“Yes. He’s involved in this operation with his father. Do it. We have to find them, and we have to find them fast.”
CHAPTER 29
Sadie groaned as she rolled onto her back. God, her head was killing her. Why? Was she hungover? Had she injured herself?
She tried to touch her temple with her right hand, only to stop. Something around her wrists, binding them together.
A chill swept over her skin because it almost felt like…rope?
Suddenly, her last memories came back to her. Overhearing the conversation in the alley from the liquor store. Jarrad coming into the store and attacking her, then his father…
Jesus, Mr. Anderson hadhither.
Her eyes flashed open, but there was only darkness. She couldn’t see a thing. Not only that, but there was the dull sound of an engine beneath her.
They’d put her in the trunk of a car.
Her breaths became choppy, a sick feeling swirling in her belly. She’d never been a claustrophobic person, but here, tied up and stuck in this small space, the fear almost choked her.
Closing her eyes, she forced her body to relax. For the air to move slowly in and out of her lungs. Panicking wouldn’t help. What she needed was a weapon. Yes—a weapon.
Blindly and with bound hands, she felt around the trunk, her fingers running over paper and empty boxes. She reached over her head and to her sides. Nothing. Nothing but trash.
She was about to give up, the panic once again crawling through her veins, seizing her, when her hand brushed over something hard and cold. It wasn’t until her fingers examined it more closely that she realized what it was…a lug wrench.
This.This can be used as a weapon.It was heavy, and if she swung it hard enough, she could do some serious damage.
As the car continued to move, she held the wrench in both hands, focusing on remaining calm until she had to act. It wasn’t until the car stopped that her pulse spiked again.
It’s fine, Sadie. You can do this.
She counted in her head as a way to distract herself, all the while keeping her muscles tense and waiting for the trunk to open.
The sound of a car door opening and closing sounded. A second later, the trunk opened—and she swung.
The person cursed loudly when the wrench made contact, and immediately she swung a second time. But strong fingers wrapped around the wrench before ripping it out of her hands. Then she was violently pulled from the trunk and thrown to the ground.
She didn’t have time to avoid the kick to her ribs. Pain flared through her abdomen. Then a second kick, and if possible, this one hurt worse. It felt like fire searing through her.
“Jarrad.Enough. Throw her over your shoulder and let’s go.”
“She hit me in the face with a fucking wrench, Dad!”
Sadie moaned and curled into a ball, grabbing at her ribs, the air wheezing in and out of her chest.
“First she beats you at her shop, now she gets you in the face. You can’t defend yourself against a patheticwoman?” There washumor in Mr. Anderson’s voice. “Stop being a pansy and throw her over your goddamn shoulder.”
Jarrad grunted before reaching down. The second her stomach hit his shoulder, she cried out. Holy shit…the pain was like nothing else. It felt like a knife to her abdomen.
“Shut up, or I’ll kick you until you pass out,” Jarrad growled.
He started walking, and every step was as torturous as the last, agony punching through her ribs. Something was broken, she could feel it.
“You sure there won’t be anyone in these mountains?” Mr. Anderson asked.
“I’m sure. The skywalk finished a couple weeks ago, but it isn’t open yet. The visitors center is closed, but even if it wasn’t, it’s in the other direction. Trust me, the area’s deserted. No one will be here, and when I tell you no one will find her body in the section of the mountains we’re going to, I’m not fucking joking.”
Her heart rattled. Jesus. They planned to kill her and leave her in these mountains. She tried to move, but the second she even twitched, pain blasted from her ribs.
