Chapter Thirty-Three
“Addie, is that you?” Erica called sweetly, stepping around the tree where she had just seen a shadow lurking. “I’ll forgive you if you just come out now and go back to the car with me.”
“Forgive this, bitch,” Daniel growled, sending his fist into Erica’s face. The tall blond woman dropped to the ground like a stone, knocked unconscious by the blow.
Daniel pulled his gun out of the holster and pointed it at her head. King put his hand on Daniel’s arm. “Not the time. We need to find Addison first.”
“She fucking took my woman,” he snarled, staring death at the woman unconscious at his feet.
“Trust me,” King argued. “This won’t be enough for you.”
“I’ll watch her, you go find Addison,” Jane panted, catching up to the two men who took one stride for every two of hers. “Boris is on his way, he’ll help me get her to the car. We’ll make sure she gets to the tower for you. I promise.”
Daniel gave her a hard look.
She shrugged. “You can pay for my services if it makes you feel better. Now go find my client!”
Addison liked to think positive and be proactive about life, but she was pretty sure that this was the worst blind person luck of all time. Now all she needed was a waterfall or something. Luckily she was pretty sure there were no waterfalls anywhere in the park. She decided screaming at the top of her lungs whenever she wasn’t being pulled under by deadly currents was a good plan.
Addison tried hard not to panic, but she wasn't a strong swimmer. She didn’t like pools, lakes, or oceans, so she didn’t go swimming often. There was something about not being able to see what was underneath her that always bothered her. Her parents hadn't objected to her unwillingness to take swimming lessons because she’d had more time for cello lessons. Now that she was rapidly drowning in a river, she regretted that choice.
Addison gasped for breath as she fought her way to the surface over and over again. The cold water was also beginning to affect her, numbing her limbs and disorienting her. At one point she began swimming down toward the riverbed instead of toward the surface and had to turn around in the water. She opened her mouth to scream in frustration and swallowed a bucketful of dirty river water.
She cried out as she was dragged along some rocks and desperately reached out to grab one. She managed to hang on for a moment, but the current was too strong and eventually she was dragged away from her momentary haven and back under the murky depths. She knew she was going to drown as soon as her head began to cloud and weary acceptance began to replace the panic.
A voice penetrated the fog calling her name. Erica! Panic overwhelmed Addison for a second and she began flailing her arms and sinking back under the icy cold surface. Then she realized it couldn’t be Erica, it was a man's voice that was calling her name. Erica’s voice was high-pitched and annoying. Except when she was making her freaky stalker calls, then she was whispering, like that voice from the movie Scream. Which ironically Addison had let herself be talked into listening to several years ago, but now really wished she hadn’t given her current circumstances.
Wake up, Addison!
“Here!” she called as loud as she could manage through a mouthful of water. “Help!”
“Addison!” the voice was closer. “Over here, I think she’s in the fucking river.”
“Daniel!” Addison screamed. “I’m here!”
She heard a splash and then seconds later bands of steel engulfed her. She knew instantly it was Daniel that held her tightly against him. His powerful muscles bunched against her as he pulled her toward the riverbank and safety. She tried to wrap her arms around him, but she was too cold. Her limbs just floated uselessly as he swam them toward the steep rocky shore. She sobbed weakly against his chest as he swam.
She felt herself being lifted away from Daniel and whimpered as his hands fell from her body. Tyson King chuckled as he cradled her against his massive chest, rubbing warmth back into her arms. “He needs to pull himself out too, girl, give him a few seconds.”
Before she had a chance to ask again, Daniel was reaching for her. Tyson handed her back over and she was once more wrapped in the familiar protective arms of her lover. She turned her face against his neck and let the tears fall. “I thought I was going to die,” she cried helplessly.
“Shh,” he murmured, kissing her head and holding her tightly. “You’re safe. She can’t hurt you.”
They took the path at the top of the riverbank out of the park. Addison was surprised at how short the walk was back to the car. Daniel explained that she had come quite far down the river. She shuddered at that knowledge and he held her tighter against his hard chest until she could hardly breath, which was fine with her. When her arms were warm enough that she could move them again, she lifted them and wrapped them around his neck, wincing as the wound over her collarbone pulled.
“How badly did she hurt you?” Daniel asked gruffly as they approached one of Tyson’s SUV’s.
He set her gently on the back seat and began examining her in the dim interior light. First he touched her cheekbone, where Erica had nicked it with the knife. He growled darkly. It unsettled her. She could feel death within him, and it was after he’d only seen that one little cut.
“It’s only superficial,” she assured him, stealthily pulling her shirt over her other cuts with her uninjured wrist. Panic flared in her when she realized she had no idea where Erica was. “Where is she? Where’s Erica?” she asked hysterically reaching out blindly.
Daniel took her hand in a reassuring grip and pushed her further into the vehicle, following her in and gathering her against his side. “She can’t hurt you again.”
She collapsed against him in relief. “You found her?”
He didn’t respond, instead speaking to King, who was driving them. “She needs a hospital.”
“There’ll be questions,” King rumbled, glancing back at Daniel meaningfully.
