Chapter 61
Addie’s heart skipped in fear as the man reached her.
She managed to sit up, crawling backward. Her heart thumped fast.
And then he reached for the bottom of the balaclava, pulling it over his face.
Oh God. Oh God.
That wasn’t a good sign.
When the balaclava came off, shock filled her.
“Hello, bitch, remember me?”
Nausea bubbled its way up her stomach and she turned her head just in time so it didn’t go all over her front.
She wasn’t sure if it was due to the pounding in her head or fear.
“What . . . what do you want? Why did you take me?”
“Ahh, maybe because your man fucking humiliated us! You didn’t think we would get revenge?”
We?
She glanced around as his friends joined them.
Oh God. This wasn’t good. Where was Cash? He had to have noticed she was gone, but how would he find her?
Was this it? Was she going to die?
Fuck it. She didn’t want to die. She’d only just found happiness.
Screw these assholes.
“Bet you thought we weren’t smart enough to find you, huh?
” he sneered. “Wasn’t that hard. Got a friend at the DMV who looked up your man’s license plate.
Found out where he lived. Thought about robbing him or torching the place, but then I realized what I really wanted to do was.
. . take something of his. And hurt it.”
She swallowed heavily.
“That’s you, by the way.”
“Yeah, I got it. You’re not that smart,” she told him.
Wow. Had she just spoken? With her stress and anxiety at an all time high?
Go her!
Slap!
Also, fuck that hurt. She reached up with a trembling hand to cup the side of her face where he’d just hit her.
“No talking from you, bitch.”
Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. Tears streaked down her face.
“Now, we’re all gonna have some fun with you,” he said, gesturing to his friends. “Then we’re gonna beat you up just like they did to us. And then we’ll be even.”
Even? Raping her made it even?
“You have no idea who he is,” she said in a hoarse voice. Cash would make sure they all burned. “He’s gonna find you. You’ll all pay.”
“Whatever, bitch,” he said. She realized that he was the guy that had hit her that first time. Who had tried to grab her before Ralen stopped him.
“Come on, Marco, let’s do this,” one of them whined. “I want a taste of her and I’m third in line. I’m gonna blow my load before I get into her.”
Oh God.
She was going to vomit again. What was she going to do?
Suddenly, she saw something behind them. A man.
Not any man . . . the one from the front yard. Who’d been talking to Cash.
“You touch her and you die,” the man said.
The others turned to him and all started to lunge as one. It was almost comical as they banged into each other. As they did, though, another man snuck into the room.
This time it was Cash and a sob of relief left her.
He was here. He’d found her. He rushed toward her, picking her up. “Baby, are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head and tried to talk. But nothing came. Finally, she pointed over at her kidnappers and the other man. He needed help! Except he didn’t. Because Ink was there too. And between them, they were taking care of the bastards.
“Are those the fuckers that tried to take Crystal?” Cash snarled. “Are you sure they didn’t hurt you?” He set her feet down on the floor and grasped hold of her chin, turning her face this way and that. “Fuckers. One of them hit you? I’m going to fucking kill them!”
Turning, he dove into the fray. He was like a machine and she had to glance away a few times, feeling queasy. At some stage, she ended up sitting on the floor, her legs unable to hold her up anymore.
Finally, the big guy who she didn’t know pulled Cash away. Ink was already standing back, breathing heavily.
“Fuck, I enjoyed that way too much,” Ink said, shaking his arms and flexing his fists.
Cash tried to get to them again, but the other man held him back.
“It’s done, Cash. They’re out.”
“They hit Addie. They hurt her. Kidnapped her.”
The other man looked over at her, his gaze running over her. Now that she could really look at him, he seemed familiar.
“Yeah, from what I heard they planned to do more.”
Cash lunged and the other man barely held him.
“Fuck it, Aidan, let me at them!”
Aidan? This was his brother? This was not the way she expected to meet his brother.
“No. You’ve got more important things to do. Like look after your girl.”
Cash’s gaze met hers and then he was in front of her.
She hadn’t even seen him move. “Baby, where does it hurt? Did they touch you anywhere else? Talk to me.” He cupped her face between his hands.
Addie opened her mouth and tried to talk. But nothing came out. Except small squeaks of fear.
“Fuck, baby. It’s all right. I have you. I’ve got you.” He picked her up in his arms, cradling her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you again. Even if I have to stick to you like fucking glue.”
“Is she okay?” Aidan asked. “Does she need anything?”
“She’s fucking terrified,” Cash said. “Poor baby. I have you.”
She wished she could turn her head and talk to Aidan, but she couldn’t seem to move. The only thing keeping her from fracturing apart right now were Cash’s arms around her.
“Do you know these fuckers?” Ink asked.
“They’re the guys that attacked us on the side of the road.” Cash started to swear and she patted his back gently, trying to soothe him.
She was all right. He’d gotten to her in time. Although she wondered how he’d found her.
“Addie, can you tell us what happened?” Ink asked.
“She’s gone non-verbal,” Cash said. “We have to wait for her voice to come back to her.”
Come on, Addie. Get yourself together.
“DMV,” she managed to say.
Cash paused. “What, baby?”
“DMV. License plate. Track.”
“Fuck, they tracked you through your license plate?” Ink said. “They must have paid off someone to get that information.”
“Motherfuckers,” Cash snarled. “I didn’t even think of the possibility that they’d come after us. They seemed like a bunch of idiots. Fuck. I have to do better.”
She managed to lean back so she could frown up at him. “You’re the best, Cash Savage.”
“No, I’m not. But I plan to be. For you.”
“Let’s get her back to your place,” Ink said.
“She’s trembling. Probably in shock. We have to do something about these guys before the cops get here.
Brody is monitoring the radios. So far there haven’t been any calls from anyone reporting us breaking in here.
We just have to leave as quietly. Fuck, we’re going to need to move quick.
Thank God the cops are too busy with a whole bunch of emergencies around town. ”
Why did it sound like Ink was smiling as he said that? Had he arranged those emergencies to keep the police busy and away from here?
Maybe she was better off not knowing.