“We’re fine, honey. Just a little change in plans.”
Bang.
The sound seemed amplified. Someone was trying to break in through the front door. I didn’t stop, jerking open the drawer. The panic attack almost rendered me useless. No. No. No! Calm the fuck down.
Bam!
I snagged the keys just as I heard a horrible cracking sound. There was no time to waste.
Yanking her into my arms, I flew out the garage door, barely able to breathe. The flight or fight moment slammed into my system and I put her down long enough to toss several boxes onto the garage stairs. But I was quick, able to keep my shit together long enough to get Bella strapped in, the bags tossed and jumping into the driver’s seat in a few seconds.
My hand was shaking so badly I almost dropped the keys.Please, God. Please. Get me out of here.My silent prayer was about to go unheeded or flat-out ignored. I’d forgotten the power was off. Fuck.
With the doors locked, I started the engine and glared at the closed garage door, pressing the button on the console clipped to the visor even though I knew there was no power to force it to operate.
What the hell was I supposed to do, wait?
I had my answer seconds later when a flash caught my eye. A man holding a weapon was coming through the garage door, which meant he’d gotten into the house. He tripped over the boxes, but his fall would only give me but so much time.
“Hold on, baby. Please. Just hold on.” The terror crawling through me was as if I was wrapped up in plastic, incapable of moving, but the subtle cry of my daughter cut through the suffocating film.
I jammed my foot on the accelerator and did some additional praying as I yelled through clenched teeth. One ram didn’t do it so I backed up.
And did it again.
Just as the motherfucker managed to grab onto the handle of the back passenger door where my daughter was sitting.
“Get off, you motherfucker.” My hiss rang in my ears.
He pounded on the window.
Bella squealed.
“It’s okay, baby.” With my teeth gritted, I rammed the door again.
The garage door cracked, one side beginning to cave in.
She screamed.
I screamed.
Then I became furious. “No, you don’t, you motherfucker.” This time I wasn’t stopping for anything or anyone. I slammed my foot on the accelerator, finally able to crash through the broken door. He was forced away, immediately trying to lunge forward. Poor baby. He tripped and fell.
The other two goons with guns in their hands hadn’t expected me to burst from the garage. Facing the other way, they barely managed to turn and jump out of the way before I yanked the steering wheel, the tires screeching when I threw on the brakes to avoid hitting one of the patrol cars.
Barely missing it, I swerved and jammed my foot on the gas, flooring it down the driveway just as the bastards managed tostand, the third already chasing me. I swerved back and forth, anticipating gunfire.
There was none.
They had an easy shot if they wanted to incapacitate the vehicle. Or me.
That meant one thing.
They hadn’t come to kill me.
They’d come to capture me.
CHAPTER 25
