Hostage Rescue (Mills & Boon Love Inspired Suspense)

by Lisa Harris

  “And you? How are you involved in all of this?”

  “I ran into her on the trail, and somehow became the leverage to ensure she behaves.”

  “What’s King’s plan?” Griffin asked.

  “I know there are plans of an exchange, but I’m not sure where he wanted to meet. And we’ve got another problem. Gwen is injured and walking out of here isn’t an option. A possible broken ankle. At the least, torn ligaments. I can’t leave her.”

  “Stay on the line with me a few more minutes and…someone…”

  “Griffin?” Caden moved toward the clearing as the call dropped. “Griffin.”

  “Caden…”

  He heard his brother’s voice one last time before the call dropped.

  “Signal’s gone. I lost him.”

  “That might not be our only problem,” Gwen said, frustration seeping through her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She could hear the dog’s barking getting closer. But what were the odds that the dog could actually track them? King would have to know how to handle the dog and she didn’t see him having any patience with animals.

  But if she was wrong…

  “The dog. Do you think he can track us?” she asked.

  “We can’t dismiss it.”

  “What do we do?”

  “In an ideal situation, we’d keep moving, but we’ll never outrun him. The only advantage we have at this point is I’m guessing King isn’t a great handler.” He slipped the phone into his pocket. “I’ll leave the phone on. Sometimes it’s harder to triangulate when there isn’t strong cell-tower service, but my brother will find us, and this will all be over soon. I promise.”

  She nodded as he wrapped his arm around her waist. One foot in front of the other. That was all she had to do. And whatever damage she ended up doing to her ankle was nothing compared to what King might do if he found them. They moved in silence through the woods, then down a narrow trail that led, she hoped, to a main road.

  He pulled her closer against him and steered her over a fallen branch. She wished his closeness didn’t make her feel so…so vulnerable. But it did. Both emotionally and physically. She’d always considered herself strong. She’d gone through the death of her parents, something that had devastated her and her brother. It had also forced her to become independent and make it on her own. But this… She didn’t remember ever feeling so completely out of control.

  With the warmth of his arm around her, she wondered what it would be like if they hadn’t been running for their lives. If they were here, enjoying the stunning beauty of this part of the country, like she’d planned to do with her brother.

  Wondered what it would be like if he kissed her.

  The thought completely took her off guard. She had no romantic attraction to him. He’d been engaged to her best friend, and he’d broken her heart. At least that was what she’d always thought. That wasn’t exactly the kind of man she wanted to fall for, because she knew what it was like to have a broken heart. And yet, why was it that so many things didn’t add up? The Caden she saw now was nothing like the man Cammie had told her about. She’d sat with her friend for hours while she’d poured out her heart over the man who’d broken hers. There had been no signs of compassion. Nothing heroic about him.

  What was she missing? Because from her standpoint, Caden O’Callaghan was a man who’d not only risked everything for his country, but had also put his life on the line for hers. And from her own checklist of qualities she wanted in a man, he was the first one she’d ever met who ticked off all the boxes.

  The dog’s bark echoed in the distance. It was getting closer. A new wave of panic swept over her. She needed something to distract her from both the fear and the pain, but even Caden’s towering presence beside her wasn’t enough at the moment to let her feel totally safe.

  Memories flashed in Caden’s mind as he tightened his grip around Gwen’s waist, trying to help keep her weight off her foot as much as possible. She was strong. Far stronger, he imagined, than she thought she was, even though the situation had definitely taken a toll on her. He’d been impressed with her clearheadedness. So far she’d never panicked, never lost her focus, though he knew she had to be terrified. She had every reason to be.

  The situation they were in had him worried, as well. The dog barking in the distance seemed to be getting louder. He frowned, determined not to borrow trouble as they kept heading away from the house, hoping to find someone who could help them. As far as they knew, King didn’t even know they were gone. He let out a huff of air as he helped Gwen around a log. Griffin would find a way to track their phone and send the cavalry after them. Then all of this would be over. For the moment all he needed to focus on was getting her out of here and finding help.

  He glanced at her profile, not missing the determination in her movements. But he needed to keep his focus on what was happening, because underestimating King was going to get them both killed. The man was highly motivated and had everything to gain and, at this point, nothing to lose. The only way they were going to stay alive through all of this was to escape. Because he had no doubt that in an exchange, King wouldn’t play fair.

  “How are you doing?” he asked, tightening his grip around her waist.

  “It doesn’t matter. We can’t stop.”

  “I know this is hard, but Griffin will pinpoint our location and send someone to find us. This will all be over soon.”

  She nodded, but he knew she was hurting.

  “What do you like to do for fun?” he asked. “When you’re not working.”

  “Trying to distract me again?” She kept moving beside him, clearly focused on each step she was taking.

  “I thought it might help.”

  “You’re a good distraction.”

  He was a distraction?

  “Meaning…?” he asked.

  A blush creeped up her cheeks, like she’d regretted what she’d just said. “Nothing.”

  “I think I’d like to know what you were thinking. The fact that you see me as a distraction intrigues me.”

  “I just meant I’ve been extremely grateful I’m not out here on my own. And Scrabble wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.”

  He helped her over a fallen log. “I also recall you referring to me as both handsome and charming.”

  She laughed. “You’re exasperating.”

  “It was just an innocent question. But you’ve forgotten about the pain, right?”

  “I had until you reminded me.”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. He liked how she made him laugh even in the middle of all this. Liked flirting with her even though he didn’t want her to. But she wasn’t the only one distracted. Having his arm around her waist and her leaning against him—this was dangerous territory. He shouldn’t be thinking about the woman who’d despised him for the past decade, and yet… Why did it seem like every time he was near her, his heart raced and his palms got sweaty?

  No. That wasn’t going to happen. Not with her. She didn’t like him, and just because he’d managed to save her life—twice—didn’t change anything. Neither did the fact that he genuinely enjoyed her company despite the mess they were in. She was funny, smart…and way, way too close.

  He shoved back the ridiculous romantic feelings. He was going to get her as far from here as possible—his brother would track them down via the cell phone and all of this would be over. He just had to keep her moving as fast as possible. And what he thought he might feel toward her would have to wait.

  Because that was what he wanted.

  Wasn’t it?

  Caden pushed away the indecision he wasn’t used to dealing with. He needed to ignore whatever he was feeling and focus on getting them out of here. He could still hear the dog barking in the background, and it sounded as if the animal was gaining on them. They were going as
fast as he felt he could push her, but he was worried it wasn’t fast enough. He glanced back again, wondering if her plan of her hiding somewhere was something they should consider, but while there were a lot of places she could hide, if King had a dog, the chances of her being discovered would increase tremendously.

  No. His gut told him that separating was the wrong move. Which meant they had to keep moving…and praying.

  THIRTEEN

  Gwen ran as fast as she could with Caden’s help, but the sound of the dog’s barking was getting louder. Her lungs began to burn as he steered them off the trail and farther into the thick forest, but she knew he had no idea where they were or what direction they were taking. And even if Caden’s brother did manage to track them, it would be too late. King and his dog were closing in on them, and she wasn’t going to be able to continue much longer—even with Caden helping her.

  Caden worked to pull her closer, trying to ensure there was no weight on her foot, but her ankle felt as if it was on fire. She worked to slow down her breathing, but if King found them, there was nothing he could do. They were both witnesses to murder and there was no way he could let them get away. Even if he didn’t use them to make the exchange, their death sentence was as good as signed.

  She glanced behind them and caught movement in the brush a hundred feet back. He might not have located them, but he was slowly closing in, and all she could see around them was more trees and underbrush.

  “He’s coming this way,” she said.

  Caden stopped, then pulled her toward a large outcropping of moss-covered rocks. “In here.”

  “He’ll find us,” she said.

  “It’s easier for him to see us if we’re moving than if we’re staying still.”

  “And the dog?”

  He didn’t answer as they crouched down behind the thick brush and rocks, his arm still holding her tightly. She managed to sit down on the damp ground and take pressure off her foot, while praying that the throbbing would lessen.

  “This might work.” Caden peered through a small break in the brush. “Looks like he’s heading away from us.”

  “You need to go, Caden. Leave me here.”

  He turned back to her and caught her gaze. “I’m not leaving you.”

  Her heart tripped. He was far too close in the small space. It felt too…intimate. It was a feeling she hadn’t expected, and like the fear she was experiencing, didn’t know how to handle. All she wanted right now was for him to tell her he was feeling the same things she was. To hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

  For a brief moment, the tension inside her eased as she explored the feeling. His strong arm still encircled her waist, while his gaze seemed to pierce through her. She knew he was formulating a plan. King might think he had the upper hand, but she knew Caden would go down fighting. He was the one thing that had kept her going. The one distraction she couldn’t get out of her mind. Every time she looked at him, every time he touched her hand, or spanned her waist to help her walk, pieces of the wall around her heart had slowly begun to crumble. No matter how much she wanted to dislike him, she couldn’t. Instead, she imagined what it would be like to see him again after this was all over. To visit the ranch he’d told her about and meet his family. To go on a long horseback ride with him through the mountains. He made her feel safe. Made her not want to give in to the fears no matter what was going on.

  Made her want him to lean down and kiss her and never let her go.

  She tried to read his expression, wondering if he was feeling the same thing she was. How, in the midst of terror, had her heart been pulled in this direction? Maybe it was nothing more than a needed distraction from the situation they were in, because she and Caden…that was never going to happen.

  But if that was true, then why couldn’t she shake this feeling inside her? This crazy feeling that she shouldn’t just dismiss whatever was going on between them.

  “Gwen, I—”

  “Did you ever play hide-and-seek, Gwen?” King’s voice yanked her back to reality and cut off whatever Caden was going to say. “Well, ready or not, here I come.”

  The dog’s barks were becoming more frequent and sharper.

  “He’s heading our way again. We need to move,” Caden said.

  The tension in his voice was back as he helped her up. Whatever had passed between them was gone now.

  “Stay low. We’re going to try to outmaneuver him.”

  They headed in the opposite direction from King, but the undergrowth was getting thicker and keeping their movements quiet was impossible. She bit back a cry as her ankle twisted again, sending another stab up her leg.

  I don’t know how long I can do this, God.

  Ahead of them, sunlight broke through the trees. With no map or knowledge of the terrain, she knew they could be going in circles. Which put them at another disadvantage. King, no doubt, knew this area. They didn’t. Another few seconds later, the terrain opened up. Her foot kicked against a small rock that bounced down the slight incline, then off the edge of the canyon that spread out in front of them. Adrenaline punched through her.

  “I found you,” King shouted. “You lose.”

  She grabbed Caden’s arm, looking for an escape. The canyon edge was in front of them. King and his dog were now behind them and could see them if they went left or right. Panic pressed in harder against her. There was no way out.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “This is not your fault.”

  If she’d been able to run. If she hadn’t had to rely on him to help carry her. He’d been dragged into this situation simply because he’d decided to help her and now…

  “I’d stay right there if I were the two of you. Bear will attack if I tell him to, and on top of that my gun is loaded, and I’m a very good shot. The only way out at this point—and I’m sure your minds are scrambling for an escape—would be for the two of you to jump.”

  King stepped out of the tree line. “Good boy. Bear is a trained search dog. This isn’t the first time he’s come in handy. I should have known you’d find a way out of that room, but you two just made it to the end of the line, and I wouldn’t try anything. Bear might look friendly, but with one word, he’s got a mean bite, which means this little game is over.”

  Caden took a step back with her.

  “I’m not sure where you think you’re going, but the two of you are more trouble than you’re worth. I’m tempted to shoot you both, but fortunately for you, I still need you for a little while longer. So for starters, let’s drop that phone you took on the ground.”

  Caden hesitated, then pulled it out of his pocket and tossed it toward King. Gwen bit the edge of her lip and tried not to cry. Even if his brother had been able to track the phone, chances were they’d never find them now.

  King pulled out the battery, then stomped on the phone before throwing it over the edge. “Now, while I might be impressed with your Houdini act and escaping from the safe room, if you intend to get out of this alive, you’ll do exactly what I say. Because in case you forgot, we still have an exchange taking place in the next hour. And if you want to ensure any chance of your getting out of here alive… I’d suggest you do exactly what I tell you. Let’s go.”

  Caden’s arm tightened around her waist. “She can’t walk.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” King frowned. “The chauffeur is running behind schedule, along with your afternoon tea.”

  The dog lunged forward on his leash and growled at them.

  Gwen fought the panic. She knew if Caden had been on his own, this scenario would have ended differently. She should have insisted he go on by himself and leave her. King still needed her, so she would be safe, but now, if they left the property, there would be no way for Griffin to find them, even if they had managed to trace the phone before King had destroyed it.

  They
were on their own from now on.

  King stepped in front of her and frowned. “Walk in front of me. Try anything foolish, Gwen, and I will shoot him.”

  Backtracking to the house was excruciating, but stopping wasn’t an option. Ten minutes later, the house loomed in front of them once again. Aaron was out there somewhere with the money waiting for them. She still couldn’t believe the situation he’d gotten her into, and yet at the moment, all she wanted was for them all to be safe. But how were they supposed to end this? Her mind refused to stop replaying everything that had happened. Being shoved off the side of the canyon. Caden rescuing her. King shooting Levi, then grabbing her again. It was like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

  And it wasn’t over yet.

  King finished binding their hands behind them in the back seat, then secured them with their seat belts.

  “Do you have another plan?” Gwen asked Caden as King slammed the back door shut.

  “I’d prefer one that works this time,” Caden said.

  She shot him a wry smile. “Don’t give up yet.”

  He hadn’t. Not yet.

  In his work in the military, he’d seen firsthand that in situations like this, most perpetrators hadn’t intended to end up in the mess they were in, which meant instead of having a formulated plan, they were simply working it out as they went. As far as he was concerned, the only option left was to leave seeds of doubt in the man’s mind without making him turn on them, which meant playing on the man’s impulsiveness.

  Most of what King had done over the past few days had been impulsive, which could work in their favor in the end. Most people who broke the law did so believing firmly that they wouldn’t get caught. But leaving a trail of dead bodies behind was taking a huge risk. Unless King somehow found a way to disappear, the authorities would find him and arrest him.

  What they needed to do was find a way to keep him off balance.