AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Liam grabbed her elbow and shoved her ahead of him. They strode through a dimly lit hallway, up a short flight of stairs, and emerged into a crisp, cold night. She lengthened her stride to keep up. Trying to be inconspicuous, she glanced around, hoping to spot something familiar that would tell her where she was. The room that had served as her prison was beneath the backside of a shed. Out front, several men unloaded the contents of a truck into the well-lit interior. No one gave her a second look as Liam and the man he’d called James hurried her through the bustling activity.
Beyond a second shed, a house came into view. Halstead’s house. She remembered the rambling, ranch-style home with a wrap-around deck from her visit with Alex. The town of Prineville was only a few miles south. She could get there easily if she could lose her guards.
Liam walked straight to Alex’s four-wheel-drive pickup, opened the driver’s side door, and shoved her onto the seat. Goosebumps raised on her arms. A dog barked from the back of a black pickup not too far away and continued to whine after James retrieved a large backpack from the pickup’s bed and commanded the animal to stay. James tossed the gear into the truck bed and hopped in the passenger side, forcing Jordan to the center. Liam took the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove away from the ranch house.
The extended driveway wound through pastures lined with white fences. The dark shapes of horses dotted the fields where they grazed peacefully. A wrought-iron gate and elaborate archway opened onto a county road. It had seemed like a fairytale house when she’d come here with Alex, but then she hadn’t known it would be her worst nightmare.
Jordan was relieved when they turned south toward town, but a few minutes later, they left the paved road for a narrow, one-lane trail that wound through heavy timber. She kept her head down and mouth shut. Her plan went no further than lulling these two men into a false sense of confidence, hoping to convince them she’d given up the fight.
The trees thinned out, and the trail disappeared into a wide spot on the edge of a sloping embankment. The ground dropped away at a sixty-degree angle to a fast-flowing river below. The first light of the newly risen moon reflected across the water. Liam stopped the vehicle right at the edge.
James jumped out of the pickup before the engine died and headed for the river. Seeing what might be her only opportunity, Jordan only hesitated a second before scrambling for the open door. But she wasn’t fast enough. Liam caught her arm just before she hopped from the seat.
“Not so fast. Your stop’s down there.” He laughed, tilting his head toward the water. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out something metallic that flashed in the moon’s light. “It’s a shame this nice pickup has to go too.”
Jordan’s heart dropped when she recognized a set of handcuffs. Liam locked one cuff around the steering wheel and jerked on her sore wrist, pulling her toward him and the open cuff waiting for her. She fought with every ounce of strength, yelping when a sharp pain shot through her wrist and halfway up her arm. Liam laughed, obviously deriving pleasure from her pain and terror. Anger churned through her, but she’d missed her chance, and she wasn’t getting out of this alive.
The next thing she knew, the knife pressed hard against her palm. The blade slipped open as she pulled it from her pocket. The sharp side of the blade up, she jammed it into Liam’s thigh. The serrated edge sliced through his jeans, and she didn’t let up until she’d buried it to the hilt. His sharp intake of breath preceded a roar of pain a split second before throwing himself off the seat toward the open door. The knife caught on the steering wheel, and he fell headfirst out of the pickup.
“Youstupid bitch,” Liam screamed.
Jordan dove for the open passenger door and ran, finding cover in the trees along the river bank.
“James, stop her and bring her back. I’m gonna use this fucking knife on her.” Liam was down, and she could hear him writhing on the ground on the driver’s side.
It was James she needed to worry about now. Where was he? She couldn’t hear him and didn’t dare look over her shoulder and chance losing her footing. She left the trail and plunged into the trees. After a while, she stopped to listen.
“Where the hell are you, James? Damn it. She’s getting away.” Liam alternated between swearing and whimpering, making it more difficult for Jordan to hear any sounds James might make. Obviously, Liam wasn’t smart enough to figure out James might be hunting her.
Abruptly, Liam went quiet. Jordan strained to catch any sound, whispered conversation, a stealthy footstep. Nothing for several seconds, and then athudas something heavy hit the ground.
Silence returned to the forest, so deep Jordan could hear her shallow breathing as she stood still, waiting. A gentle breeze swayed the branches of the trees, needles swishing together. In the distance, a hawk screeched—nothing else. Jordan could almost imagine she was alone, but she knew better. There were likely two men on the hunt for her now. They knew how to stay quiet, which must be a significant effort for Liam with his wounded leg. They wanted her to show herself and make it easy for them. She searched the ground around her until she found a short piece of a branch that would work to take someone’s head off in a pinch.
Agonizing minutes crept by, and her legs began to cramp from her rigid stance. Her side ached. What were they doing? Carefully, she peered through the trees. Both pickup doors still stood open, but otherwise, the area seemed deserted. The interior light shone eerily on the ground a few feet on either side. Had they moved toward the river looking for her? Would the keys still be in the ignition? This could be the break she needed. It could also be a trap, but she had to try.
The first step toward the pickup had been the hardest. Now, Jordan couldn’t stop. Step by step, she crept closer. Reaching the tailgate, she skirted the bed. The body sprawled on the ground near the rear tire startled her.Liam. Oh my God.She jumped back and inhaled sharply. Had she killed him?Impossible.She’d stabbed him in the thigh with a two-inch blade.
“I thought I was going to have to track you.” James’s voice came from behind her.
Fear tightened every muscle in her body as Jordan turned. James’s gaze darted to the branch she held as though it were a bat. He hopped away as she swung her weapon. It bounced off his belt buckle, but he stumbled back another step, tangled his feet in gnarled sagebrush, and fell. Jordan rushed forward. He was down, and she had to make sure he stayed down.
Her weapon raised to strike, she focused on her target, trying to fight the disgust at what she was about to do. Strong hands closed around her wrists, stopping her swing in midair. “You don’t want to do that.” His calm voice scared her even more. Was he so sure of himself?
“You’re right, but I’m not letting you kill me.” Her voice cracked around a sob.
He gave her a shake, holding her above him effortlessly. “You’ve got it all wrong. Drop the branch, and we’ll talk.”
Something crashed through the brush beside her. Startled, she glanced up to see a dark shape hurtling toward her. Jordan tried to roll out of its path, but it landed on top of her, pinning her down. She didn’t remember dropping the branch, but it was gone. She raised her hands to protect her head and face. A sloppy tongue licked her as a jingling sound caught her attention.
“Off, Jake.” James stood over her.
“Jake?” Jordan caught the dog’s collar and pushed him off her, but Jake still whined and wagged his tail.
“Seems like he knows you.” James offered her a hand up.
“We’ve met. Is he yours?” Jordan regarded James warily. Did Jake really belong to a cold-blooded killer? Didn’t dogs have better judgment than that? She ignored his outstretched hand.
“No. I found Jake at the church in Mitchell, slightly worse for wear. He was limping on one front leg when we left there, but he seems better now. I left him at Halstead’s ranch, but he must have followed me.” He nudged the dog out of the way and reached for her forearm, pulling her to her feet.
