by Maya Banks
Taggert turned, tucking his shirt into his jeans. An expression of regret crossed his face, and he walked over to where she lay.
“Sorry, baby. We’ve got a fence down and a few cows have already gotten out. We’re heading out with some of the hands to do repairs.”
She yawned again, and he touched her cheek with his fingertips.
“You go on back to sleep. I’ll make sure Buck leaves you something to eat on the stove.”
With a nod, she snuggled back into the covers, keeping her eyes open only long enough to watch them go.
Heavy pressure on her back jerked her from sleep. She lifted her head up, and she tried to turn, but a hand slammed her face back into her pillow.
Her cry was muffled, and then a heavy body lay over her, pushing her further into the mattress.
“Not a word. You make a sound and I’ll slit your throat.”
Shock made mush of her brain. She knew that voice. Who was it? Think, Emily, think, for God’s sake. She could barely breathe. She struggled wildly, but he yanked her arms behind her and quickly tied her hands together.
Fingers snaked into her hair, balled into a fist and jerked her upward. The flat of his other palm slapped across her mouth, stifling the scream she tried to launch. It was then she saw him from the corner of her eye. Rand. Oh my God.
Her eyes went wide, and he yanked her against him as he dragged her from the room. When she kicked at his legs, silver flashed in his hand, and the sharp blade of a hunting knife pressed to her neck.
“You’ll die right here, right now,” he hissed. “Stop fighting me.”
“Why?” she croaked out when his hand relaxed against her mouth.
He tightened his grip once again, ignored her question and hurtled down the stairs, her flopping like a rag doll the entire way down.
“Rand, stop, please,” she gasped when he shoved her out the front door.
“Shut up! Just shut up.”
He pushed her toward his work truck, opened the door and threw her across the seat. Her back landed against the passenger door. He climbed in next to her and flashed the knife once again.
“Why are you doing this? Are you insane?”
She was too stunned to do more than stare at him. Then she realized the stupidity of her inaction and fumbled clumsily for the door handle with her bound hands.
There was supposed to be evil in his eyes, wasn’t there? Something to tell her he was some desperate wackjob. But all she could see was ruthless determination.
He gunned the engine just as she managed to crack the door. He reached over and grabbed her around the neck even as he wrestled with the steering wheel.
“Shut it!” he shouted. “Shut it, or I swear to God I’ll make you suffer. You won’t escape, Emily. Not this time.”
He swerved wildly on his way up the long drive and the door slammed, knocking her forward on the seat. He anchored her against him. When she turned, trying to bite him, he doubled his fist and punched her in the jaw.
She went sprawling. Her head cracked against the dash and her behind slid off the seat, wedging her between the glove compartment and the passenger seat.
“That’s a good place for you,” he grunted.
She lay there, helpless, her hands tied behind her, stuck on the floorboard.
“Why?” she rasped out. “What the hell are you doing, Rand? Taggert and Greer will kill you for this. You have to know that.”
He ignored her, staring out the windshield with that same grim…determination. What was he so determined about? This was all some joke. A really twisted, sick, dumb-as-shit joke, but a joke nonetheless.
Rand was quiet, respectful, and he’d always had a smile for her. What the living hell had gotten up his ass?
She cleared her throat and tried a different tactic. “Rand, what’s going on?” She purposely softened her voice and tried to make herself sound…accommodating. God, she was actually trying to sweet-talk this bastard. “Why are you so angry with me?”
Could she sound any more pathetic? She was so through being pitiful. Enough was enough, damn it!
“Just shut the hell up so I can drive. I have to get away before they come back. They’ll fix that fence soon enough.”
He was almost talking to himself, not even acknowledging her awkward-as-hell position on the floorboard.
“Did you sabotage the fence?”
He shrugged. “Seemed the easiest way to get them out of your bed and out of the house.”
Her cheeks went warm, and rage shot through her veins.
Then he turned to stare at her. “Yeah, I know all about you, whore. You couldn’t leave well enough alone. You already destroyed Sean. You should have stayed away from Taggert and Greer.”
“Dear God, is that what this is all about? You disapprove of my relationship with Greer and Taggert so you’re taking me away?”
She could hardly control the incredulity in her voice. He was off his goddamn rocker.
“Rand, stop the truck. Let me out. Now.”
He slammed on his brakes, and for a moment she thought he was actually going to listen to her.
Then he turned, his eyes sparking with fury.
“You don’t get it, do you? You don’t get to make demands. You twist a man’s balls, have them dangling from your fingertips. It should have been you who died. Not Sean. I won’t make another mistake.”
Nausea rose in her throat. Tears of anger swam in her eyes. No way. He couldn’t mean what she thought he did. She tried to open her mouth but all that came out was an inarticulate sound of rage.
She licked her lips, frustrated that she couldn’t get her tongue to work.
“Nothing to say?” he mocked. “You didn’t have much to say that night either. You deserve to die if for no other reason than for causing Sean’s death.”
She closed her eyes. None of this made sense. Rand had worked for the Donovans forever. Since he was a young man out of high school. What could possibly have made him hate this way?
The truck rattled to a stop. Rand got out and walked around to open her door. Without any care, he yanked her from her awkward perch, and she stumbled, trying to get her feet under her. Her hands were completely numb from the tight bonds around her wrists.
Where on God’s green earth were they? They’d gone the opposite way of town. There were no houses, no buildings, nothing but rock formations jutting from the earth and the base of a large hill that sloped sharply upward, a precursor to the mountains in the distance.
Rand shoved her forward and she went down to her knees, the rocks digging into her shins.
He hauled her upright and all but dragged her beyond the maze of rocks and boulders. A cave. He was taking her into a freaking cave.
A low moan escaped her. She hated the dark. She never slept in the dark. Not since Sean died.
“Please,” she whispered. “Not in here. I’ll die in here.”
“That’s the idea.”
Her mouth fell open, and he shoved her through the tight opening into the yawning mouth of darkness. This time when she stumbled, he let her fall. He knelt beside her and coiled rope around her ankles.
Panic hit her hard. He really meant to leave her here. Where Taggert and Greer would never find her.
“Why did you do it?” she rushed out. “Why Sean? I thought you liked him. He was always so nice to you. He gave you a home and a job.”
Rand’s fingers tightened around her ankles, and she could positively feel the rage billowing off him.
“It was supposed to be you,” he seethed. “Not Sean. Never Sean. But he stepped in front of you, took the knife.”
Cold settled over her like a suffocating blizzard.
“But why?” she croaked.
“You pulled them apart. You took Sean from the ranch. You turned brother against brother. The Donovans are good people, and you destroyed their family. I heard you that day when you pranced into the house talking about loving them all, wanting to be with them all. Couldn’t bla
“Someone who loves them,” she said faintly, too shocked, too numb to filter his explanation. Sean had died because of her. She’d always known it, just hadn’t realized how much she’d been the cause of his death. It hadn’t been random at all.
Oh God.
“Love,” he said scornfully. “What does a whore know about love? You tempted them with your body. You took Sean away. But that wasn’t enough. You had to come back, luring them with that pitiful smile. I won’t let them be dragged down by you again. They deserve better than that.”
“They love me,” she said in a steady voice. “You’ll hurt them if you kill me.”
There was a pause, almost as if he considered that. Then he laughed harshly. “They’ll forget you. You aren’t the keeping kind. You were good for a lay, I guess.”
His words shouldn’t hurt. He was a maniac. Taggert and Greer did love her. They did. But would they find her in time? Would they ever find her?
“I’ll just tell them you left,” he said matter-of-factly. “Shouldn’t come as a surprise. You left before. Women change their minds all the time. Can’t be trusted.”
“What the hell is your problem?” she snarled. “Did your mommy abuse you? Not hug you enough? Did your girlfriend dump you? Leave you for another man?”
He drew back, almost as if shocked by her outburst. Then he slapped her hard across the mouth.
“Your father was right to beat you. Your kind needs discipline. You need correcting. The Donovans will be better off without you.”
He shoved a rag into her mouth and then put masking tape over her lips. As he stood, he kicked her once in the side.
“If Sean hadn’t died for you, I’d make your death quick, but you deserve to suffer. You deserve to lie here thinking about all the lives you’ve destroyed.”
With that he turned and stalked out of the cave, leaving her lying in the dark.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was late when Greer drove through the back gate. He stopped to wait for Taggert to shut it and get back in the truck. A few seconds later, they pulled up to the house and got out, dusting themselves off as they headed to the back door.
As they mounted the steps, Rand opened the door and glanced uneasily at them. The hairs on Greer’s neck prickled and he stared sharply back at his foreman.
“Something wrong, Rand?”
Rand’s cheeks flushed a dull red. Man had always been quiet and almost painfully shy. But he was a good, hard worker and he’d never given them any reason to complain. They could definitely use more like him.
“It’s Miss Emily.” He stepped back to allow him and Taggert inside.
“What about her?” Taggert demanded.
Rand looked as though he’d rather eat dirt than have to say what was on his mind.
“Well, uh, she left.”
Greer reared back. “What?”
Rand was openly nervous now. He was sweating bullets, and he twisted his hands together.
“She went down to Sean’s grave. She does that a lot. When she came back, she went upstairs then came down with her bag. Asked me to take her to town. I didn’t want to,” he added in a rush. “But when I suggested she wait for you to get back, she said she’d walk if she had to. I didn’t think you and Taggert would want her going alone so I drove her.”
Greer’s hands were shaking. He couldn’t even get his thoughts together. Gone? What the hell?
“Did I screw up?” Rand asked as he rubbed his palms on his jeans.
“No, Rand, you did right,” Taggert said in a tight voice. “But we need more information. Anything she said. Don’t leave a word out. We need to know where you took her.”
Greer dragged a hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall. “Why did she leave?”
Rand colored again and shoved his hands into his pockets. “She didn’t say. I mean she didn’t talk to me. She was upset. I could tell she’d been crying. Maybe the visit to Sean’s grave put her over the edge? I took her to the motel. She wouldn’t listen to reason. I tried all the way into town, but she wouldn’t even look at me.”
Taggert let out a curse that made Rand flinch. Then he turned to Greer. “Let’s go.” At the door he glanced back at Rand. “How long ago did you take her into town?”
Rand shrugged. “Couple of hours.”
“And you only just now saw fit to tell us?” Greer asked incredulously.
“I didn’t want to disturb the work on the fence. Already lost enough cattle.”
Trust Rand to be focused on work. Of course he wouldn’t understand the seriousness of Emily taking off in a fragile emotional state.
Greer followed Taggert to the truck and the two tore down the drive. Taggert’s hands gripped the wheel, and his face was locked in stone.
As they neared town, Taggert finally turned to Greer. “What the fuck, Greer? When we left this morning, Emmy was fine. She seemed happy. What could possibly have happened? She’s visited Sean’s grave several times since she’s been back but she’s never taken off on us.”
“I don’t know,” Greer said in frustration. “Let’s hope she’s at the motel.”
***
An hour later, a cold sweat gripped Taggert’s entire body. Panic hovered, and it took everything he had not to give in to it. No one had seen Emily. Or Rand, for that matter. But if Rand had dropped her at the motel on the edge of town, he wouldn’t have gained a lot of notice. And if Emmy didn’t want attention drawn to herself, all she had to do was go the opposite way. But how?
He met Greer back at the truck, helpless rage snaking through his veins.
“What the hell do we do? No one’s seen her. She’s not in Creed’s Pass.”
Greer’s face hardened, but Taggert could see the worry in his eyes.
“Maybe she got a ride into Hodges. Hell, Tagg, I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. It’s late and I don’t know what we should do. One of us should go back to the ranch in case she comes back. We don’t know if she planned to leave permanently or if she just got upset.”
“Buck and Rand can wait up,” Taggert said. “You and I can keep looking for her. They’ll call if she shows up at the ranch.”
“Tell them to sit on her if she shows,” Greer said in a low growl.
“Let’s go find our girl,” Taggert said.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Dawn had long since come, bringing with it the grim realization that Emily was gone. Not just gone but vanished. For hours, Taggert and Greer had searched every conceivable location. They’d questioned motel owners, cab drivers, they’d gone to the airport and every spot in between. She simply wasn’t anywhere they looked.
They both needed sleep, but they also knew that with each passing minute, Emily was further away. Hell, she could be across the entire country by now.
“Maybe the best thing to do is go home and wait,” Taggert muttered. He was dead on his feet after a long day repairing a fence line and then all night spent searching for Emily.
Greer didn’t look any better. He wore a haunted look that Taggert hadn’t seen since the night they’d been called with the news of Sean’s death.
Greer raised a hand then let it fall to his side, his shoulders sagging.
“She left us.”
Taggert flinched at the betrayal in Greer’s voice. It was a feeling he’d tried damn hard not to experience himself, but how could he not? One minute Emily was pledging her love, her commitment to them, the next she had hotfooted it to parts unknown. The big question was why?
“It doesn’t make sense,” Taggert said wearily.
He climbed into the truck and turned home. They were several hours from the ranch. It would be afternoon before they got there. He was hungry, he needed a shower and he needed sleep. Mostly he needed Emily. In his arms. Back home where she belonged.
“Nothing makes any goddamn sense,” Greer muttered as he slouched in the seat.
The two didn’t talk on the drive home. They didn’t even look at each other. They stared out the window at the passing scenery, and Taggert focused relentlessly on the road.
Why had she left?
The question haunted Taggert. He couldn’t have been that wrong about Emmy. Not their Emmy.
By the time he pulled up to the house, dusk had bathed the world in shadows and pale shades of lavender. Without a word, they got out and trudged inside where they were met by Buck and Rand.
“No luck finding the girl?” Buck asked.
Greer shook his head and continued on past the two men.
“Get some rest. Both of you. We’ll look again in the morning. I’ll sit by the phone. If she calls, I’ll wake you up,” Buck said.
Taggert raised his hand in acknowledgement and went up the stairs to his bedroom. His bed was still unmade, the covers twisted and shoved to the side. The fitted sheet had popped off and was dragged halfway across the bed. What the hell?
Had Emily woken up in the midst of a nightmare? Had she been driven from bed by past demons, visited Sean’s grave and taken off on impulse?
He stood by the bed, staring down at where he and Greer had made love to her just two nights ago. Where was she now?
Not bothering to undress, he fell over the bed, eyes closing as soon as his head hit the pillow. He could smell her. He inhaled deeply and curled his fingers into the sheets.
A few hours was all he needed. Then he’d find Emmy. He had to.
***
Taggert woke with a start, unsure of what had disturbed him. Christ, it was light again already. How long had he slept? He rolled, wincing at the soreness in his muscles.
A beam of reflected sunlight flashed across his window, and he frowned. The sound of a vehicle reached his ears.
His pulse picked up a notch and he hurried to the window, lifting the slats of the blinds with one finger. His frown deepened when he saw Rand’s truck driving slowly down the driveway.
An uneasy feeling slithered through his veins. Why did it bother him?
Rand was the last to see Emily. Rand was the one who had taken her from the ranch. Into town. Where no one had seen her. Where the hell was he going right now? Could be nothing. But his gut was screaming.
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