CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Danielle

I came awake with a start, mostly because my head felt like an ice-pick was jamming itself into my temple. I opened my eyes… well, kind of… one of them didn’t seem to want to work, and I looked around. I was in a tiny room, tied to a chair, and my memory flooded back to me.

I had just stepped out of the house and was halfway up my parents’ driveway when I was grabbed from behind. I fought as best I could, my self-defense training helping, but ultimately, there were two men and each of them outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds.

What I did manage to do was piss them off, and I remember pain in my ribs and face before I blacked out.

I swallowed and tried to figure out where I was. Austin would come. I knew he would. I didn’t know how I knew; I could just feel it in my gut. I took a deep breath, grimacing at the pain in my ribs. Breathing was probably not a good idea right now.

For the moment I was alone, but I didn’t know how long that would last. I heard male voices near the door, so I dropped my head and tried to go as limp as possible.

“What the hell do you mean the guy canceled the policy? Fuck you, Bobby. We took this bitch for no reason? Well, then there’s no reason to keep her alive.”

I tried not to react even though my heart sank into my stomach.

“Yeah. Okay. Well, shit. A mil’s not even close to ten, dumbass. You don’t take a cut, I don’t tell where I got my information. Otherwise, everyone’s gonna know who the hell you are.” The man chuckled… a low, sardonic, and very creepy chuckle. “How about you fuck off and figure out how to make this right.”

I was in a weird enough position that even though I’d managed to open my good eye a sliver, I couldn’t see who was speaking. Since it hurt to try, I closed them again.

“Bitch’s dad canceled the policy and Bobby forgot to tell us,” the man who’d been talking before complained.

“Shit, Ken, what does that mean?”

“Her family’s loaded, so Bobby thinks we’ll get at least a mil for her,” Ken said.

“Fuckin’ idiot.”

“Yeah, Sal, I’m with you.”

“How long we gonna give the parents?”

“Six hours,” Ken answered. “Then we kill her.”

“You think they can get that much together in six hours?”

“I don’t care. She saw us, so either way, she’s dead.”

They continued to talk, but their voices faded as they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. I looked up again and tried not to panic. I needed to keep my wits about me and get the hell out of here.

I tested my bindings and discovered the more I moved, the more it hurt. I was tied with plastic zip ties that cut into my skin. Each of my ankles was zip tied to a chair leg and a rope around my waist had me pretty much stuck to the chair. My mouth was covered with what I assumed was probably duct tape, and it didn’t budge when I scrunched up my face.

I had no concept of how long I’d been in the room. There was no window, so I couldn’t tell how dark it was outside. It was still light when we’d gotten to my parents’ place, but the sun was starting to set.

I sighed. I wish I had my phone. I knew Austin had put a tracker on it, but didn’t think I’d need it if I was just stepping next door.

I closed my eyes again and succumbed to darkness. I don’t know how long I’d been out, but the deafening sound of gunfire had me waking in fright, and then the door to the office flew open and I screamed behind my muzzle.

“Booker! In here,” Mack called.

I burst into tears as Mack rushed to my side and cut the bindings on my hands then my feet just as Austin arrived and knelt in front of me.

“Baby.” He gently peeled the tape from my mouth and I collapsed in his arms.

“I knew you’d come,” I cried. “But did it have to take you so long?”

He lifted me and I whimpered at the pain. Then I passed out.

* * *

I woke to hushed voices and opened my eyes to find Austin’s head leaning on my arm, his hand holding mine.

“Dani?” my mother crooned and walked toward me.

Austin stood and leaned over my bed, a tentative smile on his face as he swept my hair from my forehead. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” I rasped and grimaced. My throat was burning. “Water.”

Austin nodded and grabbed me a cup and a straw, guiding it to my mouth. I drank deeply and then relaxed back onto the mattress.

My mother squeezed my hand and smiled. “You gave us a scare, baby girl.”

I nodded.

“I’m going to let the nurse know you’re awake,” she said.

I nodded again and she left the room. I reached for Austin, who took my hand and pulled it to his lips. “Fuck me, baby. It took me two hours to get you out.”

“That’s all?” I asked.

He frowned. “That’s a fuckin’ long time when I’m scared outta my mind not knowin’ if you were okay.”

I smiled. “I knew you’d come.”

“We’re gettin’ married.”

“We are?”

He nodded. “Tomorrow.”

I chuckled, ending on a whimper at the pain in my ribs.

“Sorry, baby. You’ve got a couple broken ribs.”

“I’m okay, honey.” I squeezed his hand. “A little beat up, but okay.”

I could see the sheen of tears in his eyes, but he turned his head and blinked them away.

My door opened and Macey Stone walked in, her light-blue scrubs crisp and clean. “I’d hoped our second get-together would have been dinner or something, but I guess I’ll have to take a rain check.”

I smiled. “You’re on.”

“How’s your pain level?” she asked. “From one to ten?”

“About an eight.”

Macey nodded and checked the pain pump next to me. She pressed a button on the unit and then handed me a wire and smiled. “Press the red button when it wears off. It’ll let you dose yourself every four hours.”

“Thanks.”

The nurse took my pulse and notated a few things in my chart, before smiling and focusing on me again. “All told, Dani, you were really lucky. I’ll let the doc know you’re awake and he’ll be in shortly.”

“Thanks, Macey.”

“My pleasure, hon.”

She left the room and my entire family flooded inside, along with Kim. Austin stepped back and sat on the bench by the window as my niece and nephew hugged me gently, Amelia talking a hundred miles a minute, a clear indication she’d been concerned about me.

The doctor arrived and ordered everyone out.

“Can Austin stay?” I asked.

“Sure.”

My dad shared some secret badass man chin lift with Austin and then my family filed out of the room and Austin stood beside my bed again.

“I’m Dr. Stone,” the handsome doctor said.

“Related to Macey?”

“She married my brother,” Dr. Stone said. “Lucky bastard.”

I smiled.

“Let’s have a look at you.”

The doctor looked me over and decided that I could go home the next day. They’d keep me overnight for observation, but since my eye-socket was bruised, not broken as they initially had worried, and the ribs would heal on their own, there was no point in keeping me any longer.

He left and my family descended again, staying for close to an hour before Emily forced hers to leave and my mother convinced my dad and Elliot to go as well.

Kim leaned over the bed and kissed my cheek. “Love you, hon. Please no more kidnapping, okay? You totally freaked me out.”

I chuckled. “That’s a promise.”

She smiled, hugged Austin, and then headed out and Austin took his place beside the bed again.

Late that night, Austin and I were finally alone and I scooted over and patted the mattress. “I need you to sleep with me.”

He smiled as he climbed beside me. “This is probably against hospital policy.”

“Where’s my big badass motorcycle man?” I demanded. “Are you telling me you’re afraid of hospital security?”

He chuckled and gently settled me on his chest. “I’m more afraid of Macey.”

“Ooh, I know, right? She’s kind of scary.”

“I love you, beautiful.”

“Mmm, I love you too.” I raised my chin for a gentle kiss and then snuggled close.