Stolen [4] Stolen Chances

by Elisabeth Naughton

  She didn’t know what to make of him. The girl was smart. Carefully, so as not to spook her, he reached into his pocket, then drew out the locket. “Your mom wanted me to give this to you.”

  Isabel glanced from his face to his palm. And when she looked up again, her eyes softened. In that instant, he was awed by how much she looked like Maren.

  Her soft little fingers brushed against his as she lifted the heart-shaped locket and peered at the gold shimmering in the moonlight. “She gave this to you?”

  He nodded, watching while she opened the clasp to peek at the small pictures inside. On one side was a photo of her when she’d been a baby. On the other, a picture of him and Maren when they’d been together in Mexico all those years ago. A picture he barely remembered being taken and one he’d been shocked to find in Maren’s locket.

  “She never takes it off.” Concern crept into her eyes. “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine,” he said in a thick voice. “But she wants you out of here, which is why we have to go now.”

  Isabel bit her lip and nodded, any hesitation long gone. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Thad blew out a relieved breath. “Hold on.”

  He peered out into the hallway, finding it both dark and empty. Turning back, he motioned for her to be silent. When he stepped out in the corridor, ready to lead the way, Isabel’s small hand slid into his, stopping him cold. He glanced down, and when she looked up at him with big brown eyes full of trust, his heart felt like it grew three times its normal size.

  There was no way he could fall in love with her, right there on the spot. But he did. And whatever hatred he’d held on to over the years slid out of his heart to make room for her.

  He swallowed hard, told himself to refocus. Quietly, he led her up a flight of stairs to the main deck. A hand on his arm stopped him cold.

  He shoved Isabel behind him and whipped around, ready to rip someone’s throat out.

  “Whoa!” Drummer held up both hands. Then whispered, “Save it for Declan.”

  Pulse thundering, Thad clamped a hand over his heart. “Don’t sneak up on me, dammit.”

  “Sorry. Aft deck’s empty.”

  “Everything check out?” Thad asked quietly.

  “Yeah. We’re good to go.”

  Thad nodded, but his heart thundered hard. He drew Isabel across the deck toward the swim ladder. “Where’s Maren?”

  “In the main salon,” Drummer answered. “With Declan.”

  “Mom’s here?” Isabel asked, glancing from face to face.

  “Don’t worry.” Thad rested a hand on her shoulder and forced back the fear. They’d been through this a hundred times. There was no way Maren wouldn’t have to be alone with the bastard for a few minutes, but he still didn’t like it. “Your mom said you can swim, right?”

  Isabel’s eyes widened. “Yeah.”

  “Good.” Thad helped her over the side and urged her to climb down the ladder. Whispering voices echoed up to them as they both descended the metal rungs.

  When they reached the swim deck, Isabel slipped her mother’s locket around her neck, then looked from Sullivan and Lisa, both decked out in scuba gear, back to Thad. Her gaze darted to the tanks perched on the edge of the platform. “Sh-she wouldn’t let me take the scuba class.”

  Lisa handed her fins and a mask. “It’s easy, Isabel. You can totally rock this.”

  Thad knelt in front of her and strapped the harness around her small body. “Just breathe like normal.”

  “Piece of cake,” Lisa’s husband said behind her. Isabel turned and looked at Lisa for reassurance. With her forearms perched on the swim platform, Lisa held up her thumb and smiled.

  Thad pointed out the regulator, buoyancy control, and weights, giving Isabel a quick rundown on the mechanics. “If the pressure feels funny, plug your nose and blow gently to clear your ears like you do when you’re on a plane. You’re going to stay shallow and use the moonlight as a guide until you get away from the boat. Lisa and Rafe will be right with you.”

  Lisa patted her foot. “It’s no different than snorkeling, except you can breathe underwater. Remember when we snorkeled in Hawaii?”

  Hesitantly, Isabel nodded.

  Lisa smiled while Thad fitted her mask. “You’re gonna love it, trust me.”

  “You’ll do fine,” Thad told her.

  “You’re…you’re not coming with me?” she asked him.

  “We’ll be right behind you.” He crouched down so they were at eye level, then tightened her straps and checked her mask again. “Stay with Lisa. If you feel funny, surface, and she and Rafe will help you. Are you okay with this?”

  She nodded, but the fear reflected deeply in her eyes. And as he ran his finger down her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin, he swallowed the lump in his throat.

  He was just about to tell them to go when she threw her arms around his neck. His eyes slid shut, and he closed his arms around her and hugged her tight. Her tiny heart beat hard against his, and in that moment, any choice he’d still been unsure of was cemented in his mind. Revenge wasn’t worth losing this. And it sure as hell wasn’t worth the risk of losing Maren.

  “Okay, you guys go before anyone notices.” Reluctantly, he peeled her arms from around his shoulders, then helped Isabel into the water. He waited while she practiced breathing through the regulator, getting used to the apparatus. And felt his heart squeeze tight. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

  “Relax, man,” Rafe said. “I got this.”

  “You’d better,” Thad answered.

  All three submerged below the surface, and he watched until their dark silhouettes disappeared from sight. Only when he knew they were far enough away not to be detected did he breathe a short sigh of relief.

  He turned toward Drummer. “Let’s go.”

  Declan’s gaze narrowed to sharp points. He peered at the relic in his hands with a mixture of disbelief and fury. “What the hell is this?”

  Maren’s heart rate shot up. “What you asked for.”

  He heaved the statue across the room. It crashed into the mirror over the fireplace. Maren yelped and covered her head to protect herself from flying debris. The statue thundered to the floor. Glass shattered and ricocheted off the walls.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t know?” he bellowed. “Where is she?”

  No way could he recognize the fake so fast. She’d thought it would buy them time.

  It’s too soon. Drummer hasn’t been gone long enough.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Evan.” Frantic, she tried to think of something to distract him. “That’s it. That’s what you asked for.”

  His eyes flashed fury, and he advanced on her. “I’ll show you what I asked for.”

  He grasped her arm and yanked. Pain ripped across her sore shoulder. A young woman raced up the stairs from a lower level, breathing heavily. “The girl’s gone.”

  Evan glanced toward the stairs, and Maren froze. She knew that voice.

  Candace Hampton stilled with one hand on the banister, and her eyes grew wide. Anger bubbled through Maren at the sight of the woman she’d trusted for so long. She took a step toward her, ready to scratch her eyes out, but Evan’s hand yanked her back.

  “What do you mean gone?” Evan barked.

  “I—” Candace swallowed hard, then looked away from Maren and focused on Evan. “She’s not in her room. No one’s seen her. It’s like she vanished.”

  Vanished.

  Yes… Drummer and Thad had found Isabel. Relief washed over her like a wave.

  Evan tightened his grip on her arm and turned his venomous stare toward her. “You’re going to pay for this.”

  He dragged her across the floor to the bar, where he yanked the phone off its cradle. Maren stumbled, wincing at the pain in her shoulder. Evan’s face contorted with rage when he found the line dead.

  He slammed the phone down. To Candace, he yelled, “Get to the helm and tell
the captain to get us out of here!”

  Candace rushed up the stairs and disappeared. Evan’s furious gaze raked back over Maren. “Do you think this will save you? I never wanted the girl. I wanted you.”

  Maren’s adrenaline shot up. No phones, no intercom. In a minute, he’d find out there was no power to the ship.

  Where the hell were Drummer and Thad? They should be here by now. Something was wrong.

  Candace streaked back into the salon. “The engine isn’t starting. The captain’s working on it, but—”

  “You little bitch!” Fury streaked across Evan’s face. The back of his hand connected with Maren’s cheek. She stumbled back. “Get the helicopter fired up, now!” he thundered at Candace behind him. Wide-eyed, Candace rushed out of the room again.

  Evan dragged Maren across the floor toward the door.

  “It’s over, Evan.” Maren staggered to keep her feet under her. “Let me go!” She tried to pry her arm loose from his grip, but he only held on tighter.

  He hauled her out onto the main deck. The wind from the copter’s propeller whipped her hair into her face. “Over?” he mocked. “It’s not over until I say so.”

  “It’s over now.”

  Maren jerked around at Thad’s voice. Evan barely had time to turn before Thad’s fist plowed into his face. His grip slipped from Maren’s arm, and he staggered backward. Maren hit the deck facedown. Rolling to her side, she saw Evan clip Thad’s jaw. The blow sent Thad back a step, but he found his feet and lunged at Evan before he could strike again.

  The two rolled across the deck, grappling for control. Footsteps echoed somewhere to Maren’s left. She heard muffled voices. Drummer’s. Others she didn’t recognize. More commotion. She scrambled to her feet and slanted a sideways glance at Drummer, who was trying to hold off two of Evan’s hired thugs.

  Thad’s fist slashed through the air, twice, three times, each blow slamming into Evan’s face. Evan hit the deck. Blood trickled down his temple. He kicked out, but Thad held him by the collar against the deck, preventing his escape. He smacked Evan’s head against the hard wood with a crack that echoed across the boat. “It’s over now.”

  “It’ll never be over.” Evan roared, still fighting. “She’s mine. You can’t stop destiny.”

  “No, but I can stop you.”

  Evan’s eyes flashed. “You don’t deserve her.”

  “And you’ll never have her.” Thad’s jaw clenched. “I could kill you right now.”

  “You don’t have it in you,” Evan growled, arms and legs slowing their fight. “You couldn’t do it before. You won’t do it now.”

  Muscles flexed and rigid, Thad held him against the deck. Then from the pocket of his wet suit, he pulled out a gun.

  And Maren’s breath caught.

  Thad glared hard into Evan’s eyes. Several tense seconds passed where all Maren could hear was the roar of blood in her veins. Then Thad growled, “You’re not worth it.”

  He thrust Evan back against the deck. Breathing heavily, he pushed up and stared down at Evan, tension and strength seeping from his broad shoulders. The hand holding the gun dropped to his side. “But if you get within so much as ten miles of us again, I swear to God I will kill you. I won’t even think twice about it.”

  Thad turned and looked toward Maren, and a mix of joy, liberation, and love exploded inside her. His eyes softened, and she sagged with relief. He’d done that for her. For them. So they could start fresh. Needing to feel his arms around her, she took a step toward him.

  The gunshot exploded like a cannon through the darkness.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Maren jerked to her right and stared at the burly man with blood smeared across his face. He held a smoking gun straight up in the air. Behind him, another of Evan’s thugs had Nate pinned to the deck.

  “Drop it,” the man said.

  The gun in Thad’s hand clanked against the deck of the boat.

  “Good work, Davidson.” Evan pushed up from the ground, kicked the gun away from Thad, and swiped at his bloody mouth with the back of his hand. “Either of these two try to move again, kill them.” He moved toward Maren. “We’ve had enough delay. It’s time to go.”

  “Maren!” Thad reached for her.

  From the corner of her eye, Maren saw the gun lower. Her adrenaline spiked. She threw herself in front of Thad. “No!”

  Evan grasped her arm and yanked hard. Fear pummeled Maren’s chest, and she slammed her eyes shut as she fell against him, expecting to hear a gunshot. But the only sound that met her ears was Evan’s menacing voice.

  “I always get what I want. You lose, Leighton. Again.”

  Maren tore her eyes open. Thad stood with his hands up, powerless. The gunman had the gun trained right on his chest.

  To the gunman, Evan said, “Dump their bodies overboard.”

  “No!” Maren screamed.

  Before she could lash out again, Evan thrust Maren toward the copter’s door. “Get in.” She stumbled against the aircraft. He shoved her inside the cabin of the helicopter and climbed in after her. “You just sealed your fate, my love.”

  He slammed the door, then slid on his headset and shoved one at her, signaling the pilot to take off.

  Maren stared out the window as the helicopter lifted off the yacht. Through the darkness, she could just make out some kind of commotion on the aft deck, but she couldn’t see what was going on. Closing her eyes, she prayed for Thad’s safety, that somehow he’d get out of this.

  He had to. He just had to. It couldn’t end like this.

  “No one can save you now, Marina.”

  Maren turned at Evan’s frosty words. His gaze was far off, unfocused, and ominous. He seemed to be looking past her at something or someone she couldn’t see. Fear prickled Maren’s skin, sending shivers up and down her spine. The flash of lightning out her window caused her to jump, and her eyes grew wide when he turned that dazed look her way.

  He leaned close, his breath only inches from her face. “Do you think this will stop me? This is only a minor setback. You’re as much mine as is she. Fate won’t let it end this way, darling. Before this is over, I’ll have you both.”

  That shiver of fear turned to a tremor of terror when she realized he really was a man possessed. He wasn’t seeing her anymore. He was seeing Doña Marina—a woman he believed she embodied.

  Stay calm, don’t panic. You’ll figure a way out of this.

  Lightning flashed outside the window again, shooting sparks across the dimly lit cockpit, illuminating Evan’s sinister face—eyes wide and unfocused, muscles clenched, jaw rigid.

  Another flash cut across the darkness. And inside the small cabin, sirens exploded.

  Lights on the dashboard flashed red. Maren yelped and gripped the seat and door next to her.

  “We’re going down!” the pilot screamed.

  “Keep us in the air!” Evan bellowed.

  The pilot’s face contorted, and the muscles in his arms flexed as he tried to maneuver the sinking helicopter. “We lost the tail rotor! We’re going down!”

  Oh God. Death and destruction flashed in front of Maren’s eyes. Not like this.

  Lightning erupted again. The pungent odor of burning electrical equipment filled the cabin. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter through a dense patch of jungle, the landing skids scraping the tops of the trees, jolting the aircraft, tossing Maren across the seat. She fought to sit up, tightened her shoulder straps, closed her eyes, and prepared for the inevitable.

  One last thought exploded through her mind as they hurtled toward the ground.

  She was going to die.

  The earsplitting clap of thunder brought her around. Maren cringed when she tried to sit up, every muscle in her body aching, her sense of balance deeply altered. Her vision blurred, and her eyes struggled to make sense of her surroundings.

  She rubbed her throbbing temple, with hands that seemed slow and foreign. Bringing her hand back in front of her face, she tried t
o focus, and her stomach grew faint at the blood smeared across her fingers.

  Fighting a wave of dizziness, she squinted through the dim light. The helicopter lay on its side, the cockpit still illuminated, splashing a green glow across the pilot. He lay motionless, blood trickling down his head. There was no sound around her but the smack of thunder in the distance.

  Lightning flashed through the sky again, illuminating the interior of the cabin. Evan was on the floor next to her, either dead or out cold—she wasn’t sure which.

  But she wasn’t dead. Not yet, at least.

  She fought her shoulder harness; didn’t even try to see if the men around her were breathing. The only thought she had was to get away.

  She pulled herself up, stumbled once, her spinning head deterring her. Fighting with the door above, she finally hung upside down and kicked it open with the force of her legs. On the third try, it gave, and, using her arms, she pulled herself up and out of the metal contraption, easing her way down the side of the helicopter. Lightning flashed again. Through the window, her eyes caught a flicker of movement.

  Run.

  The word echoed through her mind as if someone else were yelling it.

  She didn’t have to be told twice.

  Adrenaline shot through her body, and her legs pumped, the muscles burning with every step.

  Rain began to fall. First small beads of water, then larger, heavier, angrier drops. Which way?

  She didn’t know where she was, just that she had to put distance between her and the helicopter. Deciding to trust her instinct, she moved down the hillside. Lightning flashed again, followed by the shrill cry of thunder, but she refused to turn and look. Her sneakers landed with a thud on the jungle floor as she leapt over a fallen log. Twigs and leaves squished in the mud beneath her footsteps.

  “Marina!” Her blood ran cold at the sound of Evan’s voice. She turned her head, trying to judge the distance, her legs still pumping with energetic fury.

  He sounded so close. How? How could that be possible? He’d been unconscious seconds before.