Page 86 of Her Devoted HERO

“You’re a nurse. Fix him!”

“You beat me up, how can I fix him?” Don’t say dumbass, don’t say dumbass. “Dumbass,” she muttered.

“I will kill you if you don’t do what I say!” he roared.

“For fuck’s sake, you’re already planning on killing me!” she screamed at him.

Stop it. Think of Austin. Don’t give up.

He pulled out a knife. “Kenna, you’re the one I’ve always wanted. If you’re nice, you don’t have to die.” He knelt down and sun coming through the one window in the big room glinted off the steel blade. That was the moment when Kenna realized she wasn’t as brave as her mouth was. She cringed backwards. He leaned over her and cut the zip tie holding her hands together.

She yelped with pain as the circulation started back in her hands, arms, and shoulders. He shoved her towards Buddy.

“Go help him. I want him to live. He needs to see what I’m going to do to you.”

Kenna hurt, and it didn’t feel like her body was under her control, but somehow, she was able to get on her knees and scuffle over to Buddy. She practically fell on top of him. His breathing was labored, but he wasn’t choking.

She put two fingers to his neck to feel his pulse. Thank God. It was strong.

Kenna put her mouth to his ear. “Buddy, can you open your eyes? Please. I need to see your eyes.”

“Stop whispering, Bitch!”

“Who are you?” She threw the question over her shoulder.

“Lyle. It’s Lyle,” Buddy whispered as he opened his eyes.

She looked at his blue eyes. She thanked God again. Both of his pupils were equal.

“He’s not dead. He’s not choking. Let the games begin. Kenna, get into the chair.”

Kenna had been looking around the room and realized they were in a home’s empty garage. Lyle, if that was his name, was standing in front of the bay door, behind her was the door leading to the house. She scrambled to her feet and ran towards the door.

“Got you,” he said with glee as he wrenched a handful of her hair and pulled her away from the door. She jerked back, not caring about the pain. Barely, just barely, she managed to press the button that opened the garage door. The motor started to rumble.

“You bitch.”

He threw her to the floor, but she grabbed his leg, doing anything she could think of to stop him from pressing the switch. He kicked out at her, but she held on like a tick on a hound.

“Let go!”

She saw sunlight coming in underneath the bay door. He kicked out again, and she lost her hold. The rumble stopped. She saw that the door had only gone up maybe three feet.

“Help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Praying God some neighbor would hear.

She watched as he pressed the button again, and the door began its descent.

“Help!”

“Nobody can hear you, dear,” he said as he cupped her cheek.

She jerked her head out of his grip, but he was ready for her. He yanked on her hair and dragged her to the middle of the room.

Please God, give me strength until Dex finds me.

Chapter Fourteen

Traffic was bad. They were down to eighteen miles an hour. It was giving Dex plenty of time to think.