“Where are they going?”
“The plane is flying to Spain,” Jake said.
“I have to stop them!”
“You can’t,” Jake said. “The plane already took off. But Hawke is arranging a jet to go after them. I’ll bring all we need. Caleb is on his way with your passport from headquarters.”
“Bring it to me, and I’ll take it from there,” Ryker said. “I can handle the two protection guys, and James will be easy pickings after that.”
“I’m going with you,” Jake said. “You need me to handle the tracking. And I speak Spanish.”
“Okay, tell Hawke to hustle with that jet.”
*****
Mia was on a private jet, sitting beside James. The guards were in seats across the aisle. It was a nightmare. He was taking her out of the city. That was bad news. Mia had looked into Ryker’s eyes before leaving, so had faith that he would try to follow. But how could he find her, if she was in a remote location?
“Where are we going?” Mia said.
“To Europe,” James said. “You wanted to travel, so now you have the opportunity.”
Mia freaked out. How in the hell was she supposed to deal with Europe? What if she didn’t speak the language? She’d have to get free of her captors then get home.
“Where in Europe?”
“You’ll see,” James said, and he seemed unwilling to offer more.
The accommodations would have been nice if it wasn’t for the circumstances. Mia was a prisoner. She ate and drank very little. After a long time, she put the seat back to try to rest but was too anxious. The flight was long and getting longer. She just wanted it to be over.
After what seemed like forever, the plane landed. Mia had lost track of time, but it must have been over eight hours. She didn’t have a way to check and was disoriented. When she exited the plane, the guards walked beside her.
Mia bided her time, waiting for a chance to escape, but no opportunity arose. Once inside the airport, she realized the plane had landed in Barcelona. It had been a long trip and she was frazzled.
It was important to stay alert. Mia remembered Ryker telling her about combat duty and how vital it was to stay in control. She tried to interact with James, but he was tight-lipped. She found out very little. The guards escorted them to a car then headed away from the airport.
Mia hoped that the destination wasn’t far, but that wasn’t the case. Due to the time difference, it was already afternoon in Spain, and she was thankful for daylight. The drive was several hours, but James refused to tell her exactly where they were going. The country was lovely, with high mountain peaks all around, and the weather was pleasant.
A large river flowed by the road, and Mia wished she knew more about the country. The road went through a valley, and the car stopped at a border crossing into a country called Andorra. The guard in the front passenger seat gave her a menacing look and flashed his gun to remind her to keep quiet.
Mia tried to subdue her panic. Crossing into another country wasn’t promising. It would be another barrier to getting home. But there wasn’t much she could do but wait. James showed their passports at the crossing.
Either James had stolen hers or had another made, which wouldn’t have been too difficult, considering that she was still married to him. She watched as they drove through a big city. A sign said it was Andorra la Vella, the capital. She hadn’t heard of the place before.
The highway beyond the border cut through the mountains, and the elevation got higher as they went. There were homes dotted on the hillsides along the way and snow covered the high peaks. There were more rocky cliffs than trees. And the higher the road went, the scarier it was, as the low guard rails didn’t provide much of a barrier against plummeting to the depths below.
It was depressing that Mia’s first trip to Europe was with a man she despised. The mountainous trip might have been an adventure instead of a frightening trek up a narrow, curvy road. She was in the Spanish section of the Pyrenees; she knew that much about geography. There were majestic views all around, yet she took little pleasure in the sight.
During the trip, James was silent. And she didn’t think she’d heard the guards utter more than a couple of words. Mia would have to see where they were taking her. As it was, she couldn’t leap from a speeding car. Plus, there were steep cliffs on both sides. The car continued up the steep mountains, carrying her farther from safety with each mile.
*****
Ryker and Jake arrived at the Barcelona airport prepared to rescue Mia. The jet landed hours after Mia’s, since it had taken a while for Hawke to arrange things. But it had happened as fast as possible. It was early evening by the time they disembarked.
The pilot would wait for a text to let him know they were ready to return. Ryker hoped that would be fairly soon, although he didn’t know how far James had taken Mia. A car with snow tires was waiting for them, thanks to Hawke.
Ryker drove while Jake monitored the feed from the tracker on his phone. He guided their way, as he was able to see where the tracker was and could navigate with a map from there. Unfortunately, due to the delay, James had a head start and was quite a distance from the airport.
It was torture to drive through Spain, tediously making his way to Mia. Ryker wanted to speed it up, worried about what James might do.
“We’ll get there as quick as we can,” Jake said, as if reading his buddy’s mind. “Her captor’s state of mind is an issue. There’s no telling what could happen.”
“Possession of Mia should be a salve to James’s ego,” Ryker said. “That may repress his violent nature for a while.”
“Let’s just hope that it’s long enough.”
After hours of travel, Jake said, “It looks like they’re crossing into Andorra.”
“Where is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s a small country between Spain and France,” Jake said. “When I was a boy, I lived in Spain with my family for many years. That’s how I learned to speak Spanish.”
“Why is James taking her there?”
“There are advantages,” Jake said. “For one, the country has no extradition treaty with the U.S. It’s also a wealthy country and a nice place to live. It’s in the Pyrenees.”
“This could get interesting.”
“Yep, I think so,” Jake said. “I’m familiar with the area, as I visited the country a few times. It’s an easy trip across the border. Actually, it’s a clever choice, a good place to hide out.”
“James is insane, but he’s not stupid.”
There was no hold-up at the border crossing. Soon Ryker was driving on a mountain road. The tracker led them closer to Mia and her captors. At one point, Jake said, “Their car has arrived. The tracker shows they are in a stable location.”
Ryker drove a winding, narrow road. Up ahead were steep mountains and rough terrain. He reached a point where he could leave the car. It was best to go the rest of the way on foot. Jake followed him up the trail until they came to a residence.
Farther up was a chalet lit with small outdoor lights. Snow covered the high peaks surrounding the location. It was on the side of a mountain with no other residences around. Ryker and Jake scouted the area, quiet as cats. The structure was a two-story building with an upper-level terrace.
A period of surveillance revealed that there were two guards. There was no evidence of any backup. The guards were posted on the perimeter, which left Mia inside with James. The shutters were closed, so it was impossible to see inside. But darkness would work to Ryker and Jake’s advantage, making it difficult for the enemy to see their approach.
Ryker would prefer to know what they were walking into. He didn’t want to take a chance with Mia’s safety. But every minute of delay increased the risk of Mia getting hurt. Ryker didn’t have the luxury of staking out the place for days.
Their plan was to knock the guards unconscious with a blow to the cranium, then get inside and rescue Mia. Once James was alone, ta
king him into custody shouldn’t be a problem. The place didn’t have any special security. The lock would be easy for Jake to pick. The challenge was to maintain silence. It was important that James wasn’t aware that anything was happening until it was too late.
Chapter 19
James had taken Mia to a chalet in the mountains. She hadn’t seen any other residents around, so her hope of getting help evaporated. So much for being loud and intimidating; there was no one close enough to hear her.
Upon arrival, James ushered her inside. The other two stood guard outside, and Mia looked around. There was a stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and thick area rugs. It looked like a vacation getaway. The window on one wall was wide and ran from floor to ceiling, offering a picturesque view.
Mia walked over and parted the curtains of the upper-story window. It had a narrow ledge with a low railing, with enough space to set flowerpots. The chalet was perched on the side of a mountain. Outside there was a steep cliff, and she peered down, feeling a bit dizzy.
The scene in the distance was beautiful, with snow on the mountaintops and craggy cliffs all around. But the terrain was treacherous. If she escaped, she’d have make it down the narrow mountain road.
Mia tried not to think of that just yet. To the side of the window was a vase filled with flowers. It occurred to her that James had paid to have the place set up for his arrival. The lovely arrangement was supposed to placate her; she knew the methods James used.
Mia turned to look at her captor, who was gloating. “You can’t hold me here. I’m a U.S. citizen.”
James laughed. “That’s the beauty of it. This country has no treaty with the U.S., so there will be no attempt to get you back. There isn’t even a consulate here.”
Mia was trapped. “How do you plan to support yourself?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll have the money from your business account transferred to a local bank. And if that proves insufficient—which is doubtful—you can write another program. That has been very lucrative.”
Mia was incredulous. “What makes you think that I’ll cooperate with you?”
“Eddie was only a taste of what I’m capable of,” James said. “I don’t think you’d want to see anything happen to those you care about.”
Mia thought of Iris and Griffen, wondering what exactly he meant.
“You can change clothes,” James said. “We’ll have dinner shortly.”
Mia stared. He was acting as if he’d taken her on a romantic vacation: the chalet, the flowers, a quiet dinner. It dawned on her just how crazy he was. She went down the hall to find the bedroom. The weather had turned colder high in the mountains.
She hoped there was something warmer to wear and was surprised to find a closet filled with clothes. James knew her size and provided the garments she’d need. After selecting wool pants and a sweater with fur-lined boots, she went to the bathroom and locked the door before dressing.
Ryker had warned her not to go to the event, but Mia hadn’t heeded the advice. All of this could have been avoided. But no, the bullying had to stop. She refused to give up; she would find a way to get out of the grip of her abusive ex.
Mia had no idea how to get away. James had made one mistake: if he returned to the U.S., he’d be arrested. But that didn’t help much. Mia had to get back to the airport, but how? She’d worry about that later. She had to escape first.
When Mia returned to the living room, James looked her over. “You belong to me, Mia. You want it as much as I do; that’s why you fight it so hard.”
“You’re wrong about that.”
“You’ll be treated well here,” James said, “as long as you behave. You have annoyed me greatly, yet I’ve been extremely tolerant. You had many chances to come back to me, but you wouldn’t listen. Look what that’s led to. You have only yourself to blame. You left me no choice.”
James stood then walked over. His lascivious look made her cringe. He reached out and touched her cheek, making Mia’s skin crawl. “I’m your husband,” he said, so close that his breath filled her nostrils.
Mia turned away, then James wrapped his arms around her. She bent over so he couldn’t get a tight hold, then twisted and hit his jaw with an elbow strike—just like Amanda had taught her. She twisted the other way to hit again, but James grabbed her arms.
She looked up at James, seeing anger. Yet he seemed to relish the challenge, which was all the worse for her.
“You’ll calm down,” James said in a chilling tone. “There is nowhere for you to go.” He dragged her to kitchen, so she sat at the table.
The table was set with silver and china, along with candles and flowers. The romantic setting looked bizarre. Mia watched as James served her fettuccini and poured wine. Like a predator who had cornered his prey, he began to eat with gusto.
Mia had no appetite but forced herself to eat. She would need her strength. She hadn’t heard the guards for a while. The two were outside to ensure she didn’t make a run for it. Meanwhile, James was in a zone, enjoying his meal and appearing confident of his conquest.
That gave Mia a chance to plan. She recalled what Ryker had told her during training. Be willing to harm your attacker, because he surely intends to kill you. Mia had no qualms about taking James out of the picture for good.
When Mia had lived with him, James had beaten her fiercely on more than one occasion. He’d nearly killed her and was back to finish the job. She had to make sure that he didn’t succeed. Since Mia had no weapons, she’d have to utilize the defensive moves she’d learned. She’d changed purses before the event, so didn’t even have her lipstick taser.
James talked like an insane man. “We are finally together. I’ll be nice to you…if you are nice to me.”
Mia felt ill. She vowed to end this and get back to Ryker—somehow. The thought of Ryker’s love and kindness kept her going; it gave her strength. He wasn’t anything like the monster across the table from her.
There were others counting on Mia, and she was determined to come through. She’d been in other scrapes and survived. Even though this was the worst, she swore not to fail. She would get free. There was no way that she’d allow James to conquer her—not without a fight.
When dinner was over, James took her to the other room. He stood by the fire and put his arm around her. Mia pulled away. With hatred in his eyes, James drew back then punched her in the jaw.
Mia was thrown against a chair, but she righted herself. She put her hand to her jaw but didn’t think it was broken—although it hurt like hell.
“You insult me,” James said. “I’ve tried to do everything for you, but you disrespect me. Now…come here.”
Mia was afraid, but when he got closer, she grabbed on to the chair then kicked her right leg up. She leaned back slightly, then drove her hips forward to thrust her shin up and into his groin. James buckled over but didn’t stay incapacitated.
Still folded in half, James reached for the poker from the fireplace and swung it with force. The backhand swing of the iron rod hit her right arm, and she heard a crack. She screamed with pain, but James didn’t back off.
Blinded with rage, James staggered toward Mia, so she fled. She raced to the front door and yanked it open with her good arm. Then flew out—right into Ryker’s arms. He held on to her, not taking his eyes off James.
Mia turned to see James pointing a pistol at her. He had a smirk on his face. “So, your boyfriend has come to save you. Well, that’s not going to happen.”
Ryker held Mia close, while she stared into deadly eyes.
“You belong to me,” James said, then aimed the pistol. “If I can’t have you…no one can.”
“Put the gun down,” Ryker said. “I’m taking you back to face charges.”
James stepped back without lowering the gun. “That’s not going to happen.”
“You don’t want to kill anyone,” Ryker said. “Give me the weapon.”
James’s hand trembled, so he held the gun
in both hands. “No!”
In the same instant the gun went off, Ryker spun, so his back was to James and Mia was protected against his chest. He grunted but held tight to her, pressing her head to his chest. She pulled back to see blood on Ryker’s side.
A thud at the window made James turn that way. He fired again, and the bullet shattered the glass. Jake leapt through the window, knocking over the vase and spilling the water on the floor. Then he snatched the gun right out of James’s hand.
“It’s over,” Jake said. “Give it up.”
But James didn’t seem to hear. In a rage, he flew at Jake, who punched him in the gut. James doubled over with a groan but was upright in a flash. He stood with his back to the open window.
Jake approached, holding out his hand. “Let’s go. You can’t win this.”
James growled then raised his right knee and foot for a front kick. He had practiced kickboxing, but Mia hadn’t seen him use it before. James extended his leg so the ball of his foot struck Jake’s chest. But the impact didn’t force Jake off balance.
Instead, it threw James backward, where he teetered at the window with the curtains rustling in the breeze. While Mia watched in horror, James tried to grab the curtain but slipped in the water, as shards of the broken vase crunched under his feet. As if in slow motion, he yelled then fell back and plunged out the window.
Jake made a grab for him, but it was too late.
Mia had her left hand on Ryker’s waist and warmth flowed over her fingers. She lifted her hand to see that it was blood. “You were shot.”
Ryker grimaced then shrugged. “The wound isn’t too bad. I’ll bind it up. But your arm is broken.”
Only then did Mia feel the excruciating pain in her right arm, hanging limply at her side. She and Ryker were battered but alive. Sheer relief washed over her and tears blurred her vision. “I am so damn glad to see you,” she said with a sob.
*****
A few weeks later, Mia was with Ryker at his brother’s house. They were visiting on a Sunday, which could easily become routine. Christa was making a casserole, while Ian entertained the kids with a game of tag. Mia could hear the squeals of the children at play.
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