Page 77 of Two Favors Repaid

He took in her form. She was cuffed to some kind of pipe running from the floor to the ceiling. It looked solid. The way she held that shoulder told him she’d been in that position for a long time. Her clothes were in disarray, her mouth held open by a ball gag. She looked exhausted and afraid—but she was alive.

“Such anguish,” Ford said, as if in the middle of a sociological experiment. “He came all the way here to find you, angel, and that’s how you welcome him? Now tell me, Hope, how did you find us?”

“It wasn’t hard. Several people saw her at the hospital.” The lie rolled off his tongue easily.

“He’s lying, Stephen. Nobody saw me. Let me kill him,” she snarled.

“No, Melody. We can use this.” He scratched his two-day beard. “These two lovebirds are going to be our key out of here.”

“Okay, but I don’t want you touching her anymore.”

“I won’t touch her. Just you, sweetie,” Ford said, nuzzling the woman’s neck.

Rob took note of the tension between the two. This was something they could use this to their advantage.

“You okay?” he whispered to Emma.

Her eyes scrunched up, as if she didn’t want to believe he was here.

Suddenly there was a noise on this side of the house. It sounded like glass breaking.

Darryl.

“What’s that?” Ford snarled. “You simpleton, there’s somebody else out there!”

“There was nobody else, Stephen,” the woman simpered fearfully. “He was alone.”

Ford looked like he wanted to strangle the woman. “I’m going to—”

Rob exploded into action. His hands might be behind his back but he wasn’t helpless. He rushed Ford, leaning forward at the last minute and headbutting him in the midriff. Ford’s oomph was music to Rob’s ears.

As Ford doubled over in pain, Rob straightened to his full height and followed with a kick. Nothing flashy—just an efficient kick designed to inflict maximum damage to the man’s kidneys. Ford went down onto one knee. Rob kicked him again, in the back this time, and Ford flew forward, only just managing to put his hands out in front of him as he landed.

Rob turned quickly, wincing at the pressure on his shoulders. He kicked Ford in the back again, flattening the man against the floor, wishing he were wearing steel-toe boots instead of hiking boots.

On the ground, Ford wriggled like an overgrown slug, trying to roll over onto his belly. Rob couldn’t let that happen, not while his hands were still cuffed behind his back. This was one fight Rob couldn’t afford to lose. Rob raised his foot again, this time getting ready to stomp on his opponent’s head.

He heard a noise behind him. Too late, he remembered the woman. He started to turn his head towards her when he heard the gun go off.

Rob tried to bring his hands up, forgetting both arms were cuffed behind his back. Something slammed against the side of his head and he toppled forward, falling into a dark hole.

Chapter 29

Emma

Emma cried out behind the gag. She’d spent all night and all day wishing Rob would find her, and now she couldn’t imagine a worse horror.

When she’d seen Rob stride into the bedroom, his hands behind his back, calm as could be, she’d wanted to scream. Of course, she couldn’t scream. As soon as the first noise had come from outside, and long before Melody had even opened the door, Ford had gagged her again.

She watched Rob fall like a felled tree just a few feet from where she was standing.

He’s been shot. He’s been shot.

Blood poured down the side of his face. Her heart slammed against her chest.

No! No!

Emma ran forward to reach him, forgetting her arm was still cuffed to the pipe. She tugged hard, ignoring the pain in her wrist, ready to gnaw off her own limb like a fox caught in a trap—anything other than standing here watching Rob die, unable to even hold him.