For once she wasn’t going to complain about the bark snagging in her hair when, as soon as the meal was over, her arms were once more wrapped around the trunk behind her. She hated the way Eric and Chris looked at her outthrust breasts as she sat back against the tree. She was grateful Andy seemed bashful and rarely looked at her, but she also knew she couldn’t count on him for help if things got bad.
“Once we get up to the cabin, you can have yourself a nice hot bath and you can stay in the water as long as you want,” Eric promised her as he adjusted the rope. He took his time getting the knots just right and “accidentally” touching the sides of her breasts as he looped the rope around her chest to secure her against the tree.
Shelby didn’t miss the unholy gleam in his eye or his less-than-subtle groping of her breast. She gritted her teeth, fervently wishing she could land a good kick where it counted. But her memory of Chris’s retaliation was too fresh in her mind. While Chris had only threatened to break her foot, she sensed Eric wouldn’t hesitate in crushing the bones so she would never walk normally again. Much less be able to run away.
“You actually have running water all the way up here?” she asked, hoping that if she could keep him talking he’d quit touching her. She tried not to squirm when his fingertips brushed across her thigh.
“No, but we have a big tub we can fill with hot water we’ve heated up over the fire. Course, since you’re such a little thing you’ll probably want some help getting in and out of the tub,” he told her as his eyes hotly raked over her pajama top. The rips in the fabric from her forced trek up the mountain hadn’t helped any; he stared at the pale gold skin peeking out from the cottony fabric. “You’ll like it up there. It’s real private. Only one way in and one way out, and it’s not all that easy to find unless you know it’s there. Makes it easier to keep away unwanted company.” His eyes gleamed.
Shelby’s hopes of rescue were rapidly dwindling. She knew what Eric was really telling her. The men lived where they could guarantee no one would be able to sneak up on them.
“What about this Ellen they talked about?” she managed to say in as normal a voice as she could muster. “She might not like having another woman around.”
Eric’s grin was deadly. “You don’t have to worry about Ellen. Where she is she won’t mind who’s up there.”
Shelby felt panic race through her veins in an icy wave. She had no idea who Ellen was, but she suspected the woman was dead. As she herself might well be once Eric got tired of playing his cat-and-mouse games with her. She forced herself not to think about what had happened to Meredith, but the memory kept returning. Shelby vowed she’d find some way to exact revenge for what Chris had done to her friend. Visions of the worst forms of torture began to play through her mind. Before she could stop herself, she began to smile at the idea of Chris hanging by his toes and ants crawling all over his honey-coated body. Unfortunately, Eric happened to catch her smile and viewed it as as a sign of flirtation.
“Hey, don’t you worry,” he whispered, laying his hand on her shoulder and sliding his fingertips down to the top of her breast. “Those boys aren’t going to touch you if I tell them to leave you alone. So you be real nice to me and I’ll be real nice to you.”
He squeezed her breast so painfully she was certain she’d have bruises there tomorrow.
Shelby refused to show any reaction. When he finally left her, she sagged against the tree. Her fear of the man was so strong she knew she didn’t dare go to sleep. Yet if she kept her eyes open, Eric just might come back, and that was the last thing she wanted.
Chapter 5
Jed hadn’t missed the exchange as Eric tied Shelby to the tree. He was relieved Eric wasn’t keeping her close to him that night and forced his fury down as he listened to Eric hint what his plans for Shelby were.
Now there was no doubt who had kidnapped the other women. The men had obviously been bringing them up here for their own use. And when they grew tired of their toys they discarded them—permanently. For now, Shelby was their newest plaything. The only difference was she had family looking for her.
Jed didn’t take his eyes off the group as darkness descended. He noticed the way Eric’s gaze kept sliding toward Shelby. Jed silently congratulated her for pretending to be asleep. She was safer that way.
As he waited for the men to doze off, he catalogued their positions around the small campfire in relation to Shelby and mapped out the escape in his head.
He lifted his head, sniffing the air. There was the faint tang of smoke from the fire Andy had just banked, the sharper scent of the pine trees, earthier smells coming from animals who stayed away as long as they could smell man. And there was something else: a hint of moisture in the air. He looked up and saw clouds gathering. It looked as if they would have rain before the night was over.
Jed would have liked nothing more than to feast his eyes on Shelby, but he had to keep his attention on the three men. He felt relief when all three finally fell asleep. They obviously felt secure enough this high up that they didn’t need one of them to stand guard. Jed had to give Shelby a lot of credit for having made it this far. It seemed his lady fair was tougher than he’d suspected.
Then he thought back to the last time they were together, when she had more than proven herself to be one tough lady.
If Jed didn’t know any better he would have thought he was in love with her.
Shelby was so tired. Her legs ached, her back ached and her feet felt as if they were on fire. The rope looped around her wrists was tied tighter than before and she felt as if all feeling had gone out of her arms. She had been tempted to tell Eric there was no way she could do any more climbing up to the family cabin, thanks to his nephews pushing ill-fitting shoes on her, but she didn’t want to give him another chance to touch her. So she gritted her teeth every time she moved her legs or tried to move her arms. She didn’t even want to think what contact with the bark was doing to her back and hair, fearing the itching sensation she could feel along her spine had more to do with tiny insects than with wood splinters. To make matters worse, the moment the sun went down, the air grew chilly. She clenched her teeth so they wouldn’t chatter with the cold. She was afraid to look down at herself, positive she had turned into one very large goose bump. She drew her sore legs up to her chest in an ineffectual attempt to keep her body heat from escaping.
She was grateful the three men had fallen asleep. She sat back against the tree, watching them roll over and snore. She felt the kind of disgust she would feel if she found three cockroaches in front of her. She only wished she could stomp on them with her toosmall shoes until they were nothing more than smudges in the dirt.
“Pigs,” she whispered under her breath.
There was nothing, not even a whisper of air, to warn her until a hand settled snugly over her mouth to prevent any outcry.
“Was breaking up with me so rough that you found yourself needing consoling from three men, sweetheart?” The familiar voice was so soft that for a moment she thought she’d imagined it. “No offense, but I thought you would have had better taste than choosing the outdoors type.”
She stiffened in her bonds, then tried to turn around, only to find her head kept firmly in place by the restraining hand.
“Don’t do anything to wake up the boyfriends,” Jed whispered. “Just nod your head if you’d like to get the hell out of here.”
She had no problem doing that. She was still stunned to hear his voice. How had Jed made it up here? She couldn’t be dreaming, could she?
“Good. Now, I’m going to cut you loose and you’re going to have to be as quiet as you possibly can when you creep around the tree. It looks as if those three are pretty heavy sleepers, but I don’t intend to give them an excuse to wake up too soon.”
Shelby felt the rope lashed around her chest loosen and then fall into her lap. She bit back a moan as white-hot needles of sensation traveled through her arms and legs. She kept herself in a crouched position an
d, as quietly as possible, crept around the tree. Without thinking, she opened her mouth to ask Jed what he was doing there, but he grasped the back of her head in a firm grip and his mouth covered hers in an all-too-brief but searing kiss.
“No time for more just yet,” he murmured in her ear as he took her arm. “We need to get as far away as possible before one of them wakes up and discovers you’re gone. Come on.” He kept hold of one arm and almost dragged her along behind him.
Even in her stunned state, Shelby couldn’t help noticing that Jed didn’t look at all the way she was used to seeing him. Gone was the impeccable suit or tuxedo she usually saw him in. Even the renegade ponytail was loosened, with strands of hair falling around his face. His dark clothing seemed to blend in with the forest and she couldn’t believe a man could move so swiftly and silently. She imagined she sounded like a herd of elephants as she blindly followed him.
It took only a few steps for the pain to start up in her feet, but she sensed they needed to be a lot farther away before she dared speak. Plus Jed’s hold on her wrist was so tight she couldn’t have broken from him if she tried. She couldn’t imagine where his strength came from.
Oh, she had noticed his lean muscles when she saw him without clothing and knew he ran a minimum of five miles a day, but she couldn’t imagine that would prepare him for a duty like this one.
“Please,” she gasped finally as she felt a painful stitch in her side.
“We can’t stop now,” Jed told her in a low voice. “We’re still too close to them. I found a cave down a ways, and judging from its condition, I don’t think those three ever found it. We can hide in there.”
Shelby started to ask him what he was doing here, but his pull on her hand kept her moving at such a quick pace she figured she was better off funneling all her energy into their escape. Every once in a while she looked over her shoulder, as if fearing Eric and his nephews were hot on their heels.
“Why are you here?” she finally managed to ask.
“Not now,” he repeated in a grim voice as he quickened his pace.
Shelby kept quiet, concentrating on not stumbling as she hurried to keep up. At last, the stitch in her side refused to be ignored. She pulled back as hard as she could. And was almost yanked off her feet.
Jed spun around, and only his hold on her wrist kept her upright. “What now?” he growled.
“I…can’t…go any… farther,” she wheezed. “Those idiots had me climbing up here at a killing pace and going down isn’t proving to be any easier.” She held her aching side with her free hand. “I need a chance to catch my breath.”
Jed moved forward until his face was inches from hers. “Listen to me very carefully, because I don’t want to say this again. Those men are killers,” he said slowly and distinctly. “We can’t afford to hang around in case one of them happens to wake up and find you gone. They’re going to be furious enough as it is, and we need to get out of here.”
“I know that,” she said irritably.
“If they catch us now we’ll be goners,” he insisted.
She couldn’t back down now. “I know that, too.”
“Other women have disappeared in these mountains and those guys probably had something to do with it,” he continued.
“I figured that out after Eric talked about the loss of his latest female companion without a hint of sorrow in his voice,” she said in a low voice. “It’s just that those idiots who kidnapped me gave me the wrong shoes. They don’t fit and I have blisters on top of blisters.” She lifted her foot.
Jed cursed violently under his breath. Shelby didn’t flinch.
“I’ll go as far as I can,” she told him. “But I’m afraid to look at my feet and see how bad they are.”
Without a word, he grasped her arm and efficiently tossed her over his shoulder. Shelby swallowed her gasp as she found herself looking at his back and a tight pair of buttocks flexing with every step he took.
“Just keep your muscles loose and relaxed,” he advised.
Shelby looked around Jed’s arm and then wished she hadn’t. She’d had no idea they were going virtually straight down. She moaned softly and prayed they would reach safety. She was amazed Jed was so surefooted in the dark, even with the addition of her weight thrown over his shoulder. She prayed he wouldn’t slip.
It seemed like hours before Jed abruptly changed direction and moved through heavy brush. In moments, they were in a place that was even darker than outside.
He dipped his shoulder and gently set her on her feet.
Shelby wobbled and grabbed hold of his arm. The ink black darkness didn’t allow her to see beyond her nose. The odor made her wish she had lost her sense of smell.
“Just sit here,” he told her, helping her to the ground. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you go—” Before she could finish her question she realized she was alone.
Shelby remained seated on the ground, allowing her eyes to adjust to the pitch-black interior. As she sat there, she hoped the slight gamey odor didn’t mean they were going to have to share the cave with an animal. When something touched her arm, she almost yelped in fright.
“You could have warned me it was you!” she scolded, feeling her heartbeat triple in pace. “I was ready to scream bloody murder thinking it was a bear. How could you come in so quietly?”
“Being quiet is a habit if you want to stay alive,” he said briefly. “I wanted to cover any tracks that might lead to here. I put enough brush across the opening that it might be missed unless they walked right into it.” He shrugged off his backpack. A moment later, he flicked on a small lamp that sent out a tiny circle of warm yellow light.
Shelby almost gasped as she looked at Jed. The dark intensity on his face was enough to scare her silly.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“Why do you think I’m here? You were stupid enough to get taken by two yokels who thought you’d make a great birthday gift for their uncle,” he said bluntly, scowling at her. “Someone had to come up here and get you. Your father and I agreed I would be the one.”
The comment stung, but she didn’t want to fight with him. What she really wanted was for him to gather her in his arms and tell her everything was all right. The thunderclouds that doubled for his eyes told her she shouldn’t expect any comfort in the near future.
“Why the hell did you cut your hair?” he asked in a controlled tone.
Shelby had never felt like crying more than she did at that moment. Until a deep streak of anger flared to life, fed by the angry expression on Jed’s face.
“I cut it because you liked it long.” She used the same controlled voice. “I came up here because I didn’t want to see you again. And I ran off with the local version of the “Beverly Hillbillies” because I thought they were going to take me to Vegas. I have never had as much fun as I’ve had with them!” Her voice rose to a muted shriek. She was so lost in her tirade she didn’t notice the tears streaming down her face or the way her lower lip violently trembled. “Does that answer your question?”
But Jed noticed her shocked condition. He reached out and pulled her onto his lap, tucking her head under his chin.
“Hey,” he murmured in a low, comforting voice, trailing his hand down her back with slow strokes. “Your hair doesn’t look all that bad.”
“Oh, stop it!” she sniffed, punching him in the stomach. She muttered a soft curse when she discovered her fist had connected with a surface that felt rock hard. “What’s under your T-shirt? A bulletproof vest?” She edged her body as far from his as she could.
“Just me.” He knew better than to show any amusement. He belatedly realized she was suffering delayed shock from her kidnapping. “Hey, don’t cry. Everything will be fine now.”
“How can anything be fine?” She melted into his embrace and curled her arms around his neck. “We’re going to have refugees from Deliverance coming after us. I can’t imagine Eric is going to be happy to find hi
s new housekeeper gone. They have big guns, Jed. They live in the wild. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Eric knows martial arts. He has a marine tattoo on his arm!” she wailed at the last.
Jed chuckled softly. “A marine tattoo doesn’t mean he knows martial arts. Besides, I wouldn’t worry about them.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You haven’t spent time with those smelly creatures.” Shelby wrinkled her nose. “I’m positive they didn’t believe in taking baths more than twice a year, using a toothbrush or even deodorant! My hair even smells like Chris’s cap, and that was awful.”
Jed started to say something, then stopped. Shelby stiffened. “What?” she whispered.
He snapped off the light. “I doubt it’s them, but let’s not take any chances.”
Shelby didn’t dare breathe as she strained her ears for any out-of-the-ordinary sound. Were the bushes rustling because of a breeze or because someone was walking past them? Was that someone talking under his breath or was her imagination conjuring up the sounds? She didn’t want to think the men could have caught up with them so fast. She’d never thought of fear having a taste. Now she knew just how bitter it was.
“Honey, if you keep on tightening your hold you’re going to strangle me,” Jed murmured in her ear.
She mumbled an apology and immediately loosened her grasp. Jed extricated himself from her grip and made his way to the cave opening.
Shelby held herself still in case any movement could be seen from outside. Now that her vision had adjusted to the dark, she could see the vague outline of Jed’s body. She could also see he was holding something. She couldn’t believe that was a rifle in his hands, although she’d seen it slung over his shoulder. She couldn’t imagine Jed using a gun! She didn’t feel relief until he moved back to her.
No More Mister Nice Guy Page 7