by Taylor Hart
“I do like Jackson a lot more than I did the last time I was here.”
“Why didn’t you like it before?”
“Probably because you weren’t with me,” he said, knowing he sounded like an idiot and not caring. Their eyes held, and he asked, “So, where are you going to go after we get past tomorrow?”
She gazed up at the moon, then closed her eyes. “Can we just stay right here, in this moment? Do I have to make decisions about where I want to go?”
Feeling the same way, he squeezed her hand. “Sure, I’ll freeze time right now.”
“Do they have an X-Man for that?”
“Actually, they do. Professor Xavier can stop time.”
Leaning into him, she pressed her lips to his. Nick kissed her, running his fingers through her hair and feeling her hands run up his back.
There had always been this feeling of getting lost. It took him by surprise how Frank had been right; if you were in love with someone, you wanted to be with them every second. That’s how he felt now—more protective than he’d ever been about anyone. He wished he really could freeze time.
She pulled back, and both of them sucked in air while smiling. “Are you really wanting to move to Jackson?” she asked.
Shaking his head, he let out a breath. “Do you?”
“No.” She ran her hand through his hair.
Melting, he closed his eyes. “Where do you want to live after this?”
“Shh.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “Focus on tonight, remember?”
Nodding, he reached for her hand and kissed the back of it softly. He would go slow with her, but now more than ever, she had to be in his life after this night. “Should we go re-watch The Last Stand? I think you fell asleep during the middle.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
As they got back to the house, Nick had another weird gut feeling when he pulled in. It was just the last night, he reasoned, and he was feeling all kinds of protective about her. “Should we stay somewhere else tonight?” he asked, shutting off the Jeep.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “My freak-out was silly. Everything is fine. Plus, I got trained today. If someone takes me, they’re gonna pay.”
Going around the Jeep, he opened the door for her and pulled her into him. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She smiled up at him, kissing him softly. “You’re really handsome, if I didn’t mention it before.”
Did it hurt the ego to have a beautiful woman tell him he was handsome? Ah, no. “Thanks. You haven’t said it before.”
She winked at him. “Guess I’ll have to make up for it.”
“Guess you will. You can start with my amazing abs you kept looking at the other night.”
She rolled her eyes and blushed. “Whatever. And, we can talk about how humble you are.”
He warmed inside, loving their easy banter. “I would never brag about my humility, but I won’t deny it, either.”
She shoved him in the chest. “Nice, macho cop guy.”
He laughed. Calling him macho cop guy was nice, too.
They walked to the front of the house and he put in the code. “Let’s get changed. I’ll do a sweep, then we’ll watch the movie.” He walked her lazily to her room, playing with her hand.
She turned to him, searching his eyes.
If he were a different man, and this were a different situation, things might have played out differently. No matter what happened after tonight, though, if she wanted to continue this relationship, he would take it slow with her. She was worth it.
Not to mention her safety wasn’t worth him losing all focus. He’d lost enough, and even though part of him felt bad about that, a different part of him cared only about what was happening between them.
Quickly, she brushed a kiss to his lips, then turned to the room. “Be right back.”
Fire was left to burn through him, and he stood there for a few moments after she shut the door, pulling in a long breath.
Turning, he rushed to his room and changed into athletic shorts and a T-shirt, then put on his tennis shoes for good measure. He would do a thorough sweep of the house.
When he went outside, he flipped the safety off on his gun and walked through the backyard, then farther back onto the path. Nothing.
After scanning the front yard and then working his way through the house, he paused, trying to feel something. Nothing.
For the first time in his career, he didn’t know if a woman and the quiet night he wanted with her was getting in the way of what his gut was saying. He waited for what felt like forever, trying to listen to his instincts.
“Nick!” She appeared in the front door. “Is everything okay?”
Rushing toward her, he told himself it was fine. It would be fine, because he wasn’t leaving her side. “Great.” He got to the top of the steps and loved how she easily stepped into his arms.
After they got settled on the couch with popcorn and the remote, she snuggled into him and closed her eyes.
“We don’t have to watch X-Men if you’re too tired.”
“Oh.” She sat halfway up. “No, I want to. Turn it on.”
He pulled up the movie and then settled back, liking the fact—too much—of how comfortable it was between them. Staring down at her, he resisted the temptation to kiss her again. Her black hair was all mussed to the side, and her whole body was relaxed in a way he hadn’t seen before.
“Nick?” she asked softly.
“Yeah,” he said, ignoring the movie and gently swiping his hand over her soft hair.
“Tell me this is real. Tell me I won’t wake up tomorrow and you and I will just disappear.”
Touched that she was feeling just as vulnerable as he was, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’m not going anywhere, and even Hunter James himself couldn’t get you away from me. It’s real. This is real.”
Leaning into him, she kissed his cheek, then his lips.
For a couple of minutes they made out, but he gently pulled back from her, feeling his heart racing and not wanting but needing space. “You go to sleep.”
She relaxed into him, and as he held her and watched The Last Stand, he wondered if he’d ever been happier in his whole pathetic life.
Chapter 18
Waking slowly, Ava knew she was still in Nick’s arms. She relished it. It was unusual for her to wake so slowly. Normally, she awoke immediately and afraid—what Hal was planning? Would she see him? How he would get to her that day?
Nick had positioned them into more of a laying position, using the side of the couch for a pillow. She extracted herself from his arms, hoping not to wake him. She had to pee.
After using the bathroom, she went back, thinking he would be awake only to find him softly snoring. Taking a chance, she pulled the blanket around him and then just stared at his relaxed face.
Her heart flip-flopped. Today was the day. Unlike so many days, she didn’t feel worried or afraid. Soreness filled every part of her, and her mind flitted with thoughts of her training with Hunter and Nick yesterday. She smiled. All the soreness was worth it. She was so grateful for him, for Frank, for Katie. Maybe there was a plan. Maybe God hadn’t gone silent on her after all. She thought of Frank’s offer to come stay with him in Park City after all of this. She wondered what that would be like, and if things would be the same there as they were here.
Another round of butterflies filled her as she remembered everything Nick had told her about his last time undercover. He’d gone through a lot, yet he still had compassion and goodness. It was what attracted her most to him. Could she have a new beginning, with him? Would he even want that? Something told her he might. Part of her had started to believe it was possible, even after all of this.
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to stay quiet enough for him to sleep, she looked at the rising sun. It was barely six-thirty. She had to run. A nervous shudder went through her, but she pushed it away. She was safe. Everything was fine. It was six-thirty in th
e morning—attackers didn’t attack in the morning.
At some point she had to accept her freedom, so she forced herself to think of Hunter James and feel strong. Quietly, she went to her room and put on her shoes. She quickly scrawled a short note so Nick wouldn’t worry, and set it on the remote. Then she went to the front door, opened it quietly, and locked it before leaving.
As she glided down the stairs, the day seemed hopeful, bright, shiny. Had there been birds on their jog the other day? She didn’t know, but at this moment it sounded like they were singing a perfect tune. Taking off down the bike path, she relished the feel of sunshine on her face.
She barely noticed when a black car drove by on the street. She didn’t feel one bit of concern when the car pulled over. But when the door opened and someone yelled, “Ava!” she sprinted back to where she’d come from, fueled by a sudden dose of shock and terror.
She wasn’t fast enough, and was seized by a man much stronger than her. It was exactly the way Hunter had told her they would.
Time to fly.
Using the tactics she had learned, she dropped her weight, swiveled, and punched the crotch as hard as she could. Curse words started flying. She shook herself free and flew down the path.
The man hadn’t been Hal. She didn’t know who the guy was. She screamed, “Nick!” at the top of her lungs.
The house had just come into view when the strong arms were back, pulling her into him and then throwing her to the ground. Before she could do anything, he kicked her hard in the side.
“Nick!” she screamed, kicking at the man’s ankles. He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, pulling her against him hard; she caught a psychotic gleam in his beady eyes. “Nick!” She kicked and flailed, trying to get at his eyes with her fingers. She knew she could dig them out; at this moment, she would.
Another man caught her, holding her still. As duct tape sealed her mouth shut, she found herself staring right into the eyes of her ex. With a surge of horror, she struggled harder, but the other guy taped her wrists in front of her, then bent to rein in her kicking legs and duct taped her ankles.
Hal opened the door and got in, and the other guy shoved her beside him. She thrashed in a last desperate attempt, but only managed to kick off her shoe before the guy shut the door.
Chapter 19
Nick woke with a start, sitting up and sucking in a breath of air. Something wasn’t right. “Ava!” he called, hopping off the couch. “Ava!” He had a gut feeling that she was gone.
Flying to the front door, he flung it back, wondering where she was. “Ava!” Nothing. Like a crazed animal, he charged back, picking up his tennis shoes by the door and shoving them on.
Then he saw the note taped to the remote. Went running. The feeling didn’t leave.
He slammed the front door shut behind him and took the steps three at a time, flying down. As he took off down the bike path, he wondered if she would be here or not, then crossed himself and muttered the Lord’s prayer.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoe lying there on the road, abandoned.
Panic seized his lungs. Hal had her.
Chapter 20
Ava didn’t know where they were taking her. All she knew was that she could barely breathe. She hadn’t made it easy to contain her, having knocked Hal over the head with her duct-taped hands after getting her shoe off. In response, he had thrown her face down on the seat and was lying back on her, pinning her flat.
She sucked in as much breath as she could. All the training Hunter and Nick had given her was useless at the moment. All she wanted to do was throw herself off a building or do something to get away from him. He couldn’t win. She wouldn’t let him.
Worry filled her about how freaked out Nick would be. Why had she left him? She was an idiot! She’d messed it all up.
“I didn’t know if I would get you.” Hal’s hand settled on her head, the way he might have patted a dog. “I’ve had a man on you for … well.” He let out a light laugh. “Ava,” he chided, tsking. “You couldn’t run from me.” His breath was in her ear, and he yanked at her hair. “I told you, you’re mine!”
Pain raged through her head. She wanted to scream, but she could barely breathe.
Suddenly, he let up on her, pulling her back and setting her up straight. Then he shoved her into the side of the car and slammed her head against the door, the other hand pushing her wrists into her gut. The stench of sweat percolated the air around him. “I’ve known where you were every step of the way. I’ve been updated on your boyfriend.” He spat the word like a curse. The pressure worsened, and when he let up, Ava’s head throbbed and her vision swam.
Hal breathed next to her face. “But we won’t talk about the boyfriend. When the idiot chased me the other night, I got away. Then I followed you guys everywhere. It was smart, really, to stay at that rich guy’s house all day and be with the cop. I honestly didn’t think I would get you. But God smiled down on me.” He kissed her sloppily on the nose, cutting off her breathing. It made her want to hurl.
“We’re here, boss,” the driver said.
Hal smiled down at her. “Now that I’m here, we’re going to have our anniversary night, sweetheart. It’s not exactly what I planned, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” He yanked her hair and shoved his cheek against her. “I know I won’t.”
Wherever they were, there was a parking garage and it was dark. The driver got out of the car. “I’ll block the elevator, boss.”
Hal waited a minute, watching the guy go.
Ava eyed him. He looked every bit the crazed psycho she knew he was. In a twisted way, it did relieve her somewhat to know she wasn’t crazy. Remembering all those times she’d tried to report Hal and the cops looked at her like she was cuckoo, she wanted to shout it on the mountaintops—See, he’s a stalker!
She closed her eyes, hating herself for leaving Nick this morning.
“Come on, sweetheart.” He yanked her up, then dragged her out of the car and pulled a knife out of his pocket. “I don’t want to cut you, Ava,” he said in a stern, fatherly voice. “But I will if you run. Hear me?” He yanked her head back into his face.
Reluctantly, she nodded.
Bending down, he cut off the duct tape from her feet. “Walk.” He pushed the knife to her back, held her arm, and propelled her forward.
She stumbled along, thinking of what Hunter or Nick would do. Everything is a weapon. She realized she could still hit with her head. Rearing back, she head butted him before they reached the elevator, then tried to sprint away, only to run right into the arms of the other man
Hal swore at her, and a murderous look twisted his face as he ran the blade swiftly down her bicep. Her arm seared with pain, but she barely had time for a whimper before he yanked her hair and pulled her toward the elevator. “Walk.”
Her limbs shook with horror. She would die. He would kill her.
They got to the elevator. The other man pulled out a gun and stuck it into her ribs. “Move and I’ll kill ya.” His breath stunk like a mixture of alcohol and tobacco.
Hal grunted. “He will. And then we’ll leave you in the dumpster and they’ll never find you.”
She believed him, and she hated the paralyzing fear that took hold of her. She tried to breathe, but still could barely get any air with the duct tape on her mouth. Maybe she would pass out.
In a moment of desperation, she decided she didn’t care if he shot her. If she died, she wouldn’t be held hostage by him. She wriggled and pushed against the man, using her whole body to leverage getting away from him, and managed to swing her leg at Hal before something bashed against her head and the world went black.
Chapter 21
Nick pressed the Jeep well over the speed limit, tearing toward the local police station while he called Frank.
“Nick.” Frank answered like he knew he would be calling.
“She’s gone, Frank. She’s gone. I’m going to the police station right now.”
“I know.”
Nick did a double take. “What?”
“The P.I. reported to me last night that he got on a plane to Jackson two days ago.”
“Don’t you think this might have been useful information?” Nick yelled, wanting to take the phone and pound it against the steering wheel.
“Calm down, Nick. Listen, I haven’t been in Washington; I’ve been in Jackson.”
“What? I thought you had a trial.”
“I lied.”
Nick tried to process this. “What the—”
“Listen,” Frank interrupted. “Remember when we talked about how a stalker had to be caught? Well, I knew if Hal wasn’t set up and caught, he would torment her the rest of her life.”
“You’re insane. Where are they? Where is he?” Nick swerved onto Main Street, which was when he saw Frank outside of the police station, wearing his boots and cowboy hat. Nick shut off the phone, pulled the Jeep to a screeching halt, and stormed toward the old man. “You better explain!”
“You need to keep calm. Listen, I put a tracking device in her shoe.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I had to be tricky ’cause I knew you’d look. But I have police on the scene. He’s got her in an old hotel downtown.”
Nick’s mind was going a million miles an hour. “What if they would have taken her in a different pair of shoes?”
Frank shrugged. “Guess providence smiled down on us.”
Nick frowned. It sure didn’t feel like anyone was smiling down on him. “She wasn’t wearing the shoes I bought her last night.”
Frank put up his hands. “Believe me, I know. I was sweating bullets.”
Nick’s whole body shook with rage, and he wished the man was twenty years younger so he could take him on right there.
“Focus,” Frank commanded. “Come on, we’re heading to the hotel with a team I’ve been working with here. Get in my car.”
Nick got in the car with Frank, unsure whether to be happy or kill the guy. “How do you know he hasn’t hurt her?”
