by Stacey Wilk
She went through her workout routine until she was drenched in sweat, but calmer than when she started. If she could get her hands around Matt’s neck, she was certain she could break it.
“Come and get me you bastard. I’ll kill you before I let you take my son.”
Chapter Fifteen
Raine checked on Landon for the third time. He slept in the deep sleep only children seemed to be able to capture. She pulled the blankets up to his shoulder, kissed his sweet head that smelled like his citrus shampoo and went back into the hall.
Max and Chase’s voices drifted down from the loft. Max and Deke must’ve changed positions, but Chase hadn’t budged. She’d show him how appreciative she was for him when all this was behind them.
She returned to her room. Her eyes ached with the grittiness of sleep. Chase was probably right. No one was coming tonight. It was well into the early hours of the morning. Maybe she could close her eyes for a few minutes.
She reached for the bedside lamp, but the light went out before her fingers could grip the toggle switch. She froze. The storm blew out the power. It was bound to happen. The whiteness from outside gave the room a silvery glow. The generator should kick on any second. She counted one…two…three…still nothing.
The door swung open. “Raine, you and Landon need to get in the attic now.” Chase took the room in two steps and dragged her back into the hall. “Go. Max is waiting. I’ll get Landon.”
She hesitated. This was happening. Her worst fears were coming true. “I’ll get him.”
“Raine, the attic now.”
She pushed past him before he’d even finished his sentence. She needed to see her boy and shoved the bedroom door open. The blast of cold air hit her, but not as bad as the sight of Landon’s bed. How could this be possible? She was just in here.
Her hands tore at the sheets. “Landon.” The shrieking voice was hers.
Someone else’s hands were on her shoulders yanking her back through the dark and away from Landon’s bed. Her legs kicked the air. “Let me go.”
Chase turned her around and brought his face within inches of hers. His hands gripped her shoulders now causing her enough pain to pay attention. “Listen to me, this is important. Every second counts. Go to the attic with Max. Deke and I will find him.”
“But I just checked on him.” She sounded like a confused idiot even to her.
“Whoever has him, was in the room with you. Now go.” He shoved her further down the hallway. Max grabbed her wrist. Chase flew down the steps.
“I can’t hide, Max.” Her heart fought its way out of her chest. She might puke.
“Those are the orders. I keep you safe.” He stood there holding a pin size flashlight and a very mean looking rifle as if people stood in hallways talking and with gun accessories every day.
“I can fight.”
“Chase told me you only used a gun once. No way. Someone like Garcia or his men will have that gun out of your hand in seconds.”
“Not with guns. With my hands.”
“Sorry. A gun trumps physical combat every time. I know, I’ve been shot. You don’t want to get shot. Chase and Deke will get Landon. Whoever has him couldn’t have gone far. They were on foot.
She couldn’t stand there any longer and she definitely wasn’t going into the attic to wait. “I’m sorry about this, Max.”
“What’s tha-”
Before he could finish she threw an upper cut to his sternum causing him to bend in half with a whoosh of air escaping his lungs and dropping the flashlight and the gun. The second blow connected with his kidney and he fell to the ground.
“Sorry about that.” She ran up to the loft to grab the twenty-two.
Her shaking hands fumbled with the filing cabinet drawer. She didn’t care she’d never shot someone before. She’d shoot someone tonight. With the gun in hand, she took off to get her son back.
Chapter Sixteen
Chase followed the footprints. The snow hitting him in the face made it impossible to see unless he kept his head ducked, and the wailing of wind drowned out all sound. He’d thrown on gloves at the last second to protect his hands against the cold metal of the gun.
Christ, his heart hammered in his chest. The gun is his hand should feel natural like an extension of himself. It didn’t.
This pursuit would be different. He’d get Landon, and no one would get hurt. At least, no one he cared about. No one was undercover. He knew the enemy. He’d identify his target and take no prisoners. Still his heart wanted out of his chest.
Deke had taken off in the opposite direction following another set of footprints. Could be the same guy, but they couldn’t take the chance. Man-bun may not have come alone.
He and Deke couldn’t communicate in case Garcia and his men, possibly hiding behind an oak tree, could hear them. The property line was filled with dense trees and shrubbery. Old Badger wanted privacy. Well, he got it, and the damn overgrowth was slowing his progress. So, did the twelve inches of snow covering the ground. He had to lift his knees higher to get around the trees or he had to climb over a trunk or shrub every two feet. But so did the other guy.
Where were Garcia and his men? And how the hell did they get so close to the house without being noticed? What had he missed?
A yellow object whisked between the trees up ahead. Landon being carried. Was the kid okay? He would be. There were no other options.
He plunged forward needing to get to Landon and fell. Snow went up his nose and covered his face. He pushed up, but the white stuff collapsed around his heavy frame. The yellow pajamas were getting further away.
Something gripped his arm and yanked him up. He found his footing and swung his gun around.
“It’s me.” Deke raised his arms.
“Shit. I almost shot you.” His heart jumped from his chest to his throat. He gulped air.
“I saw you go down.”
“We have to get Landon. They went that way.” He pointed in the direction of the yellow pajamas.
“Chase.” Raine screamed into the night.
“She’s coming from the house. You go. I’ll go after Landon.” Deke took off in the direction he had pointed.
She hadn’t gone into the attic. How the hell did she get away from Max? Did she shoot him?
He skidded to a stop yards from the house. The snow gave off enough light for him to see in an otherwise pitch-black night.
Raine pointed a gun a Mateo Garcia.
Chapter Seventeen
Raine’s hands shook. She couldn’t feel her fingers against the gun. Should’ve worn a coat. Her whole body trembled from the cold. That or because she stared into the cold, evil eyes of her husband.
“Matt, I’m giving you a chance to get off this property before I shoot you.”
“You aren’t going to shoot me.” He stood there as if it were any other day smiling at her with his fake, bright teeth. He had on the ski parka she’d bought him for Christmas five years ago.
The snow stuck to her eyelashes, but she was afraid to blink it away and lose sight of Matt for even a millisecond. “I will shoot you.”
“Raine, baby, let’s talk.” He held his arms wide as if she’d just walk into them like before.
“If I don’t get my son back right now, I will put a bullet between your eyes.”
“Not with those shaking hands you won’t.” He stepped closer.
“Back up. I fucking mean it.” She moved forward hoping he’d see she really did mean business. Her mind spun out of control. Where was Chase? Had they found Landon? If her boy was safe, she might let Matt walk. But that would be a mistake. Matt would never leave her and Landon alone.
He stepped back. “Okay. I missed you. I missed Landon. You left me, and I thought something terrible happened to you. Come home with me. This cold is awful.” He shrugged inside his coat. “Let’s go someplace warm, baby.”
“Stop calling me that. Give me my son.” Something moved out of the corner of her eye. She cou
ldn’t be sure if it was just more snow, or something else in the dark.
“Can’t do that. I’m taking my son back home with me where he belongs. If you come with me now, I’ll forget this little escapade you had me on. This is embarrassing. You know I was never going to allow you to take Landon from me. A boy needs his father.” He took a step forward.
“Damn it, Matt. Stay back.” Her hands shook so much she might drop the gun. The snow that had landed on her head was now running down her face and getting in her eyes. “Landon needs a man in his life who doesn’t sell drugs for a living. He needs a male role model who is decent, honest, and who doesn’t slap his mother around.”
“That was an accident. I swore it would never happen again.”
That thing in the woods moved again. She was sure of it. Was it a bear? Could it be Chase because he still hadn’t come when she called. “Bullshit.”
“What’s with the language? You don’t talk like that.”
This was going nowhere, and she was freezing to death. If Chase wouldn’t come, and Matt wouldn’t give her Landon she’d just have to take care of things herself.
She hurried forward. The gun was still pointed at Matt. The snow ran from her hair into her eye. Before she could raise her shoulder to wipe the water away, she slipped on the ice.
Her body lurched forward. Her numb fingers fumbled with the gun.
Matt was on her in a flash. He knocked her in the jaw with his elbow. Her head snapped back. His hands were in his hair yanking her forward and crushing her against his chest.
He shoved the cold, wet gun against her temple.
She was fucked.
Chapter Eighteen
Chase wanted to yell and curse. Instead, he forced his way around the trees trying to come up on Garcia from behind, but the deep snow and his wet jeans were making it harder and harder. He couldn’t feel the bottom half of his legs or his feet any longer.
He didn’t want Garcia to get even a whiff of him if he was going to have a chance to put an end to this nightmare. He needed to get there before Raine did something stupid, like shoot her ex, but he might as well be running in quick sand for all the progress he was making.
Where was Max? He could use a little back up about now.
A gun shot shook open the night. Shit. The sound echoed off the trees. Did it come from behind him? No screams. Did he run forward or back? Was it Raine or Deke?
Footsteps crunched through the snow. He turned and aimed with his finger near the trigger. He slowed his breath, slid his finger onto the trigger, and stopped.
A slice of yellow broke through the falling snow and came at him in a hurry. Deke appeared through the trees carrying Landon.
He put a finger to his mouth. Deke nodded and whispered something to Landon then put him down ten yards away. Chase pushed through the unrelenting snow to them.
“You okay, buddy?” He whispered and patted the boy down. Tiny drops of blood dotted the yellow pajamas. The blood wasn’t from Landon.
“Where’s my mom?”
“She’s going to meet you.” He hated lying to the kid.
He turned to Deke. “The other guy?”
“Taken care of.”
“Any others?”
“Shit, I hope not.”
“Raine is with the perp.” He didn’t want to say Garcia’s name in case Landon called out for his father. “I need to get to her.” Because it might be too late by now. “Can you double back and get to the road? Take Landon to Jim’s. Do you remember where it is?”
Deke nodded. “Max?”
“I don’t know.”
Garcia could’ve killed him or hurt him enough he couldn’t move. He couldn’t lose Max.
He forged back in the direction of Raine’s voice. She and Garcia had been arguing. He pushed past the last line of trees toward the house and stopped dead.
“Let her go, Garcia.”
Garcia turned in the direction of his voice. “Well, if it isn’t the new boyfriend. Do you know how to use that very impressive firearm in your hands? I’m going to take my wife, and my son and we’re going to leave this Godforsaken state.”
“I have your son, and you won’t get him. Now let the lady go.” He pointed his Glock at Garcia’s head. Garcia was a foot taller than Raine. He’d have a clear shot as long as she didn’t move.
“Chase, shoot him.” Pain filled Raine’s face.
He wanted to shoot Garcia. But could he?
“Give me my son or I’ll kill her right now.” Garcia pushed the gun further into her temple. She struggled against his grip.
Even in the snow, sweat ran down his back. Pull the trigger. Before Garcia does.
The front door to the house banged opened. Max stumbled onto the porch. Garcia turned, and fired. Max went down. Raine dove into the snow.
Time sped up and slowed down at the same time. His heart pounded in his ears. Every snowflake stood out against the sky. The wind stopped blowing. Garcia swung back around. His mouth opened wide. His eyes full of rage and hate. Garcia pointed the gun at Raine’s back.
His finger slid to the trigger. Garcia had killed his friend and was about to kill the woman he loved.
Now.
He let out his breath. And pulled the trigger.
Chapter Nineteen
“Oh, fuck, I’ve been shot.” Max screamed from the porch.
Chase froze for a second. Blood covered the snow but was quickly disappearing under the cover of new falling flakes. Sweat still ran down his back and now his face. His chest heaved in gulps.
He lunged for Raine and pulled her up and wiped snow from her face. “Are you okay?”
She threw herself against him, and he pulled her close. “Landon. Do you really have him?”
He stroked her hair. “Deke brought him to Jim’s. He’s fine.”
“Thank you.” She sobbed against his chest.
“Hey, you two love birds. I need some help here. Holy shit, does this hurt.”
“Where are you hit?” He yelled over Raine’s head.
“The fucker got me in the shoulder.”
“You’ll live.”
Epilogue
Raine waved to Landon before he went into school for the last day. The June sun was warm, and bright. A perfect spring day. Chase said Silent Water didn’t see many of those. She no longer cared about the weather as long as each day was spent with him.
No one ever came looking for Matt just like she thought. Because he’d told the story she’d gone to live with her parents, when his boss realized he was missing he’d sent goons to a rival cartel accusing them of taking out Matt. A few blood baths were created, but the world didn’t need any extra drug dealers. Deke had been able to track all those details down. He was staying at Chase’s until he could find a place of his own. She hoped it would be soon.
She pulled into traffic and headed toward the General. She had the morning shift these days. She missed working with Chase, but he was helping out Deke with his new private security company. They were hoping Max would join them soon. Just what she needed. Two guys living with her boyfriend. Between them and Landon, getting Chase alone and naked was no easy feat, but she managed every chance she got.
She liked their lives in Silent Water, the tiny town with no cell phone service. It was peaceful and quiet. Exactly what she needed. The hot guy next door wasn’t so bad either.
Cars filled every spot in the parking lot. Unusual for a weekday morning. Probably the nice weather. She locked the Camry, old habits and all, and headed toward the store.
Waiting for her by the back door, was the most handsome sight. Chase, tall, broad shouldered, and wearing jeans that accented his strong legs and thin waist. His smile spread wide as he ducked his head and came toward her.
“Employees only in this lot, buddy.” She stopped inches from him.
“I can’t seem to get you alone these days. This might be the only place where we won’t get interrupted.” He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
“Jim will be outside any second. He watches everything. Plus, I’m on in five minutes. You know how he gets when I’m late.”
Chase laughed. “I had you getting here late the other morning.”
Heat filled her cheeks thinking about them together after she dropped Landon off at school. “Yes, you did.”
“So, I was wondering if you wanted to stop sneaking around.”
“How are we going to do that? You have a roommate and I have a son who I need to set an example for.”
He pulled a small black box out of his pocket. “My roommate is moving out today and I have a solution to the example setting thing. Will you make me a happy man and marry me?”
“Are you sure you want to be a dad?”
“You’re answering my question with a question, lady.”
She punched him, but he didn’t budge He leaned down and kissed her.
“Answer mine first,” she said coming up for air. “Can you handle being a dad?” Because he would be the best father for Landon. He’d already taken on the role without hesitation. She wasn’t sure if he even realized.
“I really wanted the kid, and figured I had to put up with you too. So, Raine Kennedy, will you be my wife?”
They would have a real home, and Landon could have a real name. One he would be proud of. “Yes, Chase Shepherd, I’d be honored to be your wife.”
He slid the round cut diamond onto her finger. She wiggled her hand to catch the sunlight. “It’s beautiful.” She ran her fingers over the gray in his beard. “Can you take me home and make love to me?”
“That’s the best question you’ve ever asked.”
About the Author
Stacey Wilk wrote her first novel in middle school to quiet the characters in her head. It was that or let them out to eat the cannolis and she wasn't sharing her grandfather’s Italian pastries.
Many years later her life took an adventurous turn when she gave birth to two different kinds of characters. She often sits in awe of their abilities to make objects fly, it snow on command, and remain dirty after contact with water. She does share the cannolis with them for fear of having her fingers bit off if she doesn't.
