by Jill Sanders
“Shit,” he said softly.
“You know what this means?” Robert’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes sir.” It meant that whatever happened in the cabin, Carter was obligated by law to do the right thing. By handing him a gun and a badge, Robert had snuffed out the possibility of Carter going on a vendetta.
Chapter Twenty
Riley’s knee caught Reece in the temple, sending her tumbling across the room. Before she could recover, Riley had ripped the first rope free and was on her, using her weight to pin the woman down so she couldn’t pull the gun from the waist of her jeans.
They wiggled and fought. Riley swiftly sent her palm into the other woman’s jaw, which jerked her head back, causing it to smack against the wood planks of the floor, stunning her momentarily.
Riley used that extra time to secure her wrists together. From there, she grabbed her ankles as she began to kick. An elbow to Reece’s gut had her coughing and stilling, which allowed Riley to finish hog-tying her.
“What the hell…” A man’s voice startled her and had her pulling the gun from Reece’s waist. Her hands shook as she pointed the gun at a very large man standing in the doorway.
“Who are you?” she demanded, trying to hide the fear in her voice.
“I’m Nick.” He glanced at the floor. “Reece’s brother. What have you done to her?”
“Nick, help me. This woman came in here and attacked me.”
“Stop.” Riley jerked the gun towards him when she started to move. “That’s a lie. She kidnapped me from my cousin’s wedding, forced me in the trunk of her car, and was going to tie me up to the bed and hold me for ransom.” The words flew from her mouth quickly.
Apparently, she’d been convincing, because the man stilled. “Is this true?” His voice was almost a whisper. “Reece!” He screamed when his sister didn’t respond. “We talked about this.”
“It was a good plan,” Reece said from her spot on the floor. She had to crane her neck to see her brother.
“Do you have a phone?” Riley asked, still keeping the gun trained on Nick. If this was some sort of trick, she was smart enough not to fall for it.
All it took was the man overpowering her and she’d be lost. She’d lucked out that Reece had only a half of a foot on her and a few pounds, but her brother easily stood over six foot and weighed more than Carter and Corey put together.
“Yes.” He started to reach for his back pocket, but she stopped him.
“Slowly, two fingers,” she warned, remembering all the anti-kidnapping training sessions she’d had with Robert, thanks to her father’s persistence.
Nick pulled out his cell phone with his fingers and held it out to her.
“Call 911,” she said, motioning to the phone.
His eyes moved to the floor and she could tell he was questioning what to do.
“Don’t you dare,” Reece said from her spot. “This woman has the entire town believing that I attacked her last year.”
“That’s because you did,” she said easily, her eyes still trained on Nick. He was the biggest threat to her now. Her father had taught her how to hog-tie a calf when she’d been ten. Reece wasn’t getting out of the rope anytime soon.
She could see the uncertainty in his eyes but knew that he was thinking about the possibility of going to jail himself. He still held the phone out towards her as he debated what to do.
Carter followed Robert through the thick brush. When a dim light appeared a few feet ahead of him, he was shocked to see a two-story cabin sitting among the trees.
“The place has sat empty for the last couple years. The property is in foreclosure. I had a call the other day.” He shook his head. “But I was too busy with finding out who shot at you to respond sooner.” He stopped them before they entered the clearing near the building. “There have been a lot of parties in this empty place over the last year.” He shrugged. “I thought it was just kids.” He nodded to the light. “Looks like I was wrong.”
Carter shifted until he could see a dark figure standing just inside the doorway. He instantly recognized the man’s outline as he stood blocking the doorway. It was Nick.
He started to move, but Robert stopped him. “I can’t see the situation clearly yet,” he whispered. “He could have a gun.”
“He doesn’t. He does have a knife. I think his sister might have been the one to shoot at me.”
“How do you know?”
“Let’s just say Nick was surprised at the news that someone had shot at me.”
“Okay, then we need eyes on Reece.” He glanced around. “I’m going to head around to the side of the building. Don’t move until I come back or signal to you.”
He watched the older man disappear into the darkness, then turned back to the light coming from the cabin.
What was the man doing? He was standing still, just inside the door, his back to the outside as he remained in place.
Was Riley inside? Was she alive?
He could tell that Nick held something in his hands but didn’t know if it was a weapon or not.
He moved closer, making sure to remain silent. He was less than ten feet away, when he heard Riley’s voice.
“Tell them,” she said loudly. “We’re in the Jones’ old cabin.”
He watched Nick move slowly to bring a phone up to his ear. He didn’t know what was going on in the building, but he focused on the fact that Riley was in there and she was alive.
He slipped his gun from the holder Robert had given him. Aiming it at the man, he stepped onto the front porch.
“Freeze,” he said in a clear voice.
The man spun around quickly, dropping the cell phone to the floor.
“Carter?” Riley’s cry came from the house. He wanted to rush to her but didn’t dare take his eyes from the larger man.
“Riley? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she called back.
“Can you come out here?”
“I’m okay,” she said again.
Just then Robert rushed up to him, his gun drawn. “Damn it, Miller, I told you to stay put.”
“I saw an opening,” he answered, his eyes and gun still aimed at Nick.
Robert walked over and kicked the cell phone away from Nick, then patted him down quickly.
Riley rushed around them, a gun still in her hands and threw herself in his direction.
He wrapped his arms around her and felt tears burning his eyes as he held onto her. “My god…” he cried out. “I thought…”
“Me too,” she said between sobs. “It was her. Reece,” she said against his chest. “I don’t think her brother knew anything about this.” She glanced over as Robert slapped cuffs on the large man. “She’s inside.”
Robert glanced through the door and then burst out laughing. “Damn it. You are a Jordan through and through.” He glanced in Carter’s direction. “You’d be smart to marry that woman.” He shook his head with a laugh. “She not only escaped on her own, but she managed to hog-tie her captor.”
He glanced down at Riley. Her hair was in knots, her dress ripped, and there was a trickle of blood sliding down her cheek, but she was smiling up at him.
“You hog-tied Reece?” he asked in amazement. “She’s a half a foot taller than you and must outweigh you by twenty pounds.”
She hugged him even tighter. “In the Jordan clan, size doesn’t matter.”
He laughed as he held her closer and peered around until he could see Reece lying on the floor, tied up like a pig ready for slaughter. The woman was screaming and cursing as Robert walked in and forced her brother to sit on the floor next to her.
“You lied to me,” Nick said in a low tone to his sister. “Everything was a lie.”
Robert took a step back, pulled out his radio, and started calling for backup.
“No,” Reece cried. “The cop is on their side. They’re all in on it.” She tried kicking or getting free, but the rope held her in place. Riley had done an amazing job tying her up.
“In on what?” Nick asked from his spot on the floor. “Stealing some old man’s money from you? Even if he was your lover, he was your boss. Why would he have left you everything?”
“He loved me,” she cried out. “He hated his son and his wife, not to mention the two brats.” She nodded in Carter’s direction. “He told me so many times.”
“I don’t care if my grandfather hated me or not. The fact remains that every single will he wrote, the man left everything he had to Corey and me,” Carter said while still holding onto Riley.
“I didn’t know,” Nick said to him. “I thought… I believed her,” the man pleaded with him. “She’s my sister.” He looked down at Reece who was glaring at Carter and Riley. “I would have done anything to protect her.”
“Well, you failed.” Reece turned her eyes to Nick. “You were never a good brother.”
“You’ve done nothing but lie to me.” His eyes turned to Carter. “I looked into what you told me about in the alley. You were right.” He turned back to Reece. “You tried to kill three people last year. All for money?” He shook his head. “That’s why I left.” He closed his eyes. “I tried to go back home, but I heard they had a warrant out for my arrest. I…” He looked to Robert. “I made a mistake. I trusted her.”
Robert was off the radio now and listening in on the conversation. “You can’t always pick your blood family, but you can pick who you trust.” Robert’s eyes moved to Carter. “And sometimes they pick you. Why don’t you take Riley out to my car? Her family’s going to be here soon. I’ll bring these two out.”
“Watch her,” Riley said, her arm still wrapped around Carter’s waist as they walked out of the cabin together.
He didn’t let go of her even after they found themselves at Robert’s car. Only when her parents arrived did he let her go so she could hug them.
Then they piled into the family’s car and drove to her parents’ house, where everyone in the family, and most of the townspeople, were waiting.
His hand was shaken more times than he could count. He was standing next to his brother and Lilly when a cup of coffee and some coffee cake was thrust at him.
He watched Riley disappear upstairs. She’d told him that she was going to shower and change out of her ruined dress. He thought about making some excuse to follow her upstairs, but when she’d been gone for more than half an hour, he walked over to her mother and asked if he could go check on her.
“I can do it sweetie,” Allison said.
“No.” He touched her shoulder. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to have a moment alone with her?”
The woman looked up at him and suddenly smiled. “You’re in love.” She chuckled. “I wasn’t sure until just now.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “The second door on the right. Welcome to the family,” she added. She squeezed his arm.
Climbing the stairs, he knocked on the door and when she didn’t answer, he twisted the knob. He found her lying on the bed, freshly showered with a terry-cloth robe wrapped around her. He could see the tears rolling down her face.
Gathering her up in his arms, he sat on the bed and held her.
“I’ve never been more afraid in my life,” she said against his chest. “I just needed a moment,” she assured him. “I can’t let them see me like this.”
“They’ll understand,” he said, stroking his hand down her wet hair.
“No, it’s not that…” She shook her head. “It would break them.”
It was shattering him, seeing her like this, knowing that she was in so much pain. He held her tighter.
“I should have never touched you.” He felt the tears sliding down his face and wished he could wipe them away. “You would have never been in danger. I could have stopped this all.”
She pulled back and took his face in her hands. “Don’t say that.”
He reached down and wiped the tears from her face. “I knew I didn’t dare love you. From the moment I laid eyes on you I knew it.” He rested his forehead on hers. “I knew I’d bring you nothing but pain.”
“That’s a lie,” she said in a firm tone. He looked at her again, his eyes locking with hers. “You’ve brought me something I’ve always dreamed about. You.” She smiled and leaned up to kiss him. “You’re the one I want. The man I’ve dreamed of finding my entire life.” He started to shake his head in denial, but she stopped him. “Carter, don’t make me hog-tie you.”
He chuckled. “I’d let you,” he said, and then sobered. “If it meant that you’d be safe from me and my crazy life.”
“You can’t be rid of me that easily.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Whether you like it or not, I plan on getting you to marry me someday.”
He stilled, his heart skipping a beat. “I…” He’d been wishing just that for a while now. Hadn’t he? But he’d never dreamed it possible. “I’m not…”
“Don’t you dare say good enough.” Her eyes narrowed at him.
“No.” He shut his eyes. “I’m not worthy.”
“I believe you are,” she said. “But until you’re ready…”
“I’m ready,” he added quickly. “God, I’ve been ready since the moment you stepped into Baked that first day.”
“What’s taken you so long then?” she teased.
“Fear,” he replied honestly. “Fear that something like this would happen.” He ran his thumb over the bruise that was forming on her left cheek. “That somehow my family would screw this up.”
“It wasn’t your family,” she reminded him. “Just some deranged woman, whose butt I’ve now had the pleasure of kicking twice,” she said with a large smile.
He laughed. “So true. Who would have thought someone so small had so much… spunk?”
“I’m a Jordan. We all have spunk. It’s in our DNA. Besides, I’ve been told that I take after my aunt in the spunk category.” She took his face in her hands again. “So, are you going to marry me?”
“Are you going to marry me?” he threw back at her.
She narrowed her eyes again, and this time he could see the sparkle of humor and love behind them. “Only if you get down on your knee and ask me after a candlelit dinner and a bottle of expensive champagne.”
“I think I can arrange that.” He pulled her closer. “Do you want a huge expensive ring in a blue box as well?”
She tilted her head as if she was thinking. “On second thought, I don’t need any of it. Just you.” She kissed him. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Just then there was a knock on the door.
“I hate to break in,” her mother said in the doorway. “But you have an entire town and family wanting to make sure that you’re okay before they all head home.”
Riley jumped off of his lap. “He’s going to marry me, mama.” She rushed over and hugged her mother.
“Of course, he is,” Allison said as she smiled over Riley’s head. “We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later.” She winked at him. “Now, get dressed and come down to show everyone you’re okay.”
Epilogue
Riley held Carter’s hand as they made their way towards the front door of Baked together. It had been a month since Lilly and Corey’s wedding and her kidnapping ordeal.
The bruises and aches in her body were gone, but she still had a difficult time relaxing in a dark parking lot.
She was planning on officially moving in with Carter at the end of the month since the word was out that they were officially engaged.
They had traveled to Portland and picked out wedding rings together. They hadn’t set a date yet but figured there was no big rush. Especially since she wanted plenty of time after Lilly’s wedding before having her own. Also, she didn’t feel particularly rushed now that she knew she was going to get her very own happy-ever-after.
Carter and Corey’s lawyer had called and informed them that the judge had ruled once again in their favor, which meant their parents would most likely be coming around to harass them once more. Whatever the olde
r couple threw at them, she knew that the four of them, along with the Jordan clan, would be prepared for it.
“What are you thinking about?” Carter squeezed her hand.
“Your parents.” She saw him frown instantly.
“Why would you be?” he asked.
“Because I was just thinking that whatever they try next, we’ll be ready.” She lifted their hands together. “All of us.”
He smiled. “Strength in numbers?”
“Strength in family,” she corrected. “You’re a Jordan now.”
He laughed. “You mean, you’ll be a Miller soon.”
She waved that off. “Whatever our last name, you’ve been accepted into the tribe now. And there’s one thing you should know about the Jordans—we take care of our own.”
“Surprise!” everyone shouted as they stepped through the front doors. “Happy birthday!”
She turned to Carter and laughed. “How did you…” She narrowed her eyes and found her cousin Lilly standing just inside the doorway.
“Don’t look at me.” She motioned back to Carter. “This was all his idea.”
“It’s a week before my birthday,” she told him.
“I know, which is why you were totally surprised. If I had done this on your birthday, you would have known something was up.” He laughed and hugged her. “Besides, I thought you would like any excuse for a chance to get together with your family.”
“True.” She laughed as they stepped further into the pizzeria.
“Before you mingle…” He motioned for his brother, who was holding a large box. “I thought you’d like to open my present first.”
Corey set the box down on the table and she moved closer.
“Go ahead.” Carter nudged her. “Open it.”
She bit her lip and wished for the moment to last forever.
“It’s huge.” She narrowed her eyes and enjoyed the pretty teal wrapping paper.
“Open it,” several people called out, making her laugh.
She pulled the big bow loose, and the entire box fell open, surprising her. The tiny black puppy that sprang towards her had her laughing and crying at the same time.