by Lacey Silks
“She belongs to me,” he growled.
The rest happened in slow motion. My instinct, the same one I’d had while serving, returned. I rushed at him before he got a chance to pull the trigger and grabbed his arm while kneeing him in the gut. A shot sounded, but by now I was running on pure adrenaline, and since I couldn’t feel anything and Rick kept wresting for the gun, I was sure the bullet missed us both. A loud scream echoed from the bedroom. After another click of the gun, I realized that Rick had no more bullets.
“Fuck!” He let go of the handle and managed to grab a butcher’s knife from its holder on the counter. I reached for his wrist, but he sliced through my arm just before I grabbed it. The beer bottle slipped, spilling to the floor, making balancing much more difficult. We both slipped to our knees. Even on all fours the son of a bitch was strong, but he didn’t know how to fight. I kicked him in his gut again, finally pinning him to the ground. He stretched out toward my throat with his other hand. Squeezing tighter, I made him drop the knife and punched him square in the face. A crack later, I threw another blow. I kept going until the face in front of me was full of blood; his jaw and cheekbones jutted out awkwardly from underneath his skin, probably broken. I would have continued until I killed the bastard, but the cry I’d heard from the bedroom before was now a full-on scream for help, and I jumped to my feet, leaving the unconscious asshole on the floor.
“Annabelle, I’m here. I’m here, baby.” I twisted the knob, but it was locked. “Are you away from the door?”
“Yes!”
I took a few steps back and with my full weight crashed through. Wood splinters flew to the side. A piercing pain shot through my arm, reminding me it’d just been cut.
Annabelle sat on a chair. Her hands were tied behind her and her feet bound to the chrome legs. More rope circled around her torso. A gag she must have been wearing around her mouth had slipped down to her neck.
“Derek, Rick’s here. Oh my God! You’re hurt,” she said.
I knelt in front of her and started untying the ropes from around her and her arms, for the first time noticing that my leg hurt as well.
“It’s all right, Annabelle. He’s unconscious. I’m here now. Nobody’s going to hurt you. You understand me?”
She nodded through her sobs.
“One more sec, pretty lady.” The knot around her wrists finally loosened.
“Derek!” Emma’s voice boomed through the apartment.
“In here,” I called out.
Holding a gun in her hands, Emma stepped over the broken door toward us. She knelt at my side and pulled out a knife from her pocket. Why didn’t I get a knife? As soon as Annabelle was free I took her into my arms. Her weight threw me off balance, and I stumbled backward.
“Derek, you’re shot.” She pointed to my leg and covered her mouth.
The moment she mentioned my leg, the pain hit me like an oncoming train. I could feel the warm blood gushing out of the wound, and for the first time since I came here, felt light-headed. Emma was already at my leg, tying a piece of rope around it to stop the bleeding. She then got to my arm. The asshole missed a main artery by half an inch.
“How did you find me?” Annabelle smoothed her hand over my cheek where I felt a swell.
“The waitress downstairs. I showed her Rick’s picture.”
“Where is he?” Emma asked.
“Kitchen floor.”
“There’s no one there.”
“I roughed him up pretty bad. And knocked him out. There’s no way the fucker could get up from that.”
With Annabelle’s and Emma’s help, each holding me under an arm, I hopped out to the main room, and she was right. Rick was gone.
“Well, he did. Come on, we need to get you to the hospital. I’m getting someone to sweep this place. Annabelle, you need to get checked out as well.” Emma guided us outside where she’d parked her car diagonally over the curb.
It took two days after the minor surgery in San Francisco before we could return home. Emma packed up Annabelle’s apartment and had a team searching for Rick. It didn’t surprise me that he couldn’t be found. I should have known better than to have left him on that kitchen floor, but when I heard Annabelle’s cry, I had to get to her. She was all that mattered, and now that she was a single woman again, and she was mine, I would ensure that no man would ever mistreat or harm her again—even if I had to join her in a public washroom.
CHAPTER 20
Annabelle
We’d been on high alert for the past two weeks. Eric picked up Mom the way we had planned, and our dad came home two days ago. Today, we’d invited their closest friends and our entire family to properly welcome my parents back to Ogden. While Derek was confident that Rick was in hiding, most likely trying to heal from the beating, I couldn’t help but feel that my “ex-husband” would not give up so easily. Especially if he’d found out that we were no longer married. With Rick missing Emma launched a full investigation, which included looking for not only Rick, but also his twin brother, Mateo. He operated their smuggling business on the other side of the border. While Mateo was apparently an identical twin, I could only pray that his personality wasn’t.
“I can’t believe you did all this work.” Walking through the old house that I could barely recognize, I squeezed Derek’s hand, trying to take in the new floors, cabinets, fixtures, and furniture. My brother had really gone all-out when he ordered the interior decorations. It was all new, yet not overwhelmingly shiny and modern and I had a feeling that Emma had a hand in shopping.
“Derek, this truly is amazing,” my mom gushed. “I... we can’t thank you enough.” Derek managed to open up the entire floor of the house and transformed it from a two-story home to a bungalow, with an extra addition in the back. With the team he’d hired, this house looked nothing like the old shack that stood here before. Fully equipped for my father’s wheelchair, my parent’s home would last them ten lifetimes. I smoothed my hand over the trim around the door into the living room, noting the pencilled in marks where my and Eric’s measurements remained.
“You kept these.” I brought my hand to my heart.
“Of course I did.”
Derek had also installed a state-of-the-art security system. No one entering the farm, from anywhere, would go unnoticed. With Rick on the loose, he said he’d do the same to our property as well as his. We’d be alerted as soon as anyone crossed the property line. The camera system was connected to my parent’s new cell phones (which they were still learning how to use) and the television set.
“Derek, you’ll need to show me how this works again.” My father scrolled through the screen.
“Sure will, Mr. Waters.”
“Please, call me Ethan. After all, you’re dating my daughter, aren’t you?”
“I am, sir.”
“Good, because there’s no one else I’d trust more to take care of her.”
We never told my parents what happened with Rick, at least not all the details, especially that I was married. I was glad to put that past behind me and prayed I’d never need to look back again. My parents were, however, aware of Huntz’s son and that he was looking to take what his father couldn’t—that being their property.
“I’m pretty sure you taught that guy a lesson,” my father said to Derek. “And if he does decide to show up, we’ll deal with that then.”
I surely hoped he wouldn’t dare step a foot in Ogden; however, deep inside I knew that was only wishful thinking. It was only a matter of time before Rick showed his face again. I knew he wouldn’t give up that easily, but I also knew that standing as a strong family, we could overcome anything.
“Thank you for inviting us.” Caroline pulled me to the side. “And thank you for the new cabinets, but really, the used ones would have been sufficient.”
“Don’t mention it, Caroline. You’re Derek’s good friend, and I hope you can be mine too.”
“He’s a lucky man to have you in his life.”
“He’s a lucky man to have us both.” I hugged her.
“That, I can’t argue against.” Derek came from behind me and leaned into my ear, saying, “I have one more surprise for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, come with me.”
Holding him tighter under his arm to give him extra support, I followed Derek as he led me to the backyard toward a small enclosure. Derek’s wound was still healing, and his limp had become less noticeable. It definitely took some creativity in bed as we tried to let the thigh muscle rest. “I’ve been keeping him out here for a week now, but if you like him, you can bring him home.”
“Him?” I asked, looking beyond the fence to where a piglet with a blue bow around his neck was running around.
“I thought you’d miss them, so....”
“You bought me a pig?” I regarded the pink blob with a few black patches running around the enclosure, grunting in the most adorable way I’d ever heard.
“It’s a mini pig. He won’t grow much bigger. I wasn’t sure if you’d like one, but when this one looked at me, I swear I heard him grunt, ‘Take me home.’”
Far in the distance, thunder sounded. The clouds appeared promising. We’d been waiting for good rainfall for over a month. The few drizzles in between weren’t enough for the amount of water the crops needed.
“He’s the cutest little pig I’ve ever seen! I already love him.” I reached down. “And I know exactly what I’m going to call you.”
The blob of pink scurried to me to smell my hand. His wet snout tickled my palm.
“Please don’t tell me this is Wilbur.”
“Nope.” I grinned. “Derek, meet Bacon.”
“That’s just cruel.” He chuckled.
“It suits him. Look at that chubby butt and that cute, curly tail.”
“You’re talking like you’ve already pictured him slaughtered.”
“I would do no such thing to Bacon.”
“What’s all this noise?” Missy and Blake came from behind.
“Derek just got us a kid.” I laughed.
“That’s one way to practice, I guess.” Blake took me under my arm. “We were hoping we could show you the spot we’re planning to build the house on. I have the plans.”
“I’d love to see it.”
At that moment, Bacon decided to go on an adventure and with his pink snout pushed open the gate.
“Derek, he’s getting away!” I screamed.
“Bacon! Come back here!” Limping a little, Derek shot off after our new pet, and I couldn’t contain the laughter. Thankfully, Kyle joined him in the pursuit, and I bet Derek’s little brother had a greater chance at catching Bacon than Derek.
“We’ll be at the site by the forest when you’re done chasing pigs!” Blake called out.
All we got was a dirty look from Derek when he turned around. Bacon kept darting back and forth between his legs. Kyle followed the piggy’s lead right underneath.
Missy took me under my arm, saying, “Let’s go before I pee myself.”
“You’re beginning to show.” I lowered my gaze to her tummy.
“We felt the first kick this morning. I read it could be just gas, but I swear, when Blake is talking to the baby, he or she knows it’s him.”
“Are you going to find out the sex of the baby?” I asked.
She shook her head, “No, I want it to be a surprise.”
We followed Blake about three hundred yards west toward the tree line where a lot had already been bulldozed. Missy carefully rolled out the sketches they’d had for their home. We sat on a log, flipping through the plans and the concept drawings.
“Missy, this will be beautiful. And look.” I pointed toward where we could see the new solar panels on Derek’s house. “The kids will be able to run from our house to yours.”
“Annabelle, are you pregnant?” Blake asked.
“Oh no! I mean, one day. You know, when we’re all settled in.”
“I’d love that.” Missy hugged me.
“You and my brother are so right for each other. Who would have thought?” Blake teased.
I felt a prick at the back of my neck and reached back “Ouch!” Something sharp was sticking out of my skin.
“Ouch,” I heard Blake say a few seconds later. We looked from one to another. I saw Blake’s face droop in slow motion. Missy, who sat beside me, appeared from behind a haze. I blinked a couple of times before my eyes watered. Wiping them, I heard Blake mumble, “Missy, run. Please!”
I hadn’t even noticed when I ended up lying down in the grass. My limbs were limp and my palms tingled in a funny way. I couldn’t move. Blake lay beside me, blinking. I tried to say something while waiting for him to do the same, but I realized that I’d lost my ability to speak as well. The fear I saw in my best friend’s eyes reminded me of how I felt when I’d seen Rick. And that was when I looked up to the sky. Above us, covered with purple-and-green bruises and with a newly crooked nose, Rick’s face was the last sight I remembered.
CHAPTER 21
Derek
I ran through the forest at full speed. My legs were beginning to ache, but I couldn’t stop. Pain from my recent injury shot through my thigh. It was as if someone had stuck a metal rod right through it. Branches slashed deep cuts into my face and arms. The distant cries I’d heard echoed closer. The constant drumming in my ears was beginning to give me a headache. Since the moment I saw a stone holding Rick’s note on top of a log where I expected my brother, Missy, and Annabelle to be celebrating, I couldn’t catch a full breath. As the first glimmer of water at Peacock Lake appeared between the trees, I tried to make out the odd scene there. The screams got louder, and I knew that whatever I was going to see couldn’t be good. When I broke through the last wall of shrubs, Missy stood at the shore, holding on to her stomach. Her face was red and eyes wet from tears. The sheer terror I saw behind her soaked lashes scared the living crap out of me.
“Missy, where is Annabelle and Blake? And where’s that son of a bitch?” I asked.
Missy extended her hand and pointed outward. My gaze followed her shaky finger toward the lake where Annabelle and Blake both stood on top of an old boat. There was an engine at its end, so I knew that he didn’t row here. Rick sat on a wooden box at their side. Their hands were tied behind their backs and ankles bound with rope.
“Holy shit,” I said under my breath.
A few drops of rain broke the glasslike surface of the lake.
“Finally!” Rick yelled out. “I was beginning to wonder when you were gonna show. It’s getting hot out here.”
“Why don’t you just untie them and let them go, Rick.”
“You must be fucking kidding me! You can’t seriously be thinking that I went through all this trouble to just let them go, do you? Let me count the ways in which this is too good to be true. If it wasn’t for Annabelle’s fucking brother, my father would be alive. And if it wasn’t for your brother, who I hear helped in the fire, the Waters would be dead and I would own the farm. Your parents were supposed to fucking die in that fire. It was my father’s plan for us to take over the farm. If they didn’t die in the fire, he knew they’d transfer the property to Anna. But he didn’t expect Missy to come into the picture and steal part of the land.”
“Missy’s your sister. How can you talk about her this way?” Annabelle said.
I just kept thinking about the fastest way I could get to my brother and Annabelle.
“She’s a fucking nuisance. A mistake my father made to punish your mother.”
“Rick, I’m sure we can work this out,” I said, but he only replied with an echoing laugh.
“You have no say in this, you asshole. You fucked up my face!”
I could see from the distance that Rick’s face definitely hadn’t healed yet. And I bet it wouldn’t for a long time.
“I’ll give you whatever you want. Just let us go, please.” The fear in Annabelle’s voice was nothing I ever heard before, and I wondered how
long Rick had been holding them there. I know I didn’t chase Bacon for too long. And I prayed for Rick’s sake that he hadn’t done anything stupid. Somehow, though, it felt as if he was about to.
“It’s too late for that, Anna. Besides, it turns out that your farm isn’t the one with the crude underneath it, is it? It’s your fucking brother’s!”
Annabelle cringed back at Rick’s tone. I felt my fists clench. I’d give everything to be on that boat right now.
“Missy, go get help.”
“She fucking stays there!” Rick yelled out, pointing toward us. “My half sister, the betrayer, will watch this!”
“Let Annabelle go, Rick,” Blake said. “You don’t want to do anything stupid.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I have nothing left, and I will avenge my father. Soon, you won’t be able to keep me away from my sister. Missy will pay the price for freeing Eric and Annabelle when my father took them. If she hadn’t done so years ago, he would have already owned both of the Waters’ properties. She betrayed us. That ranch belongs in our family. Too bad little Eric isn’t here with us. Then we’d have a full out reunion.”
“Listen, I’m sure we can work things out.” My brother’s voice was calm, but knowing the kind of a demented man that Rick was, I doubted that Blake’s soothing demeanor would sway him.
I slowly moved to the left, stepping behind a bush to obscure Rick’s view of my feet, removed my shoes, and unbuckled my jeans. This asshole’s threats where serious, and I had to be ready for the worst.
“And how are you planning to do that from underwater?” Rick laughed.
“Please, no!” Missy yelled out. “You can’t do this, Rick. I love him. Please don’t do this. He’s going to be a father.”
Missy held on to her tummy, and for the first time since I got here, I truly didn’t want her to be here.
“Do you see me caring, Missy? Did you care about Father when you freed them? He had plans for us. We’d finally be a family. He told me so. Mateo just got his papers too. We had it all planned out. Do you think we burned our old house for nothing? Nobody would let us live there. We had no choice. And insurance paid you for it, didn’t they? You used that money to buy a piece of the Waters’ property.”
