Josh finished watching the first quarter of the game he was studying, then shut off the TV. It was time to go outside with Shay, to watch her work in the garden. Eager to be with her, he walked to the door that led outside. Gripping the knob in his hand, he pulled on it, but it wouldn’t open.

“What the…?” Yanking harder, when it wouldn’t budge, a sense of unease swept over him. He’d never had trouble with this door before.

Dashing to a window that overlooked the front of his house, his thoughts were on Shay and what was going on. Hoping there was a reasonable explanation, he jerked the blinds up and peered outside. Looking toward the barn door, he saw a rope staked to the ground extending toward the doorknob. From where he stood he couldn’t see where the rope ended, but he assumed it was tied to the door.

Who would have done that? And why?

Then it came to him. Shay’s ex. He must have seen the picture that reporter took, showing her with him, and then tracked down Josh’s address. Why hadn’t he considered that that would happen and taken precautions?

Swearing under his breath, Josh raced to the rear barn door, but it wouldn’t open either. He tore back across the floor of the gym and looked out the window, desperate to see what was happening. At first there was nothing to see, but a moment later he saw his front door open and a man stepping through—a man he assumed was Will.

Heart pounding like a jackhammer, Josh watched in horror as Will reached down and pulled on something. Seconds later Shay came into view, clearly unconscious. With his hands under Shay’s arms, Will dragged her onto the porch, then he began descending the steps, Shay bumping down them as he went.

Furious that someone would do that to Shay, Josh knew it was up to him to save her. He unlocked the window, then using his left hand, he tried to slide it open, but it wouldn’t budge.

Snarling in frustration, and with adrenaline dumping into his bloodstream, he ripped the sling off of his right arm and used both hands to slide the window open. Pain bloomed in his right shoulder, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. Ripping the screen out of the window, Josh flung himself through the opening, landing on the ground with a thud.

Barely pausing to see what was happening, he saw Will dragging Shay down the dirt road. Looking farther down the road, he saw a car parked near the turnoff to the main road. Knowing he had to get to them before Will reached his car, Josh sprinted toward them.

Will was walking backwards, facing the direction Josh was coming from, and after only a moment Will made eye contact with Josh. Will began fast-walking backwards, but with the burden of dragging Shay, he wasn’t moving terribly fast.

Knowing he’d been spotted, Josh ran faster than he’d ever run before. This was so much more important than getting a touchdown. When Josh was within ten yards of Will and Shay, Will let go of Shay and began running towards his car.

While playing quarterback, Josh always tried to avoid being tackled, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to tackle an opponent. And he’d made plenty of tackles over the years.

As he passed Shay, Josh glanced at her and thought he saw her eyes opening, but for now he needed to catch the man who he was sure wouldn’t leave Shay alone until he was stopped, so on he ran.

Though Will was fast, Josh was in the best shape of his life, and it didn’t take him long to catch up to him. Driving himself into Will’s back, Josh took him down easily. Pain erupted in Josh’s right shoulder as he was jarred against the ground, but he powered through it, keeping his goal in mind.

Will was face-down in the dirt, so Josh pressed his knee into the space between Will’s shoulder blades. Hard.

“Don’t move,” Josh growled, then he took his cell phone out of his pocket and called the sheriff.

* * *

Shay felt groggy, and as she opened her eyes she couldn’t figure out why she was lying on the ground outside. Then it all came back to her—checking her phone for texts, Will appearing in the doorway, fighting with him, and then everything had gone black.

Her head ached and her body felt bruised, but why was she lying in the dirt? Where was Will? Had he decided to leave her alone after all?

“Shay!”

Recognizing Josh’s voice, she tried to sit up, but her head hurt too bad and wooziness threatened to swamp her.

“Shay! Are you okay?”

Why was he yelling? Why wasn’t he coming over to help her?

More confused than ever, she managed to roll onto her stomach before lifting her head in the direction of his voice.

To her stunned surprise, she saw Josh kneeling on Will, holding Will’s arms behind his back.

What had happened?

“I’m okay,” she managed to call out, then she rested her head on her arms.

“The sheriff’s on the way,” he said.

After a few more minutes of lying on the ground, Shay pushed herself into a sitting position, hanging her head between her bent knees until the fresh wave of dizziness passed. Finally she felt strong enough to stand, and she made her way over to Josh and Will.

Will’s head was turned in her direction, and he glared at her. Knowing he couldn’t hurt her, she just stared back, then shook her head.

A short time later a sheriff’s car arrived. The sheriff handcuffed Will and put him in the back of his cruiser, then he turned to Josh and Shay.

Shay told him what happened, including how she’d fought Will off before he’d knocked her out. Josh’s eyes were on her as she spoke, and she wondered what he was thinking. When she was done, Josh told the sheriff how he’d seen Will dragging Shay’s unconscious body down the steps and toward Will’s car.

For some reason it hadn’t occurred to Shay that Josh had seen her in such a helpless state. Watching fury darken his eyes as he described what he’d seen, Shay tried not to imagine what would have happened if Josh hadn’t intervened.

When they’d finish telling the sheriff what had happened, the sheriff drove away with Will in the backseat.