Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
SAVANNA
I’m starting my fourth shift at the firehouse, and by now I know the routine. Nate drops me off in the rec area where I wait while everyone changes and gets ready for shift before their morning meeting. The first day he didn’t let me out of his sight, which worked out because I ended up joining the meeting so he and Captain Bernard could explain to the rest of the crew what I was doing there, and what was going on.
It had been intimidating telling the Captain my story, mostly because I’d never met the man before, but Nate did a good job explaining most of it, holding my hand when his boss asked me a few questions. He had no problem with me being at the firehouse as long as Nate, and everyone else, still performed their duties. He even called one of his friends at the police station who came down and had a chat with me.
The shitty thing was they couldn’t do anything about Vincent, which I’d already assumed. The cop said he would create a file including everything I’d told him. This way there would be documentation if something were to happen. It didn’t make me feel better, and I know it didn’t help Nate either, but I think we were both in the frame of mind the cops wouldn’t be able to do much at this point.
It’ll be two weeks tomorrow since I saw Vincent at the bar. Two long, stressful weeks.
I haven’t stopped looking over my shoulder, expecting him to show up. When Nate and I haven’t been at the firehouse, we’ve mostly been at home, or at the bar. Every time the door to the bar opens, my heart stops, and I quit breathing until I see who walks in.
I knew Vincent would do something like this, keeping me on edge, but I honestly didn’t expect him to vanish for this long. It’s starting to wear me down. The only time I ever seem to be alone is when I’m using the bathroom, and while I love Nate for keeping me safe, I’m starting to feel a bit smothered.
I’ll take it over leaving him, though. I still can’t believe I was ready to walk away. I know why I was doing it, and I really did have the best intentions, but thinking back, I’m not sure how I thought I’d be able to do it.
Leaving my family was one thing, but leaving this man I’ve fallen in love with is entirely different. I realized that once I got home and started to pack. It was his damn t-shirt that did me in.
He’d been wearing it a few days before when he came into my room while I was folding laundry, attacking me from behind with a myriad of kisses, tickling me until I couldn’t take it anymore. Then he’d spun me around, kissed me breathless, and looked into my eyes the entire time he made love to me. I think I knew before then he felt the same way I did, but gazing at him while he moved inside of me, tender and sweet, solidified it for me.
So when I found that damn shirt, I knew I couldn’t leave.
“Damn it,” I mutter to myself, digging through my bag to look for the smaller bag that houses my chargers and earbuds.
I’ve been through it twice and can’t find it, but I know I packed it before we left this morning. In my haste to be ready on time, I dumped my bag in the back of the truck, though, and I’ll bet I missed it when I picked everything up when we got to the firehouse.
I drop my bag to the ground with a thunk, letting out a grumbling breath. There’s no way I can go without them. The one good thing about being stuck at the firehouse all day is the time it’s provided to plan the firefighter auction at the bar, which has meant being on the phone. A lot. We didn’t wait for the accountant to confirm what I’d already figured out, though he did two days after he got the USB Nate dropped off to him, to start planning. Liam and I set to work immediately.
Tomorrow night we’ll throw the doors of the bar open for the first ever 10-42 Firefighter Auction. The support for it has been overwhelming. Nate has helped so many people over the years without asking for anything in return, that once word spread, the offers came pouring in.
I think everyone besides Nate knew it would happen. It’s been heartwarming to watch his surprise and awe every time Liam—who has been instrumental in finding candidates for dates—or I tell him of someone new reaching out. Firefighters and community alike.
Frustrated and grumpy, I grab Nate’s keys and push away from the table I’m sitting at. He argued over leaving them with me the first day, saying I wouldn’t need them, and he didn’t want me outside by myself. Once I’d pointed out that if something happened while he was on a call and I wouldn’t have any way out I’d be screwed, he relented. Now I’m thankful he did. I can run out there and be back before he even knows I’ve left.
Swinging the keys around my finger, I make my way out the side door that dumps me into the parking lot. Unless someone with a code is going in or coming out when I return, I realize I’ll have to go through the front door to get back in, but it’s not a big deal. Sure, it leaves me a little more exposed, but even if Vincent knew I was here, I don’t see him trying anything at the firehouse. Too many people, too big a chance of getting caught.
Opening the back driver’s side door, my eyes scan the bench and then the floor for the little case, but I don’t have a chance to look for long. Something grabs my hair and forces me face first onto the floor of the truck, and I screech, my body folding in half at the pressure. Fighting to turn and see what the hell is happening, a body presses up against me from behind, pinning me in place.
Adrenaline floods me, causing me to struggle before I force myself to stop, knowing it’s futile in this moment. I should conserve my energy even though every instinct is telling me to fight back.
“Hi bear,” Vincent coos into my ear, the scent of his cologne so close making me nauseous. “God, I’ve missed you.”
Bone crushing fear turns my blood cold. I don’t respond. I know he’s trying to get a rise out of me, but he got enough when he pushed me down. I don’t want to give him anything more.
Though it makes me feel physically ill, I let him cover me with his body, sniff my hair, nuzzle my ear. I let him take his fill of what he wants because I have no idea what Vincent’s plan is. All I know is he isn’t going to let me go anytime soon, so the longer I can remain in this parking lot, the better chance I have of Nate realizing I’m not inside.
Nate.
God, I wish I’d listened to him. I should have known better than to come outside alone.
Without warning I’m being yanked up by my hair and I cry out at the sharp pain radiating from my scalp. Vincent is looking for a reaction from me, and not giving him one is infuriating to him.
It’s a double-edged sword. If I give him what he wants, it eggs him on, but if I don’t, he gets more violent.
His breath is hot against my ear. “Did you miss me too, bear?”
Now that I’m upright, I struggle against him again, trying to wrench my body away from his. With his hand tight in my hair and a leg between mine, hips pressed against me, he’s got me mostly under control. Reaching back, I go for his face with my nails, but I feel him duck out of my way and then something cold and hard presses into the bottom of my chin causing me to freeze.
“I wouldn’t do that, baby bear,” he says coldly. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
Panic is grabbing hold of me, my chest heaving with each breath I take. There’s a gun aimed at me, and I have zero doubt that it’s loaded. It takes every bit of fight out of me.
Closing my eyes, tears well in them, defeat surging within me. Not once in all our time together did Vincent pull a gun and threaten me. Apparently he knew that I wouldn’t be easy to manage this time around.
A gun changes everything. A gun means that if Nate, or any of the other guys, came out and found us, they’d be in imminent danger.
“Okay. Okay, I won’t. I promise.” My mouth is dry as dust. I try wetting my lips to make my words less hoarse, infusing them with as much happiness as possible. It’s fake, but I’m hoping he doesn’t notice. “There’s a little café down the street. Why don’t we go there and have a coffee and talk?”
I feel the gun sliding up my jaw and cringe, squeezing my eyes closed as it brushes my hair away from my face. Then Vincent’s lips are at my ear and I can feel him smiling.
“Oh, baby bear, I have something different planned for us.” He nuzzles me again, making my skin crawl. If I could, I would knee him in the balls. “You’re a hard woman to get alone, you know that? It’s been driving me insane to see you with all these different guys.”
A tear slips down my cheek. “They’re just friends.”
Vincent pushes the gun into the side of my head, and I swallow a yelp.
“Don’t lie to me. I’ve seen the way the one looks at you,” he growls at me, and I can hear the hate and jealousy he has towards Nate. “I’ve seen the two of you in and out of the car together. Here. At that bar. Into that house.”
Fear claws at me, threatening to shred my heart and lungs to pieces. Breathing is difficult and my heart shrieks. He knows where Nate lives. He’s been there. He’s seen it. He knows we’re together.
I’ve never known true fear before now. The basement, the beatings, the gun… they were all walks in the park compared to the bone chilling terror that seizes me.
Before I have a chance to respond, the sound of a vehicle coming into the parking lot has us both looking through the windows to see a large red truck with a surfboard in the back.
Brody.
Oh god. Part of me is grateful that he’s there, someone I know and trust, who could help. But another part, the part that I know will override anything else, dies a little inside as he parks a few spots down. I can’t let him see Vincent. I can’t put him in any more danger than I already have.
It might be your last chance at being saved…
But to what end? I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something happened to him because of me.
Will he be able to live with himself if he knew he could have done something to save me?
I think of him losing his wife, and what he said to me that night in the kitchen. The unknown is the worst part.
I’m about to plunge them all into the unknown, and I already hate myself for it.
The hand in my hair tightens, yanking my head back. Vincent snarls, “Get rid of him.”
He releases his hold on me, and I feel him drop down into a crouch behind me. He isn’t a fool, however. Before I can think of kicking him so I can run, he’s got the barrel of the gun pressed against my lower spine, effectively forcing me to comply.
“Hey Sav,” Brody calls from near his truck. I look through the window on the other side of Nate’s truck and lift a hand in greeting, but it isn’t enough to placate him. He heads in my direction. “What are you doing out here?”
I step out from the back door of the truck, shielded partially from view by the bed of it. If I can keep Vincent hidden, and Brody on the opposite side, I might have a shot at this not ending badly.
Forcing a smile on my face, I gesture towards the back seat. “Looking for my headphone case. I dumped my bag this morning by accident.”
“Oh.” Brody nods because it’s a plausible story, glances at his watch, then looks back to me. “I’ll wait for you.”
“What? No. You don’t need to do that, I’ll be inside in a second.” I hope my voice doesn’t sound as high as I think it does. “I don’t want you to be late.”
Brody shrugs, adjusting the bag he’s got slung over his shoulder. “All good. I’ve got a few minutes. Plus, I think Nate would understand if I was late under these circumstances.”
I feel Vincent pressing the gun harder into my back, and I know it’s a warning. I need to get Brody out of here.
“Right. The thing is, I just…” I trail off, giving a sigh. Trying to look as sheepish as I possibly can, I lower my eyes and bow my head. “I just need a moment to myself.” When I chance my next glance, I frown, trying to look pained. It’s not hard considering the circumstances. “I feel like the only time I’ve been alone the last two weeks is when I’m peeing. I know it’s for the best, but I’m feeling a little smothered.”
“Ah,” Brody says, nodding in understanding. “I can sympathize. When I lost Heather, that’s how I felt.”
Fuck my life. I’m going to hurl. Here I am, lying to Brody, and it’s bringing up memories of his late wife. I feel like such an asshole right now. I just have to remember it’s for the greater good. “So you understand I just need a minute.”
“Totally.” He glances over his shoulder towards the building, then back to me. “Not too long. Nate will have a heart attack if he knows I left you out here by yourself.”
“Oh!” Reaching into the backseat, I grab Nate’s jacket and toss it to Brody from where I’m standing. “Nate was looking for that. I found it under the seat while I was looking for my headphones.”
Brody easily catches it and nods. “If you’re not inside by the time I’m changed, I’m coming back out for you.”
I give him as much of a smile as I can muster. “I’m sure Nate will be out before that happens.”
He shoots me a knowing grin then turns and heads towards the side door. After one last look over his shoulder he disappears inside.
“What the fuck was that shit with the jacket?” Vincent hisses at me, hauling me towards the back door where the cab of the truck provides more coverage from view.
I wince at how tight he’s holding my wrist but manage to hold back any sound of pain.
“I was buying us more time,” I tell him, though the opposite is true. “If Brody hadn’t taken that inside, Nate would come out looking for it. Is that what you want?”
Vincent growls but doesn’t argue with me. “Come on. Let’s go. Too many eyes around here.”
Every instinct is screaming not to go with him. If I go, I’m a goner. The problem is my heart. My heart is telling me if I stay, someone else is going to get hurt, and it’ll be my fault. It’s telling me it won’t be able to handle that, and I know it’s right.
I force my feet to move as Vincent jerks me away from the truck and shoves me towards the front of it.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he keeps me moving along the front of the cars in the parking lot, probably using them as protection from the building on the other side in case anyone comes out.
“So many questions, bear. You know I love to surprise you. You’ll see when we get there.”
When we reach the street, he directs me down a few cars to a blue car. I curse under my breath. It’s not Vincent’s so it must be a rental, which means tracking me down is going to be harder. Fresh tears well in my eyes as we reach the vehicle.
This could be the end for me.
Kissing Nate before he went to get changed might have been the last time I got to kiss him. It wasn’t even a good kiss. It was just a simple peck on the lips along with a “see you after your meeting”. I might never see his gorgeous smile, or those brilliant blue eyes staring at me with love, ever again.
Oh god.
I haven’t even told him I love him. I might never see him again, and he won’t know how I feel. I should have told him. I should have kissed him like I meant it. I should have done so many things I didn’t, and now I might never be able to.
The sound of a motorcycle engine coming down the road in the opposite direction catches my attention before Vincent shoves me through the driver’s door. My heart leaps into my throat.
Liam.
As I climb to the passenger side, with Vincent getting in as soon as I vacate the driver’s side, my eyes are glued to Liam pulling into the firehouse parking lot. Vincent starts the car and I glance at the clock while putting my seatbelt on.
Liam’s running late. All he has is five minutes to get changed and get to roll call or he’ll be suffering the wrath of Nate. I need him to take his time. I need him to be slow enough that I can get his attention so he knows I’m in this car and he can get the description to the police. Vincent needs to be the one to hurry the hell up and pull out.
In the next second, he does.
My eyes dart to where the gun is lying in his lap, to the button for the window, and then back to Liam in the parking lot. My heart is beating ferociously, my pulse thundering in my ears. This is the second time I’m throwing a Hail Mary with Liam. It worked the first time; I pray it works a second. All I need is a fraction of space where the window is low enough he can hear me shriek.
Things move in slow motion as I watch Liam’s helmet come off just before we’re driving by the mouth of the parking lot. Hitting the down button on the window, I draw in a deep breath, and scream his name at the top of my lungs.
“Liam!”
For one brief moment, our eyes meet. I see the confusion, the surprise, then the horror. I know he understands. I know he knows.
Relief surges through me knowing someone has seen me, has seen the car, and knows for certain I’m in danger. The relief is short-lived, however, as my world speeds back up to normal again.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Vincent bellows.
I turn to look at him. The last thing I see before my world goes black is the butt of the gun coming straight for me.