Chapter Three
Something’s wrong.
Hours later, Mary came awake with a gasp.
Mary could feel it deep down in her bones, an instinctual fear she couldn’t shake. She sat up straight in the bed and listened intently.
Nothing.
Mary snagged her phone off the nightstand and checked the time. It was four in the morning, smack dab in the middle of the night.
And then came the low rumble of male voices echoed down the hall. One of them belonged to Ten.
She tensed.
“Get out of here, Mary!” Ten shouted from the other room. “Run!”
Mary slid into her jeans and jammed her feet into a pair of discarded sneakers by the bed.
And then she froze.
There were only two escape routes, her bedroom door, which led into the living room, and the French doors, which opened onto her veranda. Mary was on the fifth floor, so she couldn’t jump down and then sprint off to safety.
There was a bellow and then a muffled groan from the next room. What about Ten? She couldn’t leave him behind.
And then somebody tried her bedroom door, rattling the handle.
With a shriek, she backed away.
She’d locked it last night before she’d gone to bed. No offense to Ten, but it paid to take precautions around him. And that’s when she decided to obey his order. Lord knew the man could take care of himself.
“Open this door.” The stranger threw himself against it with a thud.
Time to go.
Mary opened the French doors, and a blast of cold air made her teeth chatter. She grabbed a sweater from the open box in the corner of the room and pushed it over her head. Mary walked out onto the patio and headed straight for the guardrail.
Below her was the icy parking lot.
Nope, jumping down wasn’t an option.
And then she noticed the black trellis work, along the length of the building. If she climbed down it, she could reach the bottom floor in a manner of minutes, provided she didn’t fall and break her neck, of course.
It’s just like the freaking monkey bars.
As a kid, she’d hated them. Mary had a fear of heights, and she’d been goaded into climbing the bars by her classmates. She’d clung to them, terrified, until a teacher had rescued her, and she’d avoided heights ever since.
Mary chewed her bottom lip, as she contemplated the trellis. It was made of a heavy black metal so it would support her weight.
Now, if she could just convince herself to grab it.
There were icy patches along the metal, from where the snow had melted and then frozen again. In her mind’s eye, Mary kept picturing the polished metal slipping in her grip and then plummeting to her death.
She glanced behind her, just in time to see the wooden door splinter.
Oh God, he’s coming for me. Fear of heights or death, pick your poison.
Mary slung a leg over the rail and reached for the trellis, but somebody grabbed her from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth before she could scream for help.
On instinct, Mary sank her teeth into the flesh of his palm. The man muttered a curse, but he didn’t release her. Instead, he hauled her onto the patio, pressing her back against his chest.
“Take it easy, I ain’t gonna hurt you.”
Yeah, I’m sure you’re a nice kidnapper.
“You’re gonna do what I say, and everybody walks away from the situation. Understand?” His breath was warm against her ear.
Mary nodded.
She didn’t believe him exactly, but Mary didn’t want to antagonize the man. And it was definitely a man holding her, even though she couldn’t see his face. He had at least a foot on her and he was incredibly strong.
“I’ve got a gun, and I don’t want to use it.” She could feel the hard steel pressing against her lower back. He’d probably tucked it into a pocket.
“You and I will head downstairs, and you’ll be calm, cool, and collected. You won’t attract attention to either one of us. Right?”
Another nod.
“I’m takin’ my hand off your mouth, but if you call out, you’ll be sorry.”
He released Mary, but she didn’t turn around. She didn’t want to see his face. On those cop shows she’d watched, victims who could identify their attackers were always killed as a precautionary measure.
Don’t be a statistic, Mary.
“Where’s your phone?”
She hesitated. “I don’t have it with me.”
“Bullshit. See, we’re already startin’ off on the wrong foot.” He held out his hand expectantly.
Mary bit the inside of her cheek, reached into her pocket and grabbed the cell phone. She slapped it into his open palm.
“Thank you kindly.” With that, he tossed it over the guardrail, and the phone landed on the pavement with a crunch.
And there went her only means of communication.
Grasping her by the elbow, he marched her back into the apartment. Mary caught a glimpse of him in the mirror on the wall, but it didn’t reveal much. He wore a trucker hat pulled down low, as well as a black hoodie that covered his features.
The man led her down the hall, and into the living room. Ten was slumped on the ground and a bloodstain pooled beneath him, streaking the carpet.
“Oh my God, Ten.” Instinctively, she rushed toward him, but the kidnapper held onto her.
“Relax, he’s still alive, although I knocked his ass out.”
Mary was grateful, but why hadn’t he killed Ten? After all, abduction wasn’t off the menu, so why wouldn’t murder be a possibility?
“Then why is he bleeding?”
“I also shot him in the shoulder.”
Mary hadn’t heard a gunshot, so her abductor must’ve used a silencer.
“At least let me call 911.”
“So you can have the police stop by? I don’t think so. Relax, it went through his arm and out the other side. He’ll wake up in an hour or two, bandage himself up, and he’ll be right as rain.”
Hmm, the man had a Southern accent, too.
And it sounded like he spoke from experience, but then again he’d probably been shot before.
From her medical knowledge, Mary knew the injury wasn’t life-threatening, yet anyway.
“At least let me stop the bleeding.”
He didn’t reply for a moment, and Mary held her breath.
“Please?”
“Fine, but make it quick and don’t try anythin’ or I’ll shoot him somewhere else, like in the head or heart.”
“Understood.”
Mary knelt next to him and pulled the tie off his neck, and then wrapped the fabric around his bicep. Ten didn’t even stir, but the bleeding had slowed. Ten would survive, and at least he’d be able to tell her grandfather what had happened to her.
“Come on, we gotta go.” The man seized her arm again.
“What are you gonna do with me?”
“For now, were takin’ a little ride.”
As they walked past the front desk, Mary turned toward the security camera perched on the wall, so it took a picture of her face. The stranger at her side did just the opposite.
The clerk didn’t even glance up from his newspaper. Mary briefly considered causing a scene but decided against it. She’d already gotten Ten hurt and didn’t want to be responsible for another person’s injuries as well.
Besides, if the man wanted to kill her, he could’ve done it already. And he’d left Ten alive as well. Most likely, he wanted money from her grandfather, which he had plenty of.
In the parking lot, he guided her to an SUV parked in the far corner, also away from the security cameras. There was no one out and about at this time of night.
He unlocked the door with his key ring. “We can do this one of two ways, either you can sit in the passenger seat next to me or I can shove your ass in the trunk. Your choice.”
Stuffed in a trunk, like a body?
She shuddered. “I’ll ride up front with you.”
“Smart decision.”
He walked her around the side of the SUV and threw open the door. Mary hopped into the passenger side, and then buckled the seatbelt. “Give me your hands.” The man pulled two strips of plastic from his jacket pocket and zip tied her wrists together. They were snug enough to tether her arms but didn’t cut off her circulation.
Then he rounded the vehicle and got in the driver’s seat before starting up the Forrester. A country song blared on the radio, and he jammed a button, shutting it off. And then he pulled out of the parking spot, and they took off.
After they’d driven for fifteen minutes in tense silence, she broke it.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
The stillness was oppressive, and she couldn’t take it. Besides, she’d read somewhere a victim needed to humanize herself, so her attackers would be less likely to harm her.
Mary used knowledge as a shield; it was her way of dealing with uncertainty. Unlike people who avoided the gritty details of a situation, Mary preferred to know what was coming. She researched a problem from every angle until she found the very best solution possible.
“I’m Chase, and you’re Mary.” She wondered what his last name was, but doubted he’d offer up the information.
“Yes and I’m about to start medical school. I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon.”
“Why are you telling me this?” He glanced her way.
Mary shrugged. “Just making conversation.”
“Really? Because I think you’re tryin’ to manipulate me. I meant what I said earlier, no harm’s gonna come to you.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m skeptical.”
He chuckled, a rough, hoarse sound.
The road signs whizzed by and Mary glanced out the window, making mental notes. Unfortunately, the signage was difficult to decipher because they were partially obscured by snow and it was pitch black outside.
“Where are we going?”
“Away.” He pushed the hoodie back from his face. “Look at me.”
“No, thanks.”
“Do it.”
“Fine.”
Mary shot a glance at Chase, really seeing him for the first time. If they’d met under different circumstances, she would’ve considered him handsome. Both his eyes and hair were dark brown, and he looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. A couple days’ worth of stubble covered his cheeks and chin. He had a lean, muscular build with a square jaw and a full, sensual mouth.
Did I really just think that?
Apparently, Stockholm syndrome was setting up shop early.
“I ain’t gonna hurt you. You have my word.”
“Glad to hear it. Could you be more specific about our destination?”
“Want me to draw you a map?”
Yeah, actually. “If it isn’t too much to ask?”
Chase shook his head. “I gotta hand it to you. I was expectin’ hysterics, but I should’ve known better. Of course, Tucker Cobb’s granddaughter’s made of stronger stuff.”
Mary was only calm on the outside. Her stomach did a series of somersaults, and her brain frantically searched for a way out of this situation. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any solutions yet.
“So you know him?” Mary frowned. “My grandfather, I mean.”
“Yeah, I’ve had the misfortune of makin’ his acquaintance.”
“You met him at a business function?” Maybe Chase worked in the same industry as Tucker?
“You could say that.”
“I did.”
His lips twitched.
“So why are you taking me? Is this some corporate espionage deal? You’ll hand me over in exchange for information?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
Mary gritted her teeth. She’d had enough of cryptic answers.
“If I were you, I’d negotiate a deal soon.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, my grandfather will come for me, and when he does, he won’t be happy with you.”
Mary had witnessed Tucker Cobb’s temper on a couple of occasions, and it had been truly frightening. She did her best to never get on his bad side, and from what she could tell, his employees did the same.
Chase smirked. “Believe me, I’m countin’ on it, princess.”
***
“Hello?”
Later on, Chase called his father who answered on the first ring. He’d been rocketing down the highway most of the night.
“Yeah?”
“I’ve got her.”
Mary had fallen asleep, and her head lolled against the window. She was probably exhausted from the ordeal.
His little captive was prettier than he imagined. She couldn’t be more than twenty-one, and at twenty-nine, he had a few years on her. Although, Chase didn’t know why the difference stuck in his mind.
“She put up much of a fight?”
“Naw, she was real cooperative, all things considered.”
He’d followed them all the way from Texas, biding his time. He’d tried to grab her at the restaurant, but her bodyguard had gotten in the way. This time, she hadn’t slipped through his fingers.
They’d sent foot soldiers after Mary a while back. Two had come back empty-handed, and they hadn’t heard from the other one again. The man was probably in a landfill somewhere.
So Chase had gone after the prize himself this time. When you want somethin’ done right, do it yourself. He should’ve handled this months ago, then it would all be over and done with.
“Excellent, bring her to me.”
Never gonna happen.
“She’ll be staying with me, but you’re welcome to stop by my place anytime.” Chase didn’t trust his father.
“Boy, don’t—”
“I ain’t been a boy for a long damn time, Dad. I got her like you asked, and since I did the legwork on this latest operation, I’m in charge of Mary Cobb.”
There was a long pause on the phone line and Chase waited it out. This time, he wouldn’t back down.
“Sounds like your sweet on her.”
Even he had to admit, Mary was beautiful with pale skin, big blue eyes, and flowing brown hair. She had a classic bone structure and not even time would diminish her looks. Mary had a slender body and he’d caught himself wondering what she looked like beneath all of those layers.
“I ain’t got no love for Cobb’s granddaughter.”
“Good, don’t get any ideas about playin’ her white knight. By the way, Harry offered to take her, too, if you can’t be objective about this.”
“Fuck no. Like I said, the girl stays with me.” Chase had never liked Harry. The mobster was a real asshole with a nasty temper.
“Remember, she’s a bargainin’ chip, nothin’ more than a means to an end.”
“I understand. However, we’ll return her safe and sound.”
Noah grumbled under his breath. “Fine, have it your way, choir boy.”
Chase shook his head.
Noah used the term as an insult, as though having a conscience was a terrible thing. Other men in the outfit pursued prostitution and drugs as a way of earning a living, while Chase preferred bookmaking. In his mind, it wasn’t as shameful, but he was probably kidding himself.
“So what’s the plan? Keep her a few days, and then we make an exchange? Her for him?” Chase was eager to get this particular show on the road.
“Yeah.”
“And what about the outfit? You don’t imagine Byron Beauregard is gonna let Tucker go without kickin’ up a fuss?”
His father chuckled. “You haven’t done your homework. He’s been movin’ up in the organization, and I think he’s lookin’ for an opportunity to slide up another rung. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gift-wrapped Tucker and placed him on our doorstep.”
“So you don’t think he’ll retaliate?” Maybe this would be easier than he’d anticipated.
Wouldn’t that be nice for a change?
“Oh, he’ll make a token protest. I’ll have to give him some sort of concession in return, and then we’ll have peace again. Then we’ll return to business as usual, provided you don’t fuck this up.”
“And what if Tucker isn’t responsible for Faith’s death?” The thought had been gnawing at him for weeks. Chase couldn’t rest until his sister’s murderer had been punished and he doubted the feds would get it done. Besides, he wanted the satisfaction of putting the man in the ground. He owed it to Faith.
Although, Chase should’ve prevented it from happening in the first place. Maybe if he hadn’t gone off to play soldier boy, she’d still be alive.
“Trust me, the bastard did it.” And then his father hung up.
“You’d better be right, old man,” Chase muttered to himself.
He was left with the hum of his engine and the sleeping passenger beside him.
From the way she’d asked him about corporate espionage, Chase doubted she had a clue what her granddad did for a living, and he wouldn’t be the one who disillusioned her.
Chase was a teen when he stumbled upon his father rinsing blood off his hands in the kitchen sink in the middle of the night. After a terrifying talk with his dad, everything had slid into place, and Chase had never been the same since.
Once Mary figured it out, her world would shatter too.
There was something innocent about her. Against all the odds, Mary Cobb was untouched by any of this ugliness, and he intended to keep her in the clear.
She mumbled something in her sleep and then shifted closer to him. On instinct, he reached for her and then pulled back as though he’d been stung.
What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
For all intents and purposes, he was her jailor and should keep his goddamn hands to himself. He’d never forced himself on a woman, and he wasn’t about to start blurring those lines now.
She ain’t yours to hold, Chase.
***
Mary heard a groaning whine as the heater kicked on. She rolled over in bed, and the mattress springs beneath her squeaked.
That’s weird.
Mary had a brand new feather top mattress, and it was a lot like sleeping on top of a fluffy white cloud. This thing felt like chicken wire wrapped in cotton balls.
This isn’t my bed.
She blinked, waking up, all groggy and disoriented.
Where am I?
And then she remembered what had happened.
She’d been abducted, and Ten was bleeding on the floor of her apartment. Mary sat up in bed and glanced at her surroundings, trying to make sense of the situation. There was a grayish morning light visible through the yellow curtain.
She appeared to be in some kind of low rent hotel room. It was pretty standard—a bed, a sink on the far wall, a television, a nightstand. Chase must’ve stopped driving to get some sleep. The last thing she remembered was sitting next to him in the SUV as they rumbled down the highway.
Across from her, sprawled on a rickety wooden chair, sat Chase. He’d wrapped his arms around himself, and his head lolled to one side. His gun lay within easy reach on the table, but the door was only eight short feet away.
I could make a run for it and then call for help.
All she had to do was sneak past him and dash to the front office. From there, she could call the police and her grandfather. In a few short hours, she’d be in Boston, back where she belonged.
All I have to do is get through the next ten minutes.
Mary often psyched herself up like this, pushing through writing the next two pages of a paper, the next question on a test. Chunking massive problems into short, manageable tasks helped.
I can do this.
Mary carefully sat up in bed and peeled the covers down the length of her body. She was relieved to see her clothing was in place, so Chase hadn’t undressed her. He didn’t strike her as a rapist, but she didn’t trust him either. She placed her feet on the floor and stood up, but the bed creaked in protest.
Oh no!
Chase snuffled, shifting in the chair and Mary stayed perfectly still. His breathing settled into a rhythmic pattern once more.
Mary sighed and then she gingerly walked toward the door, taking slow, measured steps.
That’s it. Put one foot in front of the other. Focus on getting to the door handle.
But she paused by the table, staring at the gun.
A weapon wouldn’t hurt.
Mary had never shot one before, but the prospect of having some protection was attractive. Her former bodyguard, Justice, had taken her on a self-defense shopping trip, but she’d stupidly packed the pepper spray and whistle he’d given her when she should’ve kept it on her person.
If I make it out of this alive, I’ll always keep a weapon with me.
Mary reached for the gun, and a hand clamped around her wrist.
She hissed in shock.
“And what do you think you’re doing?”
“Saving myself.” Mary kicked him in the shin and grasped the gun. She pointed it at him and then backed away, edging toward the exit.
“Easy there.” Chase held up his arms but still approached her.
“Don’t come any closer.” Her hand shook, and the gun felt so heavy, like an anvil, weighing her down.
“I can’t, Mary, I’ve got a job to do. You’re comin’ with me, and that’s all there is to it.”
“I just wanna leave.” The door was directly behind her, she only had to make it a few more steps. “I walk out, and we both go our separate ways. I won’t even tell anyone what you did.” Somehow, she doubted Ten would be so forgiving, though Mary didn’t mention it.
“I know, but I can’t let you. I promised my father I’d bring you to him.”
“Why? What does he want with me?”
“This is about your granddad, not you. Not really.”
“Why? What did he do to you? Or your father?” As far as Mary was concerned, her granddad was a nice elderly man and none of this made any sense.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss it, but I can’t let you go. The only way you can stop me is to shoot me.” Chase held out a hand. “What’s it gonna be?”
Shoot him? I can’t do that.
“We both know you aren’t a murderer.” Chase kept getting closer and closer.
“Stop where you are.”
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“A murderer?”
If her life was in jeopardy, could she pull the trigger? Mary didn’t know for sure.
“Yes, I’ve killed men before. I’ve taken lives in the line of duty, and on one other occasion.”
The line of duty? Had he been a cop? Or a soldier?
“I want to save lives, not take them, so please don’t make me do this.” Mary raised the gun, but her voice wavered. Even she didn’t believe her own words. Shooting someone went against everything she held dear.
“Earlier, I meant what I said. I ain’t gonna harm you.”
“And how do I know if I can trust you?”
“You don’t.”
Mary clutched the weapon.
“Come on, Mary, you don’t wanna do this.”
“No, I don’t. In college, I volunteered at a hospital. I didn’t get to treat any patients, but I interacted with a lot of them.”
She’d volunteered in the surgical wing, working in the waiting room. She’d been responsible for making families more comfortable while they waited for news on their loved ones. Over the months she spent there, Mary had seen a lot of gunshot wounds. Many of the victims hadn’t made it, and the news had devastated their families.
“Please give it to me.”
She swallowed, staring at his palm.
“Come on.”
Reluctantly, Mary handed the gun over, and Chase tucked the weapon into his back pocket.
She was torn. Mary didn’t know whether to be proud of her moral standards or kick herself for the sheer stupidity of giving in.
“You saw gunshot victims?”
Mary nodded. “And it was…awful.”
It’s one thing to read about death in the paper, and it’s another to watch a family weep after learning their loved one had been murdered.
“Yeah, it is.” Chase sighed. “Never figured you’d be so tricky. Next time, I won’t let my guard down.”
And what if he kills me?
No, the guys are coming for me. Especially Ten. And when he caught up with Chase, her abductor would be sorry.