Page 78 of Two Favors Repaid

I love you, Rob.

I love you.

Ford was picking himself up off the floor. Grumbling something unintelligible, he kicked Rob’s form. Rob didn’t even stir.

“I had to shoot him, Stephen,” Melody wailed. She looked pleased with herself but also half afraid of how Ford was going to react.

“You did well, Melody, very well. You can expect a reward tonight once we’re done taking out the trash.”

Emma shook. Blood seeped onto the floor beside Rob, but the stain wasn’t spreading that fast.

Is he breathing?

“Did I kill him?” Melody asked eagerly.

Ford placed a finger at Rob’s neck. For a moment he looked so much like the physician he’d been, Emma held her breath, waiting for him to speak. Then she remembered where she was.

Don’t touch him!

“He’s alive. The bullet barely grazed him.”

“That’s … good, right?” Melody asked quietly.

“It is, sweetie, it is. I told you before, these two are going to be our ticket out of here. Let me show you what we’re going to do.”

Ford unstrapped her gag. Emma moved her jaw, which had gone numb.

“Please … please don’t hurt him,” she begged. “I’ll do anything you ask, only don’t hurt him.”

Ford laughed a booming laugh then held on to his ribs where one of Rob’s kicks had landed.

“I wish we had time to play, Emma, but now’s not the right time. I need to go hunting for this idiot’s partner. Perhaps it’s even Natalie outside …” His blue eyes narrowed, and he actually licked his lips.

Emma wanted to vomit. She hoped with all her might that Natalie was nowhere close to here.

Rob wouldn’t have brought her here.

“But first, I’m going to cuff this idiot here with you,” Ford said, dragging Rob’s unconscious form. He uncuffed one of his hands from his back and recuffed his right hand to the other side of the pipe. Throughout the whole process Rob remained unconscious.

Ford frisked him, removing a gun from the back of Rob’s jeans and a phone and a small object from one of his pockets. He turned the phone off, removing the battery. The he leaned over and tightened something around Rob’s neck.

“What are you doing?” Emma asked.

“We’ll be back for you in a little bit. Come, Melody, have you ever been out hunting at night?”

And then she and Rob were alone.

At least they left the light on this time.

Emma watched Rob, fearing that every breath would be his last. It would be just like Ford to leave the man to die next to her.

He’s not going to die. I won’t let him die.

#

Rob

“Rob,” a voice whispered urgently. For a moment he didn’t know who it was. But he recognized the voice. It was somebody important to him. Annie—no, not his sister. Emma!