Page 64 of This Christmas

Chapter Seventeen

The sound of Charlotte’s terrified scream split the air and bounced off the damp stone walls, leading her down into the darkness. Ally’s heart lurched painfully in her chest when she saw the gun against her daughter’s temple.

“Ted,” she whispered, stepping closer, careful not to make any sudden moves. “Please, let her go. You don’t have to do this.” Her eyes were glued and Ted and Charlotte. Her sole purpose right now was to protect her daughter from the devil that held her.

Ted looked awful—wild-eyed, unshaven, sweat and snow mixing on his forehead. He looked thinner, almost skeletal. His hands trembled around the gun as he held it.

“You don’t get it!” he barked at her, his voice echoing through the tunnel. “They’re after me. Everyone’s after me. But if I have her, I have you. You can fix this.” He glared at Ally.

“Ted,” she said again softly, trying to reach the man that she used to know, the one she’d once believed had been a good man. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

Charlotte’s little face was red and wet with tears. “Mommy,” she sobbed as she reached out for her. “Please.”

Ally swallowed hard as her own eyes started burning. “You don’t want to hurt her. You want to hurt me, right?”

Ted blinked as if he was slightly confused, then his jaw set again. “Yes! It’s you I need!” he screamed.

“Then, just… let her go, and take me instead,” Ally said firmly, taking a step forward.

Joe’s head snapped toward her. “Ally, no,” he hissed, stepping in front of her.

She reached out and laid her hand gently on his arm, her fingers trembling slightly at their touch.

Would he ever know how much she’d come to love him? Would she get the chance to tell him?

When Joe turned toward her, their eyes met, and she whispered, “Trust me.”

His jaw tightened for a split second and she saw the war behind his eyes, the part of him that wanted to protect her at all costs fighting against the one that knew she wasn’t backing down.

Finally, he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“Protect her at all costs,” she whispered. “Promise?”

He whispered, “I promise.” He swallowed hard and shifted his focus to Ted again.

Ally stepped around him and raised her palms as she kept her voice low and even. “Ted, please. Just let Charlotte go to Joe, and I’ll go with you. No one has to get hurt. She doesn’t even have a coat on or shoes. You wouldn’t get far carrying her. I’m ready, let’s go.” She motioned to her own coat and boots, which she’d pulled on over the reindeer pajama pants.

Ted hesitated for a moment. The barrel of the gun wavered slightly, then dropped away from her daughter’s temple. “You’ll really come with me?”

“Yes,” she said, forcing her voice to remain calm. “I’ll go wherever you want. Just let her go.”

Charlotte looked between them, sniffling, but thankfully remaining quiet.

“Go on to Joe, sweetheart,” Ally coaxed, holding out her hands. “It’s okay.”

Ted’s breathing grew uneven. Then his grip loosened just enough that Charlotte broke free and with a sob bolted straight into Joe’s arms.

Ted yanked Ally into his arms, and she held in a cry as he twisted her arm behind her back.

“Now you’ll pay, and then we’ll go get what I came for,” he growled into her ear.

The relief that her daughter was safe was overwhelming, raw and shattering. She’s safe, she kept telling herself. No matter what happened now, her daughter was safe. Joe was shielding her daughter from harm. The man was already backing away from Ted, whispering into Charlotte’s ear, no doubt telling her to rush back down the tunnel and hide.

“I’ve got her,” Joe mouthed as their eyes locked. “I love you.”

She held in a sob, desperately wanting to tell him the same, but Ted yanked her back into the darkness.

Ally looked at Joe for a second, memorizing the warmth in his eyes, the strength in his voice.