JENNA STRUGGLED TO breathe past the congestion blocking her airflow. She’d never been one for allergies, but down pillows and blankets had always made her itch. With this many birds around, it was a minor miracle she hadn’t broken out in hives. Yet.

She twisted her wrists, trying to stretch the tape more. So far she’d worked several inches of slack into it, but heat and sweat could do that. Her skin was rubbed raw in several places. The sting of pain was a small price to pay in the scheme of things. She couldn’t sit on her hands and wait for Alex to find her.

Her best estimation was that it was close to eight or nine at night. The sun was gone, and the sky had faded to an inky black, which meant they weren’t in town or even the city. They were somewhere remote. And probably hard to find, or else Alex would have been there already.

Getting out of here was up to her.

She straightened and breathed deep, drawing the oxygen deep down into her lungs. It was getting harder to do.

Almost there.

Her hands were almost free.

She tilted her head to the side and listened. She hadn’t heard another soul stir in a while.

It was now. She had to get out of here before William came back for her. Whatever he had in store, she didn’t want to wait around and see what it was.

One more deep breath and she hunched over, twisting her arms until she could leverage her arms against the chair. She pulled, grunted and squeezed her eyes shut, as if that would throw the odds in her favor. Sweat slickened her skin. She wiggled and twisted her right hand, working it through the proverbial eye of the needle that was the tape.

She got the knuckle of her thumb through and it felt as though the bindings constricted, pinching the nerves and cutting off the flow of blood. She whimpered and tapped her toes as the nerves up and down her arm screamed at her.

Another breath and she yanked for all she was worth. The adhesive had long since come off on her skin, leaving fibers and plastic behind. It scraped over her abused hand as she broke free.

Jenna dropped her arms to her sides, exhausted and still struggling against the lingering effects of the sedative.

Her arms were numb, her shoulders wrenched nearly out of socket and she was pretty sure the throbbing in her hand meant she’d broken something. A tear trickled down her cheek. Her whole arm throbbed Yup. Something was broken.

She pulled at the knot holding her gag in place. It only took a few tugs before she was able to spat it out. She tipped her head back and breathed through her mouth, which should have provided her with more relief. Yet it didn’t. Which meant her throat had begun to swell shut. The allergic reaction must be worse than she’d realized

It was pastime to get out of here.

Jenna felt the rope binding her to the chair, searching for a knot or a tie or something to release her.

Outside, something scraped against the shed door.

She stilled, staring through the darkness at the silver doorknob, and held her breath.

Keys jangled on the other side.

No!

Jenna clawed at the rope and tried to kick her leg free, but her right hand was almost useless now, her fingers struggling to work.

The door swung inward and a single person stood silhouetted by a security light over head.

ALEX SAT DOWN AND gripped the arm rests, or else the chair might roll out from under him.

They had a name.

“Alex?” Trevor said through the phone.

“I’m here.”  Alex cleared his throat and grasped the computer mouse. “Barney Bradshaw. I’m looking him up now.”

He rushed to perform the search, tapping his fingers on the keys, watching the search bar creep across the screen.

Finally a mug shot, a laundry list of information and charges on Barney William Bradshaw filled the screen.

Fucking douchbag was going down.

“I’ve got a home address and—shit.” Alex’s mouth dried up

“What? I’m almost there. What is it?” Trevor yelled through the phone.

“He works at that bird rescue north of town, off 35.”

“I’m going to hang up, put in the call to mobilize two SWAT units, one to William’s house, the other to his work place.”

“The house was foreclosed on.”

“Then we’re going to the bird rescue. She’ll be there, Alex. We will get her.”

Alex hoped she was. That it wasn’t too late. He knew the statistics and the chances this could go wrong, but he still had to have faith. That after everything Jenna had been through this time, he could save her. He could fix it.

He put the phone down. Internal Affairs would say he couldn’t participate, that he was too close to the case, and they were right. But there was no way in hell he was going to let someone else save Jenna. Besides, no one could tell him not to go if he wasn’t around to hear it.

He grabbed his keys and headed for the door, the aviary address stuck in his brain. Yeah, he’d get his ass chewed out later, but Jenna was worth it. Trevor would figure it out as would the rest of the guys. And not a damn one would do anything different.

The night was oppressively warm, the sky clear as he strode through the parking lot.

Liam strode toward him, no doubt on his way into the building. All the guys were hanging around, ready on deck for when or if, Jenna needed them.

“Found her yet?” Liam asked.

Alex didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to stop or even acknowledge his friend, but that would take more time.

“Trevor has a suspect and an address. I think you’re headed there now.” Alex thumbed over his shoulder.

“Where are you going?” Liam paused, head tilted to the side. He played a convincing dumb, country boy, but it was an act. One Alex was well acquainted with.

“Out to my truck for my notes.” A lie.

“You’re going there now.” Liam hooked his thumbs in his belt.

“Didn’t say that.”

“Come on, tell me to my face you aren’t going before someone can tell you not to.”

Alex couldn’t bring himself to tell that lie.

“Fine. Let’s go.” Liam turned. “Let me grab my gear first.”

“You—what?” Alex quick stepped to catch up.

“Jenna is one of ours. Of course it’s going to be an all-in situation getting her out of there. And you need someone to watch your back. So come on. The others will be right behind us.”

Alex walked to his truck, glancing over his shoulder at Liam digging his tactical gear out of the tool box attached to his pickup. What good had he ever done to merit these people in his life?

A SUV barreled down the short drive to the front of the station and jerked to a stop along the curb.

Travis was here.

Which meant Alex needed to leave.

Liam opened the rear door, tossed in his gear, the gun case for his sniper rifle and a large canvas bag.

“You brought the suit?” Alex twisted.

“Figured it couldn’t hurt.” Liam jumped in the passenger seat and started stripping off his belt and uniform shirt. As a sniper, Liam needed to become invisible and he couldn’t do that if his clothing caught the light at all.

“You’re probably going to get written up for this.” Alex gassed the truck, sending it shooting out of the parking lot and onto the empty street.

“I doubt it. Sam’s got egg on his face over this. He’s going to do everything he can to make sure this gets taken care of then goes away quietly.”

“Goes away? This is Ransom, you know? Where the men gossip like school girls.”

“We’re concerned about each other. You’re one of us.” Liam flashed him a momentary grin before he pulled the undershirt for his tactical gear on. The dark, green sports fabric made the body armor bearable in the worst of the heat. “What are we headed into?”

“Suspect is one Barney William Bradshaw. He works at a bird rescue north of town. Has a prescription drug addiction. And we know he’s armed and has assaulted Jenna once before.”

“Damn. Watch, we’ll get there and Jenna will have already kicked his ass.” Liam chuckled.

Alex wasn’t in the mood for jokes. His focus narrowed to the road, with the highway just ahead. Time was slipping away, and they didn’t know if Jenna’s was running out.

“When we get there, let’s look around. Get a feel for the place. Then you find a perch and I’ll go in.”

“You don’t want to wait for the others?”

“Do you think we have that luxury?”

“Probably not.” Liam grimaced.

“Alright then.”

“What do we do if things go south?”

Alex blew out a breath. It was something he didn’t want to consider, but it was his job to prepare for the worst.

“I’ll distract him. You shoot him.” He glanced at Liam. “You get the shot, take it. Consider that an order.”

Alex’s grip tightened on the wheel. He’d had to make that call only three times in his career, now it was four. A call like that went against everything he stood for. To serve and protect was in his blood. But if it was William or Jenna, he’d save her, and damn his soul.

JENNA PLODDED FORWARD, one foot in front of the other. It was dark enough she couldn’t always tell what was in front of her if she was going to run into another chain link fence or a tree. She didn’t dare turn to look behind her, not that she needed to. William hadn’t lowered the gun yet. For once he was doing something smart and keeping his distance. If he got in close, she felt reasonably certain she could wrestle the gun away from him, even one-handed.

“Keep moving,” William snapped.

“I’m trying. I can barely see.”

“Stop stalling. I said move!” He pushed her with the flat of his palm, shoving her forward.

Jenna stumbled a few steps and stole a glance back at him, but the shadows were too thick.

They were far enough out in the country that the trees blocked the view of any city lights. It was just her—and her stalker. Just the word, stalker, stabbed her heart with a new wave of panic. But there was nowhere to run to. Least not that she could see. Yet.

William was a junkie. They weren’t known to be the most detail oriented types. There had to be a hole in his plan. Like using tape to restrain her instead of something more durable. There would be an out. A way to escape.

Where was Alex?

What she wouldn’t give to see him ride in here on a ballistic truck in full SWAT gear. A true knight in green armor. He was out there, searching for her, that she didn’t doubt. But unless Sterling woke up or William left some damning evidence behind, it would take time. Time she might not have. So she needed to keep her eyes open for an opportunity to get away. Call for help.

William kept her on a dirt path that led away from the warren of smaller bird sanctuaries. She glimpsed space between the cages that wasn’t fenced off. Avenues of escape. She just needed to find the right one.

“What are we doing out here, William?” She needed him to see her as a real person again. Someone he could connect to.

“You’re going to listen to me for once.”

“I am listening. I’ve always listened for you.” She paused at a turn in the path and glanced back at William.

“You’re lying.” He thrust the gun at her. “Keep moving.”

“I’m not lying. You used to come into my house while I was sleeping, didn’t you? I heard you. I listened for you. I’ve always known you were there.” The words curdled her stomach and her hands trembled, but she got them out. In a combat situation she would appeal to her captor’s sense of humanity. Now she was flying by the seat of her pants, hoping she didn’t utter a wrong word.

She couldn’t make out his features, but his posture changed. He lowered the gun, so he was aiming from the hip and he tilted his head.

All human beings wanted to be wanted. To be loved. William was no different. It was in how he displayed that desire, how he violated her person, her ability to choose, that was wrong.

“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have ran to him.”

She heard the click of the safety switching off over the sleepy murmurs of the birds. Her insides trembled, quaking to her core.

He wasn’t buying her words. And now she was pretty damn sure he meant to shoot her.

“Keep walking.”

Jenna kept walking. The habitats were getting larger, with a bit of space between them. She needed to run for it. To try to get away.

“I’ve been with you through the nightmares. The bad days. I’ve left you gifts. I’ve picked up after you. We had something, Jenna. Something real. And what do you do? What did you do? You went to another man. Another man!” He kicked a chain link fence as they passed another sizable enclosure.

She flinched, hunching her shoulders and cradling her throbbing hand to her chest. There was no reasoning with him like this. Nothing she could say would justify her actions—her falling in love—with Alex.

Jenna picked up the pace and put another foot or two of space between them.

Now or never.

She dodged right, between two habitats and toward the trees. The ground was uneven and partially covered with slippery gravel.

“Stop—Jenna!”

She pumped her arms at her sides, pushing the pain shooting up her shoulder out of mind. If she could just get to the trees!

Moon light glinted off metal.

No!

There was a fence around the habitats, which made sense, but—no!

Jenna tried to pivot, to change direction, but her footing slipped and she went down hard, landing on her hip and shoulder. The fall jarred her whole body, especially her right arm.

“I said—stop!” William shouted.

A single gun blast echoed through the trees, hitting maybe five feet from her. She flinched and drew on the surge of adrenaline to shove to her feet. The birds woke up in their cages and began crying out to each other and flapping wings. Somewhere, something rattled the fences, trying to get out.

William was maybe thirty feet away. Eventually he’d get in a lucky shot and hit her if she didn’t get away now.

Her burst of speed was gone, her pace slower. How did she get out? Could she get away?

Another gunshot erupted. She flinched as the pain tore through her left thigh.

Jenna tumbled forward, catching herself with her injured hand. She cried out, rolling to her side.

It hurt. Oh, God, it hurt!

She groped blindly for the wound. Dirt and other bits stuck to her jeans. Her vision blurred from the rush of pain, but she could still make out William’s figure drawing closer. She found the bullet wound by feel.

Just a graze.

A graze, and yet it hurt like a bitch.

She weakly pushed up to a sitting position with her one, good arm.

Her mouth watered and her stomach churned. She was going to be sick from the adrenaline dump alone.

“I told you to stop.” William halted, pointing the barrel of the gun down at her. He was just out of reach, not that she thought grabbing it was a good idea in her condition. “On your feet!”

Were those—headlights?

She couldn’t be certain, but for an instant there she could have sworn she saw a glimpse of light through the trees behind William.

“Get up.” He kicked her left leg.

Jenna yelped and grasped her knee, squeezing her eyes shut as waves of pain swept her.

It was bad, but she’d been through worse. At least, physically worse. Mentally, she was done for. Spent. There was no winning against William. She’d never been this afraid before.

He reached for her, grasping her by the hair and pulling. She struggled to gain her footing and rise. Once upright, she swayed, unsteady and her head swimming.

“That way. This is better.” He grabbed her arm, both steadying and guiding her in the direction she’d tried to flee.

What was this way?

The enclosures were bigger.

Bigger meant larger birds, right?

Each step sent two clashing waves of pain through her body. By the time they reached a gate, she was thankful for something to simply lean against.

“Wh-what’s in there?” She peered into the darkness. The sound of rushing wind wasn’t nature. That was bird-made. And big.

“The turkey vultures.” William grinned.

Turkey—vulture?

She’d heard that once. On The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Was that what he meant to do? Kill her and feed her to his precious birds?

“No.” She shook her head and pushed back, stumbling away from the enclosure.

William dove for her, grabbing her by the arm and hair. He growled angry, scathing words at her as he wrestled her toward the gate and shouldered it open.

“No, no, no!”

Jenna made a weak grab at the gate, trying to hold on, but her hands were coated in slick blood. William shoved her to the ground. She tried to not think about what she was landing in or the kind of bacteria that was getting in her wounds.

Weren’t those headlights? Could she be that lucky?

She prayed she was.