by Kariss Lynch
The man grabbed a piece of rope from the deck and reached for Kaylan’s hands, binding them together with lightning speed. Kaylan winced as the ropes dug and chaffed her tender skin. Glancing at Megan out of the corner of her eye, she mouthed one word, “Now.”
Megan threw her body forward, shoving the screwdriver into the man’s leg. He let out a cry of rage as he lost his balance. Without waiting, Kaylan grabbed his shirt and propelled him forward, Megan helping as they shoved him into the sea. He tumbled once on top of the water before disappearing. The boat behind them swerved to miss him. One down. Two to go.
Dmitri cried in rage, glancing behind him at Megan and Kaylan. With a jerk of his hand the driver forced the boat to pick up speed.
Megan tugged at the ropes binding Kaylan’s hands, pulling them free. Just as the rope slipped from Kaylan’s hands, Megan screamed and jerked backward. Kaylan’s heart stopped.
“You are more trouble than you’re worth,” Dmitri screamed over the wind. He held Megan tight against him, his hand yanking a handful of her hair. Megan whimpered as Dmitri pulled his knife free from his belt and brought it to her throat.
“Say good-bye.”
Just as Dmitri tightened his grip on the knife, a shot fired. Kaylan hit the deck. She heard a scream and a splash. Megan and Dmitri were gone.
Her brain felt like a foggy mess as she stumbled to her knees. Jay’s boat slowed, and the distance lengthened between them. In the moonlight Kaylan watched two bodies dive overboard. She stifled a sob. Would they find Megan? Had she been shot?
The distance and the darkness made it impossible to see the events unfolding behind her. She forced herself to focus on escape. She whipped her gaze back to the man driving the boat. They’d maneuvered closer to the coast, and Kaylan caught a glimpse of a mansion embedded in a cove.
The drop-off. If she entered that house, she might never come out. She could no longer discern a boat behind them. She was on her own. Even if the SEALs came, she didn’t have time to wait.
She clenched her fists, still feeling the rope gripped in her fingers. Goosebumps danced up and down her arms, and her hair whipped in her face. Her fingers felt stiff from the cold and nerves. Could she overpower this guy and take over the boat? He glanced warily back at her, a gun within reach.
She had to try. She wouldn’t disappear without a fight.
She remembered Nick’s instruction that anything and everything could be a weapon. Wrapping the rope around her fists, she pulled it taut and studied the man. About five foot ten. Wiry build. Cagey eyes. No emotion. She’d have a fight on her hands for sure, but Nick had taught her to leverage what she could. Praying for strength, she began to crawl toward the front of the boat, trying to balance against the speed of the boat and the wind ripping past her.
Taking a deep breath, she shot to her feet and charged the last few steps, throwing her arms around the man’s neck, the rope pulled tight. He gagged, struggling to hold his balance. She jumped on his back, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling back on the rope with all her strength. The rough strands bit at her hands, but she held on.
His hand flew backward, grabbing a handful of hair and yanking. She screamed but tightened her grip. She had too much to lose. The boat careened into the cove and Kaylan panicked, worried they would crash. The man gurgled and whipped the wheel, sending the boat back into the waves in the open sea. A wave rocked over the side of the boat, sending shivers of fear over Kaylan. If they didn’t crash, they might capsize. She wasn’t sure which she preferred.
Kaylan doubled her efforts as the man grabbed his gun. Though he choked, she couldn’t seem to leverage her weight enough to knock him out. A boat zipped into view and pulled even. Micah stood at the wheel with Nick leaning over the side.
Nick. Kaylan realized her grip had slipped a second too late. The man yanked her head to the side again, his gun tilted backward. It fired close to her head, and she dropped from his back. Her head rang. Her stomach heaved. Everything moved in slow motion. And somewhere nearby Nick yelled.
A pair of dark eyes closed in on her face. His breath smelled like liquor. He said something indiscernible, raised the butt of the gun, and connected with her head.
Pain shot through her skull as the world faded to black. The last thing she heard was the sound of gunfire. Then nothing.
Chapter 44
NICK WATCHED THE scuffle from Jay’s boat, his blood boiling as he fought the urge to have target practice with the man on board, but he couldn’t get a clean shot. When Kaylan jumped the man, he bit back the urge to cheer. Now they had a fight.
“Bulldog, get us close to that boat.”
His best friend gunned the engine and brought them even with the boat. Nick leaned over the side. The water splashed and frothed, trails from both boats winding behind them and disappearing into darkness. He dug his boots into the boat, trying to find traction.
“Hawk, you can’t jump!” Micah shouted over the wind. The sea grew choppier the longer they stayed out, and Micah fought to keep the boat straight.
A gun fired, and Kaylan fell backward.
“Kaylan!”
Their boat rocketed past as the other boat slowed, their speed decreased in the scuffle. The man turned and smashed Kaylan’s head.
“Hawk, jump now,” Micah yelled as he pulled even to the other boat again.
Nick didn’t think twice. He leaped right as the other boat accelerated. His gun tumbled loose and into the water as he hit the deck and rolled, slamming into the back of the boat. Nick pulled himself onto his knees, taking stock of anything close to him and hating himself for losing the pistol.
The man driving the boat turned and caught sight of Nick. Nick heard a string of Arabic before the man pointed the boat to the beach and accelerated. He turned and pointed his gun down at Kaylan, never transferring his gaze from Nick’s. Beads of sweat formed on the man’s forehead. His left hand shook, but his right hand gripped the gun without hesitation.
The man knew he’d been beaten. He closed his eyes, and dread filled Nick. A martyr.
Nick crouched, took a deep breath, then rushed. Even with a few inches on the man, he felt like he hit a solid wall. The man’s eyes flew open, and he fired a wild shot. Nick didn’t even have time to make sure it missed Kaylan. He used all his strength, shoved the man through the partial glass windshield, and sent him plummeting over the side of the boat.
Nick grabbed the wheel and jerked with all his might, but it refused to budge. He fought the accelerator, but the man had jammed the track, making it impossible for Nick to slow their speed. He yelled as they narrowly missed a rock. They were going to hit shore in a matter of moments, and this boat would blow. He was tired of exploding boats. He signaled to Micah they would need to jump.
Micah maneuvered his boat away, giving them space and slowing in preparation for removing them. Nick worried about hitting the water at this speed, but they had no choice. He knelt next to Kaylan.
“Kaylan, baby. Wake up. We gotta jump.” She groaned, blood pulsing from her head, but her eyes remained closed. Nick glanced up. Four hundred yards from shore and closing. No time.
He swung Kaylan over his shoulder, her long legs dangling. He
shoved himself onto his feet, fighting the motion of the boat. Digging his feet into the deck with all his might, he ran and jumped.
His head plunged under water, and he lost his breath. The icy current seized his body. Kaylan slipped off his shoulder, and he grabbed her around the waist. Kicking with his remaining energy, he pushed them to the surface, breaking just as an explosion rocked the beach. He covered her head, shielding her with his body.
Heat seared his back even as the waves carried him farther away from the shore. Kaylan moaned in his arms, and Nick’s stomach dropped. He needed to get her out of the water. Now.
He scanned the darkness, finally spotting the boat. With a wave and shout, he caught Micah’s gaze and waited as his friend maneuvered closer.
As soon as Micah pulled even, he cut the engine and reached for Kaylan. Nick shoved her upward into her brother’s waiting arms.
Waves lapped at Nick’s face, and he spat salt water. Grabbing the side of the boat, he pulled himself on deck. He landed and rolled, for a moment too tired to move.
“C’mon, sis. You are not allowed to go out on me like this.”
At the strain in Micah’s voice, new adrenaline spiked through him. Nick crawled to where Micah bent over Kaylan on the deck, pumping her chest and blowing air into her lungs. Her face was deathly pale, and a gash leaked blood on her forehead. He reached for her fingers. Ice cold.
“Kaylan Lee Richards, you are not leaving me like this.” He pushed Micah out of the way and began to pump her chest, stopping to breathe into her mouth. Lord, please don’t take her. Not like this. Not yet.
With a shudder she gagged. Nick uttered a cry of relief as he rolled her over. Gasping and coughing, she threw up seawater.
“Thank You, God,” Micah croaked.
Nick pulled Kaylan into his arms as they shivered on deck. “I love you.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you so much. Don’t you ever do that to me again. The only one allowed to have near-death experiences from now on is me, got it?”
Kaylan laughed weakly, her voice scratchy from swallowing salt water. “I thought we were supposed to share everything.”
Nick kissed her forehead. “Not that.”
The sound of another boat engine broke through the slosh of water. “The Feds are here, Hawk. Looks like they picked up the others.”
“Megan?”
“Jay, Colt, and Titus have her. She’s fine. Looks like they caught Dmitri too.”
Kaylan wilted in his arms, tears streaming down her face in relief. “I can’t believe you’re here. I can’t believe you found us.”
Nick rose up on his elbows to look at Kaylan. He studied every part of her face. A bruise blossomed on her cheek, and he touched the spot gingerly, anger filling him at whoever had hit his girl.
“I’m okay, babe. But I never thought I would see you again.”
He cupped her face and kissed her bruise, her cut, then settled on her lips. He kissed away the terror and a long night of wondering. He kissed away the possibility of never seeing her or holding her again. They’d made it. And he would never let her go again.
“Break it up, you two. Save it for the honeymoon.”
Micah grabbed Nick and pulled him off Kaylan. Then he reached for his sister, wrapping her in a blanket as he pulled her into his arms. She nuzzled into her brother’s chest, her tears flowing unchecked. “We better call home. And just get ready for Mom and Dad to give you the lecture of your life,” Micah grumbled.
Nick hung his head in relief. Justice at last. They had Janus in custody, had caught the head of a major human trafficking ring, and hadn’t lost the girls in the process. Regardless of the struggle, he could live with the results.
Chapter 45
AFTER A KIDNAPPING and near-death experience, Kaylan had spent time taking a hard look at her life. The truth was, she missed a lot of things. Kaylan missed the colors of fall in Alabama. She missed the cool, crisp air, the need for sweaters, family game nights, making s’mores in the fireplace with her brothers. She missed her parents, grandparents, and brothers. She missed Sarah Beth. She missed her quiet, sheltered life in Alabama. But she didn’t miss missing Nick, and as much as nostalgia overcame her at times, she wouldn’t trade her life now for anything.
She curled tighter around the throw pillow on the couch, thankful to let her body rest after the harrowing events of last Saturday and a week back at her internship. With the mundane events of each passing day, she relaxed a little more. Even Megan had begun to unwind a bit.
Megan padded into the living area and flopped down in the armchair, yawning. Her short, dark hair twisted haphazardly around her face. “Thank goodness it’s Friday.”
“Mmm-hmm. And it’s almost Thanksgiving.”
“You headed home?”
“Yeah, Nick, Micah, and I are flying back to Alabama for a few days.”
“Must be nice.”
Kaylan pushed up on the couch so she could look at her roommate. “What are your plans?”
“I have a date with a really cute new guy.”
“Not another one, Meg.”
Megan held up her hands. “Trust me. You’ll like this one. He’s handsome, has a beautiful fin, and a smile that lights up my world.”
Kaylan grinned. “New dolphin at the aquatic center?”
Megan smiled. “He’s a beauty. And so much fun.”
Kaylan noted the bruises healing on Megan’s head and face and the way her eyes didn’t light up with her smile. “Meg, why don’t you come home with us for Thanksgiving?”
“You don’t want me with your family.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Megan fell silent and nodded, looking down at her lap. “I prayed, by the way.”
“What did you pray for?”
“That if I’m wrong, God will show me who He is.” She rolled her eyes. “Better move, though. I might get struck by lightning for questioning the Big Guy.”
Kaylan laughed. “If that actually happened, you never would have met me. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve asked Him ‘why’ this year.”
“But you don’t doubt Him? Even after losing your best friend, getting kidnapped, and almost getting shot?”
“Believe me, I’ve wondered about that. But I finally stopped asking Him ‘why’ and started focusing on my response. When you understand that God is good not because of but in spite of circumstances, you stop questioning His character every time something bad happens.”
“He’s big, though. He could’ve stopped all that.”
“Yes, but He chose not to.”
“Why?”
Kaylan stood and tossed her pillow at Megan. “Maybe so you would ask Him the tough questions.” She tousled her roommate’s hair as she walked by. “He can handle them. Keep asking. He’s not afraid of the questions.”
“Well, you may convert me yet.”
“If I can get you to a relationship with Jesus, I can live with that. Now c’mon. Let’s go book you a plane ticket to Alabama before Nick picks me up for our date.”
Nick wrapped Kaylan in his arms as soon as she stepped from the house. “How’s my girl?”
“Fine, Nick. Stop worrying about me.”
He held her away from him and checked the gash on her head. “It’s healing well. I’m so sorry he did this to you.”
Kaylan buried her head in his chest. “I’m sorry too.”
“For what, gorgeous?”
He felt her hold her breath and made himself wait her out, fearing the answer.
Finally she exhaled. “He kissed me. A couple times. And I couldn’t stop him.” Her soft voice broke his heart.
Nick ran his fingers through her hair, wishing he could have pulled the trigger on Dmitri. Wishing the man experienced worse than what he put the kidnapped women through, and then hating himself for wishing that. Lord, forgive my vengeful heart.
“Kaylan, look at me.”
She slowly raised her head to meet his gaze. He brushed his fingers down her cheeks and over her lips. “Allow me to erase that memory.”
He took his time, kissing her forehead, her cheek, whispering his love. When his lips finally met hers, he worked to erase her hesitations, reassuring her that he would love her no matter what, and no evil person could erase that. He let his hands drift down to her waist, holding her close as if to reassure her that nothing could ever steal her away or hurt her again.
After minutes they were both breathless. “I love you, Kaylan Lee Richards. Nothing can change that. And it is not your fault. He was sick and twisted.”
He tugged her toward the Jeep. “Come take a drive with me.”
A gentle wind whipped through their hair as they drove along the beach. Her fingers were wrapped in his, and he refused to let go the whole ride, letting the miles bleed away the stress, worry, and pain of the last week.
He’d asked for a blood test to determine if Janus really was his mother—but for now he’d only told Kaylan that her neighbor, Cathryn, had been the one threatening her and had been apprehended. She’d rightly been enraged, but they were working through it. Dmitri was facing massive charges. The two Arabs had died, their bodies recovered the next day. The Big Kahuna had slipped back into his shoes as a high-ranking businessman in Russia, but Nick knew he was being watched. They would catch him in due time. The weapons were confiscated before they made it to Iran, but Nick guessed his team might head to the Middle East in the future, possibly on his next deployment. But none of that mattered. For today, he had Kaylan, he was home, and life was good. Everything in the shadows had been brought to light.