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Chapter Thirty

Now

I wake up, lying on my side with my hands still secured behind my back and my head pounding. I take inventory of my body and wince at the result. My leg is throbbing and my face swollen. My belly aches where Evan kicked me and the cable ties are digging into the skin of my wrists, blood trickling down my fingers.

Please, God, let my babies be okay, I pray, looking up at the ceiling.

Wait, where am I?

I look around and realize that I’m alone in the back of the van again. Oh, God, where are they taking me? How will anyone ever find me? We hit a bump and I bounce off the floor before slamming back down.

I hiss in pain on impact. The van comes to a stop and I strain my ears, trying to hear anything around us. Muffled voices carry through the metal of the van and then one of the doors opens and closes. I lie here, waiting for someone to open the back doors but they never come.

Where the hell are we?

“I should get her some water,” Ryan says right outside the van.

“Yeah, all right but hurry up. We don’t want to be here long.” I glare in the general direction of Evan’s voice.

After about ten minutes, Ryan comes back. “’Kay, go get whatever you need.”

“Be right back.”

A door opens and closes again. I wish I knew where the hell I was or where they plan on taking me. If they get me out of the state, I don’t know how anyone will ever find me.

Ten more minutes pass and Evan returns to the van and gets in.

“I better go give her some water,” Ryan says.

“What the fuck, dude?” Evan growls. “We need to go.”

“Yeah, I got it, Ev!” The door slams. A moment later, I’m squinting at the bright morning light streaming in.

“Come here, baby. I’ve got some water for you.”

I scoot toward the light and my leg throbs the entire way there. I try not to whimper or show any sign of the pain I’m in but I don’t do a very good job. Once I get close enough, Ryan holds the bottle up to my lips and gives me small sips. The cool water coats my mouth and I almost moan in relief.

“Why are you doing this to me, Ryan?” I ask once he pulls the bottle away, my voice scratchy.

“What are you talking about, Emma?”

“Why am I tied up in the back of a van while you’re giving me small sips of water? Can’t you see that this isn’t the way to love someone?”

His eyes soften and he runs his hand over my cheek. “It’s necessary for right now, baby, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Where are we going?”

“I found us a little cabin. You’re going to love it,” he answers, his eyes bright and dread fills me.

God, no one will ever find me if he gets me out in the wilderness.

“I don’t want to go to a cabin.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Is this because of him?”

“No, I’m just not an outdoorsy person.”

“Don’t lie to me! This is about that guy! How long is it going to take for you to realize that you are mine?”