Chosen (33 page)

He took a deep breath. “Yes.”

“What the hell, Will? Only a couple of hours ago you told me you wouldn’t leave me. Then a U.S. senator offers you a job and you’re off and running?”

He cringed. “Emma.” He leaned his forehead against hers and cupped the back of her head. “I don’t want to leave you, but I have to.”

“Then tell me why? I don’t understand.”

“Will has been offered a job that is too good to pass up. Isn’t that right Will?” Warren interrupted.

“Yes.” His voice hardened.

Emma glanced from Warren to Will. She narrowed her eyes. He knew she was putting it together.

“Will is also here to convince you that we will provide excellent care for you. Isn’t that right, Will?”

His jaw locked.”Yes,”

“Will, you don’t sound very convincing,” the senator said. “Need I remind you what’s at stake?”

He hesitated, the pressure in his chest becoming unbearable. “Emma, I have to go, but they’ve promised to take care of you.”

Emma shook her head. “No, I refuse to stay here.”

“Emma, you don’t have a choice.”

“Then don’t go, Will.”

The anger in her voice nearly shattered his resolve. He didn’t expect her to make it easy for him. “Emma, remember our bet? The one in the woods? I won, and I’m calling in my bet right now. You have to do something I ask, no questions asked. This is it.”

She shook her head again. “No, Will. Don’t do this.”

“It’s time to go, Will.” Warren grabbed the door handle.

Emma clutched Will’s hand in a tight grip, anger burning in her eyes. “What happened to ‘I’ll stay with you?’ If you really care about me you will
not
walk out that door.”

“I’m sorry, Emma.” His voice cracked as he leaned down and kissed her.

She grabbed the back of his head and whispered in his face. “Don’t do this, Will. I don’t care what they threatened, please don’t do this.”

“God, Emma. I’m so sorry.” He kissed her again and stood up, hoping he made the right decision.

“It’s time to go, Will.”

He prayed she would forgive him. “I love you.” He turned and walked toward the door.

“Will!” she called out after him. Her voiced echoed in his head as the door shut behind him.

Emma watched in stunned silence as Will walked out of the room.
He left me
. He swore he wouldn’t leave her, yet he did. As she sorted through her rage and grief, a niggle of doubt crept into the mix. Will was either an incredibly good actor or he genuinely cared about her. She couldn’t help but believe that the mark Jake burned on his arm helped ensure it. When she took several deep breaths and examined Will’s actions the past few days, she came to a conclusion. Will would leave her only for a good reason.
Her
.

What had they threatened to do? Was she in danger now? Surely Will would never leave her if he thought she was in real danger.

The door opened and a young man entered the room. His stylish haircut and tailored shirt screamed money and sophistication. She knew him and instantly recognized the resemblance to his father. How had she not put it together? Air stuck in her chest.

“Hello, Emmanuella. I’m not sure if you remember me. I regret that I never officially introduced myself. I’m Alex.” He paused and smiled a charming smile. He had the air of a man used to getting what he wanted. “We met several years ago and I must offer my apologies. Apparently you
are
the one.”

Her lungs screamed in protest and she released her breath in a gasp as she stared into the face of the man who raped her nearly six years ago.

***

What have you done?
The words echoed in his head until he thought he’d go mad. It was the only way. Was it the only way? He slid into the backseat of the sedan with the senator. Two armed men sat in the front seat.

“To the airport, gentlemen.” Warren said. “I’m eager to shake the dust of South Dakota off my feet.” He turned to Will. “I can’t wait to show you Washington. I think you’ll like it there, once you get used to it. Plenty of opportunities for someone like you.”

Will refused to answer and instead slumped as he stared out the window. His arm tingled. He glanced down at his mark. It looked the same, but began to slowly burn. He sat up. Something was wrong. “What happened to Emma after we left?”

Warren shook his head in confusion. “Nothing happened. Alex was going to visit her.”

“Would he hurt her?”

Warren waved his hand. “No, don’t be ridiculous. She’s much too valuable to him. He’s been promised her child.”

“You mean my child.” Will hadn’t stopped to consider the talk about a baby actually concerned his own son.

Senator Warren scoffed. “You won’t be raising the boy. I thought that was well-established.”

The burning of his mark increased. He thought about her, concentrating, slowly sensing her anger and terror.

“What was he going to do?” Will asked, his words clipped.

“Nothing. He was only going to visit her. What is this all about?”

Will concentrated again, pretending to look out the window as he shut his eyes. He thought about her, but went deeper, calling out to her through his mind, into hers.

Will?
Her voice called his head. He nearly jumped.
He’s here, Will. How could he be here? How did he find me?

Will knew exactly who she meant.
He’s there with you now?

Yes.

I’m coming.

Two guards would be easy.

***

“How did you find me?” Emma asked. The monitor gave away her terror. She ripped out the cord.

“It’s much too complicated for you to understand,” Alex said, wrinkling his nose with impatience.

She narrowed her eyes. “Try me.”

He walked to the chair by her bed and sat down. “I’d rather talk about my son.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice rose in anger.

“Come now, Emmanuella. I know I have a son. Tell me about him.”

Her heart skipped, making her glad she had disconnected the monitor. He knew about Jake. Her anger burned, hot and fierce. “Have you been the one chasing us for the last three years?”

He crossed his legs, looking bored. “No, but I know who was.”

“
Who?
”

“Emmanuella,” Alex cooed in a soothing voice. “You really should calm down. It really doesn’t concern you.”

“The hell it
doesn’t
. He’s
my
son.”

He raised his eyebrows with a smirk. “He’s my son, too.”

She gaped at him in disbelief. “Are you
kidding
me? Where have you been the last five years? No, forget that, because I guarantee if you had shown up I would have killed you.”

Alex cocked his head and eyed her with interest. “You’ve changed, Emmanuella.”

“Changed? How the hell would you know? You didn’t know me at all. You used me and left me laying in the dirt.”

“Yes, a most regrettable misunderstanding.”

“
Misunderstanding
?”

“Emmanuella…”

“Stop calling me that! My name is Emma.”

“
Emma
,” he said her name with a condescending tone and a patronizing smile. “You need to calm down. You’re going to harm the baby.”

Emma’s mouth fell open.

“I promise to be a better father for this one.”

She took several deep breaths trying to regain control. “
Where is my son?
”

His mouth lifted into sardonic smile, giving his eyes an evil glint. “What’s it worth to you?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“I’m sure we can work out some kind of arrangement.”

***

The car drove down the long circular drive leading from the compound. Will saw the guard station about five hundred feet ahead. The road ran parallel to a stretch of trees and would soon curve to the guard station. He knew it would be better to do this inside the compound than out, and he was running out of time.

Will jumped forward and wrapped his hands around the head and chest of the man in front of him. He jerked, snapping his neck. He reached into the man’s jacket and pulled the gun out of the holster. Will pointed it toward the driver before he had a chance to grab his own gun.

“We’re driving back to the medical building. Keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times, please.” Will said in a deceptively polite tone.

The senator slid away from Will, holding up his hands. “Now, Will. There’s no need for violence.”

Will shot a quick glance at him, breaking eye contact on the driver for only a moment. “Senator, there wouldn’t be if you hadn’t forced me to it.”

They were approaching the guard station. The road curved around but a side road turned to the guard station. “Keep circling around. You make any kind of move that tells them something’s up and I’ll blow your brains out. Got it?”

The man kept driving. Will was relieved when they passed and headed back to the medical building.

“Will, this is crazy. Let’s not do anything rash.” Warren used his constituent calming voice. “Obviously, I underestimated your need to be with her. Let’s go somewhere and sit down and discuss this. I’m sure we can work something out.”

“Oh, we’ll work something out all right. Is there a road that goes behind the medical building?”

“Yes, but…”

Will pointed the gun at the back of the driver’s head. “Take the back road. Here’s what’s going to happen when we get there. We’re going to park really close to the back of the building. Then we’re all going to inside together. Anyone makes a wrong move and the Senator gets a bullet to the head. Got it?”

The driver slowly nodded as he drove off the main road onto a road that circled around behind the buildings.

“Are there security cameras in the back?”

“No,” Warren said.

Will pointed the gun at Warren’s temple. “Are there security cameras in the back? If we get there and I find a single one, Warren’s getting it in the head and you, Mr. Security, will be answering for it. So let me ask again. Are there security cameras in the back?”

“Yes,” the man answered.

“That’s better. Where? What are they pointed at?”

“The back door. The parking lot.”

“Okay, good.” They approached the building ahead. “How do we get in the back door?”

“We’ll need a key.”

“Do you have a key? What’s your name?”

“Yes. Travis.”

“Okay, Travis. You work with me and I won’t kill you. I promise and I’m a man of my word. But you give me a reason to shoot you and I won’t hesitate to do it. Agreed?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now park close to the door.” Travis drove through a small parking lot and pulled up to the back of the building, parking next to the curb at the back door. “Keep your hands on the steering wheel. Now take out the keys with your right hand and slowly hand them to me. Are the keys to the back door on this key ring?”

“Yes,” Travis said. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and handed them to Will.

“Now slowly, very slowly, pull your gun out with one finger and hold it up for me.” He reached his hand into his jacket and removed his gun. Will took the firearm dangling from the guard’s finger. “Okay, let’s go. Everyone out Travis’ side. Let’s all stay close together, shall we? Just remember I have two guns, one on each of you.”

The men got out and walked to the back door with Warren and the guard in front, Will directly behind. Will had Travis unlock the door while he kept a gun at Warren’s back. Warren and the guard went through the door with Will following.

“Where’s the staircase?”

Travis showed him the stairwell door close to the back door.

“After you, gentlemen.”

Travis went in first, followed by Warren and then Will.

“Walk up side by side if you, please.”

“Will,” Warren said. “This is getting out of hand. You really don’t expect to get out of here, do you?”

“Senator, if you don’t shut the fuck up, I’ll take great pleasure in doing it for you.”

Warren released an exasperated sound.

They reached the landing between the first and second floor and started up the second set of stairs. When they reached the door, Will told them to stop.

“Now here’s what’s going to happen. We’re going to walk to Emma’s room and we’re going to put her in a wheelchair. Travis is going to push it and the good senator is going to walk with me. Anyone tips off the men outside door and the senator gets shot. Sound good?”

“Will…” Warren started.

Will jammed the gun into his back. “Please, I’m begging you, give me a reason to go ahead and shoot you because it’s taking every bit of restraint not to.”

Warren shut up, giving Will momentary satisfaction. “Okay, everyone close together, the gun’s trained on Warren.” Will stuck the other weapon down into his front waistband. “Senator, you’re going to tell them that you changed your mind and Emma’s going to Washington D.C. with you. Let’s go.”

Travis opened the door and they moved down the hall. The guards looked surprised to see them, especially entering from the staircase.

“Senator?” one of the guards questioned.

“I’ve decided to bring our guest with me to D.C.” Warren sounded amazingly genial. “Is there a wheelchair in her room?”

“Yes,” the nurse answered, flustered at the change in plans.

“We’ll just be a minute,” Will told them as they entered the room.

***

Emma looked up when the door opened and sighed in relief. “Will.”

The senator and a man entered the room with Will following. Will reached around and locked the door, then turned his attention to Alex.

Will’s eyes darkened. “Is that him?”

Emma nodded.

Will strode to him and slammed the butt of his gun into Alex’s head before he had time to react. Alex crumpled to the floor next to the bed.

“What is the meaning of this?” Warren asked, his voice rising in alarm as he moved to his son.

He pointed the gun toward Warren. “I would stay over there if I were you.”