Page 79 of Two Favors Repaid

He opened his eyes and tried to sit up. His right hand was tied to something. His head was killing him. There was something dark in front of his eyes. He turned his head and saw Emma looking paler than he’d ever seen her before. And then everything that had happened came back to him.

“You’re bleeding,” Emma said, reaching out to him with her right hand. Her left was cuffed against the same pipe as his.

Rob wiped at his eye with his hand, relieved when the blood came off and his vision cleared. He touched the side of his head gingerly and found a painful gash. He remembered the sound of the gun firing, the bullet slicing into him.

That was lucky.

“I’m … okay,” he said, amazed to find he was telling the truth.

She looked at him intently then finally nodded, sighing in relief.

He felt around his neck at the plastic and metal object Ford had placed there.

“What can you tell me about this?”

Emma shook her head, as if all adjectives had fled her mind. “It’s black. Smooth all over but with a small box at the back.” Rob felt for the box. This wasn’t good news.

His mouth was dry. He looked again at Emma, noticing her cracked lips and dark, sunken eyes.

Jesus. How long since she’s had anything to eat or drink?

He reached out and took her free hand.

“I wish you hadn’t come here,” Emma whispered even as she clutched his hand.

“I will always come for you,” he said in a low voice. He took stock of their situation. Ford had taken his gun, his penknife, and his phone.

“Where is he?” he asked.

“Somebody broke a window. He’s out there looking for your partner. Rob … it’s not Natalie, right?” her eyes were fearful.

“Natalie’s safe. It’s Darryl out there. He’ll hide in the forest. Ford won’t find him.”

Emma nodded. Her features relaxed slightly.

“We’ve called in reinforcements; they’ll be here soon.”

Her blue eyes grew wide with hope.

“But we need to be ready.”

Rob tugged violently at the pipe. Emma winced but didn’t make a sound. Her wrist was raw and bleeding in different spots. She’d clearly tried this before.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“That pipe … it’s not coming loose,” she said.

There’s two of us now, though.

“I need you to sit on the floor, Emma. Hold your wrist close to the ground.”

Rob slammed his shoulder into the pipe. It barely budged. Somebody had secured it at several points between the floor and the ceiling. After confirming Emma was as far away from the pipe as possible, Rob grabbed the pipe with his free hand and kicked. He couldn’t get much momentum behind the kick, but he kept at it, pounding at the same spot. It didn’t budge.

There was no way they were getting loose this way.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t break it.”

She looked at him like he was crazy. “Why are you apologizing? I don’t need you to be Superman. I just … you’re here, you came for me.” Tears fell down her eyes, and she wiped them away hurriedly. And even with her tear-streaked face, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.