Why would she come back now?Was she on the run?From whom?
Again, the idea of a setup slammed into him.He was actually worth something now with the impending inheritance from Beaumont.It was sizable enough to be split among seven of Beaumont’s children and still be a small fortune for each one, setting them up for life.Most of it was still tied up in court, and they couldn’t access it yet.That would just take a little more time.Point being, Beau was worth something now.Knowing his mother, she could have told half the county by now that her son was finally getting his due.
Then again, there was a version of her that was good at keeping secrets.She might have named Beau after his father, but she’d never asked him for money as far as Beau knew.She hadn’t taken his father to court for child support or gone public.Instead, she’d raised Beau on her own with very few resources to work with.
Why?
They could have lived comfortably on a fraction of Beaumont’s income.They sure as hell wouldn’t have gone to bed hungry, especially not if his mother had managed the money right.
He almost laughed aloud.Emma couldn’t keep track of loose change.How would she have managed a budget if she’d been given one?His mother had paid rent late more times than he could count.He’d come home to their apartment to find his key no longer worked, and then had to sit on the steps, waiting for her to come pick him up.There had been other times the key had worked, but not the electricity.
Paying bills on time hadn’t been Emma’s strong suit.
What the hell was he about to walk into?
2
Tires spit out gravel.The sound was unmistakable.They’d turned off the highway and were now on a random country road.They could be almost anywhere in South Texas.
Ivy forced her shoulders to relax as she took in a few calming breaths, like she’d done on repeat for much of the ride.If she was going to be ready to strike when the time was right, she needed all her strength.She’d need every ounce of energy she could squeeze out of her body when the time came.The two men in the backseat were strong.One would be capable of keeping her under control.Whoever was behind her abduction had doubled down, plus added a driver.She had no idea how strong that person might be.They hadn’t uttered so much as a peep the entire ride.They could be a woman for all she knew.
Ivy couldn’t see through the dark cloth that had been forced over her head.Entering the highway a while ago had thrown her for a loop.Her sense of direction had been flipped upside down since hitting the entry ramp.
And now she was only-God-knew-where with people she didn’t know.
The SUV stopped.
“Get out,” one of the bastards said, nudging her with the pointed toe of his boot.
She relaxed to the point of being limp.The element of surprise could determine life or death.She wanted it on her side.
“What’s wrong with her?”the second bastard asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Number One said before shoving her.
Stay calm.Stay ready.
Her decision to stay at the rear of the pack in Austin came back to bite her in the backside.It had been all too easy to grab her without causing much of a stir.Those first few critical seconds of shock had given these jerks the time they’d needed to get her into the SUV without causing much of a scene.
This time, she’d be ready for anything that might come her way.
“Don’t make me tell you twice,” the first bastard said, anger lacing his tone.
Sorry to inconvenience you, asshole, but I have no plans to make this easy on you.
Ivy kept still as she unclenched her back teeth.
A second later, she was being dragged out of the vehicle by her ankles.If she didn’t brace herself or reach for purchase, her head would slam against the ground.Was this a test to see if she was really awake?
This was going to hurt like hell.Being yanked out of the back already set her shoulders on fire.Ivy committed to the deception, keeping her eyes closed and her body as relaxed as humanly possible.
As expected, her head slammed against the hard, unforgiving earth a few seconds later.This seemed like a good time to remind herself that pain was temporary.The cloth bag slid up her face during the forced exit.It was enough for her to get a peek at her surroundings and figure out where the hell they’d taken her.
A campground?
The place looked like it had seen better days.Waist-high weeds had overtaken what had probably been an open play area.Teepees had tears in their canopy as long as her leg in some cases.
Any hope a caretaker might interrupt this abduction died as she scanned the scene.No one had been here for months, if not years.
