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But why? Luke had loyal friends. Did he also have enemies?
Sally jumped at the scuff of feet across the dirt floor of the barn.Don’t be afraid.She clenched her jaw and looked straight ahead. Damned if she’d bow to them. What kind of a psychopath demanded that?
Blondie’s tenor voice jolted her when he spoke from the vicinity of the door to her enclosure. “What’s your name?”
She didn’t answer.
“You may speak.”
“Go to hell,” she said.
Blondie’s footsteps scuffed to Sally’s right and then back, and she turned her head to follow his movements as though she could see through the bag.
“Would you like to know what happened to your friends?”
God yes, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“They’re alive, and they’ll stay that way as long as you don’t cause me any trouble.” His voice hardened, and she caught the barest hint of a New York accent. “What’s your name?”
His message was clear. He would hold Daniel and Matt’s lives over her head.
“Sally. What’s yours?” She spat the words in distaste.
“Much better, Sally. Pretty name. Very American. Very Christian. My name is Ahmed.”
Sally’s soft intake of air was met with a laugh.Ahmed. The American traitor who tortured Luke—who killed Daniel’s brother. Luke had told her he was dead.
“I see you’ve heard of me. Does the infidel tremble with fear when he speaks of me? He should. I’m here to finish the job I started. When your Navy SEAL is dead, I’ll be a hero to my brothers, and justice will be furthered.” Satisfaction rang in the creep’s voice.
Terrorists? Dregs of the earth, monsters, killers of the innocent in the name of religion. She’d never hated anyone as much as this man who stood tormenting her. “Ahmed? Traitor? Murderer? Yes. Luke speaks of you…with pity.” Hopefully, Luke would forgive the lie she’d blurted in her sudden, uncontrollable desire to punish this man for what he’d done. Judging by the slamming of his hand on the top of her cage, Sally had hit home.
Disgust deafened her to the warning bells in her head. “Do your terrorist buddies trust you, or do they see the American in you and despise you for it? The men you lead—do they beg to be assigned to another? Do you have any friends? Anyone left who’s willing to watch your back? You’re a loser. Luke beat you over there on your own turf. The truth is, you’ll never stand a chance against men like Luke Harding. You have no heart.”
Silence descended around her, and with it came the first inkling Sally might have gone too far.
When he spoke, the barely controlled rage came through loud and clear. “Are you finished? You are an infidel and, as such, you will die before the day is over—you and all your friends. Your Luke Harding will watch me plunge the knife into your heart as I spill my seed within your belly at my climax. You will die quickly, but I’ll take my time with him. I will break him yet.”
Sally bit her bottom lip to keep the tears poised behind her eyelids from falling.Don’t be afraid.Right. Easy enough to say, but putting those words into practice would be tough. Somehow, she had to warn Luke not to come back here. To take Jen far, far away from here. And she couldn’t do it trussed up like a calf at the rodeo.
“I have a few things to see to before our guest of honor arrives, but I haven’t forgotten your creamy skin and your sweet little ass. I’ll be back, and we’ll see if you’re still so arrogant when we’re done.” His nearly silent footfalls retraced his steps.
Sally followed his progress until she could no longer hear him. Then she exhaled the breath she’d been holding. She wrestled with the bindings on her wrists in despair but only caused them to cut deeper into her flesh. Her blood was warm as it ran down her fingers.
It seemed like a long time before she heard sounds again. She cocked her head as voices raised above the shuffling of feet. Matt, and from the sound of it, he was giving someone a thorough cussing. Her hasty prayer was answered as the commotion came through the open barn door.
“Sally? Thank God you’re alive.” If he was planning to say more, it was cut off hastily by an apparent punch to the abdomen. His breath expelled loudly.
She kept quiet so his captors wouldn’t find additional reasons to serve up abuse. As soon as they were gone, though, and all she could hear was Matt breathing hard, she turned her head toward him. Seeing him was suddenly of paramount importance, but it wasn’t happening with this damn bag over her head.
“Matt? Are you okay?”
“Yeah…just knocked the wind out of me. What about you? Did they hurt you?”
Sally pushed Ahmed’s threat aside. “I’m fine. Where’s Daniel?”
“I’m here too.” A new voice joined the conversation.
“Daniel! I’m so glad…” She didn’t finish the comment on her lips, but she was sure both of them could figure out what she’d been about to say.
