Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Though she couldn’t see the face of the man or clearly identify him as Jack, unease twisted in Skye’s stomach. Intuition screamed at her to get back into the building. Even if she was being paranoid, she’d rather be safe than sorry.
“That car matches the one that’s been following Tripp,” Skye said, her tone urgent as she grabbed her friend’s hand and redirected them back toward the elevator. “We need get back to the hotel.”
Lauren didn’t argue or ask questions, just matched Skye’s quick strides. But the car continued closing the distance between them with increasing speed, outpacing any progress they made.
Skye’s heart raced. Dropping her friend’s hand, Skye unlocked her phone and hit Tripp’s name on the screen. She knew he couldn’t do anything to help her, but she needed to hear his voice, even if only as a recorded sound.
“Hey, baby girl.” His affectionate, real voice surprised her and she almost burst into tears. “Are you on your way home?” he asked.
“I—” The approaching vehicle slammed on its brakes and screeched to a stop beside them. She sucked in a breath as a man emerged, no sunglasses on now, enabling her to see his entire face.
“It’s Jack!” She screamed and turned to run in her high heels. She only got a few steps before an arm wrapped around her waist and wrenched her back from behind, jarring her body and sending her cellphone flying out of her hand.
The device landed on the cement with a loud crack, and Lauren stared on in helpless horror as Jack dragged her to the car, swung open the back door, and pushed her into the seat. He shoved her so hard and fast that her entire world seemed to spin. Before she could recover, he slammed the door shut and was back behind the wheel. She jerked backwards as he slammed on the pedal and the car peeled away from the scene.
Adrenaline rushing through her veins, Skye sat up and immediately tried to open the door, prepared to jump out no matter how fast the car was going. But her attempts were futile. Jack had engaged the child safety locks.
She thought about grabbing his hair and yanking hard, but they were surrounded by concrete columns. If he drove into a pole at this high rate of speed, the impact would undoubtedly injure her, and possibly the baby.
“Let me out of this fucking car!” she shrieked.
He slammed on the brakes, the jarring stop propelling her against the back of the front seat like a rag doll. She moaned and grabbed her belly, her first instinct to protect her baby.
Jack whirled, a gun in his hand, aimed right at her chest. “Put on your seatbelt and shut the fuck up,” he yelled, the deranged look in his eyes prompting her to obey. “If you make any stupid moves, I will not hesitate to shoot you.”
Skye believed him. He’d never pulled a weapon on her before, and the fact that he did so now told her just how insane he was. And how serious he was about this abduction, and her cooperation. And she knew no amount of self-defense moves could stop a bullet from killing her. She couldn’t stem the fear overwhelming her, but she was aware enough to realize that she not only had her own safety to consider, but the baby she was carrying, as well.
He’d made his point so she finished buckling up and sat back in the seat, compliant. For now. From her vantage point, she saw he’d placed the gun on his thigh, within reach.
Arriving at the exit to the parking structure, he swiped what was obviously a permit from the dashboard of the car, and the gate opened onto the street. Skye figured he’d either broken into a vehicle and stolen one or he’d forged one, and the extent he’d gone through to kidnap her made her stomach churn.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm instead of demanding answers. She had to remind herself that Jack liked her subdued and submissive, fearful even.
While those tendencies rebelled against the woman she’d become, she had to let him believe he was in control so he’d eventually drop his guard and she could find an opportunity to escape.
“I’m taking you somewhere no one will find you,” he said, his tone all too cocky. “And somewhere I can talk some fucking sense into you.”
“It’s kind of late for that, don’t you think?” she said, swallowing back her sarcastic tone. “We’ve been divorced for over a year.” Shit. So much for being submissive, she thought.
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his gaze narrowed on her in the backseat. “The only reason I finally signed the divorce papers is because I wanted you to see that I could be reasonable. That I’m not the monster you pushed me into being,” he said, sounding rational, as if he truly believed the words he spoke. “I thought giving you time on your own would make you realize what a mistake you made leaving me, because no one else would want someone as damaged and broken as you.”