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Ramona laughed. “I think she already has Luka. You are living in her house. You go to Ava’s soccer practice together. I see you touching her intimately. A hand to the lower back. She doesn’t pull away.” Luka gazed at Ramona who raised her eyebrow at him.
“She sent you on errands for Chloe’s birthday party tonight. I heard her talking to you on the phone when you called. Just like a husband and wife. The only difference is no sex.”
He looked down at his mug.
“Ah, you’re even having sex.”
“Just once plus a couple of close calls.”
Ramona reached across the table and touched Luka’s arm. “She loves you Luka. She never stopped but you hurt her. You have to give her time to be sure that she can trust you again.”
“I don’t have a lot of patience Ramona. Do you remember that about me?” Luka’s brow furrowed as he stared down at the cup of black coffee.
“I do but you don’t really have a choice in the matter Luka. You kind of made your bed big guy when you chose to leave her. Now you have to deal with the fall out until Sky comes around and I’m pretty sure that she will.”
He rubbed his hand across his face. “He won’t hurt her will he?”
“You know that Tag is many things but I don’t think he will hurt her. Murderer just doesn’t seem to fit him.”
**
Skylar was asleep on the sofa in the tiny cabin. After the phone call she had cleaned up the kitchen and laid down, falling asleep rather easily considering Tag had kidnapped her and she wasn’t sure what he was going to do with her. He was drinking a lot slower than before dinner.
Through the large picture window, she could see the sunlight on her face waking her. There was no mistaking her feelings of regret this morning for stringing Tag along even though she had been clear to him that what they had was nothing more than casual. She had never wanted to hurt anyone.
Rising from the sofa, she glanced around. She was alone. She explored the cabin and didn’t find Tag. She flung open the door and discovered that the truck was gone.
That son of a bitch had left her in this remote hideaway and she didn’t know where she was. Skylar closed the door. She wasn’t sure what to do. She looked around for something. Anything. In the kitchen looking for bottled water she found a note tacked to the refrigerator door.
Skylar, thank you for helping me last night. The walk isn’t as far as you think. Head down the trail, go left about two miles you’ll find a town called Principal. Ironic isn’t it? Not the right spelling but the meaning is what I’m referring to. I can’t do prison Skylar. Sorry for leaving you in the lurch.
Tag.
She was barefoot. He hadn’t thought of that. Stupid, jackass. Eventually they would catch up with him.
Skylar headed out the cabin door. She shut it behind her not bothering to lock it. What was the use? If anyone found it, they were welcome to the supplies that she assumed Tag had paid for. There were twigs and hard stones all along the path that were a bitch to walk on with bare feet. She was cursi
ng the day Howard Richardson, better known as Tag to her was born by the time she got to the main street.
The asphalt wasn’t much better. The sun had warmed it but her only other option was the berm of the road which was covered in the same tiny pebbles as the driveway she had just endured. She might as well have been walking on cut glass. She stuck to the hot asphalt.
After walking she thought at least a mile, a police cruiser pulled over in front of her. Skylar covered her eyes as the officer got out of his vehicle.
“Ma’am you all right?” He was tall, his hat pulled low she couldn’t see his eyes. Nice lips though. His voice soft and reassuring.
She was already crying by the time he reached her. She couldn’t speak. She just shook her head no. He guided her to his vehicle and put her in the back. Another new experience being in the back of a police car. More leg room than most criminals would have since she was so small. A cage blocked her from him. “I picked up an unidentified female, about five feet tall, one hundred pounds.”
Skylar started laughing and he glanced over his shoulder.
“Are you all right ma’am?”
She nodded. He didn’t look convinced.
She wiped her eyes. “I’m a little taller than that. I haven’t weighed one hundred pounds since high school but thank you. My name is Skylar Bradford.” She sniffed back her tears. “I was taken from my home yesterday in Haley Cove by an ex-boyfriend…”
She watched the surprise cross his features as she continued her story. Three hours later, Skylar had told the same story to so many people she was numb. She still didn’t know where Principal, Ohio was. The police had found the cabin. The note that Tag had left her. She had given them a description of his truck. An APB was issued for it and Tag. They had contacted her family who was on their way to Principal to collect her and Skylar couldn’t wait to see them.
Sky didn’t know who was coming but she hoped it was at least two people in particular. She was looking forward to seeing Luka and Ava.
