“Miriam is gone,” Michael said as he reached out and stroked a finger down her cheek. “She found out about you, about how I feel about you. She tried to interfere.” His eyes darkening, Michael snarled, “I could not allow that. “ Chuckling harshly, he said, “My sweet Miriam was my first. She fought like a hellcat, and I loved it. I tied her up just like this, just like all the others, and then I started cutting. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. The feeling was exhilarating.” Putting his face closer to hers, Michael breathed, “She was the first. Then there was the woman in town. After her, there was the one at the farm. I didn’t give any of the others the chance to fight. As much as I loved it when Miriam did, I just don’t have time for that.”
Her heart pounding in fear, Lacey tugged on the ropes desperately. Realizing it was no use, she closed her eyes and asked quietly, “Why did you hurt all those women, Michael?”
Shrugging, he responded sardonically, “Because I could.” Lacey shivered when she felt the sharp blade of a knife scrape slowly over the rise of her breast. “I pretended they were you, Lacey,” he rasped as he moved the knife over to the other breast. “It made me so fucking hard when I thought about cutting into your soft skin. I want to watch the bright red blood bubble up out of the cuts as I enter you.” Grinning, his eyes filling with lust, he said, “I didn’t take any of the others, my love. I saved myself for you. I wanted to feel that final bliss just with you.”
The fear consumed her now and she struggled violently against the bonds that held her. She thought she felt some give in one of the ropes, but she could not be sure. Throwing back his head, Michael laughed loudly. “You aren’t going anywhere, Lacey, so you might as well lay there like a good girl.” Moving away from her, Michael started to rummage through the black bag sitting next to him. “Soon, we will be together forever,” he promised her as he frowned into the bag. Muttering to himself, Michael sat the large knife he still held down on the floor and picked up the bag to search through it. Inhaling deeply, Lacey tried to calm her racing pulse as she gazed at the knife so near her hand. Stretching slightly, her heart skipped a beat as her fingertips grazed the handle of the knife. She pulled back quickly when Michael swore violently and threw the bag on the floor. Looking at her, he growled, “I’ll be back soon, my love. I seem to have forgotten something in the car.”
Lacey stared at him, refusing to respond, as he rose and quickly made his way up the stairs and out of the cellar. The minute Michael was through the door, Lacey yanked again and again on the ropes that held her, until suddenly she heard a scraping noise and her right arm moved, the rope giving way slightly. One more hard pull and her hand closed around the handle of the knife. What the hell was she going to do now? Breathing heavily, Lacey put all of her strength into pulling with both arms and cried out in shock when one of the shelves slowly tipped over and jars of food crashed to the floor, breaking around her. Several landed on her, and she fought back screams of pain. Reaching down to cover her aching ribs with her hand, she suddenly realized her right arm was now loose. The rope had slipped off the bottom leg of the shelf where it had been tied. Quickly rolling on her left side, she reached over and painstakingly slid the rope from the where it was caught on a piece of wood. Thanking God the bastard had not tied her legs for some reason, Lacey struggled into a sitting position.
Glancing furtive looks in the direction Michael had gone, Lacey quickly rose, moaning as pain shot through her ribs where the jars had fallen on her. Tightening her grip on the knife, she headed for the stairs, but changed her mind when she saw the door to the left. Not wanting to take the chance on running into Michael, Lacey opened the door and stepped into a larger room. She was in a basement, she realized, as she saw small windows towards the top of the walls and stairs in the far corner. Deciding to take her chances going through the house instead of out the way Michael had gone, Lacey closed the door behind her and ran across the concrete floor to the stairs. Stopping at the bottom, she glanced over at the window and saw a pair of legs passing by.
Gasping, Lacey swiftly made her way up the stairs and cautiously opened the door at the top. She was in an old abandoned farm house, she realized as she stepped into the kitchen. The linoleum was torn up in various spots on the floor, the cupboard doors hanging off their hinges. The window to the right of her was broken, as was the one above the sink.
Creeping through the kitchen, Lacey saw the front door standing open across the large living room floor. Gathering her courage, Lacey quickly made her way across the floor just as she heard the loud roar of rage from the room below. Smothering the scream sliding up her throat, she cleared the front door and ran down the steps. Glancing around, she took in the large, paint-chipped house that had obviously been neglected for years. She knew where she was! People joked about this place being haunted. It was about three miles from her house, if you drove there, but she was sure it was much closer if you cut through the woods.
Hearing Michael hollering her name, Lacey turned away from the house and sprinted into the woods. Clutching the knife in one hand and her sore ribs in the other, Lacey ran as hard as she could in the direction of her house. After several minutes, she stopped and leaned weakly against a tree. She knew adrenaline was the only thing keeping her going, so she made herself push away and stumble on. The sound of something crashing through the woods behind her had her moving faster again. She had to get home. Had to get back to Ethan and Clint.
Suddenly, Lacey caught her foot on a branch and she fell to the ground, pain surging through her ankle. Oh God! No! she silently screamed as she struggled to stand. She had just pulled herself back up and was gingerly putting pressure on her foot when she heard the rough laughter from behind her. “I told you that you wouldn’t get away from me, Lacey,” Michael said as he stopped just a few feet from where she now leaned against a tree.
Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, Lacey took a deep breath and turned in his direction, the knife hidden behind her back. She was not going back with him to that house. She was going home to her son and the man she loved. Looking at the deranged lunatic who was trying to steal everything from her, she finally asked the question she had been terrified to ask earlier. “Where is Ethan, Michael?”
Shrugging, Michael responded, “I don’t know where the little brat went. I don’t really care, either. You are the one I want.”
Taking the knife out from behind her back, Lacey growled, “Then come and get me, you bastard.”
“You think that knife is going to stop me?” Michael asked as he took a step toward her. Taking out a gun he had tucked in the back of his waistband, he pointed it in her direction. “Enough games, Lacey. Now you are just starting to piss me off.” Motioning back the way they had come with the gun, he said, “Go back to the house, now. Or I will put a bullet in you right here.”
Fuck that, Lacey thought, as she raised the knife and let it fly. It embedded itself into Michael’s shoulder just as a gun went off and a bullet appeared between his eyes. Swinging around, she saw Creed standing with his gun raised, a hard expression on his face. Trembling, Lacey slowly allowed herself to slide to the ground and lean back against the tree. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, her whole body shook as she began to sob.
Feeling an arm gently encircle her shoulders, Lacey raised her tear-filled gaze to Katy’s. “Ethan,” she cried raggedly, “where’s my son?”
“He’s with Clint,” Katy promised her as she pulled her closer. “They are back at your house.”
Lacey cried out in pain when Katy slipped an arm around her waist and tried to help her up. “Please, don’t touch me,” she begged. “I hurt everywhere.” Closing her eyes, she bowed her head and sobbed.
“Hush,” she heard a deep voice whisper as strong arms lifted her up and held her close. “I’ve got you, Lacey.”
Realizing she was safe in her brother’s arms, Lacey laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the last few hours. “I need to see my son,” she whisper
ed.
Justice’s arms tightened around her as he turned and started walking back toward her house. “He needs to see you too,” he agreed quietly.
Chapter 17
Moving on after being kidnapped by a psychopath was hard for Lacey, but having Clint by her side gave her the courage she needed to be strong for both herself and her son. Even though Ethan had not had another fever since the one the night before Lacey’s abduction, Lacey called the doctor and insisted on getting an appointment right away to get tests run. Dr. Adams put a rush on them, and they found out within days that Ethan was still in remission.
The following week, Justice stopped by to see them. Lacey sat out on the back deck watching her son and Clint play on the swing set as Justice sipped at the tea she had given him.
“How are you doing?” he finally asked, breaking the silence that had lasted the past ten minutes.
Looking in his direction, Lacey smiled weakly, “I’m okay,” she lied. Of course she was not okay, but Justice had enough on his plate right now. He did not need to worry about her too.
“I don’t believe that,” Justice replied as he watched his nephew go down the slide. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a prick, Lacey,” he continued. “I’m all sorts of screwed up right now.” Rubbing a hand over the stubble of hair on the top of his head, Justice sighed deeply. “The things I went through over there really messed me up. I know that’s no excuse, but it’s all I got.”
Lacey’s lower lip trembled as she watched her son climb the ladder to go down the slide again. “I can honestly say that I understand if it is anything like what I went through just a few days ago, Justice,” she said quietly. “You were held for months, I was just held for a few hours. But just know, if you ever need to talk, I’m here.” When Justice stayed silent, Lacey stood and said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” Leaving Justice on the deck, Lacey went into her bedroom and sat on the bed, unable to stop the tears from falling. She could not imagine the amount of pain and suffering Justice had been through at the hands of the enemy. He had no visible scars, but Lacey had noticed that even in the worst of the heat, her brother wore long sleeves.
Sighing, Lacey finally wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood to open the middle drawer on her desk. Removing a file, she walked back out to Justice and sat the file down in front of him. Nodding to it, she told him, “I’ve looked for you for years, Justice. I have been trying to find you since I left home at eighteen. I have never stopped trying.” As Justice gazed silently at her, she gave him a small smile. “I have always loved you, little brother. Always. The proof is in that folder.”
Lacey watched as Justice pulled the file toward him and opened it. Then she left him to go through all of the information she had on him, including invoices and paid receipts dated several years ago.
Justice stayed for dinner that night, and when he went to leave, he pulled Lacey into his arms. “Thank you,” he said gruffly as he rubbed the top of her head with his chin. “Thank you for showing me that you have always cared. I’m sorry I have been such an ass.”
Leaning back, Lacey whispered, “Justice, I know you are going through some things right now that you aren’t willing to share, and I respect that. I don’t expect you to automatically trust me, or to even care for me like I do for you. But I do want to get to know you. I want Ethan to know his uncle. Please, give me that.”
Nodding, Justice said, “I’d like that too.” Glancing into where Ethan giggled while playing a game with Clint, he grinned, “Clint’s a good man, Lace.”
Smiling, Lacey agreed, “Yes, he is, and I am going to do everything in my power to keep him this time.”
Chapter 18
It had been three and a half weeks since Clint had felt Lacey’s hot, slick wetness around him. Three and a half long weeks since he sank deep inside her and lost himself as she came around him, squeezing his dick tightly. He didn’t think he could wait much longer.
Picking up his phone, he placed a call to Katy Caldwell and put his plan in motion. An hour later, he and an excited Ethan were pulling up in front of the Caldwell ranch. As soon as the truck stopped, Ethan was out and running to the barn. Clint laughed as Justice walked out of the building and Ethan slammed into him, his arms closing around his legs. Justice picked Ethan up and threw him into the air, catching him easily, then sat him back on the ground letting him go. Ethan ran into the barn where Clint assumed one of Justice’s brothers must be.
Waiting nervously by his truck, Clint took a deep breath as Justice approached him. Tipping his Stetson in Clint’s direction, Justice grinned, “Hey Clint. What’s up?”
Clint leaned back against his vehicle and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I wanted to ask you something,” he hedged as he watched Ryder and Ethan exit the barn and go get on a tractor.
“I’m waiting,” Justice said, cocking an eyebrow.
Clearing his throat, Clint responded, “I would like your permission to ask your sister to marry me.”
Chuckling lowly, Justice replied, “I appreciate that, man, but I think Lacey is going to do whatever she wants no matter what I say.”
Shrugging, Clint said, “I figured as much, but it’s tradition in my family to ask permission, and you are the closest thing to a father Lacey has. So, I’m asking you.”
Leaning against Clint’s truck next to him, Justice muttered, “You’re a good man, Clint. I trust you will take care of my sister and my nephew.”
“With my life,” Clint agreed quietly. “I would do anything for them.”
Standing, Justice held out a hand, “Welcome to the family.”
Grinning sheepishly, Clint replied, “She hasn’t said yes, yet.”
“She will,” Justice responded as he took off his hat and ran a hand over his short, dark hair. “I have to go back soon, Clint. The military is calling me in. I have a couple more weeks, that’s it. Take care of them for me.”
“I will,” Clint promised. Straightening, he nodded to where Ethan was climbing up onto the tractor with Ryder. “Ethan’s going to spend the night here tonight. The nightmares seem to have stopped, but if he gets scared at all, call us. We will come get him.”
“You got it,” Justice agreed as he accepted the small suitcase Clint retrieved from the truck. “Good luck, Clint.”
With a wave in Ethan’s direction, Clint left the ranch and went back to his house to prepare everything for that night.
Lacey stepped into her house and frowned as the quietness enveloped her. Walking through the living room, she looked out of the window into the backyard, but did not see Clint and Ethan. Realizing she had not seen Clint’s truck out front either, she wondered where they were.
Deciding to take advantage of the quiet time, Lacey slipped out of her heels and walked into her bedroom, stopping at the sight of the beautiful light blue sundress laid out across her bed. Walking slowly over to it, she reached out and picked up the note lying on top of the dress.
Lacey,
Ethan is staying with the Caldwells tonight. I will be waiting for you at home.
Love,
Clint
With trembling fingers, Lacey slowly undid the buttons on her shirt and slipped it off, her skirt quickly following. After one last look at the stunning dress, she made her way to the bathroom and turned on the shower. An hour later, she was dressed in the soft, silky material with her hair down and heels on. Grabbing her purse, Lacey left her house and headed to Clint’s.
Pulling into his driveway, Lacey parked beside Clint’s truck. Turning off her vehicle, she stared at the dark house in confusion. Opening her door, Lacey stepped out of her car and slowly shut it. Glancing around the neighborhood, she was amazed at how quiet it seemed. Looking at her watch, she realized it was already almost 8pm. She had been working longer hours, trying to catch up after taking two weeks off. Since Clint was on summer vacation, he spent most of his time with Ethan.
Walking up the sidewalk, she paused when she saw another note taped to Clint’
s door.
Lacey,
I have been waiting for this night for months. If you are not ready for the next step in our relationship, do not open this door. If you are, come find me.
Love,
Clint
Lacey’s heart skipped a beat and then took off at a run. Not hesitating, she opened the door. The entryway was dark, but she could see flickers of light coming from beyond the kitchen. Dropping her purse on the couch, Lacey walked through the kitchen and stopped in the doorway to the dining room. There was a small feast laid out on the table, with two tall candles and a bottle of chilled wine.
The back patio doors were open and she could see Clint’s silhouette as he stared down at the ground, his shoulders slumped in dejection. He swung around as she walked out onto the patio, her heels clicking against the concrete. Stopping in front of him, Lacey reached out and lightly traced his jawline with her fingertips.
“I was afraid you weren’t coming,” Clint admitted, as he captured her hand in one of his.
Shaking her head, Lacey replied, “I will always be here for you, Clint. Don’t ever question that.”
Letting go of her hand, he cupped her cheeks in the palms of his hands and gently kissed her trembling lips. Pulling back, he gazed into her eyes before slowly kneeling in front of her. “I had this all planned out, Lace. I knew exactly how I wanted this night to go.” Lacey gulped as Clint pulled a dark, velvet box out of his pocket. “Things never seem to work out quite the way I plan with you, but I hope this part of the night does.” Lacey gasped at the emotion in Clint’s eyes as he continued, “You have claimed me, Lacey Donovan, my heart and soul. There will never be another for me. Will you be my wife? The mother of my children? Let me be a father to Ethan?”
Smiling tremulously, Lacey dropped to her knees before him. “I have always been yours, Clinton, always.”
Clint took the ring out of the box and slowly slid it on her ring finger. Raising her hand to his lips, he lightly kissed where the ring rested. “I love you, Lacey.”
Healing Her Spirit (Serenity Springs Book 2) Page 9