The Diehard Warrior

by Youngblood, Jennifer

  “It’s not your fault. Just life.”

  Both Addie and Corbin knew how unfair life could be. Their parents had taken an anniversary trip to Mexico. They were mugged and killed outside their hotel for a few measly dollars. Thankfully, Pops and Gram had stepped up to the plate and raised them. Then Gram was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, fate couldn’t leave it at that. Gram also developed brain cancer, which ultimately killed her. Addie and Corbin knew all too well that bad things could indeed happen. “I meant that I’m sorry for adding to your stress.”

  “If you’ll listen to Maddox and do what he says, that will help tremendously.”

  “I told you I’d play nice,” she grumbled. “What more do you want? My signature in blood?”

  He chuckled. “Your word will have to do.” He sighed. “All right. That’s all for now.” He paused. “I love you.”

  She felt a rush of tenderness for her older brother. “I love you too. Give my love to Pops and Delaney.”

  “Will do. See ya,” he said, ending the call.

  Addie dropped her phone in her purse and clutched the steering wheel with both hands, her mind trying to digest all that Corbin had said. Were Piper and Jordan having problems? Why hadn’t they told her?

  Her thoughts went back to the last conversation she’d had with Jordan. He was edgy, an undercurrent of negative emotion running through him. Addie had worried for a blip that something might be wrong between Jordan and Piper. Then, when Jordan assured her that all was well, she believed him. Jordan said Piper was a good woman, but that she didn’t understand. Addie wrinkled her nose. Understand what? She had much to ask Piper tomorrow.

  Maddox. What to do about him? Should she call and apologize? Her jaw tensed. No way! She’d rather spend a week buried in an avalanche. She’d be cordial to Maddox, just as she promised, but that didn’t mean she had to seek him out. She glanced in the rearview mirror. Her heart clutched. A silver car was following her. It was an American car, a Chevy, maybe. There was a man driving. His sunglasses prevented her from seeing his face. Her pulse thrashed against her neck as she gripped the steering wheel. This was a lonely stretch of highway. The side-road leading to the cabin was a couple miles up on the right. Did she dare turn onto it with this car tailing her? She pressed the gas pedal to the floor, increasing her speed. To her relief, the Chevy maintained the same speed, staying far behind.

  As she turned a curve, she increased her speed again. The Chevy disappeared from her view. She turned onto the side road, hardly slowing her speed. Her tires squealed. Panic shot through her veins as she felt the Jetta shift before the wheels regained traction with the road. She glanced in her rearview mirror. The Chevy drove by, still on the highway.

  She slowed to a safe speed, cursing herself for her stupidity. Her fear and paranoia had almost caused her to wreck.

  When Addie pulled into her driveway she was shaking. She turned off the engine and pushed her hair out of her face before rubbing her palms on her pants. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here before the new alarm system could be installed. She clenched her fist. No, that was ridiculous. She needed to come. She couldn’t let her fears overwhelm her. Whomever had broken into the cabin hadn’t found anything. Maybe the person would get a clue that Addie knew nothing about whatever was going on and leave her alone.

  She sucked in a breath, trying to calm her rattled nerves as she walked briskly to the door. The empty space around her felt menacing as she pushed the key into the lock. The cabin next door had long-term renters, the Ridleys, an older couple. Unfortunately, they were currently in Florida visiting their grandkids. Two-thirds of the other cabins were temporary renters, people who’d come to enjoy the fall colors or the hot springs. Technically, Addie was alone. The knowledge sent a shiver down her spine. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind her. It was then she realized she’d been holding her breath. She exhaled slowly, her gaze flitting over the cabin.

  In the light of day, the mess looked worse than it had the night before. Anger surged through her veins. She felt an intense hatred for whomever had done this. A part of her wanted to crumple in a heap and weep, but that wouldn’t help. Instead, she offered a silent prayer asking for strength. A couple minutes later, she felt better.

  With a resigned sigh, she put her purse on the kitchen table and got to work cleaning up the place.

  An hour later, she was in her room, reorganizing her papers and getting her desk back in order, when she came across the framed picture. The glass was broken, but the picture was unharmed. It was taken when she and Corbin were still in high school. Pops and Gram had taken them to Disneyland a couple of weeks before the end of summer break. Addie and Corbin had complained that they were too old for Disneyland. To their surprise, they had a wonderful time. Addie rubbed a finger over Gram’s face. She looked so happy as she grinned at the camera, her arms around Addie and Corbin. Pops was standing to the far left, on the other side of Corbin. Instead of looking at the camera, he was looking at Gram, an expression of pure adoration on his face. Tears rose in Addie’s eyes. Everything changed when Gram got sick. Pops and Addie tried to pick up the pieces while Corbin joined the military to escape. At least now, they had Corbin back. And, he’d brought Delaney into their family. Soon, they’d have a new baby girl. Addie hoped everything would be okay with the pregnancy. Please let Delaney and the baby be okay, she prayed.

  Addie placed the photo in its rightful place on her desk and bent down to retrieve more papers. She heard a noise.

  She froze, her pulse jumping into overdrive. Ever so slowly, she went to her bedroom door and peered out. Relief surged through her when she saw that the hallway was clear. Gaining more courage, she stole down the hall toward the living room. Her eyes scoured the combination living room and kitchen. It was also clear. This was getting ridiculous. She had to stop jumping out of her skin at the slightest noise. She was about to turn and go back down the hall when strong arms grabbed her from behind.

  She let out a yelp, horror twisting through her as she fought against the arms. “Help!” she screamed. A hand went over her mouth. She ground her heel into her attacker’s foot. He grunted and released his hold.

  Addie darted for the door. Before she made it a foot, she was tackled from behind. She hit the wood floor, but hardly felt a thing as she rolled over, clawing and hitting. The man backed away and stood. It registered in her mind that he was wearing a black ski mask. She didn’t know why the man had paused his attack, but it gave her blessed time to escape. She scrambled to her feet and was about to run when he pulled out a gun.

  “Stop, or I’ll shoot,” he ordered.

  Her heart sank. This couldn’t be happening!

  “Hands up!”

  Slowly, she lifted her hands in the air. “What do you want?” Her knees were so wobbly, she could hardly stand.

  Terror rattled through her like a freight train as he came towards her.

  She shrieked when he grabbed her arm and viciously twisted her around, so that he was behind her. He jabbed the barrel of the gun in her back. “Put your hands together.”

  “What?” she cried.

  “Make any sudden moves, and you’re dead,” he growled in her ear. “Put your arms together behind you. Now!” he thundered when she didn’t react fast enough. He grabbed her hands. She felt a thin band of plastic around her wrists and heard a zipping sound. He opened the door and thrust her through it.

  Her mind raced, trying to figure a way out of this. The urge to live was overwhelming. She didn’t want to die. Not here. Not today.

  He pushed her forward across the front porch. A cry of dismay gurgled in her throat when she saw the silver Chevy. She should’ve listened to her instincts that screamed the car was following her. How stupid she’d been to push Maddox away. “Who are you?”

  “No talking!” He thrust the gun further into her back. Instinctively, she arched her back trying to relieve the pressure of the gun at her spine.
>
  They went down the steps and to the car. She felt movement and heard a click. The trunk opened.

  A new terror seized her as she realized what was happening. “No!” she cried. Adrenaline surged through her as she went nuts, twisting and fighting. He grunted in surprise, dropping the gun. She bolted. Better to be shot running than to be placed in a trunk, only to face who knew what horrors. She made it across the gravel driveway before he yanked her hair and pulled her back. She howled in pain as he grabbed her arms and carried her back to the trunk. She lifted her feet kicking and screaming, fighting him for all she was worth, but she was no match for his strength. He heaved her in the trunk and slammed it shut.

  Darkness engulfed her. With that darkness came a sinking despair.

  7

  A mind-numbing panic throbbed through Addie’s brain, rendering her powerless to act. She tried to remember what she’d learned about being locked in a trunk. Wasn’t there supposed to be some lever in newer models? How was she supposed to pull a lever when she couldn’t use her hands? She strained against the plastic that held her hands, but it was futile. Sweat beaded across her nose as a suffocating heat surged through her. Her lungs were bound with iron. She couldn’t breathe! A prayer for help went through her mind. Please, help me.

  She had to be strong. She had to think of her family. Of Maddox. Her last words to him had been spoken in anger. Why did everything have to be so complicated with him?

  It occurred to her that the car had not moved. She kicked as hard as she could. “Help!” She heard a muffled pop. She went still, straining her ears as she tried to figure out what was happening. Hope sprang in her chest. Was someone else out there? She jerked into action. “Help!” she screamed. “I’m in the trunk!” She kicked again and again on the side and the top. Maybe she’d imagined the pop. There was probably no one out there except for her attacker. Still, she had to do something!

  A lifetime seemed to pass. Addie kicked and screamed until she grew hoarse.

  The trunk opened. She sat up, ready to give her attacker the fight of his life. Then she saw his face. “Maddox,” she uttered, a cry wrenching her throat.

  “I’m here,” he said, gathering her in his arms.

  * * *

  The sight of Addie bound and stuffed in a trunk had unleashed something dark and primitive inside Maddox, making him want to pummel her attacker to mush. He probably would have, had he not needed to keep the man intact so he could be interrogated. The man in question was tied up, gagged, and stuffed in the closet of the guest bedroom. Right after Maddox rescued Addie, he called Corbin, updating him on the situation. Corbin freaked when Maddox told him about the attack and how close Addie came to being kidnapped. The only thing that kept Corbin from hopping on a plane and heading this way was Maddox’s assurance that from this point forward, he wouldn’t let Addie out of his sight.

  Maddox and Corbin then got on a conference call with Sutton. He instructed Maddox to keep the man there until picked up for interrogation. A part of Maddox wanted to conduct his own version of “interrogation,” but Sutton assured him of his foolproof methods of obtaining information. One thing Maddox learned in the SEALs was that it was better to leave the interrogations to the “experts.” He’d never had the stomach for that sort of thing.

  Maddox’s main priority was Addie’s safety. Whether she liked it or not, he was stuck to Addie like glue. He thought back to the moment when he rescued her from the trunk. She threw her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. Even amidst the terror of the moment, he couldn’t deny that it had felt right having her in his arms. The softness of her springy curls had brushed against his skin, tickling his face. The familiar scent of her light floral perfume mingling with the fresh smell of her shampoo enveloped his senses. Stop it, he commanded himself, balling his fist. He couldn’t let this hang-up on Addie continue.

  In retrospect, it was good that he mentioned Felicity at the diner. “A girlfriend” was the very thing needed to put a safe barrier between him and Addie. Things could get confusing right now with emotions running high, but then where would he and Addie be afterwards? The obstacles between them weren’t just going to disappear. He had a dangerous profession, and she was opposed to it, end of story.

  Maddox couldn’t allow himself to get close to Addie knowing, that in the end, she’d dump him all over again. He surveyed Addie’s bedroom, annoyance resurging at the sight of the scattered papers, books, and clothing. Someone had done a number on the place. Addie was making a valiant effort to put the place back together, but there was still a ton to do. He bent over and picked up a handful of books, stacking them on the bookshelf above her desk. A smile pulled over his lips when he saw the guitar songbook. Addie was teaching herself how to play. He loved that about Addie—how she was always learning new things. His gut tightened. Her guitar. Had it been damaged? He spotted it in the far corner of the room, intact. He relaxed.

  His eye caught on a burgundy book with the word “Journal” embossed in gold lettering across the front. He picked it up. First, he thought he couldn’t dare look at it. No way could he invade Addie’s privacy. He reached for more books, stacking them on the shelf above her desk. Then, he looked at the journal again, noticing a corner of what looked like a picture sticking out the side.

  None of your business, Maddox. Keep stacking books! It’s one little peek. What could it hurt? He opened her journal to the picture. His heart came to a screeching halt. The picture was of him and Addie, a selfie taken on the summit of the mountain they’d hiked. They were arm-in-arm, their heads close together. They wore triumphant grins, having reached the top in record time. The sheer joy on their faces caused his heart to clutch. They’d been happy together … so happy. His finger traced Addie’s features. She’d taken the trouble of printing this picture and putting it in her journal. He wasn’t sure what to think about this.

  He jumped guiltily when he realized the water in the shower had stopped. Quickly, he tucked the picture back into its place and closed the journal just as the bathroom door opened.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice sounding too cheerful in his own ears. Her hair was wet and hanging in ringlets over her shoulders. She’d changed from her dress slacks and blouse into jeans and a t-shirt. Yeah, she looked good in those snug jeans and a form-fitting t-shirt that emphasized her tall, slender figure.

  A crease formed between her brows as her eyes went to the journal. “What’re you doing?”

  “I figured I might as well be of some help, instead of just sitting here like a lump on a log waiting for you to get out of the shower.” There was a window in her bathroom. It was locked, but that didn’t mean someone couldn’t break through it and get to Addie. Corbin was having a security system installed tomorrow, which would make protecting her easier. Still, he wanted to be close enough to hear what was going on, hence him sitting in her room while she showered.

  “Have you been reading my journal?” She gave him an accusing look.

  “Geez, no.” Heat crept up his neck.

  She arched an eyebrow, her hand going to her hip.

  He held up both hands in defense. “Promise, I wasn’t reading it.” Guilt cloaked over him. Then again, looking at a picture wasn’t the same as reading her journal. He’d answered her honestly…somewhat. “How are you feeling?”

  She managed a rubbery smile. “Better.”

  Right after the attack, Addie was pale as alabaster, a dazed look in her eyes. For a few seconds, Maddox feared she might be going into shock. Thankfully, that hadn’t been the case. Addie was a tough cookie. Still, she was wound up tight. Maddox suggested that a shower might help her relax. It seemed to have done the trick.

  “Good.” The conversation lagged. Maddox missed how it used to be, the two of them having so much to say to each other that they could hardly draw in a breath between sentences. “Are you hungry?”

  She shoved her hands into her pockets. “A little, I guess.”

  He chuckled. “You hardl
y ate two bites at the diner. Unless you grabbed something afterwards, I’d venture to say you’re pretty hungry.” The Addie he knew had a healthy appetite. He used to tease her about having a hollow leg because she could eat him under the table and was naturally thin. In fact, Addie had to work to keep from becoming too skinny.

  She laughed in surrender. “Yeah, I’m hungry. Starving, actually.” The moment slowed as he caught something in her eyes—a longing that matched the fire raging in him. The two of them were here, alone, the memories of how it was before swirling around them like beckoning sirens to unsuspecting sailors. She was a mere two steps away. He could pull her into his arms and crush his lips to hers, drinking in her passion.

  She cleared her throat and broke eye contact, scrunching her hair with her hand. Maddox remembered the unconscious gesture as something she did when she got nervous. His gaze took in her thick mane of curls. Everything in him wanted to bridge the distance between them, take her in his arms and explore her soft, sensual lips. “Want me to do that for you?” he uttered in a low tone.

  She jerked as she caught the intent of his question. For one agonizing second, he feared that he’d gone too far, but she only laughed. “Thanks, I think I can handle it.”

  “Is there anything we can fix in the kitchen?” He hoped so. If they ordered takeout, that meant he’d have to vet the person who brought the food. Another ordeal.

  Her eyes clouded as she lowered her voice. “We’re supposed to eat and go on like normal with that guy tied up in the guest bedroom?”

  “Sutton’s men are due to arrive in the next couple hours.”

  She nodded, her lips vanishing into a thin line.

  “Are you sure you don’t recognize him?”

  “No, I’ve never seen him before.” She clenched her hand, the words coming out in ragged strips. “Do you think he’s the one who killed Jordan?”

  “I don’t know.” He clenched his jaw. “But you can rest assured that Sutton will beat it out—get to the bottom of it,” he amended when he saw her stricken expression.