A loud clap of thunder boomed, and Hazel jumped.
“Baby, you okay?”
“I don’t care for thunderstorms,” she whispered, grabbing for his arm.
“Come on then. Let’s get you inside where you’ll be safe.” Once inside, Neil set the bags on the couch, turning on the lights as he went through the house. On the kitchen counter sat a walkie-talkie station. Grabbing a walkie-talkie, he tuned it to channel two. “Steven, come in, Steven.”
After a few seconds, Neil heard a crackling noise. “I’m here, brother.”
“I have Hazel back at the house. Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll head out to help you check on things.”
“No, stay there. The cattle are acting funny. The boys are having trouble rounding them up. Stay at the house. Don’t leave her!” Neil heard his brother say, and then nothing. The resounding silence in the house was deafening until a loud clap of thunder shook the very foundation he was standing on. He heard the glasses and plates rattle in the cupboards. The ceiling fan over the dining room shook.
Hazel ran into the kitchen, straight into his arms. “What was that?”
“Not thunder,” he whispered. Grabbing her hand, Neil led her from the kitchen down to the basement. The large spacious basement was completely finished and spanned the whole length of the house. Generally, during football season he and his brothers would invite the ranch hands over to watch the games and treat them to a well-deserved barbeque.
However, there was one room in the basement that was made for a moment like this.
Safe rooms were unheard of in these parts, and he drove Steven nuts until he relented, but Neil got his safe room. Believing in being prepared for any contingency, Neil insisted on the fully stocked room with four-feet-thick, steel-reinforced, concrete walls.
Hurrying below, he ushered her into a state-of-the-art safe room, complete with bathroom, mini-fridge, television, and two twin beds. Built for protection, the room was retrofitted with an emergency beacon that, when the doors were closed, sent a signal to alert the sheriff stations in Celestial and Treasure Cove that there was danger out at the Double Deuce. It had only been tested once, last year, when Glen McKenzie had returned to Treasure Cove and taken a shot at Kelly. The other women involved had been herded into this room, and like clockwork, when they closed the doors behind them, the sheriff stations had been notified.
Quickly flipping on the lights, Neil handed her a walkie-talkie. “Take this. The ranch is on channel two. I have to go. Stay here, Hazel. This is a safe room. Once the door is closed, Braxton and Pisces will be notified. The walkie-talkies work, but only when we’re in close range. Do not leave this room until Steven or I come for you. Do you understand?”
She nodded as tears rolled down her face.
“I know you’re scared, baby, but that was not thunder. Something happened. I need to make sure everyone is okay. All you have to do is hit the red button on the wall once you’re inside. You will be safe here, I promise,” he said.
Neil quickly kissed her and ran for the stairs. He made it to the landing when something hit him hard, causing him to fall to the ground. A vision of her passed in his mind before everything went dark.
* * * *
Steven was sitting on his horse when he heard the rumble of thunder. It was so loud that it shook the ground, making Satan skittish. Grabbing the reins, he tried to control his horse as lightning and thunder boomed around him. This was no ordinary storm. It was like the gates of hell opened up and all hell was about to break loose. He had lived through his fair share of thunderstorms before, but this one was different, more intense, and more dangerous.
The rumbling over the mountains grew louder and louder. Very quickly, the western sky turned black. The speed at which the black clouds appeared astonished him. A few seconds later, the frontline winds blew in at a raging speed as the sky blackened. The whole sky was engulfed with black swirling clouds as the wind increased in intensity. The trees bent precariously to one side as though they were going to fall over.
Suddenly he heard a very loud roar above the rumbling of thunder. The howling wind increased, making his ears hurt. The roar became louder and louder. It sounded like a gigantic train approaching, though it certainly was not one. Steven knew there were no railroad tracks that ran through his property. The sound was quite unsettling. Satan reared up, crying, trying to run in the opposite direction. Steven looked in the direction of the roar and saw a white curtain of rain coming fast toward him.
This was no ordinary storm. Giving Satan a swift kick to the rear, he lowered himself over Satan’s neck. Riding hell-for-leather, he let Satan take over. His horse knew where to go. Allowing Satan to get him to safety was the only chance he had for surviving the storm. He was too far out to reach the ranch in time. Cut off, in the middle of nowhere, he was left with the only option to him.
The second Satan took off, the storm was upon them. Flashes of lightning lit up the darkened sky, followed by cracks of thunder as though the gates of hell were quickly opening. Some flashes of lightning came dangerously close to them as he and his horse weaved in and out of isolated trees, brushes, and cows. Steven didn’t care about the loud, mooing beasts now. His main concern was getting to safety. The cracks of thunder were deafening.
The fury of the storm was incredible. He looked over his shoulder as Satan raced toward the ranch, and that was when Steven saw the large explosion. Masked by a loud clap of thunder, the massive fireball was unmistakable.
“Home, Satan!” he yelled, taking over the reins.
Chapter Twelve
Hazel heard Neil’s oof and then a hard bang, as if something heavy hit the floor. She knew she should just hit the red button. The doors would close, and eventually someone would come tell her that it was safe to come out again. That was what Neil said, and she believed him. However, when she heard him yell as he reached the top of the stairs, all thoughts of following his orders fled.
She knew something was wrong. Something in her gut told her so. Scared and running for the majority of her adult life, she lived in fear of the unknown. She always took the easy way out and ran, hid, or escaped her torment. She never stood up against it or tried to fight it. She couldn’t run anymore. Steven and Neil had done everything in their power to make sure she was protected and safe. Her brothers spent thousands acquiring a new identity, setting her up in a new town, staying close so they could look after her. Then there were Garret and Zac. She knew it was their job to protect her, but even after she left the program, they came for her to make sure she was all right. All these people cared enough to fight for her, and right now, she was too chicken to step foot outside the confines of the safe room.
The man she loved dearly could be seriously hurt, and she couldn’t get her feet to move. Fear was a funny thing, she learned. Either it would inhibit her or it would fuel her. Right now, she prayed it fueled her. Going against what Neil had told her, she took a deep breath and left the room.
The house was dark. She could hear the rain as it pounded the roof. Lightning flashed, and a second later, a loud clap of thunder rumbled across the ground. She hated thunderstorms. Ever since she was a small child, they scared the crap out of her, only to increase tenfold when she married Sean. He found out about her fear by accident when he came home early one night to find her huddled in the closet of her bedroom. He understood at first, but when she didn’t get pregnant like he planned, he used her fears against her. He was a master at instilling fear, and by the end of their marriage, she feared him the most.
Making her way up the stairs, she ran her hand against the wall. The cold plaster numbed her in a way. She didn’t know what she was going to find, but she refused to let that stop her. She needed to find Neil.
Lightning.
Thunder.
The storm raged on.
The door to the basement was open. Leaning forward, she looked out into the kitchen. She couldn’t see anything. The storm must have knocked out the power. Step
ping into the kitchen, she kept her back to the wall. Trying desperately to not make a sound, she eased further into the room.
Lightning illuminated the room, and that was when she saw Neil. Prone, lying on the floor, he was unconscious. She ran to him and touched his head. Her hand warm and sticky, she lifted it and automatically knew it was his blood.
Someone was in the house, but she already knew who it was. She wasn’t stupid. Only her ex-husband or one of his goons could incapacitate Neil. Hazel didn’t know how many of them Sean brought or where they were, nor did she care. She had dealt with them before, albeit not very well, but she had learned from her mistakes. This time, she was not going to back down. She had had enough of this shit.
Hazel never heard the man come up to her. She almost screamed bloody murder, but his hand covered her mouth quickly. She didn’t fight when he pulled her back against him, his chest hard like a brick wall. He was tall and very strong. She didn’t move. She knew that from experience. If she fought, he would enjoy it more. She felt his breath against her skin.
“Hazel,” the familiar voice whispered. She knew that voice. She had heard it recently.
West! Oh thank God.
West was covering her mouth. Nodding, she tried to stem her rapidly beating heart. She thought she was going to do this alone. She had forgotten about her two chaperones. If West was in the house, that meant Dexter was, too.
“Sean is here. I am going to take you to him.”
What! No! No! No!
Shaking her head no, she tried to fight him. West was working with Sean!
“Calm down. I am not who you think I am. I’m here to help you. I am putting a gun in the back of your pants. Use it when you can, then run. Run to the barn. In the far stall is a trap door. Hide in there. Do you understand?”
Nodding quickly, she felt a cold metal against her backside. She didn’t know what was going on. Moreover, just what in the hell did he mean he wasn’t who she thought he was?
“Good. Now, just play along,” he said, grabbing her by the arm and jerking her toward the living room. He dragged her roughly into the darker room. She stopped dead in her tracks when the lightning flashed again, and she saw several men standing, scattered around the room. She counted eight before the light from the lightning faded.
Hazel knew her ex-husband was in the room. With so many armed men standing, she knew he had finally caught up with her. She wished Steven was here, but then thought differently, thankful for the thunderstorm to keep him busy. She only wished Neil were with him, instead of lying unconscious on the kitchen floor.
Lightning struck again.
Her eyes quickly scanned, counting two more men, and then stopped as they landed on her living nightmare. He was there, sitting in the corner of the room, in the leather wingback chair. He never moved, or flinched. He seemed to be watching his own feet with great interest. She knew that was just a ruse, trying to throw her off.
Despite the fact that he was sitting in the corner, and even though his face was barely visible, Hazel’s heart started beating a little faster. There was something darker about him. He hadn’t changed much physically since she last saw him. His hair was still dark, his skin still tanned. He was still a tall, muscular figure. Yet something was terribly off about him.
Regardless, she knew him. Dread flooded her.
She remembered everything horrible and evil about him.
He hadn’t changed one bit.
Her ex-husband, Sean Forbes, was sitting in the chair right before her.
“Mr. Forbes,” West said, “your wife, as requested.”
Sean looked up. Their eyes met, and something evil flickered in them.
Hazel screamed.
* * * *
Sean gave Hazel a conspiratorial smile. West pushed her forward, further into the room. When his strong hands clamped down on her shoulders, she sighed, knowing nothing she could say or do would help her situation. She sat down in the sofa across from Sean.
“Good evening, dearest,” he said. “I trust that all is well with you.”
Hazel looked up in revulsion. She hated his smug, perfectly coiffed manners, always the businessman, never a man. She remembered listening to him for hours as he would sweet-talk and schmooze unsuspecting people. When he had enough of his game, he would strike. She remembered the first time she saw him in action, and at the time, she was in awe of his ability to control the situation, but when he pounced, the man she once adored turned into something sinister. It was then she realized she had married a treacherous man, someone not to take lightly, someone to fear. The master at cat and mouse, he stalked his prey. He looked baleful, evil, and excited.
What the fuck is he excited about?
This was all a game to him, one he played very well. She didn’t know what game he was playing, or what the rules were, nor did she care. The man across from her was up to something. She had seen that devious look in his eyes before. Normally, those eyes would instantly make her bend to his will, but not anymore.
The fear within her kicked into overdrive. If he wanted to play, so could she. She may not be as adept as her ex-husband, but she had survived him because she was smart.
She only prayed she was smarter.
Leaning back in the chair, she made herself comfortable. Crossing her legs, she smiled. “Everything is great. How’s life on the FBI’s Most Wanted list treating you?”
Sean laughed loudly.
Okay, that’s new. When did he acquire a sense of humor?
“Oh, dearest, I have missed you. You are still every bit the ravishing beauty and great personality I remembered.”
“I’m not a subtle as I used to be,” she replied dryly.
“It looks like I will have to get to know you all over again.” His smile was a blend of boyish glee and raw seduction. She wanted to vomit.
“Sorry, my calendar is full. We can catch up in say, oh, twenty-five years to life.”
“I think we will have our discussion now. You have been a very naughty wife, dearest. I must say, I never expected this kind of flippant behavior from you.”
“Depends on your definition of naughty,” she said. She knew she was baiting a tiger, but she needed to stall him. She had to think of a way out of this situation quick. She figured if she could keep him talking, she would bide herself more time until help could arrive. God, she hoped help was coming.
He grinned, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. He was about to show one of his cards. “Bring him in.”
Hazel turned at the sound of feet shuffling. She gasped when two large, muscular men dragged an unconscious Neil into the room, letting him fall to the floor at her feet. It took everything in her not to check on him. She knew if she did, she would play right into Sean’s hands. She needed to distance her emotions right now. Somehow, she would find a way to get herself and Neil out of this mess. She just had to.
Lightning lit up the room.
Thunder boomed. The storm built in intensity.
Leaning back against the sofa, she looked directly at Sean. She wouldn’t not give him the satisfaction of seeing how much Neil’s state affected her.
Lightning struck again. From outside the window, she saw movement. She didn’t know if it was the good guys or the bad guys, and at this moment, unless they were going to charge in and shoot Sean in the head, she really didn’t give a shit. She slightly turned and saw West standing in the corner of the room. He just looked at everyone, not saying a word. Beside him was Gerardo, one of Sean’s henchmen.
“Hello, Gerardo,” she said, acknowledging him. The overgrown mastiff hadn’t changed, either. His still repulsed her.
“Mrs. Forbes,” he responded with his thick Spanish accent.
Looking back at Sean, she asked, “So who else did you bring with you to reacquire your wayward wife?”
“All of them.”
“Wow, all for little ole me. I’m impressed, Sean. I would have thought you would have been man enough to handle it yourse
lf, but then again, you never did like getting your hands dirty.”
Sean leaned back in the chair, dusting some invisible lint off his pants. “What can I say, dearest, I am a business man. I leave the dirty work to those who do it best.”
“You are a criminal and a rapist. Your hands are covered in filth.”
He ignored her accusation. “This is becoming tedious,” he said, looking at his watch then turning to Gerardo. “It’s time to go.”
Gerardo and West moved as Sean stood. He walked over to her and held out his hand.
Hazel looked at the hand before her, then up at Sean. Eyebrow raised, she smirked. “I don’t think so, asshole. I am not going anywhere with you.”
“You do not have another option, dearest. Either you come with me now, or Gerardo will put a bullet in your lover’s head.”
Gerardo grinned, pulled a gun out, and pointed it directly at Neil. Hazel knew Gerardo would do it, too. That was all he was good for, killing, burying bodies, and all that it implied.
Okay, now she was just fucking pissed. If Sean wanted to chat it up, then she would play along, but she refused to let him torment a man who could not defend himself.
Sean’s game was about to take a nasty turn. He may think she was still the timid, shy introvert he married, but the asshole was in for a big fucking surprise.
Sighing, she leaned back and smiled up at him. “Oh, asshole, you really are stupid, aren’t you? Let me refresh your memory. I am no longer your wife, and I can fuck whomever I chose.”
“Excuse me?” Sean replied, shocked. She like that she could do that to him. She’d never seem him like this. He didn’t know what to make of her. She stumped him. She liked that.
“It’s English, Sean. If you can’t keep up, I’d suggest taking notes. However, let me be plain for you. There is some disgusting big beefcake waiting for you at the penitentiary. He can’t wait to make you his bedroom bitch. I bet if you get lucky, he might even tie your ass up right before he fucks it.”
Sean looked at her for a moment. Hazel knew she had shocked him with her crass talk. She was somewhat happy with herself and the pretty picture she painted for him. If he thought that for one second she was going to roll over for him, he was sorely mistaken. He never allowed such vulgarity from her.
Fighting for Hazel [The Men of Treasure Cove 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 21