“I know.” Heather smiled. She appraised Serenity’s dress. “I love the new look.”
Serenity couldn’t help but preen a little. “Thanks. Rory somehow managed to acquire this for me.”
“You look beautiful,” Heather said. “Are you two back together?”
Were they? Did she want to live without him? Absolutely, she would not. It was time to be honest with herself. Suddenly, the world made sense. “Yes,” Serenity confirmed. “It was good to have some time apart to figure out what we both really wanted.” Of course, she hadn’t told him that yet, but maybe she would tonight when the clock struck twelve. Although he hadn’t asked her to marry him again either. He’d only stated that their union was inevitable. “It would be nice to be asked, though,” she mumbled.
Heather laughed. “Right? They’re a little overbearing sometimes, but they get it from their nonna.”
“They surely do,” Serenity agreed. She dropped her lipstick back into her clutch. “Let’s go see what’s going on out there.”
A tink sounded on the lone window. All of a sudden, a chill crept down Serenity’s spine as she turned toward the frost covered glass.
Without warning, the pane shattered, sending projectiles across the room and spraying icy snowflakes onto the floor. A gloved hand swiped away the remaining glass and grabbed her arm before she could scream. Terror pierced her, freezing her in place.
“Hey!” Heather yelled, reaching for the glove.
A man leaned in and grabbed Serenity’s other arm, pulling her right through the window, faster than she could track. Her knee bumped the sink, but he kept yanking her out. Man, he was strong.
The lights glimmered around her as panic took hold, and the frigid air cut into her skin. Snow whirled as whoever had her hoisted her the rest of the way through the window, her scream devoured by the wind. She kicked and clawed at her captor, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. He dragged her across the lodge’s roof until they reached a massive sycamore tree.
Serenity yelped and slashed at the guy’s face, which was covered in a black mask. He tossed her over his shoulder and leaped onto a wide branch.
She froze in place, her fist next to his spine. If he dropped her, she could land on her head. In shockingly economical movements, he climbed down the tree and landed on the snow, bursting into a run. She started kicking and fighting at that point, but he didn’t seem bothered or hampered at all by her struggles.
They reached an already-running Ford Bronco in the nearest alley, and he threw her into the passenger side before jumping in himself. She immediately scrambled for the door handle but found there wasn’t one. Screaming, she turned and pounded the window—to no avail.
“You can’t get out,” the guy said, ripping off his mask.
She gasped and turned, leaning against the door to gaze at her kidnapper, her breaths emerging in panicked puffs in the frozen air. He looked to be about forty with brown eyes and hair, and he had a scar beneath his left ear.
Heat seeped into her bones from the vehicle’s warm interior. “Who are you?” she sputtered, her ears ringing.
He winked. “I’d love to say something clichéd, but I probablyamyour worst nightmare.” He put the vehicle into drive. “We have to get out of here, Serenity.”
She couldn’t think. What was happening? How had he gotten her out of the lodge that quickly? “Who are you?”
“My name’s Lewis Hackson. That’s all you need to know.”
Her throat felt like it was swelling. Had she somehow injured her neck? “You’re Rory’s old trainer. Why have you been stalking me?”
“You’re expedient, sweetheart.” He started driving out of the alley.
“You’ve been calling me? You burned my flowers?”
He scoffed. “Yeah. Sorry about that, but I wanted to mess with Rory a bit. It’s part of the game, and I deserved some fun since it took me a while to track you down and verify that he’s in love with you.”
This was no game. “Why break into my store? I’m sure you don’t need knives.”
“To get Rory there so I could shoot the bastard.” He glanced her way. “He was quicker than I expected in hitting the ground.”
“Shouldn’t you be hiding out in a foreign country or something?” She gingerly felt the bruises on her arm. Surely, Heather would send help.
“I will—after I take care of that bastard.” The man’s brown gaze raked her. “Sorry, but I have to make him pay.”
Her skin tingled as adrenaline flooded her system. Energy burst through her, and she lunged for him, going for his face and neck. If he got her away from the Elks, she was dead.
He growled, his body jerking in surprise. She went at him with everything she had. Scratching, kicking, even trying to bite his neck. “What the hell?” He grabbed her head and shook her, shoving her against the steering wheel. Pain ripped through her shoulder.
