The sound of a helicopter circled above us, and I imagined it was a news crew filming the chase, or maybe it belonged to the police. The sirens continued to blare, and cars moved aside to let us pass. Robert shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly anxious. He had to know he’d never get away.
He veered to the right and we got onto the 14 freeway, headed towards Palmdale. He’d said he had a house in the desert, so it made sense he would go this way. What didn’t make sense was his refusal to slow down. Did he think he would lose three police cars and a helicopter?
We continued on the 14 for about thirty minutes, and it felt like this chase would never end. Eventually, we would run out of gas, but the chances of getting into an accident increased the longer we drove. Robert had to be going at least ninety to one hundred miles an hour, and he continually wove back and forth through the lanes. To make things even worse, the wind had picked up, and it pulled our van into the next lane over and over again. This route was notorious for high winds, and I wasn’t sure how bad it was today, but it didn’t seem good.
There was a body of water in the distance on the righthand side, and when Robert sped up and moved over to the far-right lane, an ominous feeling swept through me.
“Don’t even think about it,” Magnus said.
My stomach twisted in knots at the sudden realization of what Robert planned to do.
“I won’t let him have her,” he said. “She’ll die before that happens.”
His threat filled me with horror. He was going to drive over the edge into the water, and if he did that, I didn’t stand a chance with my wrists and ankles bound. Drowning was one of the worst ways to go, and the thought of it made my stomach clench with fear. My breath came out choppy and shallow, and my chest tightened with a panicky sensation. “Robert, please don’t do this,” I pleaded. “If you truly love me, you won’t go through with this.”
His only response was to drive faster.
“You’ll have to answer to God for this. You will stand before Him one day.” My face was wet with tears, and my heart pounded so hard my chest physically hurt. There was a ringing in my ears from listening to the sirens for so long, and I bit down on my lower lip with so much force that I tasted blood.
I’d never been afraid of death. Not the day Daniel and I were mugged. Not the day I was attacked in the parking lot after that concert. For the Christian, death meant being in heaven with the Lord, and God promised that would be full of joy and happiness. It was the process of dying that scared me the most. The pain. The physical suffering.
Fear flickered before me now, almost as if it were a tangible thing I could hold on to.
Lord, be my guide. Help me to bear this. If today is the day you call me home, give me the courage to face what’s coming next. A sob broke loose in my throat, and I felt myself crumbling, falling into myself.
But just as tangible as that fear was the peace that swept through me in the next moment like a rushing wind. It swirled around me like loving arms holding me tight. He would not let me fall. God was with me, no matter what happened.
Isaiah 43:2 came to mind. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
As we neared the body of water, Magnus jumped out of his seat and wrestled with Robert for the wheel. The two of them struggled, and the van swerved to one side and then the other. The wind picked up speed and blew against the vehicle, making it feel like we were out of control.
Lord, I’m leaning on you right now. Trusting you. I believe in your sovereign power.
Robert let out a loud guttural noise and Magnus grunted as he pushed hard against the wheel, veering it away from the water. When we finally passed by, I blew out a relieved breath. At least I wouldn’t drown.
Thank you, Lord. Help me to…
I didn’t get a chance to finish that prayer because a police car zigzagged in front of us, heading us off. Instead of slowing down, Robert sped up. He had a death wish, but he didn’t prevail. A second police car rammed into us and the van spun around, coming to a complete stop. We faced oncoming traffic, but officers had created a roadblock so we were safe from another collision. Several police officers got out of their vehicles and pointed their guns in our direction.
“Come out of the vehicle with your hands up,” an officer said over a loud speaker.
Magnus hesitated and then slid the door open and jumped out, holding his hands in the air. He dropped to the ground, and the officers kept their guns trained on him.
Robert looked at me then, his eyes wide, face ashen. He had a large bump on his forehead where he must have hit the steering wheel when the police car rammed into us. “I don’t know how to let you go. You belong to me.”
I shook my head sadly. “No, Robert, I belong to the Lord. It’s over.”
He got out of his seat and came to sit next to me. “It doesn’t have to be over. If I take you as my hostage, they’ll let us go. We’ll escape and start over somewhere else.” He met my gaze, his eyes pleading with me to agree. “I love you, Kayla. I’ve always loved you. I know I can make you happy if you give me the chance.”
The fact that he was still trying to convince me of his love made me want to punch something. He didn’t know the meaning of the word, but I had to keep a clear head if I wanted to get out of this alive. I licked my lips. “If that’s the case, then please cut these ties. They’re hurting my skin.”
He nodded, appearing almost in a trance. “All right. I can do that.” He went back to grab his keys and returned with a pocketknife that was attached to his key chain. He made quick work of cutting the ties at my wrists and ankles.
When the rope fell to the ground, I touched the skin around my wrists. There were red marks where the rope had dug into my skin, but it wasn’t too bad.
“I repeat. Come out with your hands up,” an officer yelled through the loud speaker.”
Robert’s eyes widened, and he grasped my arm. “Follow my lead. We’ll get out of the van, and I’ll hold this knife at your throat. I’ll demand another car. We can do this.”
Did he actually think I’d go along with that? Was he crazy? It occurred to me that he believed I would comply because I didn’t fight hard enough before. I’d given it my all but, I hadn’t been much of a threat.
His plan filled me with a sense of dread, but a stronger emotion overpowered that feeling. I was so done with this. I was tired of always being the victim. Of being taken advantage of over and over again. Quite frankly, I was angry.
Troy’s clear instructions returned to me in an instant. He’d said that if all else failed, jab an attacker in the eyes. As Robert stared at me, waiting for a response, I knew I could do this. I had to do it.
In one quick motion, I used my three middle fingers on both hands to jab him in the eyes. He screeched in agony, and before he could fight back, I shoved the heel of my palm hard against his nose, drawing blood. He was still clutching the pocket knife, so I used the point of my elbow and rammed it into his throat. He dropped the knife this time and fell back, coughing. I didn’t wait another second but slid the van door open and jumped out, lifting my hands in the air so the officers would see I wasn’t armed.
Two lawmen immediately approached and took me to safety while others yanked Robert out of the van and handcuffed him.
Troy ran over and pulled me into his chest. I fell against him, letting out a strangled cry. “You’re here.”
“Of course, I’m here. I was so scared,” he whispered, kissing me on the forehead. “I’ve never prayed so hard in my life.” There was so much anxiety on his face, I hugged him again, this time to comfort him.
“Me too. I’m so thankful it’s over.” My voice trembled a little, but I’d never felt so alive. So free.
Paramedics were waiting to check me out, so I reluctantly let go of Troy, but he followed me, unwilling to part ways. He stayed with me, m
aking sure I received the proper care, holding my hand and whispering how much he loved me.
When officers questioned me later about what happened, I didn’t hold back anything. For years, I’d thought Victor was behind Daniel’s death, and all that time, Robert was the one who’d orchestrated everything. He hadn’t fully confessed yet, but I knew the truth. At the very least, he would get charged with kidnapping.
There were a few things I still didn’t understand, but I believed the pieces would come together soon. Right now, I had to celebrate. God had given me a second chance at life, and I wasn’t about to take it for granted.
Chapter 20
Troy
The day after Robert kidnapped Kayla and almost got her killed, Detective Marlow called and said they got a confession out of him. He’d refused to speak for hours, but the detective was a smart man. He figured out Robert’s weakness and used it against him.
Robert was obsessed with Kayla, and all Detective Marlow had to do was talk about her relationship with me. That sent Robert over the edge, and he went on a rant that lasted for twenty minutes. He finally shut up when he realized how much he’d revealed.
He admitted that he’d hired Magnus to kill Daniel and make it look like a random mugging. Hiring him the second time to attack Kayla and make that chilling phone call had been about bringing her back into his life. She had distanced herself from Robert because she’d wanted him to get over his feelings for her, but he needed a reason to be indispensable to her. That was when he offered to pay for a bodyguard.
He wanted to make himself look like the good guy. Someone she could trust and turn to. And she had thought of him that way. Until she realized the truth.
Not only was he in trouble for murder and kidnapping, but they were still investigating his part in a Ponzi scheme. Given everything he’d been involved in, I had a feeling he would be spending the rest of his life in prison. Magnus hadn’t fared any better. After Robert confessed, Magnus buckled under pressure as well.
A couple of weeks went by, and Kayla handled herself like a trooper. She’d been through a terrifying experience, but she didn’t allow it to keep her from living life. She didn’t return home right away, but stayed with her parents, and I was glad about that. The thought of her being alone after what she’d gone through was too much, and her mom and dad weren’t ready to let her go, anyway.
Her mom kept saying, “I knew there was something wrong with that man,” referring to Robert. Kayla was initially devastated that she’d misjudged Robert and hadn’t seen through his intentions. She read a book about choosing safe people in your life, and she took a hard look at why she’d allowed herself to trust Robert so easily.
She said he’d deceived her, but more than that, she’d felt indebted to him because of all he’d done for her. He’d been stacking up “good deeds” for years so she’d trust him, and she had, unfortunately. The red flags had been there though. Her mom had told her she didn’t like Robert, but Kayla had chosen to overlook that.
I encouraged her not to beat herself up over any of it. Men like Robert knew how to make themselves look respectable. He lied to her and pretended to be her friend. That was on him, not her. Ultimately, God answered her prayer and brought him to justice. The trial hadn’t started yet, but the district attorney had plenty of evidence against both Robert and Magnus, and I had no doubt they would be convicted.
All these thoughts were running through my head as I sat on a plane headed to Buffalo, New York. I glanced over at Kayla and took her hand. We were flying out for a four-day trip to see my mom and dad, and I was excited about taking this step. It was strange to think that when I’d first met her, I’d inwardly mocked the fact that she was the girl-next-door type. Now, I couldn’t wait to show her off to my parents.
There had been a lot of media attention around Kayla’s kidnapping and Robert’s arrest, and my parents had followed it all on TV. My dad had reiterated several times that he was proud of me, and I was thankful we were finally communicating.
Mom invited me back for a visit, and when I suggested that Kayla come so they could meet her, it was as if I’d just promised them my firstborn son. They were ecstatic that I’d finally found someone I saw a future with.
“You doing okay?” I asked Kayla. I asked her that a lot these days. She was a strong woman and was fine on her own, but I wanted to be there for her. Not so I could look like the good guy, but because I loved her and didn’t want her to have to deal with the difficulties of life on her own.
“I’m great.” She smiled and squeezed my hand. “Just can’t get over the fact that I’m about to meet my boyfriend’s parents.”
“Do you regret saying yes to this visit? Did we move too fast?” There must have been concern on my face because she reached up and massaged my forehead with her fingertips.
“Relax. I’m loving every step of this journey with you. I guess I’m just…” She trailed off, smiling to herself, and her dimples were so cute I wanted to touch them.
“You guess…what?”
“I’m surprised God is giving me a second chance at love. When Daniel passed away, I didn’t think I would find that kind of happiness again, but then you entered my life.”
I laughed. “I’ll never forget the first moment I saw you. You were jumping up and down in front of the restroom, and I thought—”
“You thought I was a complete idiot.”
Smiling, I gave into the temptation to kiss the dimples on both sides of her mouth before I answered that question. “All right, I’ll admit it. I did think that.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “I’m glad you’ll always tell me the truth, and you know how important that is to me.”
“I don’t think I ever told you this one thing, though.”
She sat up a little straighter in her seat and turned to face me. “What?”
“When I pointed out the toilet paper stuck to your boot, you had this fiery look in your eyes, and I was intrigued.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I wanted to kiss you right then and there.”
She shoved me on the shoulder and snickered. “No, you didn’t.”
Throwing my hands up in the air, I couldn’t hold back a smile. “I’m not lying. I wanted to see if that fire extended to other things.” A flash of heat flickered in her eyes, and I found myself pulled in her direction. I brushed my knuckles over the smooth skin of her cheek. “I walked out of Busy Bean with so much regret.”
“Why?”
“Because my surly attitude wasn’t getting me anywhere. Believe it or not, I was tired of being the bad boy.”
Kayla smiled and placed a hand on my arm. “You aren’t a bad boy. Not at all. You’re the kindest, sweetest man, and I love you.”
And then I did what I’d wanted to do the first day I met her. I kissed her like it was the last time I’d ever get the chance. She blushed and met my gaze, and I got to experience that fire in her eyes once again.
She may have been the girl-next-door type, but she was one hot tamale.
Epilogue
Kayla
One year later…
So much had happened in the past year, I didn’t know where to start. For one, my reality TV show, Country Star, was a hit. Working with Tyler Grant had been awesome, and in between interviewing other singers, I’d even been able to sing quite a bit for the show. I’d been right about this job leading to new opportunities. In two months, I was looking forward to a concert at the Forum, and I was the main attraction. Someone else would be opening for me. I was so excited, I could barely stand it. God had blessed above and beyond what I’d thought possible.
As to Robert, God had brought to light his terrible schemes. He admitted to hiring Magnus to kill Daniel and also to hiring him a second time to attack me. He’d done it as a way to get back in my life, and all of it—even that horrible phone call Magnus made—had been part of his plan to make me fall for him. It was sick and twisted and beyond horrifying.
&nbs
p; He and Magnus both took plea deals, so there was no trial. Thank goodness I didn’t have to testify in a court room. They were locked away in prison, and I was able to shut the door on that chapter of my life. Also, if Robert eventually got out one day, he would have to face a potential civil suit from Greg Bishop.
My former neighbor, Tom, was let off the hook for corroborating a false alibi. He could have been charged with obstructing justice, but the police decided not to make an arrest since Victor wasn’t behind Daniel’s death, and Tom had come forward with the truth.
Victor hadn’t been so lucky. He went to prison for illegal dog fighting, and he received a hefty fine as well.
Even though Robert was officially out of my life, it took a while for me to learn to trust people again. That didn’t apply to Troy—I trusted him completely. But as far as others… It was hard.
It was a trial I had to go through just like the many other trials I’d weathered, but God was so good. He brought some amazing new friends my way, and He showed me that the trust I put in Robert didn’t make me gullible. It made me human.
Troy was awesome through all of it. He told me that my kindness was one of the biggest reasons he loved me so much, and I shouldn’t change that just because someone took advantage of me. I found a happy medium: extend compassion to those I came in contact with but pay attention to the red flags as well. I was learning to seek God’s wisdom and also to listen to my gut if something didn’t feel right.
I learned another big lesson: heed my mama’s advice. She was older and wiser and she had a good handle on people. And speaking of her good judgment… She absolutely adored Troy, and my dad did too. They thought he was perfect for me, and we had their stamp of approval.
Protected By The Bad Boy (Bad Boy Bodyguards Book 1) Page 17