The sunrise over the ocean isn’t its normal orange and pink but the pale gray color of a worn-out dime, and there is a fine mist of rain starting to fall. I stretch my aching body from the position I’ve held all night. It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve feared facing the day. Zoe must be frantic by now with worry. Surely she’s called John, and he’s already looking for me. He knows he can track me by my motorcycle. That will at least lead him to Glenn’s house. I’m not sure what he will find from there.

Zoe is a strong, independent woman, but I worry about her being so upset and pregnant. The stress on her and the baby can’t be good. I rub my hand over my heart as I think about the two of them. I’ll never forget the day I first laid on eyes on her. I met her through Brooklyn. She answered an ad that Brooklyn put online for an assistant. She had great research and computer skills, so Brooklyn hired Zoe on the spot. The first time she introduced us, I fell hard.

Her silver eyes locked on mine. “It’s nice to meet you, Jake.” Her delicate hand with perfectly manicured nails landed in my outstretched hand.

What I wouldn’t give to have her fingernails leave an impression on my back. I released her hand. “You do research. Do you know what my shirt is made of?”

She looked at me confusedly, and I saw Brooklyn roll her eyes. “Cotton,” she answered.

“Boyfriend material,” I said, grinning at her. Brooklyn snorted in laughter.

It took a minute, but Zoe finally laughed. “Oh, I get it.”

“I have plenty more. Your lips look lonely…would they like to meet mine? Or better yet, did you have Lucky Charms for breakfast? Because you look magically delicious.”

She smiled a beautiful smile and Brooklyn walked over and yanked my ear, pulling me to the side. “Where the hell did you get those stupid pickup lines? You are going to scare her off. How can two brothers be so different? Twins, at that.” She let go of my ear and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I Googled them. How else do you think I could be so charming? I’ll teach John a few for you since you seemed to like them so much.”

Zoe laughed from behind her. “It’s okay. What he lacks in charm, he makes up for in his good looks.” She winked at Brooklyn.

I was a goner; hook, line, and sinker.

God, we’ve had some good times since then. When she told me she was pregnant, I wanted to get married right away, but she wanted to wait until after the baby was born. Right now, I wish I would have convinced her to marry me on the spot. I didn’t see the point in waiting. She’s the love of my life, and nothing is ever going to change that. She didn’t want to walk down the aisle with a big belly. She wants a grand wedding with her entire family that consists of three brothers and two sisters. None of which live in Hawaii. I would give her the world if that’s what she wants. I need to make my way back to her.

I stand on a limb, looking to see if there is anyone around. The coast is clear, so I climb down out of the tree, cautious of my foot. The rain is starting to fall harder and the mud I rubbed on my face is dripping down my skin, making me itch.

I’m a sitting duck out here in the open, so I make my way back to the woods. There is a clay path that runs alongside the outside of the woods. I couldn’t see it last night, and I’m not sure I want to follow it now, but it will probably lead me back to the house. If I see anyone coming, I’m close enough to run into the trees. The clouds rolling in are thick, and I can only see a few hundred feet in front of me.

The rain is coming down in pelts and slowing me down. I follow the path down a steep slope, and I can hear voices. I’m no longer next to trees, but large rocks. I dart behind one and listen to which direction the voices are coming from. I hear two men talking to the left of me. The rocks beneath their feet crunch as they move toward me.

“No, I didn’t tell him that he escaped. We would lose the money he’s paying us, and he might have us killed,” one of them says.

“He’s in prison. I don’t think he can kill us.”

“You’re an idiot. He puts contracts out on people for a living. I don’t think it would be difficult for him to have us taken out.”

I hold my breath as they walk by, not wanting to make the least little bit of noise. Once they are far enough past me, I take in a breath. Their boss must be Knox. What the hell does he want with Brooklyn? Maybe it’s another ploy to get his revenge on John. I have to find a way to warn him.

I follow the path, and it leads me exactly where I thought it would, back to the house. The SUV is still parked out front, but now there is another gray pickup truck parked beside it. I don’t see any movement coming from the house, so I make my way to the truck and duck down, waiting to see if I’ve been seen. I reach up to the passenger side door of the truck, and it’s unlocked. I climb inside and keep low. I find the wires that I need and start the engine. I quickly get behind the wheel and throw the truck in reverse. As I peel out of the driveway, the front door flies open, and two men come out shooting. I hear the splinter of the bullet impact the truck. I turn the wheel sharp and head for the closed gate. I give it gas and hit the gate, throwing it into the air and over the top of the truck. I turn on the wipers so I can see the road in front of me. In the rearview mirror, the SUV is moving in behind me.

I have no idea where I am or where the road leads. I can only hope it takes me off the island. I hold on for dear life as the truck bounces over potholes and large rocks. The back window shatters as bullets coming flying through it. I accelerate again but hear the loud pop of one of the tires then the sound of another one right behind it. I lose control and careen off into a ditch and smack hard against a tree. The airbag dislodges, smacking me right in the face, dazing me. I get the door open and fall out onto the ground. I scramble trying to get up but feel the jab of a needle in the side of my neck.

“God, you’re beautiful in the morning.” I kissed Zoe’s shoulder as she stretched awake.

“You need glasses.” She laughed.

I rolled on top of her, pinning her to the bed. “I’m the luckiest man alive,” I said, trailing kisses down her long slender neck, and she wiggled underneath me.

“Right now, I’d say I’m pretty lucky.” Her hands squeezed my ass, pushing my hard cock into her core. I tweaked her nipple; she jolted upward, and I pressed down, holding her in place. “Sit still so I can worship your body.” I moved downward, nipping as I go to her taut belly.

“Jake, I have to tell you something. I wanted to tell you last night, but you were out so late working in the garage, I fell asleep before you got home.” Her hands toyed with my hair.

“Whatever it is, I think it can wait. I want to make it up to you for being out so late last night.”

She tugged at my hair. “I don’t want to wait.”

“Now you have me worried.” I climbed back up her body to look her in the eyes.

“We’re pregnant.”

A banging noise has me bolting up straight. I’ve moved so fast that a wave of nausea rolls over me. My head is spinning, and I’m in a cold sweat.

“Bossman says I can’t kill you, so I need to feed you.”

The big hulky man from before unlocks the latch and slides in a plate of food. “Don’t try any shit or I’ll drug you again,” he says, locking my prison up tight.

I’m back where I started. How the hell am I going to get out of here again? I lie back down on the concrete floor and glance over at the plate of food. It’s some kind of sandwich and an apple. Right now I’d give my left nut for a bottle of water. I’m so parched, and I think I have dried mud in my mouth.

My stomach finally quits rolling, and I decide I need to eat the food to keep up my strength so I can escape again. I swallow down the stale white bread and try to remember all the ways John told me he tried to escape. This place is completely empty, and there is nothing for me to use. I stare down at my one boot and remember him telling me that he used his shoestring to choke one of his captors. I unlace my black boot and pull the string out, throwing my boot off. He also told me that he used a guard’s key to jab into his jugular to kill him. That will be my plan next time one of them comes into my jail. I’ll steal their weapon and take the rest of them out. For now, all I can do is sit and wait.

The time rolls by so slowly. Every now and then I hear voices. They are passing the time watching television as I sit down here plotting my escape. I don’t want to kill them, but if it’s my only hope to get out of here, I will. It would be self-defense; it’s the only way I could do it. God knows I love my brother, but I don’t know how he was a hitman. He had his reasons, but I’m glad I was never put in his shoes. I don’t think I could have walked in them. I would kill to save Zoe, Brooklyn, the kids, and even for John, so my life shouldn’t be any different.

The room is getting dark again as night falls. The drugs have finally cleared my aching head. I stand and rattle my cage to get their attention. “I need some water,” I yell.

The door comes open, and a man I’ve never seen before is at the top of the stairs. “What?” he growls.

“I need some water and to use the bathroom.”

He slams the door and returns in a few minutes with a bottle of water in one hand and a bucket in the other. Another man follows him downstairs with a gun pointed at me. “No escaping for you this time,” he says. “Back up against the wall.”

I do as he says. I won’t be able to follow through with my plan this time, but there will be a moment when one of them comes down here alone, and then I’ll put my plan into action.

He opens the door far enough to shove the bucket and the bottle of water through. “That’s the only bathroom you are getting.” He laughs. He locks it back up and then stomps up the stairs, slamming the door behind them.

I relieve myself and gulp down the water. It barely touches the dryness of my mouth. I wish my throat was as wet as my clothes. I might as well get some sleep and try again tomorrow. I curl up into a ball and close my eyes, but all I see is Zoe’s face. The time we’ve shared together plays over and over in my mind like a movie. Snapshots of us down by the ocean, game night with John and Brooklyn, cooking out in the backyard. Making love by the star-filled night out on our back porch. Tears flood my eyes when I think about not seeing her again or never experiencing the birth of our child. A blonde-haired little girl that looks just like her mother.

I know John and Brooklyn would step in to help raise the baby, but damn it, I want to be the one that sees her grow into a beautiful young lady. I want every moment with her, including the tea parties and playing with her princess dolls. I’m not too proud. I want to be a good father and husband. I don’t want her raised by another man. And, God forbid, the thought of Zoe being with another man sets me on fire. I sit up, gasping for air. I’ve got to calm down, or I won’t make it out of here. I take in some slow, deep breaths, calming my nerves. Lying back on the hard floor, I lay still in the darkness and will myself to sleep.