The thought of being locked in a cell for years upon years made her claustrophobic.Ivy shifted her thoughts back to her current reality.
Chloe, where are you?
They hadn’t thought to exchange numbers, or she could’ve fired off a text.Speaking of which, why hadn’t she heard from Beau?
Should she circle back to her condo or go back to Chloe’s car and wait?Should she hide in the nearby bushes or behind a half-wall?
Or would Clay and his crony be there?Waiting?Would he shoot this time?
It dawned on her that she could request a police escort back to the car, if it was still there.Would the police come?Or would she be told to go inside and lock her doors?In a busy city like Austin, was it realistic to think she could call in a request that might be considered a non-emergency in a town of Austin’s size?Then again, she’d been ambushed by Clay and Royce.Should she report them?
To what end?
On balance, she decided to go back to Chloe’s sedan and see if she’d returned before calling in the law.There were no guarantees an officer would show up, and Clay might be long gone by now.Royce and Clay could have retreated somewhere nearby where they were biding their time for the next strike.Icy fingers gripped her spine at the realization they wouldn’t give up.
The ranch had been a safe haven.She needed to get back there as soon as humanly possible.There, she could regroup without the threat of one of them jumping from behind a tree.
Breathe.
Ivy climbed out of the landscaping where she’d been hiding and started slowly navigating her way back to the condo.She could only hope Chloe was doing the same thing.More than half an hour had passed since the ambush.Was it safe?
Maybe not.But what were her other options?Sleep outside in someone’s shrubbery?Not that she could slow her mind down enough to sleep anyway.Not while Chloe was out here somewhere, searching for Ivy if she got away.
Oh no.
It dawned on Ivy that Chloe might have been captured.In which case, Clay and Royce would use her as bait to draw Ivy out.
An ambulance streaked by as Ivy neared her block.Chloe?No.Couldn’t be.If Ivy was the reason Chloe was hurt, she would never forgive herself.In the car on the way to the condo, Chloe had hinted at being pregnant.It was obvious to Ivy that Chloe was since she’d kept touching her stomach.The action was most definitely a subconscious move.
Panic welled in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.She picked up the pace as she glanced around.She kept her gaze shifting from side to side, sweeping the area for any signs of movement as she moved quickly.
The ambulance didn’t stop on her street, but it was too early to sigh relief or to claim victory.She had to get to Chloe’s vehicle.For all Ivy knew, Chloe was already on her way back to Saddle Junction and the ranch.The move would draw attention away from Ivy.From what she knew about Chloe so far, the woman wouldn’t hesitate to do something like that.Something that would put her in more danger and save someone else.
Chloe was strong and fierce, attributes that Ivy appreciated in others, which were incredibly hard to find.
The ranch was special.The people at the ranch were even more special.Beau was special even though he didn’t seem to realize or acknowledge it.
What wasn’t so special was the wall that had come up between them.She’d had no choice but to erect an ice barrier around her heart, no matter how much she wished she didn’t need to.One way or another, this ordeal would soon end, and she’d leave Saddle Junction.She needed to keep the thought close to her chest or risk it being shattered.
A male figure stepped into view from the parking lot where Chloe’s sedan was still parked.
“Ivy.”
15
“Beau?Thank the…” Ivy came rushing toward him.He caught her in his arms and brought her into an embrace.
“We shouldn’t be out in the open,” she said to him, her voice shaky from what sounded a whole lot like exhaustion and fear.
He didn’t like the sound of those words or the fact that Chloe was nowhere around.Her vehicle was parked in the lot.
“Let’s get to the truck,” he said to Ivy as questions mounted.Answers would have to wait until he could ensure they were safe.Plus, he needed to let the family know Ivy was safe, and he hadn’t yet laid eyes on Chloe.At least he’d found one of them.
“Okay.”
He reached for her hand and braided their fingers together before moving to the truck as fast as he could move his body.He helped Ivy into the passenger seat before claiming the driver’s side.“Should we go back to the parking lot to wait for Chloe?”
“I don’t know where she is.”The admission, the tremble in her voice, ripped his heart in half.
