Taken Hostage
Page 8
An agonizingly familiar wail pierced the silence – a police siren.
Tiffany stiffened and gripped the edges of her seat as red and blue lights flashed in the darkness behind them, reduced to colorful pinpricks by distance. ‘Do you think the police officer we dropped off at the border said something after all?’ Panic welled up in her, and she looked to James for reassurance. “If he did, police all over the country will know what we’re driving.’
James shrugged. ‘I don’t know. It could be that, or it could only be that I’m speeding. Either way, we can’t stop now.’
‘Do you think we can get away?’ Tiffany asked, casting a nervous glance over her shoulder at the far away lights.
James pressed the accelerator hard to the floor. ‘I don’t see why not,’ he said, flashing her a confident smile. ‘We’ve done it before.’
Epilogue
The air smelled nearly as salty as the tiny crystals on the rim of Tiffany’s glass tasted. She tipped her head back, enjoying the sensation as the breeze combed through her hair.
‘Nice, huh?’ James asked, leaning on the balcony railing beside her.
She smiled at him over her margarita. ‘Gorgeous.’ It really was. The ocean stretched endlessly, a brighter blue than any American waters she’d ever seen. The beach was only a short walk from the villa they’d been renting for the past month. The house was comfortable but modest. They could’ve afforded something bigger, but they were both happy with their home and they’d been doing their best to keep a low profile since their escape from the states.
‘¿Qué estás pensando?’ James asked.
She flashed him another smile. She wasn’t a Spanish expert yet, but she’d grown used to him asking her that one – what are you thinking? Unfortunately, she wasn’t good enough yet to answer in Spanish. ‘I was thinking about how we got here.’
‘Oh yeah?’ He gazed at her thoughtfully, turning his back on the ocean view. ‘What about it?’
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. How different my life is now than it was just five week ago, I guess.’
He laid a hand over hers and squeezed. ‘Are you glad you came with me?’ His voice was casual, but she saw the hint of nervousness in his eyes.
She couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Claro que si. I’ve never been happier. Can’t you tell?’
He shrugged as a smile curved his full lips. ‘I didn’t know you before. Sometimes I worry you might get tired of living with a fugitive.’
She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest. ‘Never. You’ll have to take me back at gunpoint again if you ever want to get rid of me.’
He cupped her face between his hands and raised it until she was looking directly into his eyes. ‘I don’t ever want to get rid of you. I love you.’
Her heart flip-flopped. She and James had been inseparable ever since she’d agreed to flee the country with him, and the passion between them had anything but fizzled. She’d felt cared for, special and even loved, but this was the first time either of them had said it out loud. She pulled one of his hands from her face and grasped it tightly as satisfaction welled in her heart. ‘I love you too.’
He grinned. ‘I was hoping you’d say that, because…’ He lowered his other hand from her face and dug into his pocket. ‘I got you something today. Well, I got us something.’ He raised his fist and unfurled it, revealing its contents for her inspection.
She gasped and was unable to repress a dopey grin. Rings. There were two rings resting in the palm of his hand.
‘I know it can’t be legal or anything,’ he said, ‘but…’ He picked up the smaller of the two gold bands and held it aloft. ‘I’m still yours. I’ll always be yours, Tiffany. Will you be mine, forever?’
She raised her trembling left hand, ready for the ring. ‘Yes. Por siempre.’ She’d tucked that phrase away in her mind, hoping for a chance to use it.
He grinned back and slid the narrow gold band onto her ring finger. The metal was warm from being kept in his pocket, and the heat quickly spread throughout her entire body as she admired it, relishing what it meant.
Forever. Por siempre. It sounded perfect in both languages.
The larger ring still rested in his palm. She took it from him and slid it onto his finger. Like hers, it was a perfect fit. As soon as it was on, he wrapped his fingers around hers and pulled her close. She parted her lips, expecting his kiss. When his tongue slipped over hers, she opened her mouth a little wider to receive it. A few minutes ago she’d said she’d never been happier, but what she’d felt then paled in comparison to now.
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About the Author
Ranae Rose lives on the US East Coast and is an avid reader and writer who can’t resist a good love story, and the hotter the better. To learn more about Ranae and her books, please visit: www.ranaerose.com
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