KIDNAPPED, A Romantic Suspense Novel (4 page)

She gasped. Her eyes grew wide with fright once more.

“Enough questions. Where’s your bedroom?”

“Please. I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me.” She tried to struggle. He released her hair and grabbed one arm as much to hold himself up as to lead her through the house in the direction of the bedroom he’d seen earlier.

“Shut up and just move, Samantha.”

Inside the bedroom, Jake closed the door behind them. With great will power he stood with his back pressed against it. “Climb onto the bed.”

“No, I won’t.” Even though her words were a challenge the muscles in her jaw clenched and her eyes grew wide once more with fright. He knew he was being a jerk scaring her like this. For now, though, he needed her cooperation, not another discussion.

“Now, Samantha.” He leaned heavy against the door. Sheer determination kept him vertical. He dropped the bag of peas on her dresser next to the door, then reached down, pulling out the switchblade he carried in the lining of his boot. He clicked it open. It had saved his life in more than one tight spot. He narrowed his eyes menacingly at her. Tonight, he’d only use it to convince her to cooperate with him.

Eyes fixed on the gleaming stiletto blade Samantha inhaled deeply, her breasts rising and falling quickly. For a moment, Jake thought she meant to call his bluff. He flicked the knife at her. “Do it. Now!”

Resignation flitted across her face. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she pulled off her thin scrub jacket.

Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out the panty hose he’d used earlier to bind her in the car. “Lay down.” He moved toward her, the knife blade glinting in the lamplight.

Samantha scooted backward onto the bed. “Please, I’ve done everything you have asked of me. Really, I have.” She begged him, all the time squeezing her body tight against the headboard.

He hated seeing her that frightened of him. But if her fear gained him her cooperation, then he’d use it to his advantage.

“Hold out your hands.”

She held them out, and he managed to loop one wrist then the other into the hose, never loosening his hold on the knife. “Hands up.”

Samantha held her hands over her head.

He set the knife on the table to tie her hands to the headboard’s rails.

She was quick. With one swift move, her knee contacted with his thigh, inches from his groin.

His vision went black, then stars appeared. He managed to fall onto her, holding her in place. “Dammit.”

“Get off me.” She tried to wiggle.

His vision returned quick enough to let him finish tying her to the headboard. Then he pressed one hand over her mouth and nose. It took a moment for her to get the message, but she stilled quickly.

“Don’t...ever...do...that...again,” he gasped out.

She nodded beneath his hand. He moved it off her nose so she could breathe.

He lay on top of her for a few more minutes, while the pain subsided. The same clean citrus scent tickled his mind. Her soft body beneath his fit him in all the right places. The two soft mounds of her breasts pressed up against his chest. Her face felt soft against the curve of his neck and shoulder, and he inhaled the sweet scent of flowers off her hair.

Despite the kick that barely missed his genitals, his body responded to her instinctively. Her eyes grew wide, but with fright a new kind of fright. He knew she recognized his beginning erection for what it was. With a sigh, he pushed himself off of her.

He left her there, while he went to check on Nicky. The boy appeared to be sleeping soundly. Good.

Returning to the bedroom, he left the door open and turned off the light. He looked at Samantha. “Am I going to have to gag you again? Or are you going to be quiet.”

“I won’t be quiet while you rape me.”

“Despite how enticing your body felt a moment ago, rape is not my modus operandi with women.” Wearily, he climbed in behind her, curving his body to mold against hers. He draped one arm over her waist. Breathing deep of her scent, sultry woman and lemons, a deep sigh escaped him.

“I...just...need....to......sleep.”

* * *

Sami struggled to climb out of the deep, dark, hot cave. Her arms ached from trying to climb up out of it. Hard tree roots entangled her legs and her waist.

Wait. That was an arm.

A man’s arm lay heavily across her waist and abdomen. Now she knew she was dreaming. The only way a man had been in her bed in more than four years was in her dreams. She tried to clear some of the fuzziness out of her sleepy brain. There had been a man. One with a very nice butt.

Her eyes flew open.

She looked up. Yep, her hands were tied to the headboard. She looked down. Her kidnapper, no, wait he’d told her his name was Jake. His leg covered hers and his very masculine arm held her pressed back against him.

Warm breath flowed softly against her neck and ear. Tremors shot through her body. Sami’s eyes rolled closed. So long. It had been so long. It would be so easy to give in to the sensations.

“You feel so good, Samantha.”

She shivered as his sleep-roughened voice whispered into her ear.

“So soft. So warm.”

Sami fought hard to smother the moan that wanted to escape her. Really, she did. It slipped out her lips anyway.

His hand slid across her belly. A finger slipped into her belly button, briefly. She trembled again. Then the hand pressed her tight against his body. She felt his erection against her buttocks.

That damn moan escaped again. Could it really be held against her if she let her body follow its own desire while he held her prisoner like this?

Then slowly he eased his body away from hers.   

She felt his weight leave the bed. Her eyes popped open and she stared at the lavender and mint green print wallpaper she’d hung just last month.

The toilet flushed. Her bathroom drawers opened and closed one by one. Finally, she heard him come into the room. She closed her eyes tight. She couldn’t believe she’d responded like that to a virtual stranger. And one that had invaded her life in such a violent way.

“Samantha?” He stood in front of her.

She swallowed hard and opened her eyes. He fixed those intense blue eyes on her once more.

“It’s okay. Nicky and I’ll be out of here later today. I promise.” He untied her hands from the headboard, but left them tied together. He helped her sit. Then he rubbed her aching shoulders. “I’m going to let you clean up in the shower, but please, no more trying to get away.”

The tender way he asked took her off guard. She feared if she answered him, she’d end up crying or begging him to come back to bed. Instead, she silently nodded.

“Good.” He led her into the bathroom by the hose-rope around her wrists, then untied them, too. His lips rose in a half smile that sent her hormones soaring, then he closed the door and left her alone.

Sami locked the door and leaned against it. She groaned loudly.

This was not good. She must be going crazy. The man had kidnapped her, tied her up, knocked her down, yelled at her, threatened her, tied her again and held her prisoner in her own home. Yet, for the first time in years she’d awakened warm and secure in a man’s arms this morning. And she’d liked it.

How pathetic. Was she so isolated from her emotions that she’d welcome the physical contact of any man, even a possible criminal?

Through the door she heard him milling about her room. She didn’t have time to contemplate the psychological implication of that question. He’d be back any minute for her.

Quickly, she stripped, jumped into the luke-warm shower and washed all the vital parts. She toweled off and pulled on her robe. When her eyes fell on the folded pair of blue panties and bra laying on top of a pair of faded jeans and dark blue T-shirt resting on the vanity, she sat down hard on the toilet.

When had he put those there? While she showered? No, she’d locked the door. He’d brought them while she’d been tied up, anticipating what she’d need? What kind of man was this?

She considered everything she knew about him.

First, the police wanted him. Or at least he’d been shot by them. Secondly, he knew not to go to the emergency room for help. So he must be aware of the hospital’s requirement to report any gunshots or stabbings to the police. Third, he hadn’t really hurt her. Oh, he’d invaded her life, and tackled her. But other than threaten her, he had yet to do any real physical harm to her.

A laugh bubbled out of nowhere. He reminded her of her oldest brother. Dave liked to throw his weight around to prove how big and bad a lawman he was. Yet his wife, Judy, could turn him into a pussycat with just one look.

Sami looked at her folded clothes again. Jake had taken the time to anticipate her needs this morning. This was no ordinary kidnapper.

A knock on the door broke her reverie.

“Samantha? You aren’t really going to make me come in there after you, are you?”

His tone suggested she shouldn’t test him, not if she wanted to keep her door intact.

“Uhm, no. I’ll be out in a minute.”

She dressed in record time, running her brush through her hair and tying it in a ponytail.

What are you doing? You cannot trust this man! No matter how much your body wants you to surrender. Just because he didn’t rape you last night, doesn’t mean he won’t attack you today.

The voice made sense this time.

A weapon. She needed something to use so she could escape.

She opened her vanity drawers. Scissors. She knew she had a pair of them in here, somewhere. Or a razor. Didn’t she have one of those old fashioned, double-edged razor blades? Frantically she searched. Nothing. Where had they gone?

A louder knock on the door. “It’s no use, Samantha. I got all the sharp items out earlier. Come out now.

She hung her head for a moment. Then she took a deep, steadying breath and opened the door.

Jake stood before her in his jeans, boots and a blue plaid shirt left by her ex-husband. Damn there wasn’t an inch of fat on the man. He looked like the poster boy for hard, dangerous and sexy.

“Hope you don’t mind me borrowing this shirt.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind.” What was she going to say? Yes? He filled it out better than her ex ever had.

His hand snaked out grabbing her by the arm. “Good girl. Now, come and look at Nicky.”

He led her into her own living room.

She jerked to a stop at the foot of her couch. Seeing the small body tucked beneath her ancient afghan, the dark hair matted to the child’s pale face, for a moment she thought it was Aimee.

Pain, so real she almost crumbled to her knees filled her chest. She’d avoided caring for children in the ER for the past four years just to keep the anguish and grief buried. It was the only way she could get through each day. Last night she’d thought of the child as another trauma patient, one she needed to keep alive to stay alive. She worked in automatic mode in the interest of self-preservation.

How was she supposed to care for him now? He reminded her so much of Aimee, lying there, pale and listless.

“What’s the matter, Samantha?” Jake gripped her arm tighter and pulled her forward. “Is something wrong with Nicky?”

Jake’s fingers digging into her arm and his harsh tone reminded her she had no choice but to care for the boy. Once again she shoved her pain and regret to the deepest part of her soul and forced herself into nurse mode.

“Hey there. Did you sleep well?” She leaned down, laying her hand on his forehead, then the back of his neck. “He’s a little warm, but he doesn’t feel like he has a temperature.” She felt his pulse. She glanced at Jake. “It’s a little fast. Could be the start of a temperature, or just because he lost so much blood.”

“Can he travel today?”

“I don’t know.” She looked at the bandages across Nicky’s chest and abdomen. The boy tensed, trying to cover them with his hands. “Shh. It’s okay, Nicky, I just want to look. I promise not to make it hurt like last night.”

Jake translated for her in that other language she now assumed was Russian. The way he called him Nicholai gave her a big hint. Whatever Jake said, the boy settled back against the couch, letting her look beneath his dressings.

“It’s early, but there aren’t any signs of a raging infection this morning.” She smiled at Nicky. “Would you like something to drink?”

Nicky looked up at Jake, then back at Sami. “Yes, please.”

Definitely a Russian accent.

Jake helped her stand, holding onto her elbow all the way into the kitchen. While she poured Nicky some water, he searched her cabinet drawers.

“What are you looking for?”

“Just checking which drawers have knives in them. As cute as you are this morning, I can’t have you escaping before Nicky and I leave.”

She ignored the cute comment. “So, you’re leaving this morning?”

“That’s my plan, but it hinges on one vital fact.”

“Which is?” She carried the water to Nicky, helping him drink.

“Whether or not I can trust my boss.” Jake leaned against the doorframe, she sensed his gaze following her movements.

She tried not to think about how they had awakened. Despite her efforts, her body warmed under his gaze. She tucked the afghan once more around Nicky, who drifted off to sleep. Then she took the glass to the kitchen. Jake barely moved to make room for her. Her arms grazed his as she passed, and the scent of Cinnamon tickled her nose once more.

“Where is the nearest payphone?”

“At the local drug store. Two blocks down to the left. Of course, if you hadn’t disabled mine, you could have used it.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered. I need a secure, untraceable line.”

Sami filed that comment away with the others. The man talked like some kind of secret agent.

“Back to the bedroom, Samantha.”

Her heart started to pound. She dug her heels into the carpeting. “Why?”

“Because,” he said as he pulled her along. “I need to leave and I am not about to allow you to run for help, that’s why.”

He shoved her onto the bed, wrapping the strip of nylon around her hands again. When he went to tie them over her head, she pulled away.