He jumped off the couch and peeked through the window. The large diesel truck still sat at the loading dock and three men carried items from the warehouse into the truck. Brad wasn’t sure how many men were in on this heist, but he prayed it was just the three men he could see and that another one wasn’t going to jump out behind a crate and knock something against his head, again. His skull throbbed where the imbecile had whacked him, but he tried to ignore the pain and concentrate on their escape.
“Brad?” she whispered as she crept behind him, taking hold of his hand. “They have guns. We don’t have anything to protect ourselves.”
He moved away from the window, pulling her with him. “Then I guess we’d better not let them shoot us. Right?”
She released a tiny laugh. “Oh, Brad. I love how you can make me laugh even in a situation like this.”
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “We can do this together. Do you trust me?”
She nodded. “Always.”
Crouching lower, he snuck to the office door, continuing to hold her hand. Slowly, he turned the knob and opened the door. The men’s voices were easy to detect now, and thankfully, they were still back by the loading dock.
Brad led them from one large printer to the next. They took soft steps so they weren’t heard. Tyger had left her heels in Howard’s office so thankfully, she could walk quietly.
When they reached the last printer, he frowned. Nothing would be able to block them from the bad guys now, and they still had to reach the front door. From this spot toward the exit they would be in plain sight of the three men by the docks.
“We have to get down on our bellies and crawl toward the door,” Brad whispered. She nodded. Her body continued to shake with fear, so he rubbed his palms up and down her arms. “We can do this.”
“I know.”
He glanced at the three men on the other side of the warehouse. Brad scanned the path back toward the spot where he and Tyger stood. They’d have to move slowly so they didn’t draw attention.
“You go first.” Her eyes widened and color disappeared from her face, so he quickly continued, “That way, if they spot you, I can hold them off while you run for help.”
“No, Brad. I won’t leave you behind.”
He took her by the shoulders and held her still. “You have to, Tyger. You have to be brave. Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“But what if something happens to you?”
He gave her a tender smile. “Nothing will happen to me. I won’t let it. I have something in my life worth fighting for, and that’s you.” He bent and kissed her lips briefly. “Now go,” he commanded in a whisper.
“I love you.” She crouched down to the floor and then scooted on her belly. Slowly, she crawled across the floor.
He switched his attention between her and the door. His heart thumped hard against his ribs, and as each second passed without the three men noticing them, his relief grew. Maybe they’d make it out of here alive, after all.
She reached the door, slid up the wall, and grasped the doorknob. Using caution, she turned the knob and opened the door. Carefully, she slipped out, but stood by the door with her eyes on him.
Brad looked across the warehouse before he slid on the ground toward her. Although he wanted to hurry, he moved slowly, praying the men wouldn’t see him, either. Once he reached the door, she pulled it open wider, letting him out.
He quickly jumped to his feet and took her in his arms. Her body shook, but she was a little more relaxed this time.
“Brad? My cell is in my purse, in my car.”
“Mine is in my truck.”
“My car is closer.”
“Okay. Once we get the phone, we’ll hurry back to the main building and call for help.”
Her brows creased as if she seriously was thinking of something. Then she shook her head. “We can’t get our cells. When we open the door to our vehicles, the light from inside will shine, and it might alert the men to our escape.”
“Good thinking.” He glanced toward the building. “Then we’ll make the call from the main office.” He grasped her hand tightly and glanced at her bare feet. “We have to make a run for it, or do you need me to carry you?”
“I’m fine, Brad. Now let’s get out of here quickly.”
Brad led the way, once more. Although he tried not to run very fast because of her tender feet, her legs carried her swiftly toward the main building. He was so proud of her for not giving up and for having faith in him.
