Chapter Seventeen
Raine’s hands shook. She couldn’t feel her fingers against the gun. Should’ve worn a coat. Her whole body trembled from the cold. That or because she stared into the cold, evil eyes of her husband.
“Matt, I’m giving you a chance to get off this property before I shoot you.”
“You aren’t going to shoot me.” He stood there as if it were any other day smiling at her with his fake, bright teeth. He had on the ski parka she’d bought him for Christmas five years ago.
The snow stuck to her eyelashes, but she was afraid to blink it away and lose sight of Matt for even a millisecond. “I will shoot you.”
“Raine, baby, let’s talk.” He held his arms wide as if she’d just walk into them like before.
“If I don’t get my son back right now, I will put a bullet between your eyes.”
“Not with those shaking hands you won’t.” He stepped closer.
“Back up. I fucking mean it.” She moved forward hoping he’d see she really did mean business. Her mind spun out of control. Where was Chase? Had they found Landon? If her boy was safe, she might let Matt walk. But that would be a mistake. Matt would never leave her and Landon alone.
He stepped back. “Okay. I missed you. I missed Landon. You left me, and I thought something terrible happened to you. Come home with me. This cold is awful.” He shrugged inside his coat. “Let’s go someplace warm, baby.”
“Stop calling me that. Give me my son.” Something moved out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t be sure if it was just more snow, or something else in the dark.
“Can’t do that. I’m taking my son back home with me where he belongs. If you come with me now, I’ll forget this little escapade you had me on. This is embarrassing. You know I was never going to allow you to take Landon from me. A boy needs his father.” He took a step forward.
“Damn it, Matt. Stay back.” Her hands shook so much she might drop the gun. The snow that had landed on her head was now running down her face and getting in her eyes. “Landon needs a man in his life who doesn’t sell drugs for a living. He needs a male role model who is decent, honest, and who doesn’t slap his mother around.”
“That was an accident. I swore it would never happen again.”
That thing in the woods moved again. She was sure of it. Was it a bear? Could it be Chase because he still hadn’t come when she called. “Bullshit.”
“What’s with the language? You don’t talk like that.”
This was going nowhere, and she was freezing to death. If Chase wouldn’t come, and Matt wouldn’t give her Landon she’d just have to take care of things herself.
She hurried forward. The gun was still pointed at Matt. The snow ran from her hair into her eye. Before she could raise her shoulder to wipe the water away, she slipped on the ice.
Her body lurched forward. Her numb fingers fumbled with the gun.
Matt was on her in a flash. He knocked her in the jaw with his elbow. Her head snapped back. His hands were in his hair yanking her forward and crushing her against his chest.
He shoved the cold, wet gun against her temple.
She was fucked.
Chapter Eighteen
Chase wanted to yell and curse. Instead, he forced his way around the trees trying to come up on Garcia from behind, but the deep snow and his wet jeans were making it harder and harder. He couldn’t feel the bottom half of his legs or his feet any longer.
He didn’t want Garcia to get even a whiff of him if he was going to have a chance to put an end to this nightmare. He needed to get there before Raine did something stupid, like shoot her ex, but he might as well be running in quick sand for all the progress he was making.
Where was Max? He could use a little back up about now.
A gun shot shook open the night. Shit. The sound echoed off the trees. Did it come from behind him? No screams. Did he run forward or back? Was it Raine or Deke?
Footsteps crunched through the snow. He turned and aimed with his finger near the trigger. He slowed his breath, slid his finger onto the trigger, and stopped.
A slice of yellow broke through the falling snow and came at him in a hurry. Deke appeared through the trees carrying Landon.
He put a finger to his mouth. Deke nodded and whispered something to Landon then put him down ten yards away. Chase pushed through the unrelenting snow to them.
“You okay, buddy?” He whispered and patted the boy down. Tiny drops of blood dotted the yellow pajamas. The blood wasn’t from Landon.
“Where’s my mom?”
“She’s going to meet you.” He hated lying to the kid.
He turned to Deke. “The other guy?”
“Taken care of.”
“Any others?”
“Shit, I hope not.”
“Raine is with the perp.” He didn’t want to say Garcia’s name in case Landon called out for his father. “I need to get to her.” Because it might be too late by now. “Can you double back and get to the road? Take Landon to Jim’s. Do you remember where it is?”
Deke nodded. “Max?”
“I don’t know.”
Garcia could’ve killed him or hurt him enough he couldn’t move. He couldn’t lose Max.
He forged back in the direction of Raine’s voice. She and Garcia had been arguing. He pushed past the last line of trees toward the house and stopped dead.
“Let her go, Garcia.”
Garcia turned in the direction of his voice. “Well, if it isn’t the new boyfriend. Do you know how to use that very impressive firearm in your hands? I’m going to take my wife, and my son and we’re going to leave this Godforsaken state.”
“I have your son, and you won’t get him. Now let the lady go.” He pointed his Glock at Garcia’s head. Garcia was a foot taller than Raine. He’d have a clear shot as long as she didn’t move.
“Chase, shoot him.” Pain filled Raine’s face.
He wanted to shoot Garcia. But could he?
“Give me my son or I’ll kill her right now.” Garcia pushed the gun further into her temple. She struggled against his grip.
Even in the snow, sweat ran down his back. Pull the trigger. Before Garcia does.
The front door to the house banged opened. Max stumbled onto the porch. Garcia turned, and fired. Max went down. Raine dove into the snow.
Time sped up and slowed down at the same time. His heart pounded in his ears. Every snowflake stood out against the sky. The wind stopped blowing. Garcia swung back around. His mouth opened wide. His eyes full of rage and hate. Garcia pointed the gun at Raine’s back.
His finger slid to the trigger. Garcia had killed his friend and was about to kill the woman he loved.
Now.
He let out his breath. And pulled the trigger.