by Anna Blakely
Caleb began talking about the plans he had for them. How they’d stay here for a while and where they’d go once they left. Charlie only half-listened.
Instead, she used the time to survey her immediate surroundings, desperately trying to come up with a way out. As he generously filled her cup with some hot coffee, a plan began to form.
To appease him, she took several more bites of her food. She drank the coffee as quickly as she could without burning her throat.
After waiting a few more minutes she asked, “May I please have some more coffee?”
“Of course you may.”
As he reached for the carafe, Charlie took a deep breath and told herself she could do this. Worst case, he’d beat her or drug her. Probably both.
As she thought about what she stood to lose if she stayed, Charlie knew whatever punishment Caleb doled out would be worth the risk.
He handed her back the full cup but when Charlie reached out for it, she ‘accidentally’ tipped it toward him. The steaming liquid poured right into his lap.
Yelping, Caleb jumped up and away from the table, knocking his chair over in the process.
“Oh my gosh, Caleb. I’m so sorry!” Charlie put on her best performance yet. “Here, let me help clean it up.”
At first, he was upset, but then seemed pleased that she wanted to take care of him. She wanted to vomit when her hand brushed against his growing erection as she pretended to dry him off.
“This napkin isn’t big enough.” She gave him an innocent glance. “I’ll get a towel from the kitchen.”
Charlie started for the other room, where she hoped to find a knife, but Caleb grabbed her right wrist. Pain shot through her injured shoulder, making her wince.
With obvious irritation that she’d stopped, he growled. “There’s one right over there, under the potatoes. Just give me that one, and I’ll do it myself.”
“Oh.” She smiled sweetly. “Of course. How silly of me.”
Charlie’s smile dropped the second she turned around. As she walked to the end of the table to retrieve the dishtowel he’d used as a hot pad, she passed by the flowers and knew what she had to do.
Sliding the towel from beneath the ceramic bowl, Charlie handed it to Caleb. As soon as his head was down and he became focused on cleaning up the mess, she went into action.
Charlie grabbed the vase with her left hand and swung down as hard as she could. The delicate glass shattered the second it made contact with his head.
He went down instantly, sliding out of his chair and landing face-first on the floor. Water mixed with the blood now oozing from a cut on the back of his head. The roses lay over his still form, the sight reminding her of a funeral.
Unfortunately, he was still breathing.
For a second, Charlie thought about reaching underneath him for the gun but decided it would be too risky. Instead, she chose to run.
Her hands shook uncontrollably as she undid the deadbolt on the front door. Without looking back, she flung the door open and flew through the doorway.
Running as fast as she could, Charlie went down the porch steps and across the vast front yard.
It was still fairly early but, thanks to Daylight Savings Time, the sun would be setting soon. The night sky would either help her or make things worse.
Only one way to find out.
As she ran across the soft grass in her bare feet, Charlie looked around for signs of civilization. It only took seconds to realize there was none.
Assessing her options, she decided her only chance was to head for the trees. If Caleb came looking for her —and he would—the combination of trees and the impending darkness would help to keep her safe.
Charlie had just reached the tree line when she heard the shots. She cried out from the inferno of pain that seared through the left side of her back as one of the bullets grazed her.
Stumbling forward, she nearly fell but somehow managed to keep upright. She could hear Caleb screaming for her to come back.
Like hell!
Remembering something Derek and Eric had taught her when they’d play tag as kids, she began weaving back and forth through the trees.
They’d always told her if someone were chasing her, running in a zig-zag pattern made it more difficult for her to be caught.
Caleb had already shot her once. She wasn’t about to make it easy for him to do it again.
She tripped and fell a couple of times, but Charlie forced herself to get right back up. Caleb continued to yell, shooting a few more times.
From the sound of his voice and the gun’s retort, she could tell he was starting to gain on her.
The wound at her side hurt like a bitch, and she was becoming short of breath. As motivated as she was, Charlie knew she couldn’t keep running forever.
She had to think about her options. She could continue to run until she fell from exhaustion. She could hide and pray he didn’t find her. Or she could wait for him and fight back.
He had a gun, which drastically reduced her chances of winning. Still, she’d rather go down fighting than simply give up.
I’ll never give up. Just as the thought hit, so did she.
Charlie tripped over a fallen branch and hit the ground hard. She lay there for a moment, the fire in her back increasing, as well as the pain in her shoulder.
“Charlotte!” Caleb yelled her name again.
Shit! He was close.
Picking herself up, Charlie grabbed the downed limb she’d tripped over and moved behind a group of trees that had grown so closely together. With her good hand, she gripped the limb as if it were her lifeline. Then, she waited.
Twigs snapped beneath Caleb’s feet. Just a little closer and he’d be within swinging range.
Charlie prayed silently as she stood there, holding her breath. A few beats later, she saw the barrel of the gun as Caleb started to walk past.
Using as much strength as she could muster, Charlie stepped out from behind the trees and swung.
The limb came down hard, the gun flying out of Caleb’s hand. Holding his arm, he cried out from the blow as she made a quick move for the gun.
She picked it up but was pushed hard from behind.
The gun went flying as Charlie fell to her knees.
Reaching for it with her good hand, her fingertips had just brushed against the cold metal barrel when the sole of Caleb’s dress shoe slammed into the back of her left knee.
Charlie couldn’t hold back the agonizing scream as she fell flat against the earth. Unendurable pain radiated from the point of impact, spreading up into her hip and down to her toes.
Unable to move away, Caleb grabbed the gun before wrapping his strong fingers around her upper left arm. He yanked her to her feet.
Charlie cried out again, the pain from her multiple wounds now so acute it was all she could do not to pass out.
“Look what you’ve made me do!” Caleb wasn’t just angry. He was furious. “Come on.”
He jerked on her arm, and she bellowed loudly again as she limped beside him. He didn’t stop.
“Please, C-Caleb,” she begged. “I can’t...walk.”
Forcing Charlie to drag her injured leg, he began yelling at her. “I had a nice evening planned, and now you’ve ruined it! I knew you’d put up a fight at first, but this....” He trailed off for a moment as though he were deep in thought. “Obviously, you need more re-training than I’d anticipated.”
“Let me...guess,” she grunted through her teeth, trying her best to stay
conscious. “Tough...love...right?” Her sarcasm was not appreciated. Caleb stopped and spun around, his nose almost touching hers.
“That’s right, Charlotte. During these last few weeks, I’ve become a very patient man. I don’t care how long it takes. When I’m done with you, you will come to accept the truth. Your life is mine, now. You belong to me.”
Fierce anger unlike any she’d ever known filled her to her core.
How dare he think he had the right to dictat
e her life? To take away her future with Derek?
Not this time. Not ever again.
Staring back into his craze-filled eyes, she said, “The only thing I will ever accept is that you are as fucked up as your father.”
His nostrils flared. “Shut up.”
She continued to goad him. “You’re crazy, Caleb. Nuts. You’re nothing but a lunatic who is so desperate to prove yourself to your daddy you have to force a woman at gunpoint in order for her to be with you.”
He pressed the gun barrel against her forehead. “I said. Shut. Up!”
“No!” She screamed back in his face. “You want to kill me then kill me! I’m not afraid of you anymore, Caleb. In fact, I feel sorry for you.”
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, Charlotte. I want you to come back to me.” His anger wavered, and a sliver of vulnerability shone in his eyes.
It was only for a second, but when he lowered the gun, it was all the time she needed.
With her left hand, Charlie grabbed for the gun. At the same time, she reared back and head-butted him in the nose.
She heard the satisfying crack of his bones as Caleb let out an echoing howl. His grip loosened, and he started to let go of the gun.
Bingo.
Ripping it from his hand, Charlie moved back, hopping on her right foot for balance as she pointed the weapon at Caleb.
He was holding his nose, blood flowing steadily from his nostrils.
“You bitch!” he growled nasally. “You broke my fucking nose!” He took a step toward her.
“Don’t move!” She kept the gun steady.
Caleb stopped. Studying her for a moment, his blood-soaked lips curved upward into an arrogant smirk.
“Give me the gun, Charlotte. You and I both know you won’t shoot me.”
“You really want to take that chance?”
“Come on. You’ve had your fun, now give me the gun, and we’ll go back to the house. Let me show you how much I love you.”
My fun?
“Stop it!” she hissed. “Just stop. You don’t love me, and I sure as hell don’t love you. You’re sick, Caleb. You need help. There are doctors who can—”
He laughed. “A shrink?” His smile flattened, and it was as if she was staring at the Devil himself. “I don’t need a fucking shrink, Charlotte. I only need you.”
“Yeah? Well, you’re not going to get me, so start walking.”
“Or what? You’ll shoot me?” His tone became even more condescending. “You don’t have it in you.”
When he started toward her, Charlie instinctively hobbled back. She lost her balance, and on reflex, her fingers tightened around the gun...and its trigger.
She found her footing again before going down, and the shot went a little wide. But the bullet still hit him.
Charlie had been aiming for his heart. Instead, she’d hit him in his right shoulder.
Caleb stared back at her in disbelief. “You shot me!”
He glanced down at the fresh wound then glowered at her. With his hands fisted at his sides, he raged.
“You stupid, fucking bitch! I’ve given you everything. The fancy apartment, the nice cars. The clothes, the jewelry. Most women would kill to have the life you had with me.”
“No, Caleb. Most women would kill because of the life I had with you.”
Jaw clenched and nostrils flaring, Caleb glanced down at his shoulder again. “You’ve ruined everything.” He looked back at her with a blank stare. “Now, it’s over.”
He lunged forward, but Charlie didn’t miss a beat. She pulled the trigger.
Click.
Caleb froze.
Praying it was just a fluke, she tried again.
Click.
It was the loudest sound she’d ever heard.
There are no more bullets.
Charlie’s stomach dropped. She’d been so busy running for her life, she hadn’t kept track of how many times he’d shot the gun.
The face she’d once thought of as handsome twisted into pure evil. With a slow, triumphant smile Caleb started walking toward her again.
He made a clicking sound with his tongue as he shook his head. “What are you going to do now? Hmm?”
She wanted to be strong. She wanted to scream and yell. To fight back. But she was frozen.
Tears fell down her cheeks, the silver streaks drawing lines through the dirt. Her shoulders fell with defeat.
There was nothing more she could do. She still had the gun, but without any bullets, she may as well be holding a paperweight.
Charlie thought about trying to hit him with it, but she was becoming weaker and weaker with each minute that passed.
Her entire body was screaming with pain, and she stared back at the man in the center of it all.
This is it.
After everything she’d survived...after finally becoming free and finding the love and happiness she’d always wanted with Derek, she was still going to die the way she’d always feared.
At the hands of Caleb Porter.
“What’s the matter, Charlotte?”
She could feel his breath on her face, now.
“You give up?” He laughed as he moved some hair away from her face. Then, with a disappointed gaze, he asked, “Why did you have to ruin what we had? We were so good together, you and I.”
Charlie’s bottom lip trembled as she tried to show him a strength she didn’t feel. The truth was she had given up. The moment she’d heard that deafening click, she’d accepted her fate.
Doesn’t mean he has to see your fear.
Lifting her chin, she looked Caleb right in the eyes and said, “Fuck. You.”
He looked disgusted, his voice turning flat. “My father was right about you.” An eerie calm settled over him sending a shiver down her spine. “You’re nothing but a pathetic, white-trash whore.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d been called white trash. Kids at school used to tease her about not having money or nice clothes. Standing there, hurting and chilled to the bone, Charlie told Caleb the same thing she used to tell them.
“Go to hell.”
She didn’t have enough strength to stop the blow.
Caleb backhanded her so hard Charlie flew to the side. Pain exploded in her skull, and the metallic taste of fresh blood hit her tongue. A shrill of agony tore from her throat as she hit the ground, landing on her injured shoulder.
She barely managed to roll onto her back. Sticks and clods of dirt dug deep into her skin as Caleb’s heavy weight straddled her.
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll go to hell, Charlie.” He smirked. “But, I’m going to send you there, first. And after that, I’m going to find your SEAL.” He leaned down so close his lips were almost touching hers. “And then I’m going to kill him, too.”
“No!” She tried to shout, but her voice sounded so weak to her own ears. Her breath stuttering, she pleaded with him. “Leave D-Derek...alone. P-please...Caleb.”
With the evilest sneer she’d ever seen, Caleb shook his head. “I always did love it when you begged. Too bad you’re begging for him.”
His hands came around her neck. He began squeezing with so much force, she immediately saw stars. The pressure in her head was unbearable; each cut and bruise there throbbing to her frantic heartbeat.
Charlie tried to use her good hand to scratch at his face, but in her weakened state, her fingers did nothing more than swat feebly against his skin.
His features blurred from her tears, but she could still make out the sickening smile spreading across his face.
He’s enjoying this. Horrified, she watched as Caleb’s black pupils grew wide with arousal.
The bastard was actually getting off on her fear.
Her starved lungs burned with the need for air she’d never breathe again. Energy depleted, her left arm fell limply to the ground, and she knew.
It’ll be over soon.
Fighting back the only way she could, Charlie closed her eyes. As her tears fe
ll down across her temples and onto the leaves and dirt below, she saw Derek’s face.
Ignoring Caleb’s screams for her to open her eyes again, she pictured Derek at his favorite spot on the beach, near the water’s edge.
He was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and one of his silly t-shirts. His striking blue eyes looked back into hers as the wind rustled through his hair.
And he was smiling.
God, I’m going to miss that smile.
In the privacy of her last thoughts, she told Derek one final time...I love you.
As her consciousness began to give way, Charlie felt the warm water splashing against her face as Derek hollered out her name.
****
Chapter 25
“There’s no one down there.” Derek stormed up the basement steps. “Just a bedroom and a small bathroom, but they’re empty. Bed was made, but the covers were messed up like someone’s been lyin’ on top of them.” His teeth ground together. “There’s another door at the bottom of the stairs. It was open, but there was a padlock on it.”
Facing him, Jake said what he already knew. “He was keeping her down there.”
Derek nodded, trying not to think about Charlie lying on that bed, hurting and alone.
“Upstairs is clear,” Coop hollered as he and Mac jogged back down to them.
Eric and York came in through the front door, both slightly breathless. “Perimeter’s clean.”
With a gun in each person’s hand, the group stood in the open area between the living and dining rooms, trying to determine their next move.
“She obviously fought back.” Trevor nodded toward the mess in the dining room.
Derek’s gaze followed Trevor’s line of sight. Broken glass and strewn flowers lay in a puddle of water on the wooden floor. In the center was a small puddle of blood.
Terror gripped its meaty claws around his heart. Hanging on by a thread, he looked to his friends. “Where the hell are they?”
Coop pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “The car’s still in the driveway.”
“There’s only one place they could’ve gone.” Eric looked at Derek somberly.
Mac, Coop, and Trevor all spoke in unison. “The woods.”
“Those trees go on for miles,” York stated, sounding slightly defeated. “If she’s out there, it’s hard telling how far she’s gotten.”