Chapter 19 – Rachel
“Where do you want me to go?” I asked, my eyes on the road, trying not to panic. Seth was sitting right next to me with a gun. I couldn’t help but think for a minute Clint had been right all along that Seth would come for me. Next time I’ll listen to him…if there is a next time. I bit my lip and fought back the tears at the idea that I may not see Clint or his family again.
“Just drive,” he mumbled, taking out his phone. He looked up, squinting into the distance. “Get off on the next exit and go to the first hotel. I have a room there for us.” He grinned at me and my blood went cold. What did he have planned for me?
“I’ll give you your money,” I whispered as I turned off the highway. “Please just let me go.”
He laughed. “Oh no, my dear. You’re going to give me more than that money. You’re going to go back to that little farm you’ve been living at and get my money and all of your other stuff. Then you’re going to come home with me and become my wife.” I winced as he reached out to touch my hair. If he laid his hands on me I was going to be sick. “You know there once was a time you liked my touch.”
“That was a long time ago, Seth. You’ve changed.” I replied. “We both have.”
“You’ll love me again, you’ll see,” he said smugly.
I shook my head, a tear falling down my cheek. “No, I won’t.”
“Oh you will,” he sneered. “You will come home with me and love me or I will kill your cowboy along with his family.”
I gasped and turned to look at him. I shouldn’t be surprised. He was a monster when I left; I guess I had no idea he would stoop so low. My body started to shake.
“You wouldn’t,” I mumbled, wondering what would happen if I drove off the highway. Would we survive? It might be worth a try if it kept my new family safe.
“Oh but I would,” he chuckled and nodded towards the hotel I was approaching. “Turn in here.”
I turned into the parking lot, wondering how I was going to get out of this. I figured the only way was to go back with him. I couldn’t let him hurt Clint; I’d do anything to keep him safe.
“You need to let me get back to the ranch, Seth. Clint will be looking for me. I’ll go get the money and bring it back.” My eyes were filled with tears. “Please don’t hurt him,” I whispered.
His green eyes flashed darker with anger. “Let him come.” His finger ran along my cheek. “Maybe he’d like to watch what I plan to do to you.”
“Seth,” I pleaded, my voice cracking. He was so different from the boy I first met, the boy that took me in and took care of me when my mom died. He never left my side that whole time and despite the way he was now, I would have been lost without him throughout that whole ordeal. “Please…for old time’s sake. Trust me.”
He clutched his gun tighter. “Are you serious, you bitch? Trust you? You fucking left me and took my money! And I’m supposed to trust you? Fuck that.” He reached for the car handle. “Get the fuck out.” He opened the car door and got out, slamming it hard behind him.
I took a deep breath and got out of the car. He’d come around to my side of the car and grabbed my elbow as soon as I stood up. He dug his fingers into my flesh as I winced. “Seth, you’re hurting me,” I managed to whisper.
He laughed. “I haven’t even begun.” He led me to the hotel door on the side of the building and pulled his key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door with one hand, never letting go of the vise-like grip he had on my arm. Once he had the door open, he started dragging me down the hall, walking so fast I could barely keep up.
My mind was going a million miles an hour. How had he even found me? When I got rid of my old phone I thought for sure he would never be able to track me. How did he know about Clint and the ranch? I had to get him out of here before he hurt him. I couldn’t let anything happen to him or his family. Even if it meant going with Seth back to Buffalo, I would; whatever I had to do to protect them.
I took a deep breath as we approached the room at the end of the hallway. If I was going to get out of here, I had to keep my wits about me and not panic. I couldn’t let him see my fear; he would feed off of it and only torment me more.
He unlocked the door and pushed me inside. “Get on the bed,” he ordered me, putting his gun back in the waistband of his pants. I crawled onto the bed and turned around, sitting up against the back. I gasped when I saw a couple of guys sitting at a table in the corner of the room around a pile of what I assumed to be cocaine. When I left him months ago, the only thing he’d been selling was pot; what else had he gotten into.
He must have noticed me watching them. “Do you want to try some?” He sneered at me.
I shook my head frantically and turned away from them. He came over to sit by me on the bed. “Maybe I will get you hooked on heroin and send you back to your cowboy. I bet he’d love to have a junkie girlfriend.” He put his hand on my thigh, gripping it tight when I tried to pull away. “Or maybe I’ll sell you off as a sex slave. I know a few guys that would pay some top money to do some pretty fucked up shit to you.” I swallowed hard, fighting back the bile that was rising in my throat. He laughed at my reaction and stood up. “Nah, I won’t do that.” He fingered my hair before pulling my head back hard to look up at him. “You, Rachel, belong to me.” He let go of my head and walked away from me, heading over to the table.
I brought my knees up to my chest, hugging them tight and resting my forehead on them. I was torn; on one hand, I hoped Clint was looking for me, but on the other hand, I didn’t want him messed up with Seth. He’d clearly gotten more dangerous since I last saw him and there was no telling what he was capable of. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him.
I looked up when I heard the click of the door. The other guys had left, leaving me alone with Seth. My heart started pounding in my chest; now what?
“I have to admit, Rachel, farm living agrees with you,” he said, walking over to grab his gun. “You look good.”
“It’s not a farm,” I muttered.
He waved his gun in the air. “Whatever.” He rolled his eyes.
“How did you find me?” I asked.
He grinned and sat down on a chair near the bed. “Rachel my dear, when you were home, I kept close tabs on you. I think you knew that.” I nodded; I’d had my suspicions. “In addition to checking your phone closely and having you followed most of the time, I had GPS put on your car.” I opened my mouth and gasped. He sat back and put his hands behind his head, looking pretty damn proud of himself. “I’ve known where you were all this time. I was just doing my homework and watching you, waiting for the right moment.”
I tried to wrap my head around what he’d told me. All this time I thought I was safe here in the middle of nowhere and he knew the whole time. He’d been watching me and learning about Clint and his family. I swallowed back the tears.
He stood up from the chair and kicked it back. “I think you should get undressed for me.” He leered at me and walked back over, standing near me. I could make out the outline of his erection through his jeans. “Or maybe I should make you suck my cock.” He reached down and rubbed himself over his clothes. “You always were a good little cocksucker.”
I didn’t say anything; I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of reacting to his threats. If he wanted to hurt me that way, let him. He could do whatever he wanted to me as long as he left Clint and his family alone.
He walked away, shaking his head. “No reaction, huh?” He turned back around. “I remember more than a few times you begged me to fuck you. Remember the night at the club when you were so hot you couldn’t even wait until we left. You went down on me in the ally and then let me fuck your ass right there. You lifted your skirt like the slut you are and begged me to stick my cock in you.”
I shuddered, remembering the night. Seth and I had a pretty amazing sex life. We couldn’t keep our hands off of each other until he started the drugs and dealing. A lot of times he couldn�
��t even get it up to even have sex. We started to grow apart, having sex less and less.
“Now you let that cowboy fuck you, don’t you?” I looked up at him, not saying a word.
He snorted in disgust. “Figures, you slut. I bet you don’t let him fuck your ass though. Do you?” He glanced down at my legs. “Maybe I should remind you how much you enjoy it.”
I made a sound deep in my throat and he smiled. “Later. Not here. When we get home I’m going to fuck you and do things to you so you won’t be able to get out of bed for days.” A feeling of dread came over me and I wondered if maybe I would be better off if he sold me to someone.
He clasped his hands together, making me jump. “Now how are we going to get that money so we can get the fuck out of here. I hate all this nature.”
“I’ll go tell Clint I’m leaving, that I can’t be with him. Then I’ll bring you your money,” I pleaded with him.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. There’s no way I can trust you not to tell him the real reason you’re leaving and him coming after you. I can’t have that. I have a feeling he won’t let you go so easily.”
I shook my head, but deep down I knew Seth was right. If I told Clint I wanted to leave, he wouldn’t accept that. Despite our fight this morning, things between us had been really good lately. For me to just up and leave would raise suspicion. How could I get Seth what he wanted without endangering everyone I loved? There had to be a way.
“Let’s go,” he said and pulled me from the bed, dragging me to the door.
“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to sound calm.
“To get my money. The sooner we get that, the sooner we can get the fuck out of here.”
“What do you mean?” We walked back out of the hotel and out to my car.
He looked over at me as he unlocked the door and shoved me inside the passenger side. “What the fuck do you mean ‘what do I mean’?” He looked down at me and grinned. “You’re going to take me to your cowboy’s ranch. You’re going to tell him you’re going home with me.”
I shook my head and he slapped me. I brought my hand up to my face and fought back the tears. The asshole wasn’t going to see me cry. He slammed the door and stomped around to the driver’s side. He got in and started the car before turning to look at me. “You will not tell me what you are and are not doing again. Next time, I will do more than slap you.”
I turned to look out the car window, trying to keep it together. He reached over and cupped my cheek in his hand. “Got it, bitch?”
I bit my lip and nodded.
He let go and backed the car out of the stall. “Good. This will go much easier if you do what I say.” He tore out of the parking lot of the hotel. “Let’s do this!”
Chapter 20 – Clint
“I need to stop for gas.” We’d dropped off Eliza at her truck and Wyatt and I were heading back to the ranch. I was beyond frustrated at this point, finding no clues at all that brought us any closer to where Rachel was. Ma had called to find out if we had found her, only confirming that she wasn’t safely back home.
“Are you sure you don’t want to call the police? I think at this point they would listen. It’s been hours.” Wyatt urged as we pulled into the gas station.
I nodded. He was right. It was time to involve the authorities. “Fine. While I’m filling up, call the sheriff and have him come out.” I parked the truck next to a pump and hopped out. “I’m going to grab a water too when I’m done. Want one?”
He nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Sure.”
I shut the door and walked over to start filling up my truck. As I waited, I leaned back against my truck and closed my eyes with a sigh. We had to find her soon. If Seth had her, what would he do with her? He wouldn’t leave without his money and so far, Ma had said no one had even been there. Besides meeting with the sheriff, that’s the other reason I wanted to go home; I had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before Rachel showed up with or without Seth to get his money.
The pump clicked when it was done and I put the cover back on before heading inside to pay. I went to the back of the store and grabbed two waters before walking back up to the counter. I set the waters on the counter and reached into my back pocket for my wallet.
“Hey Clint,” the cashier said with a grin. It was a girl I’d gone to high school with, Marcy.
“Hey Marcy.” I gave her a half-hearted smile. “I was on pump six.”
“Got it.” She scanned my waters as she popped her gum. “I saw your pretty little girlfriend in here earlier this morning.”
“What?” I gave her my full attention. “You saw Rachel?”
“That’s her name!” She snapped her fingers together. “I couldn’t remember for the life of me.” She put her hand on her hip. “Sure is a cute little thing.”
“Did she say where she was going?” I asked, feeling hopeful as I swiped my card through the machine.
She shook her head and finished my transaction. “No, but I happened to glance up and noticed some guy by her car when she came out. I’ve never seen him before, but he got into the car with her.”
Seth! Shit, he was here and he had her! “You didn’t see what way she went when she left, did you?” I asked hopefully.
She shook her head. “No, we had a flurry of customers come in then and I was busy.”
“Thanks so much Marcy!” I flew out of the store before she could even answer me. I ran out to my truck and flung the door open. “He has her! He’s here!”
Wyatt looked up from his phone. “What? How do you know?” He asked, looking confused.
“When I paid, Marcy said she saw Rachel this morning. She saw her with some dude she didn’t recognize. He rode away with her.” I was breathless as I started up the truck and tore out of the gas station parking lot.
“Fuck!” Wyatt said. “Good thing the sheriff is coming out to the ranch. Are you going to tell him about the money?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. I might have to. I will do whatever it takes to get her back.”
We rode the rest of the way in silence. This time I didn’t care about speeding; all I cared about was getting back to the ranch. I wanted to make sure Ma and Eliza were ok and talk to the sheriff. If I happened to get pulled over now, that would be a bonus, getting me in touch with the law sooner.
When we got to the ranch and drove up the driveway, Eliza was back at home and the sheriff was already there. I was eager to talk to him and have him begin looking for Rachel. Now that I knew she was with Seth, my nerves were even more on edge.
We went into the house and found him sitting at the table with Ma and Eliza, drinking coffee. We joined them and I filled him in. I decided to tell him everything, even about the money.
When we were done, we stood up and I walked him to the door. The sheriff reached out and shook my hand. “Don’t worry, Clint, we’ll find her.”
I nodded. “I know. Thank you so much for coming out here.”
We walked outside and he opened up his car door. “I’m going to head to the gas station and talk to Marcy. Maybe she can give me some more details. Maybe we’ll start checking motels too.”
“I appreciate it. I have no idea what he’s capable of, so please be careful,” I warned him.
“Will do. Keep an eye out here for a phone call or in case she shows up. For right now, the best thing you can do is stay close to home. I know you feel helpless, but I think it’s best right now. If he’s as dangerous as you think, it’s not safe.” He sat down in the car and shut the door.
I watched him drive down our long driveway and was about to turn around to head back into the house when I felt a hand on my arm. “We’ll find her, son,” Ma whispered behind me.
I turned around and gave her a nod. “Ma, I’m so worried. He’s dangerous and I don’t even want to think about what he might do to her.” My eyes filled with tears.
“Shhh…Don’t do that to yourself; don’t think about it.” She took my hand. “
Come inside and I’ll make you some tea.”
We went inside where Eliza was sitting at the table on her laptop, trying to distract herself. Wyatt was pacing around. “We have to go look for her, Clint. I feel so helpless just waiting here.”
“Sheriff said it was best if we stayed here in case she called or showed up.”
“What if he shows up?” Eliza asked softly, looking up from her computer. Everyone was quiet for a minute.
“We should get our guns,” Wyatt suggested.
I didn’t say a word but walked over to the gun cabinet in the corner of the living room. I unlocked it and got out a couple of guns. “Ma and Eliza, can you get your handguns and keep them nearby?”
They each nodded and went to their rooms to get them. We didn’t usually allow loaded guns in this part of the house, but this was definitely special circumstances. Honestly, if I saw that fucker, I wanted to hurt him with my bare hands; I wasn’t going to let him get away with a quick and easy death.
Goodbye Girl (Hidden Lane Ranch) Page 12
