Gage (THE GOLDEN TEAM #3)

8. Lori

8

Lori

Gage lingered in my thoughts as I made my way to Montana to interview the Band of Navy SEALs. I knew a few of these men by reputation, though most had been out of the service before I was old enough to enlist. Some of them lived in Temecula, but they were all based in Montana now, and I was eager to learn their stories.

After renting a vehicle, I drove through winding mountain roads until I reached their headquarters. The view took my breath away. The lodge looked like it had been pulled straight from the glossy pages of a hunting magazine, nestled beside a pristine river that glistened in the sunlight. Tall pines framed the scene, their branches swaying gently in the breeze.

As I stepped out of the car, the front door opened, and Luke and Missy emerged, their smiles warm and welcoming.

“You made it! I’m so glad,” Missy said, her excitement contagious. “I told you this would be a great story—interviewing all these teams. How’s it going so far?”

After hugging them both, I followed them inside. “It’s going great so far, and this place is incredible,” I said, glancing around at the rustic wooden beams and massive stone fireplace. “When’s the baby due?” I asked, my gaze drifting to Missy’s belly.

“In a few months,” she replied, rubbing her growing bump with a contented smile.

I’d first met Missy in college in Southern California, along with Maddy, who had married Dustin Barlow—a member of SEAL Security, the team I planned to interview next. Seeing her now, happily settled in Montana, filled me with a quiet sense of nostalgia.

“You can stay here while you do the interviews,” Missy offered, her enthusiasm shining through. “Some of the guys are inside. This is so exciting—I bet this story will be a huge hit when it’s published.”

“This place is amazing,” I said, taking in the soaring ceilings and expansive windows. “How about I start with you, Luke? I know you, so it’ll be easier to get going. You can be my guinea pig.”

Luke grinned. “Sure, ask me anything.”

As we walked deeper into the lodge, I couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship. “Wow, this place is incredible! How high is the ceiling?”

“High enough for the biggest Christmas tree we can find,” Luke replied with a laugh. “And decorating it is a whole event. Everyone comes here to celebrate—Killian and Arrow bring their families, too. It’s a blast.”

“Are they here now?”

“Yes, they’ll be back soon. We’re all having dinner together. I’m so glad you got here when you did—we’re having tacos,” Missy said with a knowing smile.

“Tacos?” I laughed. “You remembered—they’re my favorite! I’m starving.”

“Good timing, then,” Luke said. “How about we do your interview after dinner?”

“That works perfectly,” I replied.

That evening, after dinner, I found myself sitting outside under a canopy of stars, the crisp mountain air wrapping around me. The night was breathtaking, the lodge glowing softly behind me, but my thoughts drifted to Gage. I couldn’t stop wondering about him. Why hadn’t we gotten together yet? Part of me felt like it was only a matter of time, but another part doubted how much he really cared. Could we last? Or was I building castles in the air?

Four days later, my notebook was full of material for my story on the Band of Navy SEALs. My next stop was the Oregon coast to interview SEAL Security. On a whim, I decided to swing by home first and pick up my refurbished Volkswagen van. I’d always dreamed of driving it up the coast, camping on beaches, and soaking in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Reality hit hard. The van broke down in the middle of nowhere, its engine sputtering one final protest before dying completely. I stared at my phone, frustrated to find no signal. With the sun slipping below the horizon, I resigned myself to spending the night in the van.

Dad had warned me not to take the van on a long trip, and now his words echoed mockingly in my head. I should’ve listened.

After locking the doors, I crawled under the blankets in the back, my gun within easy reach. It wasn’t the peaceful adventure I’d imagined, but at least I was safe—for now.

A noise jolted me awake, sending adrenaline coursing through my veins. I strained to listen, my breath held. There it was again—a faint rustling outside. My heart pounded as I peeked out the window.

Two men were standing by the van, one fiddling with the driver’s side door handle.

“Back away from the van, or I’ll blow a hole in your head!” I shouted, my voice firm as I gripped the gun tightly.

One of the men froze, his hands raised defensively. “Whoa, whoa, easy!” he said. “We’re here to tow you to town. Someone said they saw this old van broken down. Do you want us to tow it for you?”

I glanced at the clock—1:30 a.m. The middle of nowhere wasn’t exactly bustling at this hour. Who the hell worked this late? My gut twisted with unease as I peered through the window at the two men lingering outside my van.

“No, I don’t need a tow,” I said loudly, trying to keep my voice steady. “I parked here for the night. I’ll be on my way in the morning. Thanks anyway.”

I could hear them whispering, their hushed voices carrying just enough menace to send a chill up my spine. A sudden crash shattered the passenger-side window, spraying glass everywhere. My pulse spiked as I scrambled to put on my shoes. My fingers fumbled as I cocked my gun, adrenaline surging through my veins.

The first man tried climbing through the broken window. I didn’t hesitate—I fired. His scream cut through the night, raw and pained.

“The next shot will kill you,” I shouted, my voice trembling with both fear and fury. “Get the fuck away from my vehicle right now!”

Before I could react, the window behind me shattered. Glass rained down as a rough hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked. I screamed, twisting violently, my free arm swinging instinctively. I fired again, the deafening crack of the gunshot reverberating inside the van. Somewhere behind me, I heard cruel, mocking laughter.

“Why do I let you two handle what one man could do?” a gruff voice growled, thick with menace. “Get her out of there right now, or I’ll finish what she started.”

Before I could fire again, something hard struck the side of my head. Pain exploded behind my eyes as stars danced in my vision. My grip on the gun faltered as two men clambered into the van, wrestling me for control. Blood slicked their hands—I’d hit them, I realized—but it wasn’t enough.

Another blow to my head sent me spiraling into darkness.

When I came to, the throbbing in my skull was unbearable, each pulse like a hammer against my temples. I stayed still, my breaths shallow, straining to sense my surroundings. Someone was close—I could feel their presence.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. A man loomed over me, his grin sending a shiver down my spine.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said, his voice disturbingly calm, like we were old friends catching up.

“Why are you doing this?” I croaked, my throat dry and raw.

“I needed a woman,” he said simply, as though that explained everything. “I saw you at the grocery store. That red hair of yours caught my eye. Reminded me of my ex-wife. She had beautiful red hair, too. Of course, I pulled it all out before I killed her.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, stealing my breath.

“When I’m done with you,” he continued, his tone almost casual, “I’ll have to kill you too. So, if I were you, I’d be as nice as possible. That might make me want to keep you around a little longer.”

I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Where is my van?”

He chuckled darkly. “That’s all you have to say? Where is my van?” He laughed again, a sound devoid of humor. “We left it where it broke down. Let the police haul it in. They can try to figure out where you disappeared to.”

“They’ll know something’s wrong,” I said, trying to keep him talking. “Your men bled all over it, and the windows are busted out.”

“Yes,” he said with a smirk. “But we’re miles from where it was. I told you—I followed you for over two hundred miles. When I want something, I go after it. I heard you at the grocery store telling that woman where you were headed. I knew exactly where you’d be, and when I saw you stranded, it felt like fate.”

“My dad will keep looking for me,” I said, injecting more confidence into my voice than I felt. “He won’t stop until he finds me.”

“Let him look,” he sneered. “This place is miles from any freeway, and there’s no reason for anyone to come near my home. No one will find you.”

I bit back the urge to mention DNA and fingerprints. Don’t let him see your hope, I told myself. But I clung to the thought that the evidence I’d left behind might lead someone to me.

“I’ll give you a day to recuperate,” he said, his voice disturbingly kind. “Daniel shouldn’t have hit you. He’ll regret that for a long time. You’re mine—no one touches you but me.”

The room seemed to shrink around me as his words sank in. I needed to get out of here. A day wasn’t much, but it was something.

“I hope you don’t think I’ll just let you rape me without fighting back,” I spat, my voice low and ice-cold.

His grin twisted into something darker, more depraved. “Oh, darling,” he drawled, his voice dripping with menace. “That’s the fun part. I want you to fight me. I want to use all my strength against you. The thought of it is already turning me on.”

Every cell in my body screamed with revulsion, but I forced myself to keep my expression hard, unyielding. Don’t let him see your fear.

“I’ll let you rest,” he said, stepping back. “There’s water and some food in the corner. Don’t try to leave—this place has cameras everywhere, and it’s locked up tight.”

As soon as he left, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. Think. You have to get out of here. If you don’t escape, he’ll rape you, and then he’ll kill you.

I turned my head slightly, taking in the room. The bed I lay on was bolted to the floor. A small table stood in the corner, just within reach of the water and food he’d mentioned. A camera blinked red from above the door.

I had less than a day to figure out how to outsmart a monster.

I walked around the room, scanning every exit. The window was nailed shut, rusted nails crooked against the splintering wood. The door was the only way out, but I didn’t even know the layout of this house. Shadows loomed in every corner, and the stale air smelled of mildew and neglect. Did he have dogs that would bark and give me away? I was sure he did—probably five, maybe more.

The thought made my chest tighten. On a hunch, I opened the closet door. My closet back home had a crawl space that led under the house—maybe this one did, too. The darkness inside swallowed me whole. The faint smell of mothballs and dust filled my nose as I reached out, my fingers brushing against a rough wall. Feeling along the surface, I finally found the switch and flicked it on. The dim bulb buzzed to life, casting jagged shadows over piles of old boxes and forgotten junk.

If a crawl space was here, I’d have to dig through this mess to find it. Anxiety clawed at my mind. Was I wasting precious time? A cat’s mournful cry echoed from beneath the floorboards, pulling my attention to a crack in the closet floor. My breath hitched as I noticed a small piece of frayed rope sticking out.

I held my breath and gave it a gentle tug, praying it wouldn’t make a noise. The rope resisted for a moment before a section of the floor creaked and popped up—a trapdoor. My heart hammered as I lifted it and peered into the inky blackness below. I flicked off the light, carefully lowering the trapdoor back into place behind me.

Now what? I crouched in the suffocating darkness, wishing for even a sliver of light to guide me. My fingers brushed the gritty dirt floor beneath me. Which way should I go? The silence pressed down on me like a weight. I tried to make as little noise as possible, silently thanking my lucky stars that I’d put on my shoes before everything went sideways.

Suddenly, I felt warm fur brush against my leg. My stomach flipped as I froze. Slowly, I turned to find a large dog standing beside me. My breath caught in my throat. To my amazement, he leaned in and licked my hand, his soft tongue a stark contrast to the danger around me. Tears welled in my eyes, a strange mixture of relief and despair. Without a sound, he turned and padded away, glancing back as if to beckon me. I followed him, barely daring to hope.

We reached an opening, narrow and barely big enough for me to squeeze through. The dog slipped through easily, his dark coat blending with the shadows. Before climbing out, I scanned the yard ahead. The moon hung low, casting a silvery glow over the overgrown grass and scattered debris.

My skin prickled as I imagined motion lights flickering on or cameras tracking my every move. My breathing hitched as panic threatened to take over. I shut my eyes tightly, forcing myself to take slow, deep breaths until the rising tide of fear ebbed.

The dog returned, nudging me with his nose and whining softly. He wanted me to follow. Was I reading him right? My instincts screamed to stay hidden, but something in his quiet urgency gave me the courage to crawl forward. My body trembled, and my knees scraped against the rough ground. My mind screamed at me to move faster, but my limbs felt heavy and uncooperative.

The dog came back again and licked my face, his warm breath grounding me. In that moment, I silently promised that if I survived this, I’d keep him. I’d name him Jasper, after the boy in middle school who used to follow me everywhere. A small smile crept onto my lips despite the tension. Did Matthew ever remember Jasper? Probably not.

My heart pounded as I emerged from under the house. The dog moved silently, leading me step by step through the yard. The woods stretched ahead, dense and uninviting. Not a single motion light flickered where he walked. I glanced back at the house, its peeling paint and sagging porch bathed in eerie shadows. That man wasn’t lying—no one would have found me out here.

We slipped into the woods, the dog’s quiet confidence guiding me. Every step felt like a gamble. Twigs snapped underfoot, and I winced, my ears straining for any sign of pursuit. I knew he probably had traps and alarms hidden everywhere. My thoughts spiraled back to a friend from the service who once told me about his dad rigging lights and sensors around their property to detect intruders.

Pain flared in my head where I’d been struck earlier. I pressed my fingers gently against the sore spot, wincing. Jasper growled low and deep, stopping in his tracks. I froze, holding my breath as voices floated through the air.

“One of these days, I’m gonna shoot JD for taking the whip to me. Who does that asshole think he is? I’ll get my turn with that woman before he kills her.”

“You’d better shut up before JD hears you. He’ll kill you, and I’ll be stuck digging your grave. Why do we always have to dig the holes? He’s the one doing the killing.”

“I’m done with this. We shouldn’t have left that van. Our fingerprints are all over it—plus the blood. She didn’t hit anything vital, but still. We should’ve gone to the hospital.”

“You’re crazy! Gunshot wounds? They’d call the cops. What would we say? ‘Oh, we shot each other playing Russian roulette?’ I’m going to bed.”

The sound of shovels clanging to the ground was like thunder in the quiet night. Jasper and I stayed rooted in place, waiting until the men’s voices faded. My muscles burned as I held my position, terrified of making even the slightest noise.

Finally, when they were out of sight, I started running. The cool night air rushed past me as I pushed through the trees, my lungs burning. When I hit the road, I stopped and looked down at the dog, his dark eyes shining up at me.

“I guess we’re a team now,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I’ll take good care of you, Jasper. Let’s get as far away from here as we can. I don’t ever want to see those men again—unless they’re behind bars.”

For a moment, I debated staying on the road, hoping for a passing car. But with my luck, it would probably be one of theirs. Reluctantly, I stepped back into the woods, praying the darkness would keep us hidden.