Deep breaths. One…two…three…
The trunk opened and she sprayed the repellent.
Gordon cried out and grabbed his eyes. He keeled over and she forced herself up—until a wave of dizziness had her arms caving and her body falling back into the trunk.
No! She had to get up! Go.Run.
She pushed up again, this time locking her elbows. She stumbled out of the car, repellent still in hand, catching herself on a tree before she hit the ground.
Trees. They surrounded her.
She hadn’t run far when a strong body crashed into her from behind, sending her to the dirt. She rolled to her back and lifted the repellent, but Gordon slapped it out of her hand before she could press the lever.
Then he pointed a gun right at her stomach.
“Move and I shoot,” he growled, his eyes red and swollen.
Her skin went cold. “What do you want with me?”
He laughed, but the sound was manic. “I wanna see what you’re worth to my son and ex-wife.”
He yanked her up and pressed the gun into her back. “Walk.”
She didn’t want to. But she also didn’t want to get shot. So she walked. “How did you even escape?”
“How do you think? Chester and Roman.”
“The men you owe money to?”
“The men I worked for.”
She frowned. “You worked for them?”
“Yeah. Until Chester found out I stole from him. The only way to get out of that alive was to tell him about the gold mine my ex and my son were sitting on. So here I am. But they weren’t happy when I got arrested.”
She glanced over her shoulder. He wasn’t just limping from his foot injury—there was blood seeping through his shirt. “Did they do that?”
“Yes.” Gordon scowled before shoving the gun between her shoulders again to keep her moving. “Assholes fuckingbrandedme. A warning to get them the money.”
She frowned. “Did they tell you which room Sylvia was in?”
“Yeah. Smart bastard. Chester probably paid off some nurse. It’s how he operates. I was supposed to grab Sylvia. But you were easier to grab. So this worked out better because I have no doubt my boy will pay good money for you.”
Anger flared within her. That this man had a son who was good and decent, yet he had a father who only saw what he could get out of him.
“So what now?” Indie asked through gritted teeth.
He shoved the gun into her again. “We keep walking. Although, I should shoot you just for shooting me.”
“It kept you out of prison a little longer,” she retorted, suddenly remembering that he’d been cuffed to the bed. “What happened to the deputy on your door?”
“Fuck if I know. I don’t ask questions.”
“No, you just kidnap people.”
“If Sylvia and Colt get me the money I need, you’ll be free to go.”
Would she? In every kidnapping story she’d ever read, the victim was never released once the bad guy got what he wanted. Something Colt would be aware of.
