Smiling at her, Lando removed his son from her arms and placed him into his crib. His large hand settled briefly onto the child's forehead. He covered him over with a light blanket and steered Casey from the room. With his arm draped round her shoulders, he propelled her to the living room, where Christy had hot chocolate waiting.
Casey sat in the corner of an overstuffed couch, her feet curled under her. She accepted the steaming mug and sipped at it slowly. Tomorrow she knew Lando would drive out to hear word from Wolf at a prearranged location. Once there, Lando would retrieve a prepaid cell phone he kept in a safety box at an undisclosed location. He had informed Casey any electronic device could be tracked. This way the casing the phone remained in was undetectable unless the phone was activated. Lando had the tracking time down to a science; between himself and Wolf, only one word needed to be uttered.
Casey felt somewhat apprehensive about Wolf's return, but she remained determined. She decided she would confess her love to him upon his arrival. After that it was up to him. He could accept her or reject her. Still, Casey could not part from him unless she tried.
“What time must you go?” Christy asked Lando.
“Early. I'll get a few supplies. You certain you don't want to come?” he asked Christy.
“No, I think Casey and I can have a heart to heart about stubborn men while you're gone,” she said, and chuckled at her husband's look of indignation.
“I'm not the stubborn one. You already caught me,” he reminded her.
“Nonetheless, I bet if we put our heads together Wolf won't stand a chance,” Christy reasoned.
“I don't think he ever did,” Lando said, and winked at Casey.
Casey reddened. She looked at Lando, feeling a fond warmth for him. She had never had siblings, but she was certain if she had, she would want Lando as a big brother. His questions to her were relentless, although she sensed his obvious curiosity and concern. He had indeed moved painstakingly around her until he felt certain she had become accustomed to his large frame. She sensed his genuine compassion. He no longer intimidated her; she felt safe when he was nearby.
Christy had hinted vaguely of Lando's sad, lonely past, the obstacles he had endured to become the man he was today. Casey's admiration grew with each heart-wrenching story Christy had described to her. Though Casey's parents loved her dearly, she had spent a great deal of time alone and away from home. She understood aloneness. She had formed a bond with these people. She deeply respected them both. She envied their love of one another, but was pleased for the both of them.
Christy curled up onto Lando's lap and, smiling, Casey excused herself, feeling their need for some quiet time. She drifted to the kitchen, gave Sam a quick pet to his head, washed her cup, and headed for bed. Tomorrow would be busy day.
Once Casey left, Christy rubbed Lando's chest. Her thoughtful expression was worried. Lando could sense her agitation and he cupped her chin to raise her head. Christy looked fretfully into his eyes.
“It will be fine, sweetheart,” Lando soothed.
“Wolf is just so stubborn,” Christy declared.
Lando chuckled at her look of concern. He realized she had grown fond of Casey, as had he. “If it was meant to be, it will happen. There is nothing we can do.”
Christy settled against him, snuggling into his warmth. “You realize if it does work out it will make a great story,” Christy informed him. Lando groaned.
“Listen, kitten...” Lando began.
“Oh please, Lando?” Christy begged. “Please, please. You know how I love to write. You know I will change the names and places. No one would ever guess these stories were real.”
Lando sighed. As always, her begging struck a chord deep within. “Don't be surprised if it's Wolf reading over your shoulder instead of me this time,” he said, exasperated.
Christy kissed him, running her hands over him until Lando rose with her captured to his powerful chest. With her cuddled against him, they retired for the night, although sleep was not foremost on their minds.
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* * *
Chapter Seventeen
* * * *
Lando had left early that morning, wanting to return as quickly as possible. With a touch of trepidation, he asked Christy once again if she would like to accompany him, but she had wryly joked about him listening in on every one of her and Casey's conversations. She hinted Casey might like some female advice for a change.
Lando had relented grudgingly. He did not like leaving Christy and Logan for any length of time unprotected, though he remained positive their whereabouts remained undetected after all this time. When he had retrieved Wolf and Casey, he had placed them in his safe room. He knew Christy would not accept the room while there was no apparent danger. Resigned, Lando had offered her a stern warning and left.
Casey arose from her queen-sized bed. The fresh air aided with her sleep and she rolled over in her bed, stretching leisurely. She wanted to take a walk alone today to sort out her feelings about Wolf. She wanted to rehearse her speech, not giving him time to run away or make jokes.
After she had showered and dressed, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where Christy was spooning oatmeal into Logan's happy, eager, little rosebud mouth. Casey could not control the impulse to kiss Logan's cheek as he babbled delighted, incoherent words upon seeing her. His pudgy little arms waved as Casey told him for the hundredth time how handsome he was.
“The kettle has boiled,” Christy told her.
Casey made herself some tea. She sat at the table and sipped at it slowly, her mind elsewhere.
“Are you hungry?” Christy asked.
“No,” Casey said, lost in thought.
“Everything will be fine, Casey. Lando will return soon enough with word from Wolf and his success. Wolf will tell him when to expect him and you'll be ready for him when he gets here. We will make him listen to reason,” Christy soothed, seeing her new friend's agitation.
“Do you mind if I go for a short walk? I just need to sort out my words in my head,” Casey asked.
“Of course I don't mind. Just stay on the path Lando marked with the yellow ribbons; the other colors don't lead anywhere; he marked them purposely to confuse trespassers. Well, in case there are any who come. He has them leading to all sorts of places where he has interesting traps set up. You won't get lost. Just stick to the trail,” Christy said, smiling.
Casey rose soon after, intent on having a heart to heart with herself. She hugged Christy, grateful for her kind words, and fluffed a tuft of Logan's hair. She strolled out the back door and was soon lost in thought.
Christy watched her go, feeling sorry and concerned for her. She remembered declaring her own love to Lando. He had needed time to sort out his feelings, never having loved before. Perhaps that was Wolf's problem. Christy felt lucky Lando had accepted her; she would not want to live without him.
Smiling at Logan, Christy cleared the table while her son sat, making short work of a biscuit. Christy hummed while wiping off counter tops and putting the dishes into the dishwasher. Once finished, she washed Logan's face and hands and removed him from his high chair.
Christy moved them into the living room, where she placed Logan into his playpen while she set up her laptop. Still humming softly to herself, Christy was intent on starting her new novel, certain of a happy ending.
Christy had become absorbed in her work and was surprised as half an hour later, Sam slowly wandered into the room. He appeared sluggish. Curiously, Christy watched as he staggered dopily and then slumped. His legs seemed to just collapse beneath him. Christy ran to him, concerned. Sam lay panting heavily and stretched out onto his side.
“Sam!” she cried with concern as the wolf quieted. Though breathing, he lay now completely motionless and unresponsive, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.
“He'll be fine in a few hours,” a rough, deep voice told her.
Spinning around, Christy sucked
in her breath and stepped back as a large, brown-haired man approached her. Her breath quickened as she stared up into his blue, soulless eyes that gazed upon her impassively.
Over his t-shirt he wore a large, grey side iron, strapped on. He had yet to remove the weapon, feeling he did not need it. The man sensed no danger. He knew immediately the woman before him was not his target. She was neither big enough, nor tall enough. Though the woman he was after would indeed be small compared to him, the woman before him was tiny. She was also terrified. It would not take much to coerce information from her.
“Please don't hurt my baby,” Christy whimpered, hands splayed.
Though the man was not quite as large as Lando, he was an impressive size and more than twice as big as she. Christy stopped before the playpen, where Logan babbled and cooed, alternately sucking on a toy, then banging it.
“Please ,” she wept.
“I'm not here for you, or the baby,” he replied, taking in the scene before him. He kept his voice low and throaty to intimidate.
He knew they had been left unprotected; he had been surprised at the fact. He had been watching from a safe distance as Lando left. His car had not gone far as he had ventured a nearby hill and used binoculars. He waited until he felt enough time had elapsed before venturing forth. The wolf pup had caused him no trouble. As he approached the car, all that was needed was a single dart to his side from the safety of the open window, and the pup had trotted homeward before collapsing.
The pair before him remained completely at his mercy. He looked down on the cowering, helpless, slight woman before him. She trembled as he moved closer, stalking her.
“Lando is gone!” Christy cried out, fearful he wanted her husband. She cried out again with greater fear as he stepped closer and reached for her.
He pulled her towards him, gripping her upper arms. “Where's the girl?” he demanded down into her frightened features.
For a moment Christy looked at him confused, until realization dawned. “Gone! She left already,” Christy cried out, terrified.
“Try again!” He shook her, the force snapping her head back and forth like a child's rag doll.
“I don't know where she is. Please go away,” Christy sobbed, pushing on him. Logan began crying, hearing his mother's distress. He had hauled himself up, gripping unsteadily at the playpen walls, and began pulling on the bottom of Christy's shirt, wanting to be picked up and reassured.
“I know she is here,” he yelled into her face.
Once more he shook her, the action causing Logan to lose his grip, and he thumped to the playpen, landing on his behind. He howled in surprise and anger. Christy cried out as well, from the pain he was inflicting. His large hands wrapped themselves completely around her upper arms, squeezing, until he could feel the grinding of the delicate bones.
“Don't hurt us, please, oh please no,” Christy wept up at him.
His eyes narrowed and he looked past Christy to Logan, who was wailing even more loudly than his mother, tears streaming down his frightened little face. Christy grabbed at the man's shirt. He glared at her.
“How much do you want him to live?”
“Please, she is not here. I beg you please, he is only a baby. Please don't hurt him. Please,” Christy sobbed.
He glared down at her, his grip pulling her almost off her feet as she flailed helplessly before him. Christy launched an assault and beat at his powerful chest with small fists, trying to inflict some type of damage, to no avail. She kicked at him, connecting soundly with a shin, yet her feet were bare and the one to sustain the most damage was her. She tried stomping on his foot, but he wore black, ankle-high boots and she may as well have been connecting with rocks.
He lifted her higher to his own height, his eyes boring into her own panicked expression. She was helpless against him. Her struggling ceased. Pitifully, her head bowed to rest against his shoulder; her body crumpled within his grasp. She cried in defeat, sobbing.
“Let her go, I'm over here,” came Casey's soft voice from the doorway. Her face pale, she was staring, horrified, towards the large man, who had Christy grasped to his chest, holding her so inhumanly.
"Run!" Christy screamed to her.
Hearing her soft voice, the man glanced to where the sound originated from and immediately released Christy, throwing her onto the couch. Christy slipped to the floor with a bang, but was up scrambling for Logan. She pulled the baby into her arms and raced for the other side of the room, cowering in terror, holding her child close, wrapping her quivering body around him protectively. He ignored her. His intense gaze settled onto Casey's terrified form. This was the murdering bitch he was after...
Casey had been walking and thinking. She had determined she would make Wolf listen. She would climb into his lap and beg once more if she needed to, she had decided. If that didn't work she would take Lando's advice and hit him over the head again, his wrath be damned. She held no fear of him; she loved him.
Feeling more confident after her deliberations, she had approached the chalet. She was wary and puzzled to see the dark car parked, motor running, near the porch. Hearing Christy's screams and Logan's howls of fear, she had forgotten her wariness and raced inside.
The first thing she noted was an unmoving Sam, sprawled as though dead upon the carpet. Seeing the large man holding and shaking Christy and hearing his demanding threats as to her whereabouts, she knew she had no other choice. These people had helped her. They had taken her into their home and called her friend. She could be no less.
Casey whimpered, cowering back, as the man approached her. She refused to run, knowing Christy and Logan's fate rested in her hands, although she was unable to stop her arms from covering her head. He was tall and powerful and grasped her easily to his hard chest, gripping her, clutching her wrists. Casey could hear Christy screaming from across the room. She heard Logan's pitiful wails.
“Please not here. Not in front of them. Please let them live,” Casey begged. “I won't fight you. He's only a baby. Christy is terrified and can't possibly come after you. They are no threat to you. Please, you are so big; you must see they are no threat to you.”
The man yanked on her arms, grabbing her, and easily tossing her over his shoulder, striding from the home, taking quick, deliberate steps. Casey was thrown into a car, not struggling, remembering her promise, and the man sped off, gravel flying, down the dirt road. Casey cowered against the side of the door. Her body shook. She sobbed brokenly.
Wolf! her mind screamed.
“Please don't hurt me,” Casey whimpered, her body pressed against the door handle.
The man glared at her. Her breath caught and held for a moment and she pressed herself further against the door at his furious gaze, ignoring the painful pressure in her need to seek escape. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn he hated her; loathing contempt radiated from his very core. But it was impossible; she had no idea who he was.
“Please, who are you?”
“Tyr.”
“Please, Tyr, don't hurt me,” Casey wept again.
The man was as big as Wolf, his physique an uncanny resemblance, though his facial features were distinctly different. His cropped, dark-brown hair glistened at the tips with sweat. His bright blue eyes shot repeated, enraged glances at her. His menacing look terrified her. Casey could detect no mercy.
“Please, Tyr, it's a mistake. He went to stop him. He promised to stop him,” Casey choked out. “I didn't kill Abby, I swear. Please, Tyr, I swear. Let me explain.”
“I'm not here because of Abby.”
Confused, Casey watched as the man drove, obviously heading for a prearranged destination. A deeply disturbing thought suddenly occurred to her. What if Roll had contracted Tyr to bring her to him? She had known what he wanted; Roll had hinted to Wolf he would buy her off him for a decent price. Casey cried out at the thought of spending the rest of her life in bondage, being forced to serve a man who would name himself her master.
; “Oh no. Please don't do that to me. Please, Tyr, I beg you, no,” Casey sobbed. Her chest heaved and her breath became ragged.
“You deserve no less,” Tyr informed her.
“I will pay you whatever you want, double what you want. Please let me go,” Casey begged.
Tyr snapped his head in her direction. “Do you think money can repay your crime?” he howled enraged.
“What crime? Please, I don't understand what you mean,” she wept.
Tyr slowed the car and, to Casey's horror, they stopped beside a lake.
“Tyr, no!"she screamed in sudden understanding.
Tyr turned to look at her as she clawed against the door, trying to escape, her fear overwhelming her. He grabbed at her arm and pulled her from the car. Casey begged him for mercy, an ounce of compassion, but he was relentless, dragging her behind him.
“Please, Tyr, he went to stop him. He promised. Please talk to him, I beg you. Tyr, please no, please no,” Casey cried out.
Soon enough Casey stood on the bank, clutched to the large man. The lake was small. The stilled water looked as though a sheet of glass covered over it. Not even the slight breeze offered a ripple. There were no homes or cottages dotting the shoreline. They were completely alone together.
Her body shook as he threw her to the ground and he breathed in ragged breaths of air. Tyr bowed his head. He turned and faced Casey as she cowered, terrified, and wept for compassion, sobbing and gasping.
“You're going to tell me what I want to know,” Tyr demanded, angry. “You will tell me everything I need to know. Or so help me, you will be screaming for death before I am finished with you.”
Tyr reached for her, grabbing her arm, intent on yanking her to her feet. Casey flailed wildly; she struck out with a rock her knee had collided with upon her fall. She bashed him in the side of the head. When Tyr stumbled back, bellowing in outrage, Casey ran, stumbling as fast and as far away from him as possible. He would show her no mercy as Wolf had. He wanted her dead. He was going to torture her and then drown her. Casey ran for her very life.
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