He bent low and swept her into his arms. Having her close was settling, though anger at Ramsey still traced through him.
The men stood back out of their way, except for Mike, the baldy who’d met him at the airport. “Her room is this way, sir.”
Bridger jerked his chin up at him and followed the man through the spacious living area and kitchen and down one of the hallways. Mike pushed open a door, and Bridger strode inside, slamming the door closed behind him and securing the lock with one hand as he clung to Avalyn with the other. It was silly, as the men could bust in here at any moment. No lock could keep Avalyn safe.
Despair overwhelmed him. How was he going to protect her every day? What if Ramsey won and she was forced to spend the night with that slimeball? What if neither of them won and she died in one of these stupid adventures? Bridger had been an extreme athlete for years now, but he suddenly had no stomach for adventure or thrills. He wanted to be tucked away in a quiet house in Long Island with Avalyn cuddled in his arms. Their parents just down the road. Maybe a baby on the way. If that dream could come true, he would give up all this insanity.
Sadly, it was a dream that he couldn’t make come true. Even if they escaped, Avalyn had made it abundantly clear on Christmas Eve that she didn’t want him. He held her close. At least she was in his arms and safe … for the moment.
Chapter Nine
Avalyn couldn’t stop shivering. A coughing spell racked her body. When it settled, she stared up at Bridger’s handsome face. She was alive. Had Bridger saved her? He must have, or else she’d be in the horrid Ramsey’s arms. A shudder passed through her.
Bridger’s brow furrowed. “Oh, Ava Baby. I’m so sorry.”
She pushed out a breath, and her gaze settled on his bare chest. She let herself lean her cheek against the smooth skin and muscle, too spent to pretend she didn’t want him to simply hold her close until all the fear went away. “You’re sorry,” she muttered. “Because you saved me?” She glanced up at him.
A muscle worked in Bridger’s jaw. “Ramsey only brought you here because of me.”
Avalyn’s breath caught. This Ramsey guy really thought Bridger loved her? Maybe in this twisted world these people lived in, Bridger’s version of love ’em and leave ’em would be considered devotion. That wasn’t her world. How was she going to get out of here? Her chest tightened and she started coughing again. Her head hurt worse than it had when she’d awoken from being drugged earlier.
Bridger carried her through the room into the attached bath. He set her on her feet and pulled open the glass shower door, pulling the shower knob out. “We’ve got to get you warm.”
Warm sounded wonderful. The ocean hadn’t been cold when she’d first fallen in, but maybe a near drowning just made you feel cold all over. Bridger tested the water with his hand and then turned to her. He grasped the edges of her shirt and started to lift it.
“Bridger!” Avalyn cried out, pushing his hands away.
“What?” His dark eyes were confused as he focused on her face.
“You aren’t undressing me,” she said sharply. Did he undress women regularly? The mere thought of it consumed her with jealousy.
“Oh!” Bridger was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hands settled on her waist. “I … was just trying to help.”
“Well, I don’t need your help.”
Bridger stared down at her. His eyes were so full of concern and worry for her, it about broke her resolve to keep him at arm’s length. “I don’t want to leave you,” he murmured, his gaze traveling over her face.
Avalyn pushed out an unsteady laugh. The worry over other women was pushed far away as she basked in Bridger staring at her as if she were something special to him. “Yeah, well, you’re going to have to,” she murmured. “At least so I can shower.”
Bridger stepped back, and Avalyn felt like she could breathe again. How could she have all these romantic thoughts when she’d almost died and Ramsey was going to try to kill her again tomorrow? Bridger was only this attentive to her because she had nearly drowned and there were no models and actresses around to compete for his affection.
“You’ll be okay?” Bridger asked, averting his gaze from her.
“Yes, thank you.”
He nodded. “Wait a second. I’ll grab your suitcase.” He hurried from the bathroom and returned with her suitcase. Without another word, he set it down next to the vanity, then stepped back out of the bathroom and shut the door tight.
Avalyn pulled in a slow breath, her hands still trembling from cold or shock, she wasn’t sure. She peeled off her wet, salt-water-caked clothes and hung them over the glass shower door to drip-dry. She retrieved some shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from her suitcase. It was surreal to do something as normal as showering when they were in this horrific situation, but as she stepped into the warm water, she couldn’t help but send up a prayer of gratitude. They had survived, and Bridger was here with her. For some reason, he gave her strength to think she could face tomorrow.
Bridger paced outside the bathroom door while Avalyn showered, prepared to go in there if he heard a crash or bang of any sort. She had to be a mess right now and he hated leaving her alone, but he needed to respect her privacy, and if he saw her in the shower … well, all of the self-control his parents had instilled in him and he’d maintained throughout the years would probably fly out the window at that point.
A rap came from the hallway. He hurried over and opened the door. Mike handed over his bag. Then he gestured, and a younger man walked in with trays of food on a rolling cart. It smelled delicious. The young man nodded to him and walked back out. Mike stood by the door, rubbing his bald head.
“Thanks.” Bridger started to shut the door.
Mike put his hand on it. “You did good today, man.”
Bridger stared at him, not sure what to make of the compliment. “Thank you.”
“Is Miss Shaman … okay?”
Bridger shrugged. “As good as she can be.”
Mike opened his mouth, but then he closed it. He nodded once before turning and striding back down the hallway.
Bridger shut and locked the door, then returned to his post by the bathroom door. It was torture to think of Avalyn showering in there, but he pushed his longing far away. He couldn’t get distracted by wanting to hold her or kiss her. He had to play Ramsey’s games and save her each day until they could escape.
What was up with Ramsey? Bridger still couldn’t wrap his mind around this twisted competition Ramsey had created. The moment Ramsey had shoved Avalyn into the ocean, with an anchor tied to her ankle, kept replaying over and over in his mind. Would Ramsey really do something that malicious to gain more followers? Not the Ramsey he’d thought he knew.
The shower stopped, and still Bridger waited. Quite a while later, the bathroom door swung open and Avalyn appeared with a mist of steam. She looked fresh and beautiful with her long hair wet and smooth down her back, wearing a simple white sundress. Her dark skin contrasted so perfectly, he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers along her smooth shoulder and reassure himself that she was all right.
“Have you been standing out here this whole time?” She planted her hands on her hips and tossed her hair.
Bridger couldn’t help but smile. “Had to make sure you were okay.”
The teasing light in her dark eyes went out. “I’ll be fine.”
It was fake bravado, but he was proud of her for it. She was Avalyn Shaman, and nobody was going to conquer her. At least, he hoped not. “I’m going to shower quick,” he told her.
She nodded, her shoulders straight and her chin tilted at a proud angle. “I’ll be fine while you shower, Bridge. I’m not a helpless female.”
“I know that, it’s just …”
She met his gaze. “We’re in a horrid situation. I know. Shower quick.”
He gave her a smile, grateful she wanted him close by, and then rushed into the bathroom and shut
the door behind him. It smelled like vanilla cupcakes, and he felt heat rush through him. Why did she have to look so good and smell so good? He rushed through his shower and within minutes was pulling on some gray shorts and a white T-shirt.
He hurried out of the bathroom door. Avalyn was curled on her side on the bed. Her body trembled as she sobbed.
“Oh, Ava,” he murmured. He hurried to her side.
She sat up, brushing angrily at the tears.
“I’m fine. You were too quick.”
Bridger laughed in surprise. She was so tough and brave. He shouldn’t have been surprised by how well she was dealing with this nightmare; she was one of the most impressive and independent people he knew. It just made him fall for her even harder.
“You are not fine.” He sat down on the bed and pulled her against his chest. Thankfully, she didn’t resist. She laid her head against his shoulder, and Bridger knew he could conquer anything for this woman, but for the first time in his life, he didn’t want to conquer. He wanted to get her far away from here and hold her like this until she tired of him.
Avalyn’s arms wrapped around his waist and she clung to him. Bridger trailed his fingers along her back.
After much too short of a time, she gazed up at him, her dark eyes bright with more tears. “What do you think he’s going to do to me tomorrow?” she whispered.
Bridger’s breath caught. He hadn’t let himself go there. “I don’t know.” Her eyes were so full of fear it ripped at him. “But Ramsey doesn’t want you to die.”
She blinked at him. “You’re insane. I think he only wants to hurt you, and he thinks by killing me—or close to it—he can accomplish that.”
Bridger didn’t know what Ramsey’s motivation was. Until a few hours ago, he’d thought they were friends. Yes, they competed fiercely and Ramsey always wanted to beat him, but to want to kill the woman Bridger loved? That was insane, even for Ramsey. How Ramsey knew Avalyn was the woman of Bridger’s dreams was beyond him. They’d spent a lot of time together competing and at parties after competitions, but Bridger didn’t realize he was so transparent when it came to Avalyn.
“It shook him up when you weren’t breathing,” he said. “He brought me the knife to cut you free and helped me pull you back to the yacht. He had a paramedic there to help. I think this truly is about publicity and a fun time for him, plus he would love to best me.” He shuddered just thinking about that, imagining if Ramsey won. Avalyn would be in Ramsey’s arms instead of his.
He forced himself to release her and stand, extending his hand. “Let’s eat dinner and let them get good and high—Ramsey drinks or drugs out most nights. Then we’ll sneak out of here and find a way off this ship.” The lack of women on this ship disturbed him. Ramsey loved women, and he loved partying. Who would he party with? His bodyguards? Something was really off, and Bridger had no clue how to get to the bottom of it.
Avalyn took Bridger’s hand and let him lead her to the table and the cart full of food. He uncovered the trays, and the scents of steak and freshly made bread floated out. His stomach rumbled. So weird he could be hungry in the midst of all of this, but he hadn’t eaten since this morning in Cancun. This day felt like it had stretched forever, and he didn’t like the thought of facing tomorrow and Ramsey’s next challenge. They had to get out of here.
“How are we going to do that?” Avalyn asked, taking the plate he offered and filling it with some salad and steak carbonara.
“The helicopter we came in on is still here, and if I can’t find keys or hot-wire it, there will be rescue boats or sometimes even a speedboat on a yacht this size. The rescue boats would be equipped with emergency sensors. See? Lots of options.” He gave her a brave smile but wasn’t feeling as hopeful as he tried to pretend. Ramsey might be a cocky druggie, but he was also a brilliant and successful businessman. The chances of him leaving Bridger an opportunity to escape were one in a million.
Chapter Ten
Avalyn tried to act normal—well, as normal as a person could act knowing they’d most likely die in the morning—as she and Bridger ate dinner and then waited for the yacht to settle down. They talked about their families and all of his new sisters-in-law and which projects her charity Health for All was working on.
She told him a story about a darling little girl who had been scratching Avalyn’s back with a pen during a long church meeting in Cebu, Philippines. Neither of them had realized the pen had been clicked on, and Avalyn’s white shirt was covered with blue pen marks. The girl had looked up at her when her mom scolded her and asked hopefully, “Miss Shaman, do you have another shirt?” Avalyn laughed again as she told the story, though it still tore at her that having another nice shirt for church was a novel thing for the child.
She enjoyed talking to Bridger, but there was an underlying strain with the fear of what may come, the gratitude that they’d survived this day, and the desire to come out and ask him if Ramsey was right and she was the love of Bridger’s life. He looked at her like he cared deeply for her, but Bridger Hawk wasn’t capable of a lasting relationship and Avalyn couldn’t settle for a shallow hookup. She loved him far too much and would never recover.
It had been dark for a couple of hours, and the only sounds were the water lapping against the side of the boat. As they’d eaten dinner, the yacht had started moving, which terrified Avalyn even more. They were on their way to the spot for the next extreme event that could result in her death, or her being left alone with Ramsey for the night. She wasn’t sure which was worse. She’d rather join the angels in heaven than be defiled by the likes of Ramsey. He was truly a twisted and evil person.
Bridger inclined his head toward the door, and her stomach clenched. This was it. If the good Lord above was watching over them, they’d find a way to escape, but the thought of creeping around the quiet yacht looking for that out and praying they didn’t run into Ramsey or one of his gun-toting lackeys didn’t seem very likely. She just wanted to get back to the children and off this insane yacht. She loved the little ones, and every time they gave her a smile or clasped her hand, it made the long hours she put in to bring them clean water, food, and healthcare all worth it.
Bridger took her hand and they crept toward the door. He paused and listened, then unclicked the lock, pushed the handle, and pushed the door open.
Two men stood at the door, aiming their scary-looking guns in Bridger and Avalyn’s faces. The taller one smiled. “We were placing bets on how long until you tried to escape.” He tilted his head to the other guy. “You owe me a hundred bucks.”
The other guy chuckled, but his grip on the gun stayed steady. “Double or nothing? You know he’s gonna try again.”
Bridger nodded to them. “Put your guns down and I’ll bet you a thousand bucks I can kick both your butts.”
Avalyn clutched his hand tighter. She hated violence, but at the moment she would’ve loved to watch Bridger knock them both out.
The tall guy’s eyebrows drew together. “That sounds really appealing, but Ramsey pays us far more than that.”
“I’m worth a lot more than Ramsey,” Bridger said, as confident as ever. “You help us escape and I’ll give you any dollar figure you ask for.”
Yes! Avalyn hadn’t thought of that. Maybe these hired mercenaries could be bought.
The men exchanged a look as if they were considering it. Finally, the taller one spoke again. “As appealing as that sounds, and as big of a fan of yours as I am, there’s no way to escape. Ramsey made it pretty clear. The helicopter’s buttoned up tight, as is the speedboat, and the lifeboats have been disabled. He knows you too well, sir.”
Bridger studied him. “So you want to help us?”
No one spoke.
“What’s your name?” Bridger asked.
“You can call me Klein.”
“Please help us, Klein. You saw what happened today. Ramsey’s gone crazy. He might kill Avalyn tomorrow. She spends her life helping children throughout the world. You can help
save her.”
The other guy focused on Klein.
Klein’s eyes flickered to Avalyn, and she felt hope for the first time today. Just as quickly, the man’s jaw tightened and he pushed the gun up against Bridger’s shoulder. “You will find that every guard here is committed to Ramsey and cannot be bought or reasoned with.”
Just like that, Avalyn’s stomach dropped. She swayed and leaned against Bridger. He stood tall and strong like their one hope of escape hadn’t just been terminated.
“Our instructions are to maim you, sir, not kill you,” Klein continued. “If you force me to do that, who’s going to rescue Miss Shaman tomorrow?” His eyes filled with a darkness that terrified Avalyn. “You’re his friend. You know what Ramsey is capable of with women.”
“Was his friend,” Bridger muttered.
Avalyn’s breath caught in her throat. She clung to Bridger’s hand. Escape wasn’t going to happen, and if Ramsey bested Bridger, how would she defend herself from him? She’d taken some self-defense courses in college. Would they be enough? As she remembered Ramsey’s glistening strength, she feared they wouldn’t be.
“Please get some rest. Your best hope is to run his gauntlet.”
Slowly, Bridger nodded and tugged Avalyn back into the room. He closed and locked the door.
Avalyn’s body trembled, and she bit at her lip to hold back the sob that was working its way up her throat. They would never escape from the psychotic Ramsey. Even though his men were sympathetic to their plight, they wouldn’t help them.
She’d been in a village in Africa last month that had been decimated by human traffickers. Some of the children had been recovered, but hopelessness and fear still lurked in their eyes. She’d been sympathetic but had no way to empathize, until now. Being helpless and in an evil person’s power could easily strip a person of their will to thrive.
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