by Ilsa Ames
I kept an eye out for road signs or place names, or anything, but the angle wasn’t right, and I was too scared to move too much for fear of being gagged and tied up. The only thing I could really surmise was that we were definitely getting rural. The road was bumpier, and I barely ever saw any buildings. Just trees and sky.
My kidnapper was completely silent the whole trip, his hands never moving from the wheel and his gaze never leaving the road. He seemed unflinchingly focused, which scared me even more. He’d obviously planned this meticulously, and while it was maybe reassuring that he wasn’t just an opportunistic crazy person, I probably had more to worry about from a cold, calculated criminal.
We drove for hours, and it became a struggle to keep my eyes open. After a while there weren’t even any street lights, just the pure blackness of night. And, eventually, without even realizing it and against all my own advice, I fell asleep in the backseat of the truck.
I was rudely awakened with a blast of cool air as the driver yanked open the door. My body was stiff and uncomfortable, and I was furious with myself for falling asleep, like I might have missed a vital clue which might’ve helped me escape this nightmare.
Before I had a chance to stretch and get out of the vehicle on my own, I felt two rough hands grab me under my arms and unceremoniously lift me onto my feet. I struggled and kicked, still half asleep and mad as hell.
“Hey, I can get out on my own for fuck’s sake! Keep your hands to yourself you goddamn weirdo!”
My kidnapper had thankfully removed the creepy-ass ski mask, and instead was wearing a baseball cap pulled low, obscuring most of his face. What little I saw though, was surprisingly good-looking.
Shockingly so, actually—in a way that made me pause and sent a shiver through my core.
Strong jaw, stubble, a wisp of blond hair. He was maybe in his early thirties, and in perfect shape judging from the way he filled out his shirt.
I dragged my attention away from him to see where he’d taken me, and when I saw, that’s when the real panic set in. Trees, everywhere. A forest, with nothing else as far as I could see, apart from the cabin in front of us. It looked cozy enough, but it was still a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere.
This might have been my first kidnapping, but, c’mon. I’d seen enough movies to a deserted cabin in the middle of nowhere does not mean good things for the kidnapped.
Holy shit, what if this guy’s some sort of perverted sex-freak hillbilly. Nobody knows I’m here, and I have no idea where ‘here’ even is. I’m completely alone with him, and utterly at his mercy.
I glanced around, wild-eyed, searching for something, anything, to give me a sense of where I was. It was early morning now, so we’d driven for eight or more hours. I didn’t even know which state I was in. It was hopeless.
My heart raced, the panic blazing through me as I whirled and tried to reason with him one more time.
“Look, if it’s money you want, I can get you money. Just let me get in touch with my dad and we can work something out.”
I could hear the panic in my voice, echoing out unheard into the woods.
In response he pulled out a roll of duct tape, and before I could even react, he’d torn off a piece and stuck it to my mouth, muffling my cries. I screamed into the tape, he roughly dragged me towards the cabin. It was useless, but I did my best to fight him off, dragging my heels in the mud and squirming and struggling. All that earned me was being thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as if I weighed nothing at all. If I hadn’t been scared for my goddamn life it might’ve even been sorta hot.
Except right then, it was damned terrifying.
He carried me into the cabin, storming into what I suddenly realized was a bedroom. I gasped, shrieking behind the duct tape, fear exploding through me as he tossed me down on the bed. He must have seen the panic in my eyes, because he rolled his.
“Get over yourself.”
He yanked some rope out from under the bed, and with my mind still reeling, he tied my hands and feet together. Not too tight, so it didn’t hurt, but the sheer indignity of it was galling.
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered under his breath. “Do I look like that kind of guy?”
Maybe? No? I have no idea because you just fucking kidnapped me?
But I couldn’t say a word, my mouth still taped.
“Just stay here, keep quiet, and I’ll be back soon after making a couple of calls. Like I said to you before, just do as I say and nothing bad will happen to you. We can make this easy, or we can make it difficult. The choice is entirely yours. I’d really like to do it the easy way.”
His voice softened.
“I’ll be back soon. You just stay there.”
It’s not like I have much choice, asshole. You’ve trussed me up like a hog.
He left the room, and I heard the lock click as he closed the door. I took some deep breaths through my nose, trying my best to keep the panic down. Losing my shit wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I needed to stay calm, work out what it was this psycho wanted, and try my best to get out of here without being murdered or whatever else this psycho had in mind for me.
I looked around the room—my new prison. It was warm and cozy enough, with decor that looked a few decades out of date. Some faded pictures on the wall showed nature scenes, and groups of what looked like farmers or something.
I sighed.
Great. Only I would fall asleep during a goddamn kidnapping. Now how the hell was I going to get out of there?
Chapter Three
Logan
Shit, this was bad. This was really bad, actually. My pulse roared through me, my very skin tingling in the aftermath of having touched her, and laid my hands on her.
I needed to keep my shit together. Fast.
I left Natalia tied up in the room I’d prepared for her during her… well, her “visit.” Yes, she’d fulfilled every single one of my expectations of her being a spoiled little rich girl. She obviously wasn’t used to being told what to do, and I’d definitely seen the gall on her face when I’d first told her to shut up and stop squirming.
I decided to be a little gentler now that I had her back at my cabin. I figured if she was comfortable and didn’t feel threatened she’d be more likely to be co-operative.
And anyway, I didn’t want to have to deal with a scared, screaming brat running off into the woods at the first opportunity.
No, for this plan to work she had to stay here and stay safe and healthy. Otherwise any leverage I had would be gone, and I’d be back to square one. Oh, and a wanted felon to boot.
I quietly locked the door behind me, keeping the key in the pocket of my jeans. The front door was locked too, and I’d even barred the windows of the cabin from the outside, in case she tried anything stupid.
I’d made sure the place was warm enough when I’d got back to the cabin, setting up a fire in the main living room. It was mid-July, but still got a little chilly at times at night, especially up in the mountains.
After tending to the fire and adding another log, I sat down at the small desk where I’d planned this whole operation. I leafed through the top few scraps of paper, covered in scribbles and notes, plans and drawings I’d made as I’d finalized everything. And under that, my surveillance.
…Of her.
I growled to myself, my eyes moving over the photographs, and the maps of her routes. A napkin with a smear of her lipstick I’d picked off a café table the week before. Shit, I knew in a way this made me insane. Or some sort of completely unhinged stalker. But then, that’s what I was.
I had stalked her. Because I had to. Because circumstances had forced me to. I’d stalked her because I had to know her, because at the core of it, I was the hunter, and she was my prey.
Except, the hunter wasn’t supposed to lose all control just thinking about the dear. The hunter wasn’t supposed to feel the storm and the fire roaring up inside of him the second he laid eyes on his prey.
I shook my head, clearing the surveillance shit to one side and picking up the piece of printed paper I was looking for. It was a list of phone numbers I’d managed to find when I’d been researching Preston Canonelli and his company. Most were office numbers, reception desks and hotlines, sales lines; all of which I knew would be closed at this time. And I doubted that a receptionist was going to put through a random caller to the owner of the business, just because I asked nicely. Also it’s not like I wanted to have to tell some random lackey that I’d kidnapped the boss’ daughter.
I picked one of Preston’s personal numbers at random, a landline number under the Pittsburgh area code. The line was dead; it seemed the number was out of use.
Great start. Well, guess it can’t get much worse, right?
I crossed the number off the list and chose another. A cell, one which was going to be my best bet as Preston’s personal cell number.
It rang, and after a while a weary, older female voice answered.
“Hello?” she said, sounding half asleep and irritated at the disturbance.
“I need to speak to Preston Canonelli. Now. It’s very important that I speak to him immediately,” I said, voice low and firm.
“Pres… who? You’ve got the wrong number. I don’t know any Preston. Don’t call this number again or I’ll call the police.”
The line clicked as she hung up.
Sonofabitch.
I sat there, pissed and scowling, wondering who I’d just called, and why Preston hadn’t answered. Surely if the woman who answered knew him, she would have been concerned enough to tell me.
I’d been told by the private investigator I’d hired that the number I’d just called was his personal cell number. Either the guy I’d hired wasn’t worth dick, or Preston had caught wind of his snooping and had his numbers changed. I figured it was much more likely to be the latter. The rest of the information I’d got from the PI was pretty dead on.
Shit.
I tried the other cell numbers I had for Preston, to no avail. The lines were either dead, or no one knew anything about the man. He’d managed to thwart me, stopping me in my tracks before I’d even properly begun to carry out my plan.
I bet he wouldn’t have changed his cell if he knew I was gonna kidnap his daughter.
I thought for a moment before turning to look over my shoulder at the door to Natalia’s room. There was only one way I was going to get hold of the guy. And she was going to have to help me. I had her phone. What I didn’t have was the code to unlock it.
I rose slowly, sighing as I walked to the door, hoping I wouldn’t find her a quivering, emotional, slightly drunken wreck on the floor.
Before turning the key in the lock, I set a stern expression on my face, and pulled my baseball cap down to cover my eyes as much as was possible. I set my shoulders high, straightening my back and trying my best to look stern and dominant. I had to look like the beast she needed to think I was for this to work. I had to walk in there and menace her, not stare at her, my eyes filled with fire and lust.
I filled my lungs with a deep breath before turning the key, pushing the door open and entering the room.
She was propped up against the bed where I’d left her, eyes wide with fear and shock as she looked up at me as I approached her.
I was struck again at how damn pretty she was—perfect features framed by a heart shaped face, soft cheeks and full lips. Well, the lips were hidden behind duct tape, but I’d seen them plenty of times before to have the memorized. Hell, those lips were tattooed across my brain
She was petite but not tiny, and full figured. Soft, blonde hair cascaded down her face to her slim neck. Dark brown eyes were searching my face, eyes wide with fear and apprehension.
I knelt down in front of her, figuring she’d see my face sooner or later. The trick was still make her fearful of me, while also reassuring her that she was safe so long as she didn’t do anything stupid. I didn’t want to hurt her. Hell, I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I was doing this for the sake of the town, and to cause any harm was the last thing I wanted.
Well, no, I take that back. I wanted to hurt Preston. Badly.
“Natalia. I need to speak to your father, Preston,” I muttered roughly. “It’s very important that I speak to him, so we can… come to an arrangement,” I said, my voice deep and commanding, but soft. I searched her eyes, trying to sense any sort of acknowledgement, but she just frowned, and shook her head.
“Look, I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe here. I’m sorry for the way I had to bring you here, but, once you know everything-” I paused, struggling to find the words, “Well, you’ll understand why I’ve done this. I promise.”
I put my hand to her cheek, grasping one corner of the duct tape across her mouth. Her skin was soft and warm against my large, calloused hand.
The animal inside of me groaned just a little more.
“This is going to hurt a little bit. Sorry.”
I pulled the tape off as quick as I could, and she gasped at the pain.
“Ow, fuck! That really hurt, you—you asshole!” she spat. The fear in her eyes had been replaced with indignant anger. I tried my best to hold back a smile, trying not to show the amusement I felt at her demeanor.
Hell, she had fire, that’s for sure. Here she was kidnapped off to a damned cabin in the middle of nowhere, and her first words were to sass me.
“I did warn you,” I grumbled. “And I even said sorry. Now, hold still while I get these bindings off you.”
I paused to look at her again before starting to untie her.
“And I hope it goes without saying, but do not try anything stupid. You’re safe here, and I have food, fuel, and clothes. But we’re in the middle of nowhere. You’ll be lost before you even get a hundred yards from the cabin.”
“It’s Lia,” she said, voice sounding calm, if not a little annoyed.
“What?” I replied tersely, untying her hands, then her feet. She rubbed at her wrists, and I wondered if I had tied the bindings a little too tight.
“Lia. No one calls me Natalia.” She was looking up at me, eyes defiant as she fixed her gaze on my face, studying my features. I figured she was trying to remember the color of my eyes, hair, anything.
This girl watches too much CSI.
“Sure, whatever. Lia.” I sighed.
Fuck that’s a pretty name.
“Look, I need to speak to your father. Like I said, it’s extremely important that we talk things through. And I’m sure he’d want to know that his daughter is still safe, right?” I cleared my throat, turning to look out the window and into the dusk at the sickly trees by the river.
“You didn’t really think this through, did you, you hillbilly?” she spat, and I heard her rise to her feet. I glanced over my shoulder to look at her as she stretched her back, something stirring hot in me as I let my eyes take in her figure—the hint of pert breasts showing through a thin, tight blouse, her tight leggings showing off her toned, athletic legs, and the curve of a sweet, round ass.
She frowned as she saw me staring her, and turned to face me, arms crossed.
“Don’t get any ideas, asshole. And anyway, no,” she said firmly, tilting her head upwards in defiance.
“No what?”
“I’m not going to help you. You brought me out here against my will, tied me up like—like a damn animal, and expect me to help you? I think you’re insane. You know, it’s not too late. You can take me back home, and turn yourself in, tell the cops you’ve gone crazy or something or went off your meds.” She glared at me. “Did you go off some meds you should be taking?”
I scowled, the anger and irritation igniting inside.
“You are the same girl who was just begging me to let you call daddy, right?” I snapped.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
I clenched my jaw tight, grinding my teeth.
"Why.”
“For a kidnapper, you should probably have a better handle on powe
r dynamics,” she spat back petulantly.
“The fuck does that mean.”
“It means before, I wanted to call because I didn’t know what was going on. Now, you need me to call. And I’m not helping you with a damn thing that you ‘need’ me to do.”
Deep breaths.
I growled under my breath, glaring at the sassy little brat with her arms over her chest, staring right back at me. I’d never thought this was going to be easy, but goddamn.
“Come here,” I muttered, moving towards her. “Let me show you something.”
I ignored her hisses and swears as I grabbed her arm and hauled into the main living room. I dragged her over to one side of the front window, which looked down to a group of trees standing on the river bank.
Lia petulantly ignored my pointing finger before I sighed heavily. Finally, she turned, peering out into the early evening gloom. The trees were still clearly visible, and from my eye looked noticeably sickly.
“What am I looking at? Some trees? Very impressive. Not.” she said, her voice sour with sarcasm.
“Yes, you’re looking at ‘some trees’. Some trees that should be blossoming at this time of year. Hell, the whole forest should be green and lush. But look at it. Everything’s… dying.”
I glanced at her, to see her frowning thoughtfully as she studied the woodland surrounding the cabin.
“It’s the river. And not just this one, all of the waterways which run off down here from the natural reservoir further up the mountain. They’re all polluted with chemical effluent, exactly the same chemicals which your daddy’s company produces as a by-product.” My voice rose as I spoke, anger rising in my stomach.
She snorted before turning to face me.
“Do you seriously expect me to believe that nonsense? My dad’s company is miles from here. Why would chemical eff… chemical whatever be poisoning the water up here? That doesn’t make any sense.”
