Cash took hold of my arm.
“Luke!” Angel tried to follow, but Jericho had hold of her.
“I’m coming back for you, Angel. Do you hear me? You stay alive because I’m coming back for you.” Cash yanked me, and I fell sideways. My hobbled feet dragged lines through the dirt as he pulled me toward the garage. “Do you fucking hear me, Angel? I’m coming back for you!”
Angel fell to her knees. “Luke, don’t leave me here alone!”
Cash yanked me along. Her plea made me fight harder. I wriggled wildly, and for a second, I was free from his grasp. But the ropes made my limbs useless.
The truck was parked in front of the garage. Cash grabbed me from behind. I swung my head back into his face.
He temporarily dropped his arms. “Fucking hell, would you stop squirming like a trussed up pig.”
“You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you, you mother fucker? All the time, just watching me from beneath those cool dude black shades, and all the time, you were just itching to shoot me in the head.”
“Yeah, that’s it. You figured me out.” He shoved me hard into the truck, and I fell between the seat and the dash.
My bound legs moved as one, and together, I managed to kick him hard enough that he stumbled back. He caught himself and came at me again. My legs shot out but this time he was ready. He grabbed my feet and twisted them painfully before shoving my legs into the truck and slamming the door shut.
He climbed inside. I struggled up onto the seat. My legs were my only weapon, but all my efforts were useless. I knew they would be, but having to leave Angel had ripped me up inside, and I decided I wasn’t going to go easy. I kicked at his hand as he went to put the keys in ignition. The keys dropped to the floor. Cash sighed and stared down at the steering wheel for a second. The last thing I saw was his massive fist.
Chapter 15
Angel
The gates closed behind the jeep, and Jericho finally let me go. My legs felt like rubber. I pressed my arm against my stomach to keep from puking. I flew toward the wrought iron bars. My fingers wrapped tightly around them. The jeep disappeared behind a cloud of dust. Jericho came up behind me, and I spun around and pounded him with my fists. And he let me.
“Why did you stop me?” I cried.
He finally tired of my assault and took hold of my wrists. “What were you going to do, Evie, tackle Cash to the ground? There was nothing you could do. Did you know he was a DEA agent?”
“No.” When I’d discovered who Luke was it had felt as if all the oxygen had been sucked from my head. “He tried to tell me, but I didn’t want to listen.” At first my anguish came from the betrayal. But it was nothing compared to the pain of knowing that I was going to lose him forever. “I won’t stay another day in this place.” I turned around and grabbed the gate again. I put my boot in between two of the bars and tried to hoist myself up.
Jericho put his hand on my arm. “Come on, Evie, a monkey couldn’t climb this gate. I’ll walk you to your cabin. Do you want me to bring you something? Whiskey or a beer?”
“You men are unfuckingbelievable. Do you really think a shot of whiskey is going to help this? Cash just drove off with the man I love and because, like all of you, Cash is a fucking barbarian, he’s going to kill him as easily as if he was putting on shoes.”
Jericho flinched at my harsh words, but there was no way I could stop the rage that flowed through me. “I’m sorry, Richo. I love you, but I can’t stay in here. I will find a way out if I have to dig a fucking tunnel. I want away from this place and from that old man forever.”
I stumbled toward my cabin and pushed inside. The dogs jumped up and followed behind me. The depression of Luke’s long, hard body still remained on my quilt. I ran my hand over it. “Luke.” I dropped to my knees. My head spun and my limbs felt as heavy as stone. There was no word black enough to describe it. Despair was too light and feathery. I saw no way of ever dealing with this. This was anguish that even time could not erase. I curled up in a ball on the floor. The dogs laid down next to me. I wasn’t certain that I would ever move from the spot again.
Chapter 16
Luke
My head smacked sharply against glass, but the real pain was in my face. My hands were shoved uncomfortably behind my back, and I couldn’t move them. I opened my eyes and reality came back to me in one sickening thud. I attempted to sit up, but the ropes biting into my wrists and the pain in my head made it tough. I wedged my shoulder against the door to prop myself upright and looked over at the driver.
Cash had dried blood smeared across his face. I’d done it to him with the back of my head. He glanced over at me but then returned his eyes to the rough terrain. The truck climbed a sharp hill of dirt. We hit a soft spot and for a long minute the tires spun.