Abducted

by Samantha Keith

  She lowered her trembling hand and took another bite of her sandwich. “Was that necessary?”

  Ethan snorted. Cal’s lips stretched into a sexy smile. A deep, throaty laugh rumbled through his lips.

  “It was completely necessary, unfortunately. To be honest, I spared him what he really deserved. But it was a good enough warning for him to stay away from you.” The amusement left his face, and his eyes darkened, reminding her of how dangerous and deadly he was. Her toes curled against the smooth tile floor at her feet. She should have been unnerved by his revelation, but she wasn’t. He was hard, unapologetic, and fiercely protective of her.

  She’d never been more attracted to anyone in her life.

  Chapter 17

  His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping his attention away from the TV screen. It was after 6 p.m. and he didn’t have the heart to wake Lana yet. He got to his feet, stretched his tense muscles, and pulled out his phone. Nate was in the kitchen refilling their drinks, and Ethan had gone to grab food. He glanced at the screen. Ethan.

  “Yeah?”

  “Get the hell out—now!”

  Adrenaline spiked through his veins, and he made a dead run for the bedroom. “What’s going on?”

  “I just drove past Stamos’s building because I was in the neighborhood, and I saw him load into a black SUV with a fucking assault rifle. He had two carloads of people with him, and his arm was in a sling and bandaged to shit. He’s gotta be after you. Get the hell out as fast as you can.”

  “Sonofabitch. How the hell could he have found us here?”

  “Who knows? He could have tailed one of us.”

  Anger rippled through him. He wasn’t careless—ever. But there was no other explanation as to how they could have been found. Cal disconnected, and his feet pounded down the hall. He stretched his hand for the bedroom door, but it yanked open, and Lana’s wild eyes searched his face.

  “What is it?”

  He grabbed her hand and towed her after him. Her fingers turned to ice in his palm and tugged on his hold. He didn’t let go.

  “Cal! Tell me—now!”

  “They’re after us. Stamos is coming with an army.” They entered the kitchen, and Nate slapped a pair of keys in his hand. “Take my Chevy. It’s parked in the pull-through garage that leads to the alley. I’ll handle this.”

  Cal’s feet rooted to the spot, his gaze searched Nate’s. He couldn’t leave him to fend for himself against a goddamn fleet of people.

  “Ethan’s not far behind them. We got this.”

  Lana’s fingers wiggled in his. Headlights bounced through the window, and he accepted the keys.

  “Go!” Nate growled.

  Lana grabbed her shoes from by the door, and Nate ushered them to the garage door access. Cal clicked the key fob, and the doors unlocked. She slid into the passenger’s seat, and Cal pressed the garage door opener.

  Crack! Crack!

  His shoulders tensed.

  Lana’s head whipped around. “They’re shooting,” she wheezed. The garage door rattled open, and he cringed as the sound echoed in the night. Return shots fired, splitting the air. He started the ignition. A dead calm seeped into his bones. “Get your seat belt on, and keep your head down.”

  He peeled out of the garage and down the narrow drive to the alleyway. At least they’d get a head start. The truck bounced over the gravel terrain and jerked when it slammed into a pothole. Bright headlights reflected in the rearview mirror. Lana craned her neck around.

  “Cal, that vehicle is moving really fast.” The headlights glared into their mirrors, making him squint. Lana breathed a curse as he whipped the truck out of the alley and onto the main road. The truck shot forward on the smooth pavement, but the vehicle behind them peeled after them.

  Crack, crack!

  Glass pelted the back of his neck. He shot his hand out and shoved Lana’s head between her legs. “Dammit, stay down.” He weaved through a column of cars, and the truck fell behind. Cal kept his gaze on the silver truck in the rearview mirror. He couldn’t make out the bastard’s faces, but there had to be at least three.

  “We need to lose them. Where’s your place?” Hysteria pitched her voice to a squeak. She parted her hair that had fallen like a dark curtain over her face.

  “Just outside Baring.”

  “Alright, then we need to get on WA-522 going east. Take the next exit on your right.”

  “I’m not leading them to my place,” he ground out.

  “They don’t know we have anywhere to go. We have lots of time to lose them.” The turn approached, and his teeth sank into his tongue. In less than a second, they would miss it.

  “Cal, turn!”

  He whipped the vehicle, merging onto the on-ramp. But his fast move hadn’t slipped past the assholes in the truck. They turned behind them, gaining speed swiftly behind the several cars that separated them. He slammed his foot on the gas, gunning them onto the interstate. He merged in front of a transport vehicle, cutting the driver off. His horn blared, but the silver truck had no choice but to merge behind the trailer.

  “Good one.” They traveled for nearly fifteen minutes, but with every lane change the silver truck flashed not far behind them. Lana straightened in her seat and unbuckled her seat belt. He grabbed her belt before she could release it. “What the hell are you doing? Stay buckled. As soon as they fall far enough behind, I’m going to lose them.”

  “You need to let me drive.”

  He did a double take, but her eyes were wide and determined. “Not happening, honey.”

  “It’s only a matter of time before they get close enough to shoot out one of our tires. Unless you want me to shoot at them, you’d better let me drive. I’m better at navigating than you are, anyway.”

  He stiffened. “How do you figure?”

  “Because you nearly missed our turn last time.”

  “I was trying to lose them.”

  “And I see that was successful. Now, seriously, stop being so damn macho.”

  He grunted. She was right. He’d have to take them out before more of their buddies showed up. “Fine. Come straddle my lap.” She scrambled over the seats and settled her ass over his groin. His body tensed, and his blood heated. Her hands gripped the steering wheel above his, pulling him back to the moment.

  “Put your foot on mine and I’ll move out from under you.”

  Her dark head gave a sharp nod, and her small shoe rested on the toe of his. “Ready?”

  “Yes, go! They’re behind us now.”

  He moved his hands from the steering wheel to her hips, and eased out from underneath her body. She kept the truck steady and settled into the seat. He reached over her shoulder and pulled the seat belt across her chest, buckling her in.

  “Stay low and do what I say.” Shit, he must be crazy. All it would take would be one shot to her head, and—

  He couldn’t think about it. He pulled his Glock from the waistband of his pants and climbed onto the back seat where the back window was shot out. The truck’s bumper loomed before him, closing in. He steadied his shoulders, aimed for their tire, and fired. The truck jerked, and the bullet hit the bumper. Cal ground out a curse. A large form hung out the passenger’s side window.

  Shit.

  “Babe—” Shots fired, and the truck swerved into the next lane. He collided with the rear passenger door and righted himself. Lana had cut the vehicle in front of another semi. Two closed in behind them, shielding them from the truck. The vehicle jerked as she took an exit and the transport followed.

  Yes, they just might lose them.

  “Good one. I don’t think they saw us turn.” He climbed over the console and dropped into the passenger seat. Lana sat ramrod-straight, her knuckles white. He reached out his hand and grazed her arm with his fingertips.

  “You okay?”
<
br />   She nodded wildly. “Fine.” Her eyes snapped up to the rearview mirror as she headed northeast toward the mountains. Trees began to crowd the sides of the road; they whipped past the long arms of the branches. A few minutes ticked by, and her shoulders relaxed. Cal ached to wrap her in his arms, but not yet. He couldn’t let his guard down until she was safe. The wind whipped through the broken back window, sending a cool breeze through the truck. “Did we lose them?” Her voice was steady now and laced with hope. He glanced in the side-view mirror, but other than the transport’s large headlights, there wasn’t anyone else on the road.

  “I think so,” he said. He glanced back at her and took in the gentle creases around her eyes. “Do you want me to drive?”

  Her eyes slid over to him, finally meeting his. Her blue orbs slammed into him, making his chest ache. If Ethan hadn’t given them a head start… If one of the bullets had hit her…

  “Yeah, I’ll pull over at the next gas station.” Her gaze narrowed on the rearview mirror. “Who’s that? Passing the transport?”

  He twisted in his seat and his body tensed.

  Goddammit!

  “It’s them.” He unbuckled his seat belt and climbed into the back.

  “Are you sure? They’re pretty far away.” Her voice trembled.

  “Positive. Keep it steady, I’m going to take out the driver when they get—” The truck shot forward, sending him barreling into the back seat. “Dammit, what are you doing? I have a loaded gun in my hand!”

  “Sorry. I have an idea, but we have to hurry.” They twisted around a bend, and their pursuers fell from view. The truck bounced as Lana pulled to the side of the road and turned the headlights off.

  Irritation rippled through him. “Lana, we’re sitting ducks right here. Get back on the road!”

  She shifted the truck into reverse and cut the wheel sharply, sending the rear end of the Chevy back into a break in the trees. Branches scratched over the smooth paint as she edged them farther into the woods until dark foliage covered the hood.

  Cal stared at her in the mirror. “Damn, you’re smart.”

  She chuckled and pressed her back into the seat. “You’re just realizing this now?”

  He leaned forward between the seats, wrapped his hand around the base of her neck, and pressed his lips to her mouth. She melted into him, her mouth hot and wet on his. Desire stirred in his belly. He pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers.

  “More of that later. Right now, I need to take these assholes out. Stay here, and if anything happens get back on the interstate and call Nate.” He opened the door and slid out of the truck, leaving his phone on the passenger seat. He rattled off the code to his phone.

  Her lips parted, and the rosy hue to her cheeks faded to pale white. “Cal, you can’t be serious.”

  He winked at her. “I’ll be back.” The road lit up with long beams of yellow. He jogged to a tree, dropped down to one knee, and aimed his Glock at the road. Headlights grew wider until the lights touched the grass at his knees.

  A silver truck filled his vision, racing across the pavement. He fired three shots. Two tires blew out, and the truck swerved back and forth over the pavement before flipping and rolling. He got to his feet and charged across the road. His heart rate slowed to a gentle hum in his eardrums. The passenger door creaked open, and a large form fell to the ground.

  Cal grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him into a sitting position. The man howled in pain, and his hands grasped for his knee. A bone protruded through denim, blood coating his pants. A gun fell beside him, and Cal pocketed it. One glance inside the car showed the driver slumped over the steering wheel. Another passenger lay at the side of the road, the broken windshield evidence of his fate.

  Cal dropped to his knee and shoved the barrel of his gun into the man’s mouth. “Who the fuck are you?”

  Brown eyes wide, with his dark hair plastered to his forehead, the man shook his head frantically. Cal removed the gun to let him speak, but kept it trained between his eyes.

  “Stamos hired me! That’s all I know. He was out for blood because you fucked up a job. If he doesn’t kill you and the woman, they’re going to kill him.”

  Rage coursed through his veins like a violent sea. He lowered the weapon to the man’s thigh and fired. He screamed and curled into a tight ball, sweat pouring over his temples.

  “Sorry ’bout that.” His tone was dry. He got to his feet and checked the man sprawled on the pavement. He pressed his fingers to his neck; no pulse. Keeping his gun poised, he approached the driver’s side door. Blood pooled out of the driver’s mouth and onto his leg, his face battered from the airbag. Cal pressed his fingers to his throat. He had a pulse, but it was slow and wiry.

  Even if he walked away alive, he wouldn’t be in any shape to chase them. He pocketed the gun and stalked toward the truck. Lana’s oval face stared back at him through the windshield. An iron fist formed in his stomach. He opened the driver’s side door and snagged her cheeks in his hands. Her eyes darkened as he pressed his lips to her mouth. Damn, he hated that scared look in her eyes.

  “Hop over. I’m driving.”

  She released her seat belt, climbed across the console, and dropped into the passenger seat. He pulled out of the trees and onto the road. Lana’s silence hammered through him. She was shaken up, but as soon as they got to his place, he’d fix that. Darkness spread across the sky, turning the pavement to black ink. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the attached garage of the small, two-bedroom log cabin. He led her through the side door into the house and flicked on the lights of the small kitchen. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out as Lana sank onto one of the wooden bar stools. Relief washed over him as he read the text.

  All good. Hope you made it safe, on our way.

  “Nate and Ethan should be here within the hour. Can I get you a drink?”

  “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

  “I’m having tequila.”

  She made a face.

  He laughed. “How about some wine?”

  She nodded her approval. “Now you’re talking.”

  He poured her a glass of pinot grigio and handed it to her. She brought the glass to her lips, sipped, and closed her eyes on a moan. “I needed that.”

  She wrinkled her nose as he fixed his drink. “How do you drink that?”

  “It’s tequila and water.”

  She stuck her tongue out. “Yuck. I’m pretty sure tequila is meant for margaritas and that’s it.”

  “It’s good for you. It lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. I drink it with water to avoid the sugar that comes with soda. It’s clean, with no hangovers.” He took a sip. “Tastes good, too. Want a sip?” He offered his glass.

  She leaned away and clutched the wineglass to her chest. “I’m good with this, thanks.”

  He grinned. Her eyes lowered to her wineglass. She swirled the golden liquid. “Are you still leaving to find Will?”

  Guilt twisted his gut. Christ. This was what it would be like. A future with Lana would only cause her disappointment. He would always have to see that sad and fearful look in her eyes, and he’d always feel like a piece of shit for doing it to her. Especially after what she’d been through the last hour. But he had to find Will. He could be the final link to ending this nightmare for good. The past few days had given him a glimpse of what life could be like with Lana. It could be happy. But how could he give everything up? All that he’d worked for? His career, his livelihood. Nothing else would amount to what he did now. But nothing—no one—else would amount to Lana.

  He lifted her chin with his knuckle. “I won’t be long, okay? I need to do this. We can’t let this go on any longer. Are you all right?”

  Eyes wide, her lips pressed together, she nodded. “I’m a little on edge, but I’ll be fine. I’m sorry. I don’t want
you to feel torn.”

  “I’m not torn. I want to be here, and only here.” He pressed his lips to hers. Her mouth was as smooth as silk, and her lips tasted of wine. “Wait up for me. There’s something I want to show you later.”

  A blush tinted her cheeks. She lifted the glass to her lips. “I’m not promising I won’t pass out.”

  He pointed a stern finger. “No more wine for you.”

  They hung out in the kitchen while Cal put some frozen pizzas in the oven. He always kept his place stocked with quick food in case of emergencies.

  Ding-dong!

  Cal stiffened. Lana’s hands curled around the edge of the table as if ready to bolt. He placed a hand on hers. “It’s only the guys. Wait here.” He exited the kitchen and advanced on the front door. His hand hovered where his Glock sat at the small of his back. A glance out the side window showed Ethan and Nate. He opened the door.

  Rufus came barreling in ahead of them, making a beeline for the kitchen.

  “What the—”

  “Thought you could use some extra security.” Nate shut and locked the door behind them.

  “That’s a good idea, thanks.” He’d never bothered to get a dog since he was rarely home. He loved animals, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave one alone all the time. Rufus was a damn good dog and well behaved. It would be nice having him around for the night.

  Lana squealed excitedly from the kitchen, greeting Rufus. “Oh, you’re such a good boy!” She was on her knees, scratching his ears, when they walked in. “Hi, guys.” She smiled.

  Nate inhaled deeply. “What’s in the oven?”

  “Pizza. Make sure she eats.” Cal nodded at Lana as she rose from her crouched position. A large gash split the skin above Ethan’s temple. A butterfly bandage held it in place. Lana’s gaze drifted to Ethan’s wound, and her eyes grew soft and distant.

  “You two all right?” she asked.

  Nate nodded. “Yeah, it got a little crazy. They shot out my windows, and one idiot got inside and landed a lucky shot with the butt of his gun to Ethan’s big head.”