Scarred: A Mountain Man Romance

by J. R. Ryder

  “Begging isn’t going to help you, sweet cheeks. When I want something, I get it.”

  Chapter 8 (Andre)

  “Hope… just stay calm. I’m going to come get you.” I said, even though I had no idea where they were.

  Seeing Hope in this predicament, because of me, made my heart ache in the most painful of ways. I had to save her. If I didn’t I would never forgive myself.

  “Do you really think that you can save her? What says she even wants to be with you?” Derek’s voice was slurred and groggy. By the sounds of things, he had been drinking.

  I needed to save Hope sooner rather than later.

  There was no telling what might happen to her if he reached his destination. Just the thought of him laying his hands on her filled me with such rage.

  “Derek.”

  “Hmm?” He asked, his voice almost whimsical like this was all just a game to him.

  “Why are you doing this?” I had to keep him on the line if I had any chance of saving her. Already, I was tearing through the airport, leaving all of our stuff behind as I raced back to the car. Hope hadn’t been gone for more than thirty minutes. He couldn’t be that far away. I could still catch up to him… if only I knew where he was.

  I kept my eyes on the screen, praying I would catch sight of some sort of landmark, or a sign, that would tell me where they were.

  “Why? You act like you don’t know.” His voice turned bitter. “When I was down and out, you abandoned me. You’re living like a king and I’m a goddamn pauper. Tell me how that’s fair.”

  “I loaned you money and you spent it foolishly. I wasn’t going to let you buy drugs and ruin your life like that.”

  “Ruin my life?” He scoffed. “The Navy ruined my life. All these nights seeing the faces of our dead comrades. Most of the time, I wake up, thinking I’m drowning. That choking feeling that just doesn’t go away no matter how much you breathe.”

  “I know, Derek, I know.”

  “No, you don’t!” He snapped, suddenly jerking the wheel. The car shook and I watched Hope’s head bob so hard, I thought her neck would break.

  “Derek, just please calm down.”

  “Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down when I’ve been living in the streets for over a year now, and you don’t even give a shit?”

  “Look, I’ll get you some treatment. We will get this all sorted out. I promise.”

  “It’s too late for promises now.”

  I had reached my car, revving the engine and pulling out of the garage as fast as I could. I kept watching the screen, praying for a miracle.

  “Derek, if you agree to cooperate with me now, we can pretend like none of this ever happened.”

  “Ha! You expect me to believe a liar like you? If I had to guess you’ve already called the cops.”

  I headed north, remembering that Andre used to live in a suburb outside the city. Maybe he was headed back to home turf. I could only hope. “No. I haven’t. if they do get involved, it won’t be good news for you and I don’t want to send you to jail.”

  “Oh really? I would have thought that’s exactly what you wanted.”

  “No. Derek, you’re like a brother to me.”

  He was quiet, making me nervous. When negotiating with a terrorist, silence was always a bad thing.

  “Derek… whatever you’re thinking right now. It’s not worth it.” I did my best to keep my voice calm and my eyes on the phone, all while pushing the speed limits of my car and avoiding collision.

  For a split second, Hope’s face was blurred before she came back into focus, mouthing the word “Aberdeen.”

  Good job, Hope.

  In a break-neck decision, I turned my car around in the middle of the highway, nearly causing a pile up as I crossed the median to the other side. If they were passing Aberdeen, then I knew exactly where he was going.

  “You know, I was always jealous of you, Derek,” I said once I was on the right track. “You were the better soldier by every account. You could swim faster, hold your breath longer, and shoot way better than I ever could.”

  “ what did it count for? Nothing.” He spat.

  “It did count for something. How many lives did you save out there? How many times did you run out into no man’s land just to drag back the body of a fallen comrade? I was never brave enough to do that, but you were.”

  “ who’s the one living on the streets? The government doesn’t care about veterans. They treat us like shit.”

  “They do. They 100% do.” I agreed with him. “ if you had just stayed away from the liquor, maybe things would have been different.”

  “Don’t try to spin this and make it my fault. I had nothing to do with this. I was just trying to cope, man.”

  “I know, but this isn’t how you do it. Just stop the car and we can work this out.”

  “I’m not dumb, you’re just doing this so you can save your girlfriend. Well, if I can’t be happy then neither can you.”

  Suddenly, he hung up the call.

  My heart sunk.

  I pressed the gas pedal as far as it would go. My car whipped past all the others on the highway. I had to save her.

  I weaved through traffic. I even squeezed between two cars, losing one of my mirrors in the stunt. At this point, I didn’t care about what happened to me, just as long as I got to her in time.

  To my relief, I spotted a trashy car swerving through the lanes in the distance. It had to be him. Of course, Derek would pick the stretch of highway that was never patrolled by officers. He might have taken the dark path toward alcoholism, but he wasn’t stupid. He was still a Navy Seal and a very dangerous one at that.

  I tightened my grip on the wheel. If only this thing went faster.

  My adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I neared closer and closer.

  An influx of cars poured in from an exit, making the road congested and difficult to navigate. Derek’s car was dangerously weaving in and out of lanes.

  With no other choice, I shifted into the emergency lane, and when that became congested as well, I went off road. The car tumbled and shook from the uneven terrain but I barely noticed, too focused on the red car I needed to hunt down.

  Then, just when I was catching up to him, my worst nightmare played itself out in front of my eyes.

  Derek must not have been paying attention because suddenly, he went crashing into a bunch of safety cones. They went flying in every direction, causing cars to stop. Tires screeched as people jacked on their brakes. Car horns kept beeping.

  above all that, was the heart-wrenching sound of Hope’s scream as the car she was in went airborne.

  My heart stopped as the car sailed over the bridge’s railings and nosedived into the water underneath.

  Before I could even see the car disappear into the murky depths, I stopped my car and got out. Without thinking, I jumped off the side of the bridge, swan diving into the water.

  I hit the surface hard. It felt like I had just been slammed in the face with a sledge hammer. My lungs burned in my winded state. I tried to dive deeper, but my ears popped and I knew I’d be in trouble if I pushed myself any further.

  Taking the risk, I came up for air. When I did, the choppy water tossed me around like I was a piece of dirty laundry caught in a never-ending spin cycle.

  I blinked away the salt water from my eyes, desperately searching for the vehicle. It was about fifty meters away, already half sunk into the water.

  With no time to waste, I sped toward the car, my body working like a well-oiled machine that propelled me through the water faster than ever before. Still, every time I looked up to check on the progress of the car, it felt like it was getting further and further away.

  This was starting to feel like one horrible nightmare.

  When would it end?

  By the time I neared the car, it had all but disappeared under the water.

  I grabbed the bumper, steadying myself before I took in a deep gulp of air and dov
e under.

  The tires were spinning slowly as if Derek still had his foot on the break. The impact had probably knocked him unconscious.

  Faintly, through the muted sounds of the water, I heard someone banging against the window.

  Hope.

  I swam to the passenger side.

  Her eyes widened when she saw me, her face painted with panic. The water was already up to her chest. I had to act fast.

  I motioned for her to open the window.

  It was our only chance.

  “I can’t!” She screamed. “My hands are tied behind my back.” By her shaky voice, I could tell she was extremely scared.

  Still, I pointed to my nose, hoping she got the idea that she could probably lean forward and press the button with her nose.

  She nodded, leaning forward and pressing the button. To my relief, the window started to open, but then it stopped. Water rushed into the cabin of the car, causing Hope to freak out. “Andre!”

  That was the last thing I heard before she started to gurgle.

  Quickly, I placed my fingers in the gap between the window and the door and I pushed it down manually. I then undid her seat belt and grabbed her under the arms, hoisting her out of the car.

  There was no time for me to untie her hands so I started to kick to the surface, hoping I had enough fight in me to bring us both back to safety.

  A strong current tried to keep me down, but I couldn’t give up now, not when I was so close.

  I kicked my legs faster and harder.

  In my arms, Hope’s body had gone limp. I feared what this could mean.

  The surface felt so far away…

  My lungs burned for oxygen and I was starting to get light headed.

  I couldn’t feel my legs.

  Hope was depending on me, and I would be damned if I let her down.

  Finally, just when I thought I would pass out, we broke through the surface. I gasped, panting for breath before I pulled Hope out of the water.

  Her skin looked pale and I couldn’t see her chest move.

  “No…” I choked, dragging her onto the rocky shore, already ripping her shirt open, so I could properly listen to her heartbeat.

  Thump… thump… thump…

  It was faint and the longer she didn’t breathe, the fainter it would get.

  Quickly, I pressed my palms against her chest, giving her compressions.

  “Come on, baby… breathe…”

  Once I had counted to fifty in my head, I shifted over to her head, opening her mouth before I leaned down, blowing air into her lungs.

  Come on…

  Suddenly, her body started to shake as water spewed out of her mouth.

  “That’s it, get it all out… you’re okay now.” I held her tight against my body, feeling like I never wanted to let her go.

  Exhausted, she rested her head on my shoulder, her eyes closing as she shivered.

  “It’s all going to be okay now… I promise.”

  Epilogue (Hope)

  “Bienvenido a España!” A chipper woman at the Madrid Airport beamed at us as she handed over a pamphlet, advertising for the rental car company she worked for.

  Andre ignored the woman as he wrapped his arm around my waist, towing me toward baggage claim.

  “I can’t believe we’re actually here.”

  “Neither can I.” Andre agreed, snatching our suitcase off the conveyor belt. “Al what the hell did you pack in this thing? I swear it feels like we brought a couple of bricks overseas.”

  “Maybe…” I giggled. “I just wanted to be prepared.”

  “For what? The apocalypse? And, I thought I was supposed to be the responsible one.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s your fault for buying me clothes. I didn’t know what to bring and what to leave behind.”

  “If I had to guess this bag is 90% your stuff and 10% my stuff.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Did you at least pack me some shorts so I don’t have to sweat my balls off?”

  I chuckled. “Nope! You’ll just have to run around naked.” I winked, grabbing his hand as we headed outside.

  “You know, that can be arranged. I rented us a pent house suite. It’s not like anyone is going to see us. Besides, I’m pretty sure I could find a couple naked beaches along the coast.”

  I shook my head. “No way, I don’t want you ogling at other women.”

  “Haven’t you learned yet that I only have eyes for you?”

  “Yeah, still don’t trust you.”

  “Wow. That hurts.” He pressed his hand to his chest like his heart was breaking.

  “Oh, and what, you’re totally comfortable with me looking at naked guys on the beach?”

  “I didn’t expect you to look. Why would you when you’re dating someone like me?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You have such an ego.”

  “It’s part of my charm. Don’t act like you don’t like it.” He teased.

  Together, we stepped outside, where there was quite a breeze blowing. Andre managed to catch my hat before it flew away.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’ll have to put that away once we get in the convertible or you’re never going to see it again.”

  “You rented us a convertible?”

  “Of course I did.”

  “Why? I thought you didn’t like them.”

  “I don’t. I figured if I got a convertible you wouldn’t be so inclined to stick your head through the sunroof and nearly kill yourself.”

  “I did that one time.”

  “Yeah, one time too many.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t remember you being so overprotective when we were in college. Pretty soon, you’re going to put me in a giant bubble.”

  “You know, that’s not such a bad idea…”

  “Andre.”

  “What? He said innocently as he opened the door for me, being ever the perfect gentleman.

  I got inside, tinkering with the radio before I found an acceptable station. I loved Spanish music. It was so sexy. Definitely the kind of music I could find myself dancing to, especially if Andre was standing behind me, his hands on my hips, our bodies locking together.

  Mmm, just thinking about it got me all worked up.

  “What are you thinking about?” Andre’s voice broke me from my naughty fantasy.

  “Hmm?”

  “You had this look in your eye. The same kind of look you get right before you tell me you have a “surprise” and then pop up wearing brand new lingerie. tell me, what dirty little thought was going through your head this time.”

  I chuckled, turning up the volume even louder so it reverberated through the speakers.

  He shook his head before putting the top down.

  A few people in the parking lot shot us a dirty look but neither one of us seemed to care as we both put on our sunglasses and cruised away.

  Once we were on the highway, Andre lowered the music and looked at me. “Is there anything you want to do?”

  “Yeah. I’m looking right at him.”

  Even though I couldn’t see his eyes, I could sense he was rolling them at me. “I mean activity wise.”

  “Sex isn’t an activity?”

  “It is. we are finally in Spain. After two years of trying to make this trip, we finally got here without having you get kidnapped or me forgetting my passport at home.”

  “Hey, I only got kidnapped once, you’re the one that forgot his passport twice.”

  We both laughed, but I could sense that Andre was thinking of that dreaded day. It made me shiver as well. I never thought something like that would ever happen to me. Never before did I see my life flash before my eyes so many times. It’s a miracle that I’m still alive.

  I reached over and grabbed his hand.

  He nodded, but his expression was still serious.

  “I’ll tell you one thing. I don’t know if I believe in fate or not, but I know, without any doubt, that we were meant to be together
.”

  “What makes you so sure?” He asked, playing the devil’s advocate.

  “You know, just a hunch,” I responded in a playful tone. “ seriously. Everything we’ve been through. All the hardships we managed to overcome. If we weren’t meant to be together, then neither does PB and J.”