by Kadi Dillon
“Yeah, thanks. Get her out of the shed.”
Colin raised his eyebrows at the tone, but moved away to open the shed door. “It’s stuck. It’s like it’s blocked with something.”
Hot fury ignited in his veins. She had blocked the door to keep him out because she believed he’d screwed her over.
“Move.” He strode past Colin and kicked the door in ruthlessly. He felt the hard snapping of wood vibrate through his body. He heard his brother saying his name but it was muffled due to the raging blood that was pounding in his ears. Rebecca wasn’t in the shed.
“Where’d she go?”
Gideon looked behind him where Colin had followed him into the shed. He was waving the flash light into each corner. Before Gideon could open his mouth to speak, a piercing scream sliced through the night and turned his blood that had been burning to ice.
They bounded out of the shed and darted around it. Gideon gripped the pistol in his hand. At first, the dark concealed everything except the water rippling in the moon’s pale reflection. Panic beat a frantic tempo in Gideon’s heart, tightening his chest so much it hurt.
Then he saw her. A brute of a man was dragging her toward the water. Gideon didn’t think, didn’t reason. He simply ran. He and Colin reached the shore about the same time. He saw in utter horror, that Rebecca’s body was limp and the man dragging her was mere feet away from a boat. He aimed the pistol at the man and met his brother’s gaze. Colin nodded at his unspoken request and then dove into the water.
When Gideon estimated Colin nearby, he fired a shot and saw pieces of wood from the boat fly. The man dropped Rebecca to cover his face and she slid into the water. Another shot from Gideon had the man sinking as well. Seconds later, Colin surfaced with Rebecca in his arms.
Gideon kept the pistol aimed at the boat but there was no more activity. All was quiet.
Colin emerged onto the sand and Gideon traded him the pistol for Rebecca’s unconscious form. His brother assured him that she was still breathing, but until he felt her heart beating against his chest did he release the breath he’d been holding.
“All right, let’s get going before anymore of those bastards show up.”
Gideon nodded and followed Colin down the beach. Aphrodite was waiting with Critter manning the wheel and Zoey bouncing back and forth.
“The shots scared her,” Critter told them once they boarded the boat. “What the hell is going on?”
“We’ll explain on the way.” Gideon laid Rebecca down on the bench and removed his shirt to cover her. “Let’s go, hurry.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah.” Because he needed to, Gideon gathered Rebecca in his arms and sat back down on the bench with her in his lap.
Chapter Fourteen
The sounds around her were muffled but she had no problem making them out. A quiet voice repeated her name. She knew it was Rose and it comforted her. An angrier voice further away belonged to Gideon.
Feeling came next. The wind was chilly on her skin. Her hair moved in the breeze. She wanted to brush it out of her face but her arm remained stubbornly still at her side.
She was on the ground. The little rocks dug into her back, but there was no pain. Rose spoke quickly then something rough and wet grazed her cheek. She turned her head away from it and heard Rose’s crooning voice.
Zoey barked, causing her head to hurt. But at least she was alive. The last thing she remembered was being stuck in that tiny, dark shack. She’d been listening to Gideon try to fool the goons into thinking he was on their side when she felt something on her arm.
She’d bit her lip until it bled to keep from screaming but it was the biggest spider she had ever seen. In her panic, she’d knocked over some boards and was unable to get the door open. Instead, she’d slipped out the back of the shed where the wood was rotted.
It was dark, however and as soon as she’d freed herself from the tiny shed, she was disoriented. She’d walked right into the meaty arms of whoever had knocked her down.
Remembering, she raised a hand to the back of her head. There was a lump there but thankfully no blood. She moaned because now that everything was working, it was painful.
“Are you okay, honey?”
Her eyes opened slowly. She blinked to focus and saw in astonishment four faces looking down at her. The dog licked her cheek again. She sat up gingerly with Gideon’s help.
“I’m fine.” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy. She cleared it and tried again. “What happened?”
“Let’s go inside and get you into something dry.” Gideon’s tone alerted her. His eyes were murderous. “Then we’ll talk.”
Those three words spoken so quietly worried her. She could walk after all, she thought as they treaded slowly to the house. Once inside, Rose and Jess helped her change into warm pajamas, fussed over the bump on her head, and made tea. Colin picked at her, as usual and it lifted her spirits. Gideon brooded.
“Where’s Charles and Critter? Critter was here, wasn’t he?” Rebecca sipped at her tea and let it warm her.
“They’re putting the boat up,” Rose told her.
“Are you sure she’s okay?” Jess couldn’t sit still. “I mean, she hit her head. She should see a doctor.”
“Its fine, Jess. The aspirin is helping.”
“What did you hit it on?”
“A rock, I think.”
“I’m surprised your head didn’t just bounce off it, hard as it is.” Gideon rose from his chair and dumped his tea in the sink. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“Um.” She didn’t want to go anywhere alone with him yet. His jaw was taunt, his big fists clenched at his sides. He was definitely in a temper but she didn’t know why. It wasn’t as if she asked to be knocked out.
“Now.” He solved any further problems she might have had with forming coherent sentences by taking her arm. She could either follow or be dragged. Rose gave her an apologetic smile as they passed her. Surely if Rose was confident she was safe, it would be all right.
Gideon led her to his room and didn’t release her arm until he’d shut and locked the door. Her anxiety continued to grow even after he led her to an over-stuffed chair in the corner. He walked away and stopped abruptly at the window.
It was a while before he spoke. The muscles beneath his red t-shirt were bunched and strained. He was angry, but he was doing an amazing job controlling it. He looked as though he wanted to remove his bedroom walls with his bare hands.
“You want to tell me what the hell happened in that shed?”
So that was it. He was angry that she’d left the shed. “I’m sorry. I saw… There was a spider. On my arm…” Her breath hitched at the thought. She could still feel the hair little legs brushing against her skin. “I tried to flick it off, but it was really big. And I knocked some wood or something into the door.”
He turned around slowly and stared at her. “You were scared because you saw a spider?”
She frowned. He sounded as though he didn’t believe her. “A really big spider.”
“So you tried to get out and knocked something in front of the door.”
“Yes,” she said carefully.
“Then what did you do?”
Rebecca leaned back in the chair, mindful of the tender spot on the back of her head. “Well, I took a board and knocked a couple pieces of rotting wood off. From the wall, and I climbed through. I was trying to run around to help you but I guess I went the wrong way.”
Things were fuzzy after that. “I ran straight into a really big guy. I fell back and hit my head. The last thing I remember was waking up on the shore here.” Her brows were knitted again. “And I was soaking wet. How did I get wet?”
He wasn’t listening. He was shaking with laughter. Puzzled, Rebecca stood from her chair. Afraid that he’d gone mad, she inched toward him slowly. “Gideon?”
The laughter erupted out of him and quick as a snake, he grabbed her around the waste and pulled her against him. “Oh, Rebecca.”
“What?” Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him.
“You are so perfect.”
Stunned, she tried to pull back to look at him. His strong arms kept her in place. He’d never said anything like that to her before. No one ever had.
She lifted her head to look at him. He murmured something then brought his mouth down to hers. The hand that was at the small of her back closed around the nap of her neck. The pressure was gentle but his lips were firm.
Immediately, her stomach dropped and her heart took two hard knocks in her chest before settling at a rapid rhythm. She wasn’t yet used to this instant response her body gave from a kiss or a look alone. It could be dangerous, her mind nagged while her body swayed into his.
When he tore his mouth from hers, it was to cruise along her cheek. His breath was warm and sweet on her chilled skin. Little licks of fire ignited in her blood. When he caught her earlobe with his teeth, she gasped and arched her aching body into his.
“Perfect,” he whispered into her ear.
“Gideon.”
He pulled back then. He seemed to know she needed the space. He sat with her on the bed this time and told her what had happened while she was unconscious. Her stomach dropped when he told her about wrestling a gun away from one of the goons and how he’d shot a man.
His voice was calm but his eyes were stormy. Without thinking, she reached out and took his hand. “You could have been killed.”
“We handled it. I think they’re getting impatient. One thing’s for sure.” He looked her dead in the eye. “It isn’t about the damn painting anymore.”
“It’s not?”
“No, it’s about you.”
“I don’t have anything they’d want. Just The Dance.” The man had said something to her but everything was so fuzzy.
“You’ve said it already. You’re collateral. They must have realized they were fucked over and decided to go for something with more value.”
“I don’t have anything of value. I have savings, but that’s it.” But if it wasn’t money that they wanted, what was it? “There’s nothing I have that they want.”
He sighed deeply and caught her smaller hand in his. “You are more valuable than you know. They believe your father will come for you and give them their money in exchange for his daughter.”
If only he cared that much. She shook her head. “They’re wrong.”
“Yes, they are.” When she looked down, he caught her chin. “But that’s your father’s mistake. He’s the one lacking, not you.” He caressed her cheek his thumb. “Never you, baby.”
And when the house was dark and quiet around them, they lay in the moonlight skin to skin beneath the smooth sheets. When his breathing slowed to a deep lull, her heart ached with the words she wanted so badly to give him.
“I love you,” she whispered to the dark.
A light woke her in the early hours of the morning. She stood at the window and peered out into the darkness. Hoping it was only a reflection from a passing boat, she turned to get back in bed. Zoey’s low growl stopped her and her stomach clenched.
“All right, girl,” she whispered, slipping into her sweater. “Let’s go see what this is about.” But she knew, so she took the painting out of Gideon’s closet.
Zoey followed her downstairs. Her feet were still bare so that she wouldn’t wake anyone. When they reached the front door, Rebecca opened it and saw them.
Three men dressed in dark clothing were making their way up to the house.
So this was it. She lifted her chin and stepped out into the chilly morning. The sun had yet to rise, but there was just enough light from the moon to realize the man she’d kicked was one of them men coming to her. It seemed like so long ago since she’d been stuck in the trunk of that car and it’d been a chaotic ride ever since. And now it was at an end.
Zoey growled again as the men inched closer. “Shh,” she pushed her back into the house and ran her hand over her head. “Stay.”
She was through hiding—as if she had any choice now—and she was through putting the people she loved in danger. It would end with her and it would end now. She stepped off the porch and walked purposefully to the men.
“Here’s the deal. I’ll go with you but you have to promise me you won’t hurt them.” She indicated the house behind her. “They have nothing to do with this.”
“Sounds reasonable. I’m Sal, by the way. I’m the one you—”
“I know what I did.”
He looked a little stunned by the heat in her voice. He cleared his throat and held out his hand for the painting. Without hesitating, she handed it over.
“Roman is waiting at the boat. Greer,” he snapped out. “Escort Ms. Channing.”
A beefy armed man took her elbow, only exerting enough pressure to make her move. As they walked away from the house, Rebecca noticed Greer’s other arm was in a sling and he had a bandage over his left shoulder. Gideon had shot him.
Would they try to harm Gideon after all?
They rounded the bend where two more men were waiting for them. She recognized the smallest man as Sal’s partner. Roman.
And when she was staring at the gleaming pistol pointed at her heart, Rebecca knew this was it. She would break her promise to her father and then in all likelihood, die. Keeping her word to her father wasn’t all that important anymore. Like Gideon had told her, there was no point in trying to win his love. Some people didn’t have it in them to love.
And how ironic, she thought, was it that now that she had found herself in love and loved in return, she was going to be killed.
“Let’s go.”
Fate was a fickle bitch, she thought as she was led further away from the house. She didn’t look back. She would lose her nerve. That house was the only place she’d been where she’d felt loved and accepted. The only place she was a part of something. She didn’t need to prove herself worthy of being there, she was just welcome.
At least the Avery’s would be safe. Tears burned her eyes. Gideon would be safe and would one day fall in love again with someone who deserved him. He would get married, have those children he’d said he wanted so much, and he would be so happy. She wished that for him and it almost brought her to her knees.
The water came into view as she was pulled along like a disobedient puppy. There was a roaring in her ears she recognized as an impending panic attack. She wanted to be brave and cool, but the sharp claws of fear were beginning to grab her. She balled her hands into fists to keep them steady and stared at the tranquil water, willing it to calm her.
At the dock, Roman turned to the men who followed them. “Burn the house to the ground. Leave no loose ends.”
She felt every ounce of color drain from her face leaving her cold, so cold. Her teeth chattered trying to find her voice. She didn’t realize she was struggling out of the hold she was in until her arm was screaming with pain.
“Please.” Somewhere in her terror-clouded mind, she knew begging was useless. It didn’t seem to matter. “I’ll do anything you want, just please don’t hurt them.”
“You’ll do anything I want anyway.” Roman’s voice was as calm as the water at his back. “Hurry,” he ordered the men. “I’d like to get this over with before sunrise.”
“No!”
“Be quiet, Ms. Channing.”
“No! There’s no reason to harm them. They don’t know anything.” Another lie, but she grasped it like a prayer. “I can leave them a note, tell them I left and they’ll believe it!”
“Save your breath and get in the boat.”
Rebecca dropped her head and moved forward. Roman’s guard slipped visibly as he made room for her to pass. The bruising grip eased on her arm also and she felt dark satisfaction. Just before she was about to make her move, a thundering sound lashed through the trees. The sound was followed by an eerie silence. Heavy breathing and gasps filled her ears from the men on either side of her.
Oh, God. It was all she
could think. Did those men have guns, too? She couldn’t remember. Was Gideon or one of the others shot? A sick wave of nausea almost took her to her knees. She swallowed the bile that rose suddenly to her throat and heard Roman and his goon hissing at each other.
She used their moment of distraction and plowed her elbow into Roman’s gut. He groaned and was knocked back a step, but the back of his hand flung out and connected to Rebecca’s cheek. It only stung, but she threw her body to the ground deliberately. Before he could yank her up again, she closed a pointed rock in her palm; concealing it. The rock hadn’t been part of her plan but she appreciated the weapon. She had hoped that once she hit the ground, they would ignore her. But Roman was already bending toward her. Now, she only needed to get one of the men to go away so she’d have a fighting chance.
The fabric of her shirt ripped as he pulled her roughly to her feet. She thought he would strike her again but he didn’t. Instead, he barked at the goon to go see what the hell was going on. Perfect. When the two of them were alone, Roman shook her twice.
“You think I’ll go down like my men have at your hand? You’re mistaken. Cause me just one more inconvenience and I’ll kill you slowly.” To emphasize his anger, he rubbed his gun across her cheek.
“You know something Roman?”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not going to let you win.” Before he could react, she suited her action to her words and brought the rock against his head. His head snapped back, his eyes went cloudy. Her arm screamed from the blow, but she did it again and again until Roman slipped to the ground.
She turned to run back to the house, but several men were racing toward her, emerging from the trees. Where did they come from? One grabbed her and shouted at the other men. She screamed at him and fought. Her legs quivered beneath her in her pathetic attempt to slow the man down. Someone drug Roman to the boat and Rebecca was shoved aboard.
The last sound she heard before the boat took off was Zoey’s frantic barking.
Chapter Fifteen