Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
She nodded, eager to get to civilization, where she could catch someone’s eye and hopefully get some help. They’d been at the cabin for about an hour. During which time Theo had done more pacing than talking.
If she wanted out of here, she needed to engage him in conversation. “I’m sorry about the playoffs,” she said.
He spun to face her. “If I hadn’t been sitting out another suspension, we’d never have lost. They needed me. Why don’t they understand how valuable I am to the team?”
She decided not to remind him of his second illegal hit—not long after he’d served his suspension. “I know. Maybe you can sit down with your coach and explain things to him?”
He shook his head. “Coach doesn’t want to hear anything I have to say.” Theo began waving the gun around as he spoke, his anger and frustration making him even more irrational.
She bent her knees and pushed herself into the corner of the bed, wrapping her arms around her legs to protect her stomach—in case he fired by accident. She didn’t know much about guns, and she had no idea whether or not the weapon had a safety on it.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, hoping to calm him down by changing the subject.
He spun around and walked toward her, gun pointed down. “Things were better when we were together. My career was going great, and we were happy.”
She swallowed back a retort about the great career. Since being traded to New York, he’d been warned numerous times about his behavior—some of those warnings coming even before he’d stepped foot on the ice.
But they had had some happy times. Otherwise, she’d never have agreed to marry him.
“We were happy,” she murmured. Until he’d cheated on her, but again, that wasn’t something she’d bring up now.
“See?” He sat down on the mattress, too close for comfort. “We can be that way again. I’m even willing to raise Knox’s spawn as my own.” He chuckled at the idea and her stomach rolled over.
He’d crossed the boundary of sane. He was alternately deluding himself that they could be a happy couple and delighting in the notion of taking something from Knox. And Jade and the peanut in her belly were stuck smack in the middle.
And if his mental instability wasn’t bad enough, Theo reeked of booze. She had no doubt he’d been drunk last night and hadn’t showered before executing this brilliant plan. The trip upstate had been hell. Between concern for her baby, herself and what he’d do to her once they arrived at this cabin, she’d driven herself to panic. Not to mention the utter fear of him driving drunk. Once at the cabin, she had to deal with the smells of this musty, dusty room, and Theo’s body odor—all things that could trigger a migraine. That was the last thing she needed. If she was going to get out of this, she needed to be clear headed.
She also needed space from him, both for her physical and mental well-being.
She inhaled, trying to calm her racing pulse, but gagged from the smell.
“Are you going to be sick again?” he asked in disgust.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Some bottled water would help. I thought I saw one in the car?”
He eyed her warily. “I’ll be right back.” He rose and waved the gun at her, causing her to duck in fear. “Don’t move from this spot. I’ll hear you if you try and run.”
She believed him.
Even though this place was in the middle of nowhere, Theo had hidden the vehicle in the back of the house. He walked out of the cabin, and she heard him stomping around outside. She blew out a long breath and leaned against the wall, desperately trying to come up with a plan of escape.
* * *
Knox’s nerves were strung tight as they pulled off the highway and drove the couple of miles off the beaten path, following the directions Zach had sent to Asher’s cell. He had no way of knowing Theo’s state of mind or what his brother was capable of if cornered.
Zach, who’d been driving, stopped at the edge of a dirt road and put the GMC Sierra truck in park.
“Why stop here?” Asher asked before Knox could.
“We don’t want Theo to hear us coming. So we’re walking the last half mile.”
Then Zach led the way, and Asher and Knox followed.
“Should we call the police?” Asher asked.
“I already have cop friends searching the city. Right now, all we have is a hunch that she’s here. It’s not a real lead. I’m sure the three of us can handle Theo if he’s here. I assume I’m the only one packing?” Zach patted his jacket.
Maybe that explained why he never took the damned thing off. “Yes,” Asher said, the word sounding more like duh, shooting Knox an eye roll as they walked.