“Mont,” Lucas called after him. Mont turned around. “Be careful.”
Mont gave a terse nod. “You too.” Then he ran off.
Lucas sighed and drove the truck slowly down the road toward the house. He glanced to the left to look for Mont but he couldn’t see him, then he glanced to the right but didn’t see the other agents either. Lucas knew they were out there, but this was dangerous for all of them and he prayed Mont found Emily. Alive.
When he pulled up to the house, he turned the truck off and glanced around. He didn’t see anyone but it didn’t mean they weren’t there and aiming at him. Opening the truck door, he slowly got out, leaned against the front fender of the truck, and waited for Walters to appear. Lucas clenched his fists. He wanted a shot at the asshole. He straightened up when the door to the house opened and Walters strolled out onto the porch. He stared at Lucas then smirked.
“You better be alone,” Adam told him.
“Are you?” Lucas countered.
“I have two men in the house who are to kill Emily if you kill me.”
“How do I know she’s still alive?”
Adam laughed. “You don’t. But you won’t kill me if you know there’s a chance she’s still alive.”
Lucas clenched his jaw. Son of a bitch. Mont needed to get into the house and find her. “So, what are we going to do? You know I’d like nothing better than to kill you.”
“I feel the same about you. I want you out of her life. You agree to leave her with me and I’ll let you live.”
Lucas burst out laughing. “You’ll let me live?” He quickly sobered. “Go to hell. I will not hand my wife over to you.”
“You don’t have a choice, Taggart. You’re going to lose her either way. She goes with me, you live. You don’t let her go, you die.” Adam shrugged. “Simple.”
Lucas swore. “There’s nothing simple about it. One of us is going to die and it isn’t going to be me.” He took a step forward but halted when Adam pulled out a gun and aimed it at him as he moved down the steps of the porch.
“I thought we would settle this man to man, Walters.” Lucas kept his eyes on Adam’s face.
Adam laughed. “This isn’t a pissing contest, Taggart. I’m going to kill you and then I’ll decide what to do with Emily.” He raised the gun, aimed and shot. Lucas fell to the ground.
* * * *
Emily heard the door to the basement open and then she saw two pairs of shoes coming down the stairs. She scooched back when she saw Adam’s two men smiling at her.
“I think we’re going to have a little fun with you since Walters is outside with your husband,” one of them said to her. The other one laughed as he removed the tape over her mouth.
“I heard a gunshot,” Emily said.
The men stopped and glanced at each other. “I didn’t hear anything,” one of them said. “Doesn’t matter if you did or not. Whoever is standing, we plan on killing. We hate Walters but the money he offered was too good to turn down.”
“I heard it when you were coming down the stairs.”
The men laughed. “Nice try.” They moved toward her.
Emily was terrified as she tried to get to her feet to run. The bigger man caught her and held her while the other tried to rip her shirt. She kicked out and got him in the groin and he fell down. The man holding her laughed. She screamed, all the while knowing it wouldn’t help. All of a sudden, the man stilled and she heard another male voice.
“Let go of her and move against the wall or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
“Who the fuck are you?” The man dropped Emily to the floor.
“FBI Agent Montgomery Bradford. Now move to the wall.”
The man moved toward the wall. The man on the floor glared up at Mont. He started to stand. Emily saw Mont grin.
“Try it,” he said in a low tone then nodded when the man stayed down. Mont glanced over to Emily. “Are you all right?” She nodded. “I’ll be with you in a minute.” He pulled out two pairs of handcuffs and secured the men then he strode toward her and helped her up.
“Lucas…”
“We’ll check on him in a minute. I heard a shot but my men have silencers. I’ll get you out of here and we’ll see what happened.”
“Are you saying something’s wrong? If your men have silencers, who shot?” Emily frowned.
Mont shook his head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t take a chance using the radio in case one of these idiots heard me. Come on.”
Emily nodded. She was sure she was going into shock when she started to shake.
Mont helped her up the stairs. She ran outside to see Lucas lying on the ground with two men squatting beside him, and Adam lying a few feet away. She ran to Lucas and kneeled down beside him.
“Lucas…please. No.”
Lucas gazed up at her. “I’m all right, just stunned.”
“Aren’t you glad I made you wear the vest now?” Mont asked.
Lucas nodded. “Yes, but it still hurts like a bitch.”
Mont chuckled. “Yeah, I know. Been there.”
Lucas stood and pulled Emily to him and held her tight. “Are you all right?”
“I..I just want to go home,” she whispered.
“Did you call an ambulance for Walters?” Mont asked McCann and Tucker.
“Yes, but if he dies before it gets here, it’s no big loss,” McCann said.
“I agree, but you know we have to get him to a hospital. Get an agent to keep guard on him, too. One of you needs to go downstairs to get the other two men.” He turned toward Lucas. “I’ll be over tomorrow to ask her questions. I should do it now but she’s too upset and I doubt I’ll get anything out of her.”
She felt Lucas nod his head as he tightened his arms around her. Emily wanted to forget all of it but she knew she had to let the FBI know what happened. She pulled back from Lucas to gaze at the agents. “If you want to go back to Whispering Pines now, I’ll be more than happy to tell you.”
“Are you sure? I would like to talk with you about it.”
“I’m positive. I’d like to get it out of the way.” She shivered against Lucas.
“You don’t have to do this now, Emily,” Lucas told her.
“I want to. Please.”
Lucas sighed. “All right. I’ll take her home. We’ll see you in a little while.”
“Emily? Were you assaulted in any way?” Mont asked.
“Damn it, Mont,” Lucas growled.
“I have to know, Lucas.” Mont glanced at Emily. She shook her head. “You can shower then. After I finish here, I’ll be over.” Mont walked off.
Lucas put his arm around her shoulder and helped her to the truck. Emily felt light headed and stumbled. Lucas picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. He put her in the truck and drove her home. Once there, he carried her to the living room and put her on the couch. Munch jumped up beside her. Emily pulled her onto her lap and hugged her.
“I missed you, Munch.” Emily gazed at Lucas. “Thank you for taking care of her.” He nodded. “I do need a shower, Lucas. I’ve been in the basement for days. I’m so filthy.”
Lucas nodded. “I’ll help you.”
She nodded. “All right.” She stood and almost fell over. Lucas picked her up and carried her upstairs into the bathroom. He set her on her feet and undressed her. Lucas quickly undressed then turned on the shower. Munch pushed the door open and jumped up on the sink. She cleaned her paws as she gazed at Emily.
“I’m not letting you try to stand in here alone. I don’t want you to fall so I’m going to hold you up. Then we’re going to get some food in you.” Lucas helped her into the shower.
The water felt like heaven to her. She placed her hands on the wall and hung her head under the water. Lucas stood behind her. Emily felt him pour shampoo in her hair and started working it into a lather. She felt the tears starting again and placed her hand over her mouth. Lucas turned her around to face him. Emily wrapped her arms around his waist and sobbe
d. He held her against him while she cried and murmured to her although she wasn’t really listening. Her body shook as she cried.
“Emily, you’re going to make yourself sick. Please baby, stop,” he whispered.
“I can’t st…stop.” She stuttered as she laid her cheek on his chest.
He picked up the soap, lathered it up, and washed her. The hot water wasn’t helping with her shaking. She knew she was in shock. After rinsing her off, he lifted her out and dried her off then he carried her to the bed and laid her on it. Munch jumped onto the bed and curled up next to Emily. Lucas was about to leave when she called his name. He turned to her.
“Please don’t leave me, Lucas,” she said softly.
He laid down beside her and kissed her forehead. “I won’t,” he whispered.
Emily was almost asleep when she heard someone pounding on the back door. She’d forgotten about Mont coming. Emily glanced toward Lucas and saw him awake too.
“It’s probably the FBI,” she told him.
“Yeah, it’s Mont, for sure, and if I don’t get down there and let him in, he’ll kick the door in thinking something’s wrong.” Lucas sighed as he got off the bed. “Get dressed. Do you want me to help you down stairs? I’ll make some coffee.”
“I’m all right. Go let Mont in before he busts the door down.”
* * * *
Lucas kissed her quickly and strode from the room and down the stairs. Opening the back door, he let his friend in. Mont raised an eyebrow at him.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
“Yes. She fell asleep. She’ll be down in a minute. You want some coffee?” When Mont nodded, Lucas went about making a pot.
Emily walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. She raised her eyes and stared at Mont. She frowned. “Montgomery?”
Mont’s mouth twisted. “Mont. No one calls me Montgomery except my mother.”
Emily smiled for the first time in days. “All right…Mont. Ask me any questions.”
“Tell me about Walters taking you, what happened while you were in the house.”
Emily took a deep breath and glanced at Mont. “I remember the explosion and someone putting a rag over my mouth and nose. The next thing I knew, I was in the basement of the house. Adam told me we were going to go away together after he took care of Lucas. But then he’d change his mind and say he was going to kill me.” She glanced at her husband then back to Mont. “I told him I’d go away with him…” She stopped when Lucas hissed in a breath.
“Go on, Emily,” Mont told her.
“I had no intention of going anywhere with him but I didn’t want him to hurt Lucas. He didn’t believe me anyway, and he said he’d kill me if I didn’t go with him after he killed Lucas. Then he told me he changed his mind and was going to kill me after he killed Lucas.” She shuddered. “He had my hands bound at first but later untied me so I could use the bathroom, but there was no way out of there other than the stairs. When Adam went outside to meet with Lucas, the two men told me they were planning to kill either Adam or Lucas, whoever survived. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I think they were planning to rape me.” Her voice caught on a sob.
“Son of a bitch! If he doesn’t die, I’ll kill him,” Lucas shouted.
“Calm down, Lucas. He’ll get what he deserves,” Mont said quietly as he stood. “So, basically you were just tied up in the basement until all this went down? You weren’t assaulted at all?”
“He slapped me one time but that was all and it was when I refused to call Lucas.”
Mont sighed. “All right. That’s good enough for me. If you think of anything else, call me.” He laid his card on the table and shook Lucas’s hand. “Keep in touch, Lucas. It would be nice to hear from you other than when you need something.”
“Fuck you, Montgomery.”
Mont burst out laughing, winked at Emily and left. She glanced up at Lucas. “Could you make me some soup? They didn’t feed me much and all of a sudden I’m starving.”
“That’s good. I’ll make it for you. Just sit there and look beautiful.” Lucas smiled.
Emily ran her hand over her hair. “I doubt I can look beautiful after the past few days.”
Lucas squatted down in front of her and took her hands in his. “You look beautiful to me. I haven’t seen you in days. I’ve missed you so much.” He leaned forward and kissed her.
“After I eat, I want to go to bed,” she whispered.
Lucas nodded. “You need to rest.”
She placed her hand on his whiskered cheek. “You don’t understand. I want to go to bed…with you.”
Lucas grinned. “I want you, too.” He gave her a wink and stood. “Let me get the soup for you.”
Emily smiled up at him. Dear God, she loved him so much and she’d almost lost him. It was time to let him know how she felt but after she ate. Not only was she hoping the soup would make her feel better, she hoped, in some way, it gave her the courage to tell her husband she was in love with him.
* * * *
Lucas made the soup for her, all the while keeping an eye on her. She seemed so weak. “What did they feed you?”
Emily snorted. “Crackers.”
“That’s it?” Lucas clenched his jaw.
“Adam said it was all they had.” She shrugged. “I didn’t have much of an appetite anyway.”
Lucas knelt in front of her. “I’m so sorry I let him take you.”
Emily gasped. “No. Lucas, it wasn’t your fault. I told you he was smart. He probably watched us all the time and planned what to do.” She gazed at him. “He told me he poisoned Star Gazer.”
“Son of a bitch. I wish he was dead.” Lucas rubbed the spot above his heart where the bullet had hit the vest. Without it, he would have died. He’d argued with Mont about wearing it but Mont told him he either wore it or didn’t meet with Walters.
“I wish he was, too.” Emily glanced at Lucas. “I want him out of my life. He’ll go back to prison if he heals.”
“Our lives,” Lucas said. “He’ll heal. They shot him in the leg and arm.” He shook his head. “I should have watched better, though. I should have known when I heard the explosion, it was him, and he would get to you.”
Emily placed her hands on his cheeks. “Please don’t blame yourself. It’s done and he’s gone.”
“If I would have given it some thought, I would have thought to take you with me, not leave you in the barn.”
“Lucas, stop. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. It was not your fault and that’s the end of it.”
Lucas blew out a breath. He knew he wasn’t going to change her mind. Standing, he got her soup and set it on the table in front of her then sat down beside her. He watched as she ate.
“Stop staring at me, Lucas. I’m not going to disappear again,” Emily snapped.
Lucas reared back. “I know. I’m just making sure you don’t fall over. Christ, forgive me for being concerned.”
“You’re making me feel self-conscious about it.”
“About it? What the fuck is it?”
Emily jumped up. “This.” She waved her hands around. “All of it. I was taken but I’m home now. I want to forget it.”
“I’m sure we both do but it won’t go away in just a day or two.” Lucas slowly stood and stared at her.
Her hands clenched into fists. “I am done talking about it.” She started to move away from the table when Lucas wrapped his fingers around her bicep. She swung around and slapped him across the face.
Lucas quickly let go of her and stared at her. She stood in front of him with her hand over her mouth. Tears filled her eyes.
“Oh God! Lucas…I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right. I shouldn’t have grabbed you.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t grab me. You only put your hand on my arm. I...I panicked.”
“I thought you said they didn’t touch you?”
“They didn’t. I’m just a little jumpy.”
> Lucas nodded. “Understandable.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Why don’t you lie down? I’m going to the barn for a while. I’m sure Tinker will want to know you’re all right.”
“All right. Tell him I’ll see him tomorrow.” Emily left the room as Lucas headed toward the barn.
* * * *
Emily laid on the bed and more tears came. Munch jumped onto the bed and laid down beside her. Emily ran her hand over Munch’s head.
“I missed you Munchkins. I missed Lucas too.” The cat closed her eyes in bliss. “I’m so glad Adam will go back to prison.” Munch started purring. Emily sat up. “You didn’t growl when I said Adam.” Emily shook her head. “Again, no growl.” She laughed softly. “You know he’s gone don’t you? He’ll never bother either of us again.” She laid back down and closed her eyes. Nothing was better than being in her and Lucas’s bed again. She’d missed him so much while she laid in the basement. Wondering if he were looking for her, missing her as she did him. She couldn’t believe she’d slapped him. He looked as shocked as she’d felt. Emily fell asleep with Munch still purring beside her.
She woke up screaming. The bedroom door flew open and Lucas strode toward her. He sat on the bed beside her.
“Emily, are you all right?” he asked softly.
She nodded. “I just had a bad dream. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“You didn’t bother me. I was getting some coffee.”
“Coffee?” She frowned at him. “Why are you drinking coffee this late?” She glanced at the clock. It showed seven o’clock.
“It’s seven in the morning, darlin’. You slept the rest of yesterday and last night.”
“I did?” She was shocked.
“Yes. You needed it.”
Emily glanced at the bed. “You didn’t sleep with me?”
Lucas shook his head. “I didn’t want to disturb you. I slept in another bedroom.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “Please don’t do that again. I want to always sleep with you.”
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