Within minutes his phone chirped alerting him to a dozen missed calls. He drove through downtown and scrolled through the list. He flipped through quickly, ignoring the messages. Until he saw Allison's number pop up on his screen. He instantly dialed voice mail, deleting every message until he found the one he wanted. His heart started racing. He licked his dry lips.
But when the message came through, all he got was a pause, then a dial tone.
"Damn it," he snarled.
He threw the phone onto the passenger seat. His fingers clenched and unclenched the steering wheel. Wasn't he worth a message? A word? A sigh? Anything except getting hung up on?
It had to be Allison. Devon would've used her own cell phone to call him. She also would've left a message. He punched the ceiling and released a curse of frustration.
Then he remembered something. Devon had mentioned a date Saturday night-tonight. The first guy she'd gone out with in a long time. Logan had teased her about it, naturally. Devon was like one of the guys. She'd actually blushed, like she was into this one. Said they'd been talking online for a couple weeks. Then Logan had gone all big brother on her and drilled her: did she have pepper spray? A weapon? A condom? The important things a woman should carry on her when she met a guy for the first time.
For Logan, the excuse was too good to pass up. He retrieved his phone and called Devon's house. Hoped Allison would answer. The phone rang and rang. Strange. He tried Devon's cell. It rolled directly over to voice mail.
A quiver of concern went through him. Devon always answered for him, even if she was on a date. The fact that he couldn't get through to Allison's or Devon's cell phone or the house phone nagged at him.
Without questioning the auto-response, he made an abrupt u-turn. Tires squealed. Horns honked. He sped in the direction of Devon's place.
Maybe if he and Allison saw each other, locked eyes, stood in the same room, she'd see how much he missed her. Needed her.
He wouldn't force her to change her mind, but maybe she'd acknowledge his peace offering of calling David off her every move. Maybe she'd let him apologize for being a stubborn idiot. For the ultimatum he hadn't meant to give.
Then, down on his knees, he would ask her come home.
*
Trevor exchanged Devon's place with Allison.
Allison didn't make it easy for him, but he overpowered her, zip-tying her wrists.
"Don't do this, Trevor." She tried to sound brave and controlled, while her teeth chattered with cold and fear.
"You are my wife. Mine . No one will take you away from me."
"I'm not the woman you married."
"You will be, after I break you in again. All I need is time."
"Never," she vowed.
"Just wait. I have plans for us." The gleam in his eyes struck terror into her soul. What would he do to her? To her baby?
"Trevor-!"
The van doors slammed. Through the murky windows, she watched Trevor toss a drugged Devon over one shoulder and carry her into the house.
This might be Allison's only chance. She screamed until her voice was hoarse. She pounded her bound fists on the windows. She tried every door.
No escape.
She went for the horn. The blast of sound caused lights to turn on in neighboring houses. She didn't let up. Someone had to wonder what was wrong, had to call the police. Please … please, somebody do something . Her heart pounded in her throat.
As she glanced around, a sparkle in the van caught her eye. Wedged half-under the seat she found Devon's purse. Frantic, she rifled through it. The cell phone was dead. Besides lipstick and a condom, Devon had tucked in pepper spray and a small knife.
Allison heard the front door slam. Trevor stalked toward the van, his face contorted into a mask of rage. She clutched the pepper spray, trying to catch the knife on her cuffs. She sawed the plastic, gouged her hand, sawed further. Blood made her fingers slippery. She was almost free.
So close .
Suddenly headlights beamed into the rear windows. She stumbled to the back of the van. "Help!" she cried, pounding on the windows, smearing the dust-caked panes with blood.
The other vehicle skidded to a halt and rocked with the force of the stop. A car door shut.
"I'm here! In the van. Help!"
A second later, the rear doors whipped open. Hope collapsed as Trevor stood over her, uncompromising. Deadly.
He flung her out of the van, spun her around. The other vehicle's headlights blinded her. A shadow moved, blocking one headlight. Then a cold circle of steel pressed to her forehead. She froze.
"Drop the weapon."
Her heart slammed against her ribs. Logan ?
Trevor's forearm cut off her windpipe as he held her in front of him. She struggled to breathe.
"Take it easy." Logan's voice was shockingly calm. "I know what she means to you, Trevor. You don't want to hurt her."