Endangered Hearts (17 page)

She gestured with the gun. “Move over to the bed."

Abby silently did as she directed, hoping that Clay or Jack would come back to check on her soon.

"Strip.” Lauren ordered.

Abby just stared at her blankly.

"Do it. Strip or I swear I'll put a bullet through your brain right here and now."

Abby hesitated a moment longer, but when she saw Lauren raising the gun to point at her chest, she grasped the bottom of her shirt and yanked it off. Then she took off her shorts, feeling utterly humiliated and afraid of what was to come.

"The bra and panties, too, slut. I want to see what has Jack all hot for you. I mean, obviously you've got something going for you."

Abby closed her eyes briefly but did as commanded. Soon she stood completely nude and trembled as Lauren inspected her slender figure.

"Hmm. Like I thought. You're nothing special. No, he won't have a hard time forgetting about you once you're not around any longer. You're just not the stuff dreams are made of.” She cocked her head to the side. “Now lay down on the bed."

"Lauren, can't we talk about..."

Lauren reached out and grabbed a handful of Abby's hair, yanking back so hard that Abby almost fell down. Then she released her. “Now, fucking get on the bed. No talking. If I want you to say something, I'll let you know."

Tears filling her eyes, Abby reached up and rubbed her sore scalp. When the gun gestured toward the bed again, she walked over and lay down. Lauren fumbled around in the drawer and found the rope Jack had used on Abby. She smirked. “This looks familiar. Raise your hands.” She climbed onto the bed and efficiently tied Abby to the headboard.

"Oh, yes. I saw this little game, too. Jack really needs to start closing his curtains if he doesn't want an audience.” She tightened the knots that bound Abby's hands until the rope cut into her wrists, and Abby barely managed to bite back a moan of pain.

Oh, God. Her only hope was Jack and Clay. Please let them come soon, she prayed silently.

"Well, there's the pretty little whore, all tied up and nowhere to go.” Lauren laughed and tossed her head. “Tell me, do you like the way Jack touches you? I always did. I loved the way he pinched my nipples and licked my cunt.” She reached out a hand and twisted Abby's nipple, dragging a cry of pain from her. “Did you think what the two of you had was special? Well, guess again.” Lauren laughed, enjoying the sight of the agony that she had inflicted. She reached over and did the same to Abby's other nipple. Abby shook her head and bit her lip, determined not to give Lauren the satisfaction of hearing her cry out again.

Lauren stepped back. “Hmm. Not bad. Not bad at all. I think I'm beginning to understand Jack's interest in you. You do have some potential.” She reached down and raked her fingernails lightly over Abby's hips, and Abby jerked in reaction. “You know, Jack and I used to share a woman sometimes, back when we were together.” She traced her hand over Abby's abdomen and down towards her pubic hair. “Oh, yes. The little games he has played with you are just the tip of the iceberg with Jack. Hell, who knows? Maybe he wouldn't mind sharing you with me?"

Abby gasped out, “Please, no."

Lauren reached out and pinched her again, twisting the nipple viciously and drawing another pained gasp from Abby. “Slut, when I want you to talk, I'll let you know. Remember? What, do you think you're too good for me to touch? His little angel, right? What a joke! You don't look so much like an angel now. You look like the cheap whore you are. You know, I had it all planned.” She grasped Abby by the chin and forced her face up to look into her eyes. “Jack was going to be mine again. Why didn't you just leave when you had the chance? I tried to get you to go, but you just wouldn't take the hint. Oh, no, you wanted to sink your hooks into Jack, didn't you. Well, he's mine, slut. All mine. Do you hear me? Do you?"

Her voice was getting louder and louder, and she waved the gun around as she spoke, pacing back and forth in the room. Tears began rolling down Abby's cheeks at the thought of never seeing Jack again, and she began feverishly working her wrists back and forth, trying to loosen the knot enough to slip her hand free. Damn, they were just too tight. Then Lauren walked back over to the bed, apparently refocused on Abby, who she seemed to blame for all her current problems. “Spread your legs, cunt."

Shaking her head, Abby pleaded. “God, please, don't do this."

"How many times do I have to tell you? No talking. Do it. Spread ‘em. You didn't have any problem opening them wide for Jack. Clay either. Now, do it, bitch.” A palm came down on Abby's thigh with a loud popping sound, leaving behind a stinging red handprint. Then another. And another. She didn't stop until Abby's thighs were burning and bright red.

Abby was sobbing, but she finally did as she was told and parted her legs slightly.

"Wider. Let me see Jack's new little pussy.” Reaching down, she shoved Abby's legs further apart, “Come on, now. Don't be shy.” Lauren drew the barrel of the pistol up the inside of Abby's thigh, and Abby sobbed, closing her legs tightly to stop the movement of the cold steel.

A hard pinch on the nipple. “Open them."

Trembling fearfully, Abby parted her legs again, and the barrel began moving up to brush over her pubic curls. Abby bit her lip, choking back a cry of protest. “You know, Jack and I were the perfect couple. Yes, perfect. I screwed up. I admit it. I didn't have enough patience to wait for all that lovely money. So I dropped him and picked Robert. But now, my husband has decided to divorce me. Can you believe it? That old bastard, after I let him slobber all over me and fuck me whenever he wanted to. Sweating and hammering away with his pathetic little dick. Who could blame me for getting a little extra loving on the side? God knows, I deserved something after putting up with his boringly vanilla fucking. Surely he didn't really expect that he would be able to keep me satisfied. No, he just didn't have the stamina. Or the imagination. Not like our boy, Jack. Now, he knows how to use that cock of his."

She rolled her eyes, her tone quite conversational. Abby wanted her to keep talking. The longer she ranted, the better chance that someone would come and find them. “Really, you would have thought I had murdered someone when he found out I'd had a few lovers. He threatened to kick me out. Imagine. Me? Was it my fault that he had a heart attack right in the middle of our argument? And was he grateful for all that I have done for him? No. He's cutting me out, divorcing me, and leaving me with nothing but a measly fifty thousand because of that stupid pre-nup. Just a few more months, Robert would be dead and the money would be mine. Now, Jack's going to get it all. How can that possibly be right? I'm the one who's worked for that money. It's mine. I deserve it."

She glared at Abby. “I thought I'd lost everything, but then I had an idea. All I had to do was get Jack back. I knew it would be easy. I knew all I had to do was call and he would come running. He is so in love with me, it's really kind of pathetic. So I come here, out to the boonies, to tell him that I'm all his. That once his father is dead, it would be just like before with us. But what do I discover when I get here? Jack's got a new little toy and I have competition. Which wouldn't have been any problem if you'd just gotten the message that you weren't wanted here and left. But you wouldn't go. No matter what I did. Well, I'm tired of waiting. So I'm just going to have to get rid of you. Nothing personal, you understand? And then once you're gone, Jack will come running back to me. And I will..."

Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door. “Abby?” It was Jack. She jumped in surprise and couldn't stop a gasp of relief as she heard his voice.

Lauren swung around and narrowed her eyes at the door. She leaned down to Abby, swinging the gun up against her temple. Whispering in her ear, Lauren ordered, “Tell him you're fine. Everything's okay."

Abby swallowed convulsively, licking her swollen lips. Lauren grabbed her hair and yanked back harder than before, twisting the long strands around her wrist until Abby's head was arched painfully back. “Do it, or I'll kill him, and then you, too. Tell him. And you'd better sound convincing."

"Jack?” Abby spoke huskily, her voice barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. “Jack, I'm fine. I'm just resting."

"Open the door, Abby. Let me in.” Jack sounded impatient.

"Give me a few minutes, okay? I, ah, I just need a little time."

"Abby, are you sure you're all right?” Concern filled his voice.

"Yes,” Abby answered, as Lauren rubbed the pistol over her cheekbone, pressing in enough to hurt. “I'm just tired, Jack."

"Well, at least come to the door and give me a kiss. I've got to get back to Clay. I just want to see you before I go. Make sure everything's all right. He's still over there putting out the fire."

Lauren looked at her thoughtfully and whispered, “Tell him you'll be there in a minute."

Abby did as told. Then Lauren released her hair and untied her hands. She let her put on a robe before pushing her in the direction of the door. Following closely behind her with the gun pressed into Abby's back, Lauren whispered her directions. “I'm going to ease open the door. Give him a kiss and tell him you love him, like a good little girl. Then get rid of him. And you'd better not do anything to let him know I'm here, or I'll shoot you where you stand. Him, too. Do you understand me?"

"Yes,” Abby whispered. With Lauren off to the side and out of sight behind the door, Abby unlocked it and eased it open a few inches, just enough to allow her to lean out so Jack could drop a kiss on her mouth. Abby stared up at Jack in an attempt to convey without words that something was going on. She couldn't tell if he suspected anything or not. He just gazed at her in concern.

Suddenly, without warning, the bedroom window crashed in, and Clay dove into the room, rolling across the floor. When Lauren turned in surprise, the gun wavered in her hand. Immediately, Jack slammed the door back, knocking against Lauren. Then he pushed Abby down and to the side, covering her with his body. Clay rushed Lauren and shoved her back, pinning her against the wall. A gunshot sounded loudly in the room before Clay managed to knock the gun from her hand.

Lauren fought him like a woman possessed, scratching and clawing at Clay and biting his hand until he cursed aloud. “Goddammit, you crazy bitch!” he shouted, losing all patience. Quickly drawing his arm back, he delivered a hard jab to her jaw, which knocked her unconscious, and she collapsed facedown onto the floor. Clay rolled her over before slapping a pair of handcuffs onto her wrists. He hefted her up and dropped her across the bed, where she lay limp as a rag doll. “Damn, she had some fight in her.” He reached up to feel the long scratch mark that ran down the side of his jaw. Then he turned to Jack and Abby. “Is everybody all right?"

"I'm okay. Abby? Did she hurt you, angel?” Jack pulled Abby up and wrapped his arms around her so tightly she could hardly breathe. But that was okay. She didn't really care about breathing. After her nightmare with Lauren, all she cared about was being held safely in Jack's embrace.

Trembling in reaction and crying with relief, she shook her head. Holding onto him, she just kept repeating over and over again, “Thank God. Thank God you came."

Jack looked down at Lauren where she lay on the bed, her eyes flickering open to stare dully at them. “What the hell were you thinking, Lauren?” She didn't answer, just turned her head away to stare at the wall. His eyes filled with a dangerous light and he took a step toward the bed, but Abby held him back.

"Please, Jack. Get me out of here.” She didn't know what he planned to do, but she knew she didn't want Jack anywhere near Lauren looking the way he did.

Jack stopped and looked down at her “All right, baby. We'll go to the other room.” He told her. “Clay, can you handle things in here by yourself?"

Clay nodded, “I'll use the short-wave to call the sheriff. Lauren isn't going anywhere."

"Thanks, man. For everything."

Clay just waved Jack and Abby from the room, already moving to turn on the shortwave.

Jack led Abby to the couch and tugged her down into his lap to cuddle her closely against him, running his hands up and down her back as if needing to reassure himself that she was really all right. Clay came into the room a few moments later and asked Abby if she felt up to telling him what had happened. Haltingly, Abby proceeded to recount all that Lauren had said and done to her. Tears were streaming down her face by the time she finished. When she stopped her recitation, Jack stroked her cheek and said, “I'm so sorry, angel. This is all my fault."

With a tear-streaked face, Abby turned to reassure him. “No, Jack, it's Lauren's fault. Not yours. I think—I think there's something wrong with her. I mean, seriously wrong. She's unbalanced."

"I agree, Jack,” Clay commented. “You can't blame yourself for what Lauren did. Abby's right. Something inside Lauren just snapped when she realized that her plans to get all that money had fallen through."

Abby nestled deeper into Jack's comforting arms, feeling completely safe for the first time in weeks. She wondered what had brought them back to the cabin so quickly. “How did you know what was going on? That I needed you?"

Jack tightened his arms about her. “When we got to the other cabin to put out the fire, we realized someone had set it to lure us up there. I was already suspicious anyway, but someone had doused a pile of green wood that was stacked up against the back of the cabin with gasoline and tried to set it on fire. It smoked a lot, but it hadn't really caught fire yet. We took care of it as fast as we could and then raced back here. We snuck around to the bedroom window to see what was going on. When we heard Lauren talking, Clay and I knew we had to get you out of there as fast as possible."

Abby told them. “She was already in the house when you left, Jack. I didn't have time to lock the doors. She caught me just as I was going into the bedroom to use the radio. I didn't know what to do since she had a gun. I thought the smartest thing would be to just go along with her and hope you would come back to the cabin pretty soon."