Montana Heat: Escape to You

by Jennifer Ryan

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Brice sat between the two men in the backseat of the SUV, his heart pounding with anticipation. He had his bags packed, a private jet waiting to take him and Aurora to a private island after Guzman’s plane dropped them in Mexico, and soon he’d have his precious treasure back. Two million seemed a small price to pay for his heart’s desire.

  He’d lost so much. His home. His beautiful garden. Tonight, he’d get back the one thing he couldn’t live without. Maybe they wouldn’t have Adam, but they’d make their own family. They’d go to his secret getaway, out of the States, and away from prying eyes and this mess. Once he completed Ashley’s transformation and she truly became Aurora, they’d have a child of their own. A beautiful little girl. A handsome boy. The next generation to carry on his legacy.

  They pulled into a parking lot in front of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse and drove around to the back of the building. There, a small plane waited in the field.

  “I see my ride is here.”

  Neither the driver nor the men on either side of him responded. They stopped the SUV near a wide set of roll-up doors. Two men who could be the poster models for gang members with their tattoos, bandanas, and too-big pants loaded a large produce truck with boxes of apples. At least, that’s what they looked like. Brice had no idea what was in the boxes. He didn’t want to know.

  The men got out of the car. The dark-haired guy on the right waved Brice to follow him. Brice doubted the guy spoke English, so followed without comment, but stopped midway to the door and turned to the guy following him with a gun pointed at his back.

  “My bags?”

  “Will be loaded on the plane along with the shipment as soon as Señor Guzman gives the order.”

  Which meant he wasn’t going anywhere until Guzman got paid.

  He walked into the warehouse, empty but for the fifty or so remaining apple boxes being loaded onto the truck. In another fifteen minutes, the place would be empty. Except for the wood chair sitting below a low-hung light next to the wall splattered with red and brown splotches Brice recognized as dried blood.

  Guzman had his own playroom.

  Soon, Brice would be at the house he and Aurora would call home.

  Guzman came out of a small office at the back of the warehouse and walked toward him crossing the blocks of light and shadow on the floor from the high windows. Nearly sunset; it would be dark soon. He and Aurora would have a beautiful view on their flight. They’d reach Mexico with the stars shining and enjoy a late dinner on the private plane he had waiting for them in Mexico City to take them away. She’d love the extravagance and adventure of it all.

  He couldn’t wait.

  “I told you that if you did not deposit my money, I would keep your Aurora.”

  Brice held up his cell. “As soon as I see her, I will finalize the transfer I’ve already set up.”

  “You do not have long to wait. Here she comes.”

  A white van pulled up outside the roll-up door and parked next to the produce truck. Iceman climbed out of the sliding door after two of his men exited the front. Another man gingerly stepped out of the back and stood next to the van, his legs wide, his body tense. Brice guessed he’d been hurt in some way.

  Iceman reached into the van and dragged out the man who’d dared put his hands on his Aurora. Trigger. What she saw in him, Brice didn’t know. His glare and feral look only made the man look mean.

  The hurt man reached into the van and pulled Aurora out by her arm. She stood next to him and the man shoved her forward, making her fall to her hands and knees. Trigger pulled out of Iceman’s grasp and ran head-down right into the injured man’s stomach with his shoulder, sending the man to the ground. Trigger kept his feet and kicked the guy in the nuts. Hard. Right between his widespread legs. Direct hit.

  Brice flinched, his thigh turning in toward his balls in sympathy. Every man knew how much it fucking hurt to be hit in that most vulnerable place.

  “Don’t fucking touch her again,” Trigger ordered, kicking the wailing man in the ass as he rolled to his side to cover his balls.

  Iceman grabbed hold of Trigger again by his elbow and swung him around to face Brice and Guzman. Even with his hands tied behind his back, Brice felt the threat this man posed in his deathly stare.

  He tried to get away from Iceman and come after Brice. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”

  Brice ignored him and focused on the beauty standing to Trigger’s left. The woman he’d never lose again. “Aurora, darling. I’ve missed you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Bile rose up Ashley’s throat at just the sound of Brice’s voice, but hearing him call her Aurora again sent a wave of anger through her system. She looked behind her, then around the wide-open space, and finally settled her gaze on Brice.

  “My name is Ashley. I am not your puppet anymore.”

  Brice narrowed his dark gaze and he gave her that smile she hated and feared because it meant pain. “I see you’ve forgotten all I’ve taught you. We’ll have to begin your lessons again. We’ll start with scrubbing that man off you and getting you something more appropriate to wear.” His eyes traveled over her simple tunic sweater and jeans to her black snow boots.

  “Run, Ashley. Get out of here,” Beck ordered.

  She wanted to, but found she needed to stand her ground and claim her life back from this man. To do so, she needed to outsmart and outmaneuver him.

  She turned to the dark-haired man standing off to the side wearing an expensive suit, his dark eyes on Beck. He exuded confidence and control. His eyes held the promise of death for Beck. He wanted his revenge.

  She hoped to appeal to him on another level.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met,” she addressed the man. “I’m Ashley Swan.”

  The man stood a bit taller, though she was taller than him, and addressed her in the same polite tone she’d used to introduce herself. “Señor Guzman, Señorita Swan.”

  “Please, call me Ashley.” He nodded to acknowledge this. “How much is he paying you for me?”

  Her blunt question made the man’s eyes widen with surprise and maybe admiration for her boldness.

  Beck swore. “Ashley, don’t.”

  Guzman nodded toward the white-haired man holding Beck. He immediately punched Beck in the side, sending him to his knees, bent over with pain.

  Guzman turned back to her. “Two million is what Trigger cost me. Mr. Mooney has agreed to pay the debt to have you back.”

  She cocked her head and studied him. “I take it you’re not inclined to abide by what I wish.”

  “While I love pleasing beautiful women such as yourself, in this case, Trigger has wronged both of us and needs to pay. He killed my cousin Marco and his fiancée, Paula.”

  Ashley glanced at Beck. He stared down Guzman, not giving the man one ounce of his fear or regret for what he’d done in the line of duty.

  Ashley tried again. “You’re a businessman, Señor Guzman. A good one, or you wouldn’t be so successful in the enterprise you’ve built. I wish to make you a proposition.”

  “Beautiful women proposition me all the time.” He smiled and laughed.

  The seven men around them laughed with him.

  Brice’s mouth pulled into a tight line and his eyes promised her she’d pay for not cowing to his will. That if she tried to offer herself to Guzman he’d kill her. She already envisioned the punishment she’d endure after he did exactly what he’d promised and scrubbed her raw for allowing another man to touch her. She didn’t want to know how bad things would get after that, but her body echoed with the fear and pain she remembered all too well.

  “I’ll pay you two million to let me go and one million to give me Beck. I can have the money transferred to you as soon as possible.”

  “Aurora, shut your mouth.”

  She ignored Brice, but couldn’t help glancing at Beck, who stared at her dumbfounded. He didn’t see that one coming, but what was
she supposed to do? She couldn’t fight her way out of this, but she could buy her way out. And his.

  “You are right, Brice. She is a woman worth keeping.”

  Brice puffed up with pride.

  She rolled her eyes. “This is business, Señor Guzman. Do we have a deal?”

  “I must say, I never expected this. I like you. In your movies, you play women who have a vulnerability about them but are strong. Powerful. I see that in you now. But I’m sorry. I have made my deal and I am a man of my word. As you said, it’s business.”

  “I implore you, Señor Guzman, please reconsider. He will kill me.”

  “A great loss. Perhaps you will find some of that strength and save yourself.”

  “That is what I am trying to do while I make you an even richer man,” she snapped.

  Guzman simply smiled and turned to Brice. “Complete the transfer, or I will take her up on her offer.”

  Brice pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Look at that, cell service and Wi-Fi.” The sneer he sent Ashley only made the fury building in her gut flare.

  “We aren’t savages,” Guzman teased. The man had a sense of humor despite the fact that he planned to execute Beck.

  She needed to get him out of here. She needed to get Brice’s phone and call for help. The white-haired man had taken Beck’s. Hers was still in her purse in Beck’s truck. He’d told her to keep it on her at all times. She should have listened.

  “The money should be in your account.” Brice held up his phone so Guzman could verify he’d entered the right amount and account information.

  Satisfied, Guzman walked to her, took her hand, and kissed her knuckles. “I enjoyed meeting you.”

  She smiled sweetly. “I’ll enjoy seeing you behind bars.”

  He laughed at her boldness and dropped her hand. “You should leave with Brice so you don’t have to see what I am going to do to your lover.”

  Terror squeezed her heart. She couldn’t even think of a future without Beck.

  With six men spread around them and Brice closing in on her, she ran past Guzman and launched herself into Beck, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight as she kneeled between his knees. The tears came, but she didn’t fall apart. She pressed her lips to his ear. “Tell me what to do.” She’d run out of ideas.

  Beck kissed her neck, then turned his face into her ear. “Go now. When you have a chance, take that knife and use it. Do whatever you have to do, then you run. Promise me you’ll get away from here.”

  Brice hooked his hands under her arms and ripped her away from Beck, tossing her sideways, so she slid on the concrete floor and knocked her head.

  “Take what you came for,” Guzman ordered. “Our business is done. I have other matters to attend to.”

  Brice came after her again.

  Beck rose to his feet and ran for Brice, knocking his shoulder into Brice’s side and sending him to the floor ten feet away from her. “Leave her alone.”

  The white-haired man held Beck back from going after Brice again.

  “All you’re doing is making things worse for her,” Brice warned.

  Beck’s gaze shifted to her. His eyes held the frustration, rage, and resignation she felt building inside her. He struggled against the man holding him back. “Don’t you fucking touch her.”

  Brice pulled her up from the ground. Her back pressed to his chest, his hips against her bottom. He rubbed himself against her, his hand sliding up her side, over her breast, and up to her neck. He wrapped his fingers around her throat and squeezed, cutting off her air.

  “Let her go,” Beck ordered.

  She didn’t panic. He’d held her like this a hundred times. She’d let him, knowing fighting only meant more pain. But this time she didn’t stand passive. She pulled the knife from her pants, flicked open the blade, and with her gaze locked with Beck’s, she held it in her fist and plunged it into Brice’s thigh.

  Brice screamed, released her neck, and made a grab for the knife. She pulled it out, turned, and shoved him backward.

  She didn’t exactly know what happened next, but one of Guzman’s men dropped two feet behind her, blood spreading across his back. The white-haired man held Beck in front of him, a shield against the unseen threat.

  King. He had to be the one shooting. Another man fell.

  DEA agents in black head-to-toe gear, guns drawn, yelling, “DEA! Hands up,” rushed into the building.

  The white-haired man shoved Beck to the ground and made a run for the produce truck with another man. She ran to Beck and used the knife to cut the rope binding his hands. Almost through the rope, someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her back. She turned and plunged the knife into Brice’s chest.

  He bellowed and fell back, taking her down with him. She landed on top of him and lost her grip on the knife as blood seeped out of the wound, covered her fingers, and made them slide free.

  Brice’s eyes went wide and filled with pain, then narrowed with rage. “You bitch. You’ll pay for that. I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget.”

  “Never again.” She kneed him in the nuts and struggled to get up and out of his grasp.

  In the chaos, Guzman snagged her wrist and dragged her away from Brice, and Beck, who got caught up taking one of Guzman’s men down. Her last glimpse of Beck before Guzman dragged her outside was of him with his knee jammed into the guy’s spine as he pinned the guy’s hands behind his back.

  Guzman dragged her toward the plane at a dead run. Ten feet from the open door and being taken hostage by a drug dealer, she tugged hard on her arm, hurting her shoulder, but effectively stopping Guzman from dragging her one more step toward the plane and God knows how long living as his hostage until he ransomed her, or did even more terrible things to her.

  He pulled her forward two more steps before she planted her feet and leaned away, stopping him again. “Come. Now. Or you will be shot.”

  The familiar tingle went up her spine and danced over her skin. She felt Beck behind her.

  “You’re going to be shot.” She stepped to the side. A split second later, Guzman’s head snapped back with the impact of the bullet that hit him between the eyes and exploded out the back of his head. He dropped dead at her feet.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Beck stared through the scope, his sight set on the man in the open plane door who pulled a gun from his back and aimed it at Ashley. Caden ran across the field toward her, his gun up, but no shot with Ashley in the way. He wouldn’t get to her in time. Beck fired, taking down the pilot a split second after he fired and Caden tackled Ashley to the ground.

  Beck handed the rifle back to Agent Bennett and ran for Ashley, knowing Bennett would make sure that fuck Brice remained in custody until the ambulance arrived. Beck ran as fast as he could, his thighs aching from the exertion, his mind screaming at him that Ashley couldn’t have been hit. He killed the bastard and messed up his shot. She had to be okay.

  Caden rolled off her, stood, and took her hand, helping her up. The second she hit her feet and spotted him, she ran to him. He caught her in his arms and held her close for two heartbeats, then held her away so he could check her out and make sure she wasn’t hit. He didn’t see any blood except for Brice’s on her hand and pulled her back into his arms.

  “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He held her tight, his heartbeat jackhammering in his chest with relief and disbelief that she was really okay.

  “I’m fine. Are you okay?” She held him tighter, pushing against his sore ribs.

  He didn’t care about the pain, only that she was alive and back in his arms. He’d never let her go again.

  “As long as you’re safe, I’m good.”

  Caden came to stand beside them. “That bullet whizzed right past my head. I got her just in time,” he assured Beck.

  “Thank you.” Beck didn’t stop holding Ashley close, but gave his brother a look that said so much more than he could get out right now.

  Caden brushed
his hand down Ashley’s shoulder. “I hope I didn’t hurt you, Ashley.”

  She shook her head against Beck’s chest. “I’m fine.” She trembled in his arms. “Is Brice dead? Did I kill him?”

  Beck kissed the top of her head. “No, sweetheart. He’s alive.” Despite the fact Beck wanted to shoot him, too. He’d eliminated one threat by killing Guzman. He no longer had a man gunning for him or his family because of what he’d done. But Ashley still had to live with the threat of Brice making trouble in her life even if he did end up behind bars for the rest of his.

  But she didn’t have to live with killing him.

  Beck cupped her face in his hands and leaned down and kissed her softly. “You scared the hell out of me.” His heart thrashed against his aching ribs just thinking about the risk she’d taken stabbing Brice and cutting Beck’s bonds. If she hadn’t set him free, he’d have been almost helpless when Guzman’s men moved in to take him out. Luckily, he’d broken the ropes Ashley almost cut through and took down the guy hell-bent on killing him so Guzman could get away with Ashley.

  “I thought I’d lost you.” She pulled him close again and buried her face in his chest.

  “Let’s get you both checked out.” Caden pointed to the ambulance pulling into the parking lot between all the cop cars.

  Officers swarmed the building and were bringing out the remaining men who worked for Guzman. Beck spotted Bennett standing over Brice just inside the roll-up door. Brice yelled for help, his hand outstretched to an indifferent Bennett and the other hand locked around the knife sticking out of his chest.

  “Maybe I should go retrieve my knife.” Beck would like nothing better than to pull it out of Brice’s chest and let him bleed out. It would save him and Ashley a hell of a lot of headaches as his arrest, sentencing, and jailhouse interviews went on for months. Beck had no doubt Brice would bask in the limelight and his infamy as long as he was allowed. The media would eat that shit up and broadcast it far and wide.