Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-Up\Force of Nature\Yuletide Jeopardy\Wilderness Peril (70 page)

FOURTEEN

S
hay jerked awake. She fought the confusion shrouding her.

Where am I?

Rick's groaning form in the chair over in the corner caught her attention and quickly reoriented her. One tug of her hands reminded her that she was bound in place.

Rick moaned again, his forehead creased in anguish, and then he cried out. That sent Shay right back to the day in the office when she'd tried to wake him up. Only then, he'd had free range of motion and a weapon to protect himself from whatever evil tortured him in his dreams.

He didn't have anything to protect himself with today. “Rick,” she said. “Rick, wake up.”

His head bobbed and rolled and then his eyes slowly slid open and found her. “Shay,” he whispered. Relief swept through his gaze.

“You were dreaming.” More like having a nightmare. What haunted him so?

He blinked and cleared his throat, throwing off the vestiges of a not-so-peaceful slumber.

“I'm sorry,” he said, closing his eyes again.

Shay had the feeling he didn't want to look at her. “What do you have to be sorry about?”

His lids slid open again. “I wasn't supposed to fall asleep. Did I wake you?”

Shay gave him a soft smile in answer. “I don't even remember falling asleep.”

“No one ever does.” Rick tried to smile, but the anguish she'd heard in his groans resided behind his gaze.

“Tell me about your dreams.”
The
dream. She should have said
the
dream. She knew he'd had this one before. A deep sadness dropped into her heart, but she knew that Rick Savage would not appreciate pity. And she didn't pity him. Not really.

What she felt for Rick... It scared her. She couldn't face it. This wasn't the time.

Tears threatened behind her eyes. She hated them. “I want to know, Rick. What...happened to you?”

She knew enough to understand that his nightmares had to be linked to his time overseas in the U.S. Marines. She'd heard him talk enough about his brother turning to alcohol in the aftermath of his own military experiences. And she knew that Rick had turned to God—she'd heard him talking about that with the other men at Deep Horizon. Had seen him pray. But had any of them seen him while he slept? Was God really there for him?

“You don't want to know, Shay.”

“I think I deserve that much, don't you?”

His eyes held a kind of sorrow and regret. In his gaze she saw again how remorseful he was about that day when he'd nearly attacked her.

She could tell he struggled for the words. Maybe no words could ever explain what he'd gone through, but she pressed him anyway. “We don't know what we're going to be doing in a few hours. We might both be dead. Please, tell me...”

“I can't.”

Rick held her gaze, nearly caressing her with his eyes. Her heart fluttered—did he really see her that way? He'd never really looked at her before this ordeal.

She wanted nothing more than to be free of these stupid plastic ties and go to him. Let him wrap his arms around her. Never in her life had she been so grateful to be tied up—Rick was dangerous to her heart, and maybe even dangerous to her physically. She needed the reminder not to get close to him, no matter how badly she wanted to. But even though she couldn't approach him physically, she still wanted to try to reach out to soothe the pain he was feeling.

“Okay. I'll go first. My father used to do that to me. After my mother died, he held everything bottled up inside him. She died when a man shot her. Right in front of me.” Tears surged in her throat.

“I guess that makes what happened that day I aimed at you even more terrifying.” He sighed, defeated.

“Yes. You have no idea. But after that, my father just closed himself off to everyone. Me and my sister? We needed him. But we couldn't seem to reach him. He couldn't see anything past the pain he was in. I could see he was like a soda bottle when you shake it, ready to burst.”

“Then we understand each other. I can't afford to touch that cap. I wish I could. I'd do it for you, if I could.”

“If you mean that, then let me in.”
What are you doing? You can't risk your heart!

“Why would you want in, Shay? You've already seen what I can be. I'm dangerous to anyone I might...”

Love?
Shay's heart skipped erratically. She was edging closer to the danger zone she'd managed to keep a safe distance from all this time.

“Anyone I care about,” he said, finishing his sentence.

“There are specialists out there to assist people who struggle with what you're going through. Why don't you get help? Then you could have a relationship with someone.”
Just not me.

Rick surprised Shay with a smile. “And who would I have this relationship with, Shay?”

The way he looked at her, that little flirting glint, stirred her insides. Her pulse raced. No, she couldn't do this. She'd been guarding her heart for too long. Rick had been safe to think about because he'd never noticed her. She tugged her gaze from him and stared at the empty, boring wall, unable or unwilling to answer him.

But if she really didn't want the chance for a relationship with him, then why was she trying to get him to open up? He'd been safe before; now she was trying to open that soda-bottle cap so she could...what? Convince herself that it might be safe to love him after all?

Suddenly, Rick began straining against the chair, his face turning a little red.

“What are you doing?”

He moved his shoulders up and down and whipped his hands around in front of him. The motion looked odd, but to her astonishment, he eventually succeeded in freeing himself.

Shay gasped. “How did you do that? Why haven't you done that before? I don't understand.”

“I learned a trick. Hold my wrists wide when they're tying me to give me a little slack to maneuver later. It doesn't always work. But it worked for me this time. I needed to get out of this.” He began working on his ankles where they were tied to the chair. Not so easy, but nothing he couldn't handle. When he'd freed himself from the chair, he moved to Shay and worked on the ties until they came undone.

She rubbed her wrists and shook her arms out. How good it would feel to sleep in a normal position. To be back safely in her own bed. “What will they say when they find that we've freed ourselves?”

“Freed? We're still bolted into this room, in case you haven't noticed.” Then he shrugged. “No one will even know, except for Kemp when he comes to let us out. And since Kemp needs you to fix the plane, he won't complain too much. So let's enjoy being moderately more comfortable while we make our plans.”

Shay rubbed her arms and scooted over for Rick to sit next to her.

Rick dropped to the edge of the bed, acting restless. He reached over and pressed his palm tenderly against her cheek. “Shay, when we make it out of this...”

Shay leaned into the tenderness in his hand, closing her eyes. Despite all her resolve to wall off her emotions, she craved the gentle, caring touch from this man she'd admired from a distance for so long. Never had she dreamed he would look at her like this. Talk to her like this. Was she imagining this? And yet the safety net she'd placed around her heart was in jeopardy. Rick wasn't supposed to care about her.

* * *

I want to be free to love you....

The thought startled Rick, almost taking his breath away. He'd worked hard to hold himself in check when it came to this woman. He'd never allowed himself to look at her. And she'd never given him reason to. Until now. Until this situation wore away his defenses. Was he out of line even thinking like this?

Shay'd given him a small measure of hope.

Maybe...maybe she would love him back, if given the chance.

Her face resting against his hand, she kept her eyes closed as if she was soaking in his touch. He slid his thumb down her cheek, feeling the silkiness of her skin. She could simply be desperate for affection, the warmth of care and concern from another human being in this terrifying mining-camp prison. So he couldn't know if her reaction was really about him or about seeking whatever comfort she could find in their hopeless circumstances.

But she might very well be the one woman who could see him through. Who would stick with him. And, oh, Rick wanted that with her; he realized that now.

When she opened her eyes, which seemed to hold the beauty of Alaska within them, he let his hand drop away, watching her, searching her gaze. For what, he wasn't sure.

“I thought...” she whispered. “I thought you were safe....”

Unsure what she meant, he angled his head. “Safe?”

“After seeing how my father hurt, I never wanted to care about someone the way he cared about my mother. I thought you were safe to fall for because you never once looked—”

A noise on the other side of the door cut her off. The moment was lost, and they still hadn't discussed their plans for escape.

Time was up. He'd have to spit this out fast. “Listen, when you go to fix the plane, I'm going to distract Kemp. Watch for it. I want you to radio for help.”

Her eyes grew wide. “But—”

The door swung open.

Rick stood to face the butt of an automatic weapon in his temple.

Pain sent blackness across his vision, fading in and out until finally, darkness engulfed him.

FIFTEEN

“N
o!” Shay screamed.

Rick fell to the floor.

Shay knelt next to his unconscious body, her concern over him trumping her fear of the guy with the gun.

Kemp appeared behind the man. “What have you done?”

“He hit him in the head for no reason.” She forced her venom through clenched teeth. “Please, call your dog off.”

Cradling Rick's head, she prayed he would be all right. “Please, wake up.”

A knot swelled on his forehead.

“I didn't give you authority to hurt them.”

“He was trying to escape,” the man said. “I don't need your permission. You forget who you answer to.”

Shay tried to slide Rick away from the two men. Their posture suggested that if the argument escalated, they might come to blows, or worse, guns. Kemp didn't hide his anger at the guard and got in his face.

“You're the one who's forgotten who you answer to. I'm in charge while you're here. I run the claim. Now back down before I make a call or get rid of you myself.”

The man kicked Rick in the gut before he left the room. Brandishing his own weapon, Kemp scowled at the man when he passed. Once he was out of earshot, Kemp looked at her and frowned. “Never liked the guy.”

“How can we fix the plane now?” she whispered.

“Looks like he won't be going.” Kemp crossed his arms, his frown deepening as he looked down at Rick.

“I won't leave him. I can't fix the plane without him anyway,” Shay said. “I need his help.” To hold a wrench, maybe.

“Then you'd better make him wake up.” He shoved Rick with his boot. “To tell you the truth, I would have hit him in the head myself if I'd been the one to open the door and see him untied. Maybe next time, I'll make sure he's restrained with something...more permanent.”

Shay couldn't hold Kemp's insidious stare, and pressed her forehead against Rick's, careful not to touch the bruise. “Give him a few minutes to come to. We need some breakfast, too, okay?” Shay tried to steady her trembling voice.

“Half an hour. That's all. The next time I open this door, he'd better be cowering in the corner like he should have been to begin with.”

Shay nodded, wanting to appease this man who controlled their fate. As long as she seemed to fall in line—and as long as he needed her help—there was a chance they were safe. As soon as she fixed that plane, all bets were off. Somehow she had to delay the repairs and yet make it so they could fly away at a moment's notice. Add to that, she wasn't certain she could even make the repairs so easily. Kemp hadn't said whether or not anyone had been able to find the replacement part in the remains of the Jeep. The pressure squeezed her chest. Too much was riding on her.

More so than yesterday, when she'd had to prove there was a reason for her to exist at the camp. Today she'd have to prove her worth, and secure their only escape.

Shay slid Rick's shoulders onto her lap and held his head, caressing his face. Why did her heart give her such fits where this man was concerned?

She'd often heard that girls ended up marrying a man like their father. Rick was just like her father. Both men had suffered through a traumatic experience. Both men held on to the anguish, tucking it deep inside. She hadn't been able to help her father. Would she be able to help Rick?

She'd never find out if he didn't wake up so they could get out of here.

“Rick, you have to wake up. I can't do this without you. Our plan won't work.” If he wasn't there to distract Kemp, she couldn't make the call on the plane's radio.

He groaned.

Her heart leaped. She pressed her hands against his face. “Rick!”

His eyes fluttered opened. Squinting, he appeared to be a little dazed as he looked at her. Then his eyes seemed to focus and his hand slipped up to cup her cheek again, just like before. Again, his gaze caressed her face and slowed at her lips.

Her pulse ramped up. “Rick,” she whispered. “Thank goodness, you're okay.”

Rick lifted his other hand and in an instant pulled her close and pressed his lips gently against hers. “I am now,” he said, his voice gruff.

His musky scent wrapped around her and for a fleeting moment, she didn't care about anything but him. The things that stood between them seemed to disappear. Even the fact that they were prisoners here drifted away.

The lock outside the door clinked. Rick released her and shoved to sit up. She could tell he was still a little shaky, but he stood to meet the new challenge. When the door opened this time, Rick had her pressed behind him against the wall.

Cowering in the corner?

No, that wasn't her Rick.
Her Rick?

Kemp tossed them a couple of bottles of water and energy bars. “Eat up. Time's running short.”

Rick took a step forward. “What about the guards? I thought they were here to guard you as much as us.”

“Not that it's any of your business, but I told the guy left behind to stay on me that he could have whatever gold he uncovered from the wave table today. It's amazing what a few ounces of gold will do. Not bad earnings for one morning of work. Besides, he knows there's no way for me to escape.” He closed the door.

Rick turned to face Shay. “I guess they don't see the airplane as any sort of threat since it's not in working condition. Kemp isn't a flight risk, as it were. They haven't figured out that you're actually an airplane mechanic.”

Or had they? They knew she could fix machines—it wasn't that much of a stretch to wonder if she could fix airplanes, too. What would happen if the men caught on to their ruse?

Shay grabbed the water and tore into the bar. She needed sustenance if she was going to make it through this day. “If we're discovered coming or going to the airplane, they'll destroy it. And if I fix it, Kemp won't need us anymore.”

“Then don't fix it.”

* * *

“What?”

“Not completely. Leave some reason that Kemp still needs us for a little while longer. If you can make the radio call, then we'll only have to stay alive long enough for help to come. Or long enough to escape ourselves.”

Rick scarfed down the energy bar and guzzled the water. He tried to ignore the throb in his head. He'd had worse and knew how to deal with the pain. Shay lifted the bottle of water to her lips, her hands trembling.

Rick finished his off, then reached for her hands. He squeezed them in his, feeling her strength and softness there all in one hand. Just like Shay—she was the strongest woman he'd ever known, and yet she was soft, tender and caring at the same time. A person could be all those things, he knew. It was just that he'd never met someone who actually was all those things wrapped into one person. A person who was so beautiful. A person he couldn't stop thinking about, and not just because they were captives together.

“It's going to be all right. All you have to do is your job. Remember what you said about fixing the backhoe. You know how to do this. Leave everything else to me.”

“But I have a feeling that this is it. That something is about to happen to us one way or the other to determine whether we can get out of here or not.”

“Call for help, Shay. Fix the plane most of the way, and call for help. Don't think about anything else. In fact, don't worry about just fixing it partway. It'll be simpler if I don't just distract Kemp but take him down instead. That is, if you give me a signal that we can take off in the plane. If you can actually fix it.”

Shay shook her head. “He's going to be expecting you to try. You can't risk it. I'm afraid for you. Besides, what about your brother?'

Rick sighed. “You're my first concern. Let me worry about my brother.”

She'd always been his first concern. Had he known the danger they would face, had he expected it, prepared for it as he should have, she wouldn't be here now. He ran his thumb down her cheek again, warning sirens echoing with the pain in his head. But he couldn't just brush away the tenderness he felt for her, because this might be their last few moments together. He couldn't listen to the warnings signals that told him to protect his heart and hers.

Kemp brushed into the room. “Break it up. We have work to do.”

Rick stepped away from Shay, experiencing a new wave of loathing for this man.

“Take a minute and use the facilities. Then let's go. The men who matter have left already to get supplies, but they won't be gone that long. My guard is working the claim for his own benefit, but don't be fooled—all the men left behind also carry guns. And they won't hesitate to use them.”

Shay and Rick followed Kemp out the door of the pantry converted to a jail cell. Tension knotted Rick's neck with the same apprehension Shay was feeling. He, too, could sense that they were getting close to the end.

After using the facilities, they met in the kitchen.

Kemp faced them and chambered a round. “Don't think I won't be expecting you to try to take the plane today. So I brought you a note.”

He pushed a slip of paper across the kitchen counter.

Rick stared at it, instantly recognizing the scrawl as his brother's. His pulse roared in his ears. Reaching over, he picked up the paper and read it.
“Rick, please don't leave without me. Aiden.”

Aiden wouldn't willingly write those words. Blood boiled across Rick's vision. He crumpled the paper in his fist. “Why, you...” He ground out the words, wanting nothing more than to get his hands around Kemp's throat and choke the whereabouts of his brother out of him.

The evil man smirked. “Thought that would keep you here. Remind you that your brother is counting on you. As soon as it's time, we'll get him, and then we'll leave and I'll drop you off somewhere safe.”

And just why would he let them go? They'd seen his face. They'd seen everything. Why was Kemp dancing around the obvious? Rick considered asking him but thought better of it. No point in driving home the point, just in case the man was actually that delusional.

At least the note gave Rick hope—not certainty but hope—that Aiden was still alive. Still, he'd turn optimist like Shay, because he couldn't stand to think of Aiden as anything but alive.

If he got that chance to leave today, the questions still remained.

Should he save Shay and leave Aiden? Or wait to save him, too, but risk them all?