying. She cleared her throat, raised her voice to convey a confidence she didn’t feel. “You want me to live? Then don’t kill me. Problem solved.”
“I’m not the one who wants you dead.”
“You could’ve fooled me.” Skylar continued walking. Her vision had adjusted to the dim light, but without the cellphone screen shining before her she had to proceed with caution.
“Trust your instincts.” His tone lowered. “While we were in the van, you sensed that I’m different than the others, didn’t you?”
She’d thought she had detected compassion, but that was before he volunteered to dispose of her.
“I’m not like them. I want to help you,” he added.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I know, but I hope to change that. Look up. Find the moon. Keep it to your right shoulder. If you don’t have a reference point you could walk in circles.”
The forest canopy obscured the night sky, but she caught glimpses of the moon between branches. She could use it to guide her, but Cowboy might be leading her straight to him. She could go the other way, but what if he anticipated her thoughts?
Unsure which direction to take, she stopped. Lord, what should I do?
In the quiet moment, a steady, manmade rumbling caught her attention. An engine? Could be a vehicle. Was she near a road? She rushed forward and her foot collided with a rock. Her toes screamed in pain, and she cried out.
“Are you all right?” Concern etched Cowboy’s voice.
“If you must know, I stubbed my toes.”
“Take it slow and watch your step.”
“Why would you care if I snapped a bone in two? It would make your job easier. Why won’t you leave me alone?”
He exhaled. “I can’t.”
“Can’t? Or won’t?”
He didn’t answer, but it was just as well. Skylar had enough to worry about. Her toes throbbed. Her fingers were frozen. She hadn’t eaten in hours, and she felt lightheaded. Worse yet, the engine sounds had dissipated.
“Look for a sharp rock.” Cowboy’s voice again. “Use it to cut the zip tie and release your hands. It’ll be easier for you to walk without constraints.”
Good point. It wouldn’t hurt to try. Skylar used the cellphone screen to illuminate the rocky terrain. She found an adequate stone, set down the phone and sawed the plastic. The rock scraped skin but the zip tie began to wear thin. She continued to strip the plastic until it broke apart. Relief washed over her as she rubbed her wrists.
Picking up the phone, Skylar continued her trek. “We both know that I can identify you and your buddies. Why are you pretending to help me?”
“Aston Barnes and Ike Mayhew are not my friends.” Cowboy’s calm voice dipped low, as if seducing her into believing him. “And, I am not a threat to you.”
“You work for them.”
“Things aren’t as they seem.”
“Then why don’t you explain?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I did.”
“Try me.” What looked like twin headlight beams flashed, some distance away, disappearing as fast as they’d come. Skylar stilled, peering through darkness. Again, the lights speared the night, showcasing a winding mountain passage. Relief and excitement spurred her forward. “On second thought. You’re right. I wouldn’t believe you. Goodbye, Cowboy.” She disconnected and ran toward the approaching vehicle. Still about two hundred yards ahead, she could make it. She had to.
Jesus, help me. She panted for breath as she dodged trees and found what looked to be a deer path. With the underbrush cleared, she was able to double her speed. She sprinted through the forest, clasping her purse tight. She reached an opening, found the paved road and burst onto the asphalt.
Skylar waved arms high overhead. “Over here!”
A silver sedan slowed, stopping about fifteen feet away. A sense of accomplishment swept over her. She’d found help. But Cowboy could’ve seen the car, too. He could be headed in her direction. She glanced over her shoulder. Was that a shadow moving within the trees?
No time to approach the driver and explain circumstances. No time to think. Skylar aimed for the passenger side. The seat was vacant. She yanked open the door and climbed in. Warm air circulated in the small space, cocooning her in a welcoming embrace.
Skylar closed the door. “Thank you so—”
Dashboard lights illuminated Cowboy’s rugged face.
Breath rushed from her lungs. Impossible. He was behind her in the woods.
But he wasn’t. He was here, his gaze delving into hers with single-minded determination as he pressed a button, engaging the door locks with a definitive click.
6
Blood drained from Skylar Hart’s face and her skin turned ashen. She looked ready to pass out. Of course she would be terrified; Slade had held her against her will in Barnes’s van. He’d hauled her over his shoulder in the garage and threatened to end her life. And now, he’d locked her inside his vehicle.
She lunged for freedom, shoving against the door in a frantic attempt to escape.
Slade remained calm, letting Skylar’s survival instincts play out. He doubted she would listen until she had exhausted all other options. Besides, she wouldn’t be able to exit until he disengaged the locks.
He pulled the car a safe distance off the road and shifted into park. He let the engine idle, adjusted the heater. Keeping his movements slow and unthreatening, he faced her. “I am not going to hurt you.”
She continued struggling with the door as if she hadn’t heard him. When her efforts proved futile, she spread her hands and smacked palms on the window, but the glass held firm. Screams erupted from her throat as panic, raw and intense, spurred her actions.
“It’s all right,” Slade soothed.
Skylar abandoned the window, turned clawed fingers toward him and lunged.
Slade caught her wrists before she could inflict damage. “Easy now.” He bent his head, capturing her gaze as he kept his tone even, his voice low. “If I’d wanted to harm you, I would have already.”
Her screams gave way to sobs as she twisted in his grasp. “Then why…did you lock me…in the car?” She choked out the words between deep, ragged breaths. “Why won’t you let me go?”
“I wish I could. But Barnes and Mayhew can’t discover you’re still alive.”
“They don’t have to know. I can hide.”
Most likely, she’d run to the police. But, neither option would keep her safe. “There’s nowhere you could go on your own that they wouldn’t find you.” His warning might have sounded like an idle threat, but it was the truth. Barnes was a genius at using the Internet to access private information. Even if Skylar skipped town, he could use his skills to track down and ultimately silence her. “You have no idea what Barnes is capable of.”
“He’s not here. You are.” Her gaze touched on his hands. “What exactly are you capable of?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Slade had no qualms about using his strength when necessary, but he would never—never—intentionally harm a woman. He eased his hold a little. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
“I want to go home.”
“You can’t go on as if nothing happened.” He leaned in, willing her to listen, to understand. “As much as I would’ve preferred to prevent your involvement in this, it’s too late. You have to come with me.”
Wide eyed, she pressed her back against the door distancing herself as if a wild animal had her trapped. “You don’t have to do this. I need to live.” Skylar’s passionate plea held quiet desperation.
He softened his voice. “I am not a killer.”
“No? Then w-who are you?”
Skylar wasn’t asking for his name; she wanted to know what kind of man he was, needed validation that his words were true. But how could he convince her? All evidence was stacked against him, and it would take help from above to gain her t
rust.
Father, help me convince her. Give her a peace that only You can provide.
Slade nodded toward the glove compartment where he’d tucked his official identification. “I have ID in there. I’m going to release your hands. If you come after me again, I’ll restrain you again. If you want to know who I am, you’ll take out my badge.” He eased his grip and let her wrists loose.
Skylar rubbed her skin where the zip tie had left dark bruises.
A sudden urge to smooth away the pain took him off guard. He held natural protective instincts, but to feel something, anything, for this woman aside from professional courtesy was dangerous. Slade placed his hands on his thighs, keeping them and his thoughts at a distance. “I’ve been working undercover to take down Aston Barnes and his affiliates. Go ahead. Check it out.”
She continued to peer at him as if he had emerged from the sea’s murky depths; a monster, unwilling and unable to be tamed. Slowly, keeping a wary eye on him, she retrieved the leather wallet containing his credentials. She flipped open the tri-fold, glanced at his picture and then studied the gold and navy badge nestled within a recessed cut-out. She tested the weight, ran her thumb over the textured surface as if to assure herself of its authenticity.
While the badge’s shape and size matched industry standards, Slade had the surface custom designed with a cross to reflect his faith, integral to his company’s mission.
“Slade Marshal. Trinity Security Agent.” Skylar read his company’s name printed across the bottom. “I thought security personnel set up security systems and acted as bodyguards, not undercover investigators.”
“I do what needs to be done.”
Skylar narrowed her eyes. “Legally?”
“Always.”
She traced the engraved cross with an index finger. “So, you’re an undercover Christian?”
“You could say that.” Although pretending to be unscrupulous took its toll, he never forgot to Whom he vowed his allegiance.
Smoothing a thumb over the letters flanking the Christian symbol, she asked, “AMDG. What do those letters stand for?”
“Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. For the greater glory of God. My partner and I keep our faith intertwined with our work. We not only protect our clients physically, we pray for them spiritually.”
“What about your enemies? Do you pray for them too? Aston Barnes? Ike Mayhew?”
“I did once.” But since then, he’d had a difficult time adding to the obligatory request that God change their hearts—the two were scoundrels, and were likely to remain so, judgmental as that may be.
Skylar drew in a breath, started to speak and then hesitated as a deep V formed between her brows. “How can a Christian work undercover, under pretenses? Aren’t we supposed to be honest?”
So, she shared his faith. Good. Perhaps, given time, she would understand his motivations. “I like to remain as straightforward as possible. But when lives are on the line, I won’t hesitate to take things to the edge of truth.”
Skylar shifted. Her eyes narrowed. “Is it necessary now? Are you on the ‘edge’ of truth with me?”
Slade hoped revealing his identity would set her at ease, but it looked as if she’d decided he wasn’t human, more like a demon determined to trick her into believing his lies. Her stiff posture and rigid shoulders spoke volumes.
Still, he wouldn’t sugarcoat his answer to sway her opinion. “My top priority is bringing Aston Barnes to justice. If that means I have to keep some things private from you, or anyone else, I will. Discretion is part of my job.”
“You take your job seriously, then.” What could’ve been construed as a question came out as a matter-of-fact statement. “Who hired you to take down Aston Barnes?”
“No one.”
If his answer surprised her, she didn’t show it. “So, this is personal?”
“Very.” Barnes had chosen the wrong family to mess with, even if he didn’t know it yet. Slade would finish what he set out to accomplish, no matter how long it took, or who he had to take along for the ride. Skylar Hart included. “Willing or not, you are a participant in a very dangerous game. Stick with me, and I can offer you a measure of protection.”
“A measure of protection?” She wrapped slender fingers around his badge and held tight as she met his gaze. “No guarantees?”
“I’m good at what I do, but I’ve made mistakes.” Heaviness blanketed his chest, making it difficult to breathe. One particular misstep had nearly cost his niece her life. Perspiration beaded on his forehead, and he switched off the sedan’s heat. “I’m not perfect.”
“We’re not meant to be perfect.” Skylar handed the badge to Slade. As she met his gaze, the distrust behind her eyes morphed into curiosity. “I suppose you have a plan?”
Slade tapped the badge, warm from her touch, on the steering wheel as he contemplated his answer. If he told her details, she’d probably be less likely to agree. But if he told her only what she wanted to hear, she’d sense his hesitation. Dangling on a precipice, Slade scrubbed a hand down his face, making time for a silent, heartfelt prayer. Lord, help me balance honesty and discretion.
Slade took a breath and shifted, angling his body toward hers. “Before we discuss details I need to know if you have a family.” Skylar looked young, probably in her mid-twenties, and she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t someone’s wife or mother.
She nipped her lower lip, turned to study the darkness beyond the windshield.
Perhaps she didn’t want to divulge personal information, but he couldn’t move forward without knowing. “Is anyone waiting for you at home, wondering where you are?”
“No. I’m single,” she finally whispered. “I live alone.” She cleared her throat, met his gaze and then spoke louder. “Why?”
Relief spread through him; she wouldn’t be leaving a child behind. And he wouldn’t have to deal with a worried husband. “I needed to know, because I don’t want anyone calling the police when you disappear.”
7
Skylar was locked in the sedan with a madman. The air in her lungs constricted, preventing an immediate response. She couldn’t disappear. She had to contact Willow, warn her she was in danger. And if she didn’t show up at work Monday morning, she’d look doubly guilty of account fraud.
Skylar shook her head and found her voice. “No. I can’t walk away from my life.”
“It’s for your own protection, and it’s only until Aston Barnes is off the streets.”
“That shouldn’t take long. We’re both witnesses. Once we tell the police what happened—”
Slade’s expression grew taut. “I’m not telling them anything. Not yet. I need something from Barnes before I turn him in, and I don’t know how long it will take to get it.”
Her stomach dropped and thoughts tumbled. “You might be willing to set aside your life to go after Aston, but I’m not. I’ll turn him in on my own. Aston kidnapped me, remember? My word is as good as…” Her voice faltered. Her word didn’t mean as much as it once had.
Once a thief, always a thief. The harsh words—spoken long ago by her ex-fiancé—still haunted her. If only she hadn’t given in to her former employer’s demands that she skim money from client’s accounts. But she had. She was guilty and always would be. She had the criminal record to prove it.
Her reputation had been compromised. Could she stand against Aston alone? What choice did she have? “I will not let him get away with this.”
“I won’t either. But I won’t back up your statements until I get what I want.”
What could it be that Slade wanted so badly? Did it matter? She had her own problems. She had to remain focused. “You don’t understand. I have responsibilities.”
“Responsibilities worth dying for?”
His tone wasn’t cold or calloused. But his words had the same effect as if he’d wrapped fingers around her throat and squeezed.
Slade ran a hand over his face, his features growing d
ismal. “Barnes has no mercy. He will go to extreme lengths to preserve his reputation.”
“Then he and I have something in common.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Skylar knew precious little about the man seated beside her, but judging from his confident demeanor, she doubted Slade would understand what it meant to lose credibility and respect from everyone he’d ever known. “Never mind.” Skylar attempted the door handle again. Still locked. “You can’t hold me against my will. It’s illegal and immoral.”
His brows pinched together creating fine lines across his forehead, but he didn’t release her.
She attempted another angle. “Actions speak louder than words. If you’re really not a criminal like Aston—”
“Has it occurred to you, Miss Hart, that I don’t have to go out of my way to protect you?” A shadow passed beneath his blue irises, turning them steel gray.
“Has it occurred to you, Mr. Marshal, that I haven’t asked for your protection?” She lifted her chin.
A muscle in his jaw contracted. Moments passed and then he disengaged the locks. “By all means.” He gestured toward the door. “My life got a lot more complicated when you were shoved into it.” His softly spoken words took full effect as cold silence followed his statement.
“You haven’t exactly simplified my life either.” Irritation spiking, Skylar shoved open the door. Cool air rushed in as she rushed out. The night creatures and insects sounded loud in comparison to the sedan’s muted interior. She stood in the doorway, suddenly hesitant. Clouds had hidden the moonlight, masking the forest in shadows and obscuring the blacktop beyond the headlight’s beams.
She could walk away. Follow the road to…somewhere. But she’d seen movies depicting what could happen to vulnerable pedestrians in such surroundings. Worse yet, she’d seen news reports based on actual events involving crimes against women.
Skylar suppressed a shiver as it worked its way up her spine. She was caught in a nightmare; she could’ve been a murder victim tonight. Although she no longer believed Slade Marshal intended to bury her, Aston Barnes still wanted her dead. She’d seen firsthand Aston’s callous disregard.
