“We’ve gotta go out back. My truck is about two miles down the road.” He was more talking to himself than to me at that point. His dark eyes were glossy and I just knew there was absolutely no point in trying to reason with him. He was too far gone.
“Let’s go!” he urged, angrily, tugging on the rope, pulling me behind him. The more he pulled the tighter the ropes became around my wrist, causing more pain. I began fearing blood loss to my hands with every squeeze.
We stumbled out of the back entrance of what I’d then come to realize was a cottage of some sort. I blinked as we exited the building into the cold winter air. I wore only the sweater, jeans, and a pair of ballet flats that I’d worn to the library earlier.
“Thinks he can take you from me. You’re mine!” Sam yelled, tugging again at the ropes, dragging me closer to him.
I stumbled as we made our way through the densely wooded area, falling to my knees.
“Come on!” he growled, impatiently, lifting me up underneath my arm.
I glanced over my right shoulder to see we were about two yards from the cottage. I thought back on what Sam had said when he first entered. The “they” he mentioned had to be Aaron and his security. It had to be. I knew he would be doing his damndest to find me. Everything in my body told me he was. It was as if I could feel his anger and his terror. I swallowed, reminding myself to remain strong for him, Kyle, and Kennedy. I had to keep alive long enough for him to get to me.
“Ahh!” I yelled, tripping and falling again over a large rock that I hadn’t seen in the darkened woods.
“Get up…Ahhh!” Sam yelled, when I sprang up and drove the bobbie pins directly into the side of his face. I cursed myself. I’d been aiming for his eye but missed. Still, his shock and pain from the two pins now sticking out of his face caused him to lose the grip he had on the rope. I didn’t think twice. I took off in the opposite direction we’d come from. Unfortunately, I had no idea where I was going, and what I thought was the direction back to the cabin, turned out to be wrong. Not only that, but I could hear Sam hot on my heels.
I ducked behind trees, doing my best not to make too much noise by stepping on branches or twigs. But no matter how careful I was it seemed I was rattling the entire damn forest with the silence that surrounded us. I was feeling weak and woozy. It occurred to me that I hadn’t eaten all day. The only thing keeping me on my feet was my adrenaline. That and the desire to protect my unborn baby. I pressed my hand to my abdomen, hoping that the baby growing inside would be okay. Then I remembered Kyle and Kennedy. I had to fight for all three of them. I had to keep going.
“Your daddy is coming,” I whispered to the little one inside of my womb. I pressed forward, moving behind another tree and then stilling myself to listen for Sam.
“Patience, we don’t have time for this!” he hissed, losing it.
I could hear the crazy in his voice. He was so on edge.
“We’re taking a trip to the Bahamas!” He continued to talk out loud as if that would make me go to him. “You love the beach. You told me so!”
I shook my head, not remembering ever telling him such. Though, it could’ve been possible in one of the conversations we had in passing at the bookstore. Obviously, those talks meant more to him than they ever did me.
“We’re going to get married and you’ll forget all ab–” He stopped short at the same time my ears perked up.
In the distance I could make out faint lights and the sounds of screeching tires as the cars stopped short. My heartbeat picked up. Seconds later, I heard a sound that nearly caused my knees to buckle.
“Patience!” It was Aaron’s voice calling for me.
I went to open my mouth to respond but stopped, not wanting to give my location away to the madman pursuing me. I held my breath, trying to decide what to do.Do I yell and give Sam the chance of reaching me before Aaron? Or do I scream and run like my hair is on fire and hope to God Aaron gets to me first?
Noise too close for my comfort behind me had me almost leaping out of my skin.
“I will find you!” Sam seethed.
Fuck it,I thought. He was too close and I was surely going to get caught if I just stood there. I grabbed a rock that was on the ground, stood up, and turned behind me. I could barely make out his movements but I aimed the rock for his head and threw as hard as I could with my still-bound hands.
“Ow! Fuck!” he groaned, and I knew I’d hit my target.
As soon as the rock was free from my hands I took off in the direction of the headlights.
“Aaron! Aaaron!” I yelled as hard and as loud as I could. Running was difficult with my hands bound in front of me, but heavy footsteps behind me forced me to pick up my pace. I heard loud footsteps, backtracking out of the cottage down into the brush of the forest. “I’m here!” I pushed past the fear to yell.
The cottage came into sight and I saw four large figures barreling in my direction. Even in the darkness of the evening light, and the fact that they were wearing all black, didn’t stop my body from knowing exactly which one was my man. I moved past two of the male figures and collapsed into the arms of my husband’s.
“I’m here. I got you,” he crooned, his strong arms tightening around my body. I began to shiver uncontrollably. Burying my face into Aaron’s chest, I tried to control my breathing, even amongst the yelling and running going on all around us.
“Get the fuck off of me! I’ll kill you all! Don’t touch her!”
That crazed voice had me burying my head deeper into Aaron’s chest. I couldn’t look back, didn’t want to even see his face again.
“She’s mine!”
