Shit.
She thrashed her legs, trying to kick the guy behind her. Stomp on his foot.Anything. When that didn’t work, she grabbed at his shoulder, pulling on material and hearing a small tear.
It wasn’t enough. A couple more steps and they’d be at the window.
Her head started to grow fuzzy, a deep exhaustion settling into her bones.
Noise. She needed to make noise! Even the smallest sound could alert someone that something was going on.
Before she was lifted out the window, she used her last scrap of energy to kick the bedside table. A small lamp fell, and the crash of the ceramic breaking echoed through the room.
Then another noise sounded—this time from outside the room. Footsteps.
“Callie, are you— Oh God!”
Elle. The other woman’s voice was the last thing Callie heard before her world went black.
“It’s sogood to see you happy, man.”
Lock leaned back in his seat and smiled at his brother on the other side of the fire. “Iamhappy. I’ve loved Callie for as long as I’ve known her.”
“That’s damn beautiful. It reminds me of me and Elle.” His brother sipped his beer. “Eastern any closer to finding the psychopath who killed the Tate brothers?”
His fingers tightened around his beer. “No. But I’m still not fully convinced it’s not Hamish.”
“Why do you say that?”
“The notes started over two years ago when she was living here in Misty Peak. They align with about the time she met Hamish in a class she was teaching. Then she leaves, locals don’t know where she is, and the notes stop. Right when she gets back into town, they start up again, and Hamish expresses his interest in her.”
“Okay. But Oscar was beaten to death after being chased through a forest. Hamish is big, but he doesn’t strike me as a fighter.”
“Do we really know what anyone else is capable of? Maybe he’s had training we’re not aware of. Or maybe he’s just really fucking strong and fast.”
Jace blew out a long breath. “You’re right. Hell, I almost got shot by this granddad in a bakery during a mission once. Underestimated him for a second and that was all it took.”
Exactly.
Jace leaned forward. “Are you watchingyourback?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Because if it’s not Hamish, then he was targeted simply forshowing an interest in Callie. I hate to think what that could mean for you, the man who’s actually dating her.”
“I can look after myself.”
“I know. I just don’t want you to be so busy protecting Callie that you forget to protect yourself.”
That was his brother…hell, it was his entire family—they watched each other’s backs. “I appreciate it. But even if I miss something, I have Antwan and Jesse here to back me up.”
“I’m—”
A scream suddenly pierced the air. Not Callie’s scream—Elle’s.
Lock shot to his feet and sprinted into the house, Jace right on his heels. They reached his bedroom just in time to see Elle slam into a dresser and a figure disappear out the window.
Jace ran to Elle’s side as Lock flew across the room and leaped outside. The cool evening air hit him in the face as he spotted the asshole in a balaclava halfway across his yard—Callie’s limp body slung over his shoulder.
Motherfucker!
