Chapter Thirteen
S tupid…stupid…stupid.
Amanda silently called herself all sorts of names as she sat with her hands tied behind her back in a van with tinted windows that sped down one side road after another before following one for several miles. She hoped to God she’d managed to activate the ESI bracelet because she couldn’t move her fingers anywhere near her wrists with the way her hands were restrained.
Her heart was an icy shard stuck in her throat. Why hadn’t she ignored the stupid text? Or showed it to the guys?
But how could she ignore a threat stating Noah was an easy target through the open door, and if she didn’t sneak out and get to the other end of the back of the strip mall, she would be responsible for the bullet aimed at his little head?
Her heart squeezed at the thought. And even though she was probably going to die, at least Noah was safe.
She glanced around under her lashes, noting that there were three men dressed in black. The driver, who she only caught a glimpse of when she’d been shoved inside, and the two large bruisers who’d grabbed her and Lyle then zip-tied them.
“Lyle? What is going on?” she asked the man she once thought of as a friend.
With his face pale, shoulders drooped, and rounded eyes, he looked more like a little boy than a proud headmaster.
“I’m sorry…” he started to say, until one of the men in black coveralls leaned in.
“Shut it!” the guy yelled into Lyle’s face, his British accent more than evident.
The other guy snickered. “Yeah. Save your energy for the gaffer .”
He had a similar accent. And she knew gaffer to mean boss.
Just what the hell had Lyle done? And gotten her into?
When the van stopped, she was unceremoniously pulled out along with Lyle, then they were escorted into an old barn that she immediately recognized.
The old Nelson barn. She and her sisters and cousins and Lyndsey used to play hide-and-seek in it when they were young. Geeze, she glanced around at the dilapidated dwelling with its patches of rotting wood. She glanced up and shivered. How was it even still standing? It had been old and decrepit, even back then.
The best thing about the barn, though, was its proximity to Lyndsey and Gabe’s home. Their house was the last house on the way out of town, which meant Dante and the others should get there soon. The long drive had just been Xavier’s goons no doubt driving and backtracking to make sure they weren’t followed.
On a normal, direct route, this place was only about two miles from town. And she knew the shortcut to town from here by heart. If they could get free, maybe she’d lose the guys in the woods and get help for Lyle. He appeared to be in as much danger as she was, so she wouldn’t turn her back on him. She tugged at her hands and her optimism faded. No way would she make it with her hands tied, provided she even managed to get away. No, her best bet was Dante and the others finding them. Soon.
“Ah, Lyle,” a familiar voice echoed from behind.
Her heart lurched to the floor.
Xavier.
She turned to see the creepy guy smiling at her. “Amanda. Do you know how much trouble you’ve been? But I’ll forgive you if you hand me my damn flash drive.”
She frowned. “Flash drive? I don’t have any flash drives. What are you talking about?”
“You can drop the cute act, yank,” he snarled, grabbing her by the arm and jerking her close. “I didn’t buy it in London and I’m not buying it now.” He scowled at her, and even though his fingers were biting into her arm, she held his gaze.
He released her then turned to Lyle and glowered. “I thought you said she’d bring it?”
“She doesn’t know anything about it, Xav,” Lyle said. “But I’m sure she can help me figure out where it went.”
Her bracelet vibrated gently against her wrists. Thank God. Tears burned her throat, but she swallowed them down. She knew from Carter’s instruction that the vibration meant help was on the way. They weren’t rescued yet though. In fact, she didn’t like the gleam in Xavier’s eyes.
She needed to do something and fast.
“Lyle, you jerk.” She wrinkled her nose and spat. “You used me as a mule?” She charged forward and kicked his shin.
He howled and hopped on his other foot, nearly falling in the process. “I said I was sorry!”
“Sorry?” She rounded on him. “It was you who trashed my apartment in London and my place here, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, but I was…”
She kicked him again, doing her best to not hit him straight on.
Xavier and his goons laughed.
“You’re lucky my hands are tied, or I’d show you what sorry means,” she hissed, putting her back to the men so only Lyle could see her face. She quickly winked, hoping he caught on.
“Ooh, I like her.” Xavier chuckled.
One of the men—the tallest one—moved until he faced her, staring at her with a suspicious gaze.
“This yank has balls,” another said.
“Cut her loose,” Xavier told the skeptical goon who was closest to her.
Yes, she thought silently but held her joy in check.
He frowned. “You sure, gaffer?”
“Did I stutter, wanker? Yes, I’m sure,” he chastised. “Lyle was going to get a beating anyway. Might as well let her do it.”
Come on, Dante, Mac, Carter, Dex, somebody , she silently willed. These guys were about to call her bluff.
Tall Goon approached, pulling out a hunting knife as long as her hand. He callously twisted her around, and she gritted her teeth against the pain. “I’m watching you,” he murmured, breathing in her ear. “Don’t go getting any ideas.”
The blade was cold against her wrists, and she held her breath, waiting for him to cut her free, praying he didn’t draw blood in the process.
“Gently now, Grier, she’s got some pummeling to do.” Xavier snickered.
She felt the snap of her restraints as Grier cut her free. Offering him a curt nod and a thanks, she hoped it threw the guy off.
Miraculously, the bracelet was still on her wrist. And when she felt it vibrate in three consecutive pulses, she knew it meant the men were outside.
Actually, she was pretty sure a few were already inside, because she thought she spotted the shadows moving just inside the broken door.
Her heartbeats increased and her hands were starting to shake.
Amanda wasn’t sure what Dante and the guys had planned, but she was pretty sure if she and Lyle were out of the way, it would go easier.
“Okay, let the fun commence,” Xavier said.
Amanda lunged for Lyle, who tried to turn and run. She hit him hard, and they both crashed through the rotted wall and rolled until what was left of an old stone wall stopped them.
“Stay down,” she told him as the sound of gunfire echoed through the air.
“Jesus, are they shooting each other?” Lyle blinked.
She smiled and held up her wrist and her dangling bracelet. “No, I brought the calvary.”
“Well, they won’t save you two pillocks,” Grier sneered.
Amanda grasped a nearby rock from a pile that had fallen from the wall behind her.
Everything happened fast after that.
Using the rock, Amanda deployed her best horseshoe throw at the guy raising his gun. The rock hit him in the groin as the gun went off. Lyle jumped in front of her, and they both fell backward as a second and third gunshot sounded.
“Are we dead?” Lyle asked as he opened an eye and glanced at her.
“No.” She shook her head and moved him onto his back in case Grier was still a threat.
His body lay motionless on the ground at Dante and Mac’s feet.
“Amanda!” Dante rushed to her, his gaze widening as he neared. “You’re bleeding.”
She lifted her shirt to find no wounds. “It’s not me.” She glanced at Lyle.
“Who’s bleeding? Me?” Lyle asked.
Mac walked over and knelt to cut Lyle’s restraints, lifting the guy’s shirt to inspect the wound. “It’s just a graze,” Mac said, helping Lyle to his feet. “But I think your arm is broken.”
“Yeah, it kind of felt funny since we went through the wall,” Lyle said.
Amanda winced. “Sorry.”
Lyle shook his head. “Don’t be. You saved us.”
“And you saved me back,” she said.
Mac smiled at her. “Great rock throw. Hitting the guy in the groin was brilliant.”
Again, she winced. “I was aiming for his knees.”
Mac chuckled as he led Lyle away.
Dante slid his arm around her and ushered her toward the front of the barn where the sheriff’s car and several deputies’ cars lined the road, along with a familiar truck and two SUVs.
“Amanda,” he said, bringing them to a stop. “God, are you sure you’re okay?” His hands were shaking as he cupped her face and flicked his gaze over her.
“I’m fine now.” She set her hands on his chest and tried to put into words all the things she wanted to say to him. “Dante…I…”
He put his finger over her mouth. “No. I let you talk last night. And I tried to talk to you at ESI. It’s my turn now.”
She nodded, her heart hammering in her chest.
Inhaling, he removed his finger from her lips and held her gaze. “You said you thought we should take a step back, for Noah’s sake.”
Again, she nodded. She’d put his little boy at risk. How could he possibly forgive her for that?
She certainly wouldn’t.
“Well, I thought about it and, that isn’t going to work for me,” he said. “I’m not stepping back, Amanda. In fact.” He paused to step forward and slide a hand down to her hip. “I’m in. All in.”
Then he kissed her, and her heart filled with warmth for the first time since the break-in. Sliding her hands up and around his neck, Amanda kissed him back until she felt them both tremble.
Catcalls and whistles sounded around them, and she knew they needed to talk with Gabe, but she remained in Dante’s arms for a few seconds more. And when he drew back, he didn’t release her.
“From now on, no more separation,” he said, his gaze fierce and determined and warm.
“But what about Noah? He needs…”
“ You in his life,” he told her, cupping her face. “We both do.”
She blinked through a blurry gaze and smiled. “Then you have me, because I’m in, too, Dante. I’m all in, too.”