14. Cat
CAT
I wake up with a pounding in my head and try prying my eyes open, but they feel heavy. I'm suddenly assaulted with the overwhelming need to vomit and double over. I take deep breaths in, trying to let the feeling pass before getting the urge under control.
I lift my hand, touching the source of my pain. Pulling away, I find the tips of my fingers coated with blood. Panic sets in. Blood starts pounding in my ears as my heart beats wildly in my chest. My hands begin shaking, and my vision blurs. I need to get out of here.
Pushing against the dingy floor, I slowly get to my feet and stand on unsteady legs.
I take in my surroundings. I'm in an older house, the size of a shack.
I look to the floor. The carpet is dirty, and the musty smell of mold is almost too much to breathe.
Focus. I try desperately to fight off another dizzy spell.
I'm standing in a living room furnished with a ratty sofa, covered with burn holes in the cushions, and a small round table sitting in the far-right corner of the room.
The only light source is coming from a floor lamp beside the front door.
A movement to the left of me catches my attention. Through the cracked windowpane, I notice someone pacing back and forth with a phone to their ear. I squint, trying to make out the person's face. It's too dark to make out any features, but their side profile looks familiar.
It takes a moment for my memory to come back, going to the bank, my truck breaking down on the way home.
My eyes widen as the events fall into place. My kidnapper turns entirely toward the window, and her gaze zeros in on me. Pure disdain crosses her features just before she crashes through the front door.
Even though my entire body is screaming in pain, I rush forward, hoping to force my way out of the home, but stop short, coming face to face with the barrel end of a gun.
"Don't even think about moving, bitch," Mallory sneers.
I raise my hands, showing her I'm not a threat. "What are you doing?" I'm careful not to move and keep my tone calm.
"I'm doing Easton a favor. You thought you could swoop right into his life and screw up what he and I have?" Mallory takes a step closer, and her hand holding the gun starts shaking. "Well, you're wrong, you little slut. I'm going to save him."
She is deranged. This woman is off her rocker. "Save him? Mallory, Easton doesn't need saving." When those words leap from my mouth, a feral look crosses Mallory's face, and her eyes appear to glaze over.
"You brainwashed him!" she screams. "He and I had something special before you came along.
He was starting to see it. Everything would have been fine if that son of a bitch Miles hadn't convinced Easton to leave.
" Her lips lift in a sinister smile. "He deserved what he got too.
" Lightheadedness causes me to sway, and I stumble but catch myself before falling.
Stay focused. I take a deep breath through my nose, trying to clear the fog from my head.
"Then you come along, corrupting his head, making him fall in love with you, and forgetting about me.
" Mallory's movements become frantic with her increased rage and frustration.
"Easton doesn't see what I see. He can't see you for the manipulative, gold digger you truly are.
" She laughs manically. "Oh, but you are good, I'll give you that.
You even managed to have him save your stupid little ranch by paying the bank off.
Luckily, Easton can count on me to fix this. I'm going to take care of everything."
"You're fucking nuts, lady," I spit.
"And you're nothing but a desperate money-grabbing bitch!" Mallory screeches, proceeding to backhand me across my cheek, ripping the skin open with the ring on her finger. "And I'm not crazy!"
Fuck. I stomp my foot. Now I'm really pissed.
"Are you serious? You leave creepy letters for Easton everywhere, making him put his life on hold all in the name of love, and you don't classify that as crazy?
" I yell. "Oh, and let's add kidnapping and dragging me out in the middle of God knows where.
" At this point, I'm fully aware that acting recklessly and taunting this woman is dangerous, but I'm beyond caring.
"Lady, you are the definition of crazy, and you won't get away with this. "
Mallory glares, her eyes like daggers and consumed with evil intent to do harm. "We'll see."
Mallory's phone rings. Keeping the gun aimed at my face, she answers her cell.
"Where are you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago.
" She pauses then, through clenched teeth asks, "Why haven't you been answering my calls?
" She's quiet for a second, then her face goes red.
"You have got to be kidding!" she yells.
"We had a deal. You have your money. I want what was promised.
" Mallory's lips are thin. "I don't care who Lev Petrov is or where he's been snooping around.
I paid for your services, and I expect you to carry out your end of the deal.
" My stomach tightens with the mention of Lev.
"Fuck!" she stomps her foot and shoves her phone into her back pocket. "That son-of-a-bitch!"
Mallory is about to lose what sanity she has left. There's no reasoning with her. I need to act now. It's my only option because the way I see it, either way, I may die, and I won't go without a fight.
Mallory is preoccupied, mumbling to herself, so I take advantage of her distracted state and bring my arm up and down, connecting with her wrist, knocking the weapon from her hand.
The gun clatters to the floor. She's stunned, but only for a split second before diving for the gun.
I kick the pistol to prevent her from reaching it, and it slides across the living room floor.
Mallory jumps to her feet and tackles me. She slams my body into the back end of the sofa, knocking the air from my lungs. Mallory lands a blow to the side of the head, distorting my vision. She is not much bigger than me, but damn she's strong.
"I'll have to get rid of you myself," Mallory huffs, grabbing a fist full of my hair. She prepares to throw another punch. Just as she pulls her arm back, I bring the heel of my palm up, driving it into her face.
Mallory grunts and stumbles back, crying out in pain.
Blood gushes from her nose. Not letting up, I continue to fight back, delivering another blow, this time slamming my knuckles into her eye socket.
She falls to her hands and knees. "Fuck you.
" I kick her in the ribs, then dash across the room.
I retrieve the gun from the floor, then turn and run out of the house.
It's pitch-black outside, so dark I can't see my hands in front of my face. I'm swallowed by trees and the vastness that surrounds me, but I keep running.
Suddenly the cloudy sky clears enough for the moonlight to illuminate and navigate me towards a narrow dirt road. Light footsteps closing in from behind press me to run harder. A brutal force tackles me, propelling my body to the ground. "I'm going to kill you—you stupid cunt!" Mallory screams.
Through all of this, I manage to keep possession of the gun.
Mallory begins scratching and clawing at my arm.
"Give it to me," she seethes, her hand wrapping around mine.
I struggle to maintain control of the weapon in my right hand.
Bringing my left arm between our bodies, I press my forearm against her neck, then, with forwarding momentum, force her backward.
Before I have the chance to make another move, Mallory reaches for a broken tree limb lying beside her and swings, bringing it down on my wrist. The gun drops from my grasp, and I cry out in pain. "Ahh, fuck!"
Mallory reaches for the weapon, so I bring my foot up to kick the bitch. My boot makes contact against her ribcage. Not hesitating, I get to my feet and take off running again.
"You don't have anywhere to go!" Mallory shouts.
I don't look back and keep pushing.
I've been running for what feels like miles, and my feet are heavy.
I won't give up. Not when my grandfather still needs me.
Not when I've finally found happiness with the man I want to spend the rest of my life loving.
With every step, I become slower but persist. Putting one foot in front of another is becoming increasingly difficult, but my efforts, though wavering, move one more step away from the person trying to kill me.
Suddenly, I hear the rumble of a car engine coming up behind me.
I look back over my shoulder to a car barreling down the dirt road, with no signs of slowing down. Behind the wheel is Mallory.
The toe of my boot hits a solid object, causing me to trip and fall to my knees. Bits of rock and dirt cut into the flesh of my palms as I attempt to break my fall.
Weak, I struggle to get back on my feet immediately and become blinded by the bright beams of lights.