by Donna Grant
Danny sidestepped and pretended to go down to one knee. As soon as he did, Brute rushed him. Danny dove to the side where the knife was and rolled. His fingers wrapped around it. Before he could use it, Brute viciously tossed him onto his back and kneeled on Danny’s chest before pulling a gun.
“Mr. Gaudet wanted you to feel pain. I just want you dead,” he said.
Danny struggled to breathe even as he brought up the knife and embedded it in the man’s thigh. Brute howled in pain, giving Danny the opportunity to use his other hand to knock the gun away just as it fired.
The bullet missed him by a few inches and landed in the dirt near his head. He yanked the blade free and stabbed Brute again. Brute tried to grab Danny’s hand, and he would’ve succeeded, but Danny had one thing on his mind—getting to Skylar.
He twisted and shoved, gaining enough force to throw the man, who was already off-balance, to the ground. Danny immediately rose up and sank the knife into the man’s heart, killing him.
Danny took a minute to get his breath. Then he grabbed the knife and the man’s gun and got to his feet. He threw open the barn door and rushed outside to the black SUV. Danny got inside the vehicle and realized that the keys must be on one of the men.
He bit back a curse and jumped back out to search for them. They turned out to be on the second man. Danny ran back to the SUV and started the engine. He threw it into reverse and stomped on the gas, sending the vehicle careening backward before he turned the wheel. Then he put it in drive and sped away, churning up dust and rocks as he peeled out.
His heart was racing as he got his bearings and realized where he was. He turned the truck toward the north and gunned it. If he had a phone, he would’ve called someone, but neither man had one on them, and he didn’t see one in the SUV.
Danny had only gone about ten miles before he saw the lights flashing in his rearview mirror and heard the sirens. He pulled over while gripping the wheel. He didn’t have time for this, and he could only hope that whoever the policeman was, he would believe everything that Danny had to say.
Rolling down his window, Danny waited as the cop got out of his patrol car and headed his way. The man took one look at him, and his jaw went slack.
“Sir, are you all right?” he asked.
With a sigh, Danny said, “You’re probably not going to believe this, but I’m Danny Oldman—”
“Yes, sir, sheriff. I recognized you when I walked up,” he said. “Everyone has been out looking for you. Hop in my car. I’ll get us back to Baxter County.”
Danny shut off the engine and followed the officer to his car. Seconds later, they were racing toward Skylar. The officer used his radio to call in the fact that he had found Danny and that they were headed toward the East Ranch.
“May I borrow your phone?” Danny asked.
The officer handed it over, and Danny called Clayton, but it went to voicemail. He tried to remember Caleb’s, Brice’s, or anyone else’s number, but he couldn’t. That’s what he got for putting everything in his phone and forgetting about it.
“What do you need, sheriff?” the officer asked.
Danny explained, and within minutes, the officer had relayed the information to dispatch. They said they’d get in touch with Caleb and have him call.
Less than five minutes later, the officer’s phone rang. Sure enough, it was Caleb.
“Danny, is that really you?”
Danny smiled at the sound of Caleb’s voice. “It’s me.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better,” Danny answered. “Look, Matt is on his way to find Skylar.”
Caleb made a sound, interrupting him. “Yeah, we figured that’s exactly what he would do. Skylar then had the idea to use herself as bait.”
“She what?” Danny bellowed before he closed his eyes. “Please tell me you dissuaded her from it.”
“Right. As if we could. She was intent on getting to you, and she knew using herself was the only way to do it. We knew it as well, so instead of letting her do it alone, we helped her. Cash is tracking her.”
Danny opened his good eye and tried to see the road before him. “Where is she?”
“There’s something you need to know. Cash found evidence that Matt has been beating women since his years in high school. As a matter of fact, he had one of his college girlfriends killed.”
“That’s what he intends with Skylar. He said if he couldn’t have her, then no one could.”
Caleb snorted loudly. “That’s not going to happen.”
“He’s got it all planned, Caleb.”
“Not against us, he doesn’t.”
Danny wanted to believe him, but he wasn’t so sure. Matt might be a spoiled rich kid, but when it came to his women, he got creative. And with his money, he brought in outside resources.
“He hired ex-military to take me,” Danny explained.
The officer glanced at him and twisted his lips. “Sir, if you don’t mind me saying so, we should be taking you to a hospital.”
“Shit, Danny, are you that bad?” Caleb said.
Danny gripped the phone. “Tell me where the hell Skylar is.”
Chapter 33
It was probably the worst idea of her life.
It was also one of the best.
Well, if she succeeded in finding Danny, it would be.
Skylar couldn’t stop shaking. There were dozens of eyes on her, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Not when she would be coming face to face with a man she hoped never to see again. Someone who hadn’t hesitated to have one of his girlfriends killed when she didn’t want him anymore.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Matt would do the same to her if given the chance. Thankfully, he would never get that close to her. There were sheriff’s deputies and undercover police all around her, not to mention all her friends waiting nearby to rush in if anything got out of hand.
And with Matt involved, it was guaranteed to get out of hand.
Skylar parked her car. It stood out like a sore thumb, which would get Matt’s attention. She tried to act as if she did this every day. As if going to the grocery store with a tracker on to potentially meet the man who had abused her and kidnapped her current lover happened all the time. What a crazy life she led.
But she wouldn’t change a single thing.
She had found herself back in her hometown—as crazy as that seemed. It wasn’t just Danny and her calling she’d discovered, but also a group of friends that she knew she could trust with her very life.
Skylar took a deep breath and got out of the car. When she shut the door, her gaze caught on the new window, a window that Matt had broken days earlier to pull her out of the car. But Danny had been there that night to save her. Now it was her turn to save him.
She walked into the grocery store and grabbed a buggy. She didn’t really see any of the items on the shelves. All she could do was continue looking at everything out of the corner of her eye for some sign of Matt.
Twenty minutes later, she had a few items that she brought to the checkout. Though when she looked at the chocolate, aspirin, and tampons, she bit back a laugh when she saw what she had haphazardly put into her cart.
With the groceries paid for, she walked back to her car and put everything in the trunk. She’d missed her car, but even now, she wondered if Danny’s people had gotten all the trackers out of it. Then she realized that it would be better if they hadn’t because then Matt would be able to find her.
And the sooner he found her, the quicker they could get to Danny.
“Please don’t let him be hurt,” Skylar whispered a quick prayer.
Then she drove to a nearby liquor store. The first thing she saw when she walked in was a woman handing out samples. Skylar didn’t even care what it was. She needed some liquid courage, and she didn’t much care what kind.
“Thank you,” she said as she took the little plastic cup and downed the shot.
She put the back of her hand to her
mouth and closed her eyes as the alcohol burned a path to her stomach. It took a few seconds, but her shaking calmed somewhat. She had to be composed and unruffled. Otherwise, Matt would notice.
Skylar walked up and down the aisles. She chose a few bottles of wine and then got the vanilla vodka she’d had at Abby’s the other night. She added some Sprite, as well.
The minutes ticked by slowly. There were few people in the large store, and with the shelving rising up high around her, it almost felt as if she were closed in. A prime spot for Matt to approach her, which was why Cooper had suggested the location.
Skylar didn’t know how long she had been in the store, but her buggy was quickly filled with various bottles of liquor. She was looking over the different scotches when someone bumped into her.
“Excuse me,” she said and tried to move out of the way.
Then she felt something press into her side that made her immediately think gun. She stilled, one hand on the cart as she faced the shelving.
“Don’t say a word,” the voice ordered behind her.
It wasn’t Matt. Damn. She’d really hoped that he would make an appearance so the authorities could swoop in and arrest him. But Matt wasn’t that stupid. He knew they would be looking for him, and then there was the restraining order.
The man gave her a push to the side. “Come with me.”
She released the buggy and grabbed her purse before letting him direct her down the long aisle. There wasn’t another soul near them, but she wasn’t worried. She had the tracker on so Cash and the others would know where she was at all times.
“Who are you?” she asked.
The man didn’t say anything, and when she tried to turn to see him, he gave her shoulder a rough push.
“All right, all right,” she replied testily. “Just tell me where you’re taking me.”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
She realized that she was being a bit too compliant, so she dug in her heels and refused to move.
He pressed the weapon deeper into her side. “Look, lady, I have no problem at all pulling this trigger. I know I’ll get away.”
“There are cameras in the store. They would see you.”
He laughed, sending chills down her spine.
“Now, let’s try this again,” he said close to her ear.
Skylar turned her head away because his breath stank of cigarettes. She tried not to gag but didn’t quite manage it.
“Move your fine ass. You really don’t want me to get angry.”
She shivered at the icy tone that told her he wouldn’t hesitate to end her life. Skylar continued walking. The way he stood, it would look like he had his arm at her back to anyone looking.
It wasn’t long before she realized that he was taking her to the back of the store. He walked them through the Employees Only door and handed a guy who was playing a game on his phone a wad of cash. The employee didn’t even look up at her.
Skylar then found herself meandering through boxes of liquor until they reached the exit. She was then shoved into a van, the man climbing in behind her.
Her gaze slid to the driver, but before she could see who it was, something covered her eyes. She tried to pull it off, but someone gathered her hands together and zip tied them.
Coldness settled over her. Was this what that poor girl had suffered before she was killed? Were these the same men who had done the deed for Matt? Skylar shivered at the thought.
She didn’t try to talk to them because she knew they wouldn’t tell her anything. Instead, she tried to determine how many people were in the van and in what direction they were going.
“Cop,” someone muttered.
Skylar had mixed emotions about the police sighting. A part of her wanted to be free of this nightmare before she had to face Matt.
The other part—the one that couldn’t stop thinking about Danny and the life they could have together—refused to let her do anything but let the men take her to Matt.
They drove for a long time before they finally pulled over, and the van came to a stop. She heard the driver put the vehicle in park, and then the engine shut off. No one said anything as they started moving around inside.
Next, she heard the doors open and then close. Still, no one said anything to her.
Skylar wasn’t sure what to do. They had bound her wrists, but they were in front of her. She raised them and took off the material covering her eyes.
She blinked against the bright light coming in and then jerked back when she saw Matt sitting next to her, turned toward her with one arm along the back of the seat.
“Hey, baby,” he said with a smile. “I’ve missed you.”
He leaned in for a kiss, but she dodged it. The anger that sparked in his blue eyes made her flinch away, and she expected to be hit.
He held up his hands. “I’m a new man, babe. You opened my eyes and made me see what I’d become. Thank you for showing me how badly I treated you. But things will be different now, I promise. You can come home, and we can get back to our lives.”
She and her friends had discussed the option of letting Matt believe that she would be his once more versus trying to make him see that she was moving on with her life. There were pros and cons to both options, and it came down to what was easier for her to do, as well as what would gain them information on Danny.
“No,” Skylar said.
Matt’s smile stayed in place as he placed his thumb and forefinger on a lock of her hair, letting his fingers trail down it. “You have the most beautiful hair. That’s what first made me spot you. It’s like gold. Then I saw your smile. Damn, baby, but you have a smile that could light up the world.”
At one time, his tender words would’ve made her smile and give him compliments as well, but she was past that. His mask had come off, and she had seen the monster underneath.
“We were good together,” Matt said, holding her gaze. “You can’t deny that.”
“I’m not denying it. But you changed.”
He lifted one shoulder nonchalantly. “I’m sorry about that. It won’t happen again.”
“Yes, it will. It’s just the way you are.”
“Baby,” he said, his lips tightening as he fought his anger. “I’m trying here. The least you can do is meet me halfway.”
Skylar shook her head. “It’s over, Matt. I don’t know why you can’t accept that.”
“Why?”
“Because I refuse to live the rest of my life being beaten by you each time you get in a rage.” It felt good to say all the things she’d wanted to say before. Freeing, even.
She knew she was poking the bear, but she couldn’t stop once she’d begun. No matter what happened, she was going to get Matt and the poison he’d filled her life with out of her system once and for all.
She shook her head in disgust as she shifted away from him, angling her body toward him so she could be prepared for anything. “How can you expect anyone to want to be with you when you treat them like shit? You hit me, Matt. Repeatedly. And you were careful about where you landed those punches so no one would see the evidence. Which means, you knew exactly what you were doing. And you enjoyed it.”
He sat back, a small smile on his face. “I do enjoy it.”
Skylar was shocked that he’d admitted it.
“I’m in control,” he continued. “Always. I get to decide what you do, when you do it, and how you do it.”
“The hell you do,” she retorted.
He merely smiled. “You’ll come to learn that it’s easier just to agree with me. While I like the independent streak in you, I’m going to love breaking you of it even more.”
“Break me?” she asked, brows raised. “You won’t get the chance.”
Matt threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, baby. Your naiveté amuses me.”
“What does that mean?”
“That if you think the sheriff is going to come to your rescue again, you’re sadly mistaken. He’s dead.”
> It was like the ground had dropped out from under her. Matt kept talking, but her ears were ringing as she tried to grasp what she’d just heard. Danny was … dead? No. That couldn’t be. She wouldn’t accept it.
“Wow. If you could only see your face.”
She blinked, aware that he was studying her with what looked like curiosity. She wanted to lash out at him, to hit him and scream, but the coldness that had seeped into her soul froze her body in place.
Matt cocked his head to the side. “You really fell for him, didn’t you?”
“I love Danny.”
“Sucks for you, but you’ll be just fine with me. I’ll shower you with jewels and give you magnificent places to live. Not to mention all the travel we’ll do on my private jet. With all of that, the few beatings I give you should be tolerable.”
Skylar heard everything he said, but it was like she wasn’t in her body but instead looking down at the situation, utterly detached. “There is nothing in the world that could make being beaten tolerable, you dick.”
“Oh, ho,” he said with a chuckle. “Resorting to name-calling now. I have to say, Skylar, we’ll have to work on that, because that was pretty lame.”
“Where’s Danny?” she demanded.
Matt’s smile grew. “I’ll take you to him. But only if you agree to be mine.”
Skylar didn’t have a choice. She would do anything for Danny. “Is he really dead?”
Matt held out his hand and patiently waited for her to make a decision.
Chapter 34
“What the fuck do you mean she’s with Matt?” Danny demanded as he stared at his friends.
Thanks to the police officer, he’d gotten back to his county in record time, but it wasn’t soon enough to stop Skylar before she went through with her plan.
“We tried,” Ryan said. “One of my undercover detectives was on his way to her when he saw the man take her.”
Danny glared at him, anger churning in him like a hurricane. “And you thought it was fine to go through with the plan?”
“Yes,” Caleb replied.
Danny swung his gaze to the youngest Harper. Several retorts almost fell from his lips, but he managed to hold them back.