T E R

G. SHE CROUCHED IN THE

e driveway alongside the

t all along. She'

noise, she opted to stay in place a

, and she'd stifled a scream upon witnessing Travis surr

at surprised her. From the moment she'd laid eyes on him,

n? It didn't make sense. But

veway: two SUVs and what looked like a renta

hands behind his back and began nudg

had been turned on. She assumed they were tos

. . . shit, from her. Her cell phone was still on and

way and gunfire sprayed th

en't fake

ng off the call from her brother Harrison, and k

her head on something hard a

o she could move again even t

treaked her cheeks, but her legs fel

. "No. Let me go." She struggled, trying to bre

ou now." An accented voice foun

plea would be in vain. She was up against three

und herself back at the ca

floor, her knees bangi

ad to find Travis's blue

king his head ever so slightly as if disappointed. "Don't hurt

unrecognizable to her. "She's important to m

her a message

back, forcing her flat against the floor now. She turned her cheek to try and prevent

all the more reason to p

closed, preparing for death. Bu

She knows everything

t of the man's dark shoes as they inche

in with me," Travis added, ma

" the man said so casually she

is yelled. "The USB

to her, but she prayed to God

inted the gun at her and

e, and I know the other five. It

like a self-defense mechanism that would prote

now you're tell

risk?" Travis's self-assured tone with not th

e thought about all of the things she still wanted

muscles banded tight. She struggled, flounderin

off me!" she beg

and she shut her eyes. Wasn't seeing someone's

lyw

her skin crawling. His black brows dropped as his dark

r a savior, not sure what the hell ki

thes on." Travis's voice was rough and intimidating, but the

nd she can stay clothed."

, and a slow creep of redness spread up his throat and then deepened a

ion to Eva after a breathy hu

masked men roped their hands around his arms in an attempt to hold him back

dice as to whether you lied about the code or

not wired," Travis said a mo

our undergarment

in her stomach traveled north and into her chest, and

length brown boots. Her fast pulse pricked her neck as she went th

here. While he'd dropped easily in the driveway earlier, for some reaso

usly lifted it over her head. She immediately clutched it in front of her chest

like she was sure the men in the room were- no, his eyes were burning with hate, with something dar

nder motioned f

an speaking in a different language. He held two phones in hi

She opened her arms wid

ce and stomped on them with his booted foot-and then

The burn of Ender's gaze was

ced Travis back to his feet. He whispered, "

ffee on your blouse or for deletin

tting you kidnapped

already sitting inside. His ankles were tied and his hands were behi

positioned in the same way,

ent later, and they were

h a plan. But she had a feeling she couldn't write herself out of this mess. This wa

is asked once the en

on th

I'm not,"

later. "You were never suppo

to finish filming four days earl

ions down her throat, trying to find some sens

m about me?" Tremors

"Otherwise they'd have put a bullet

She couldn't even

d herself. This was reality. But how

as bo

story Channel–and–

not Eva. And she hadn't b

ything to have her old life back if i

t's not who you are." She narrowed her eyes, trying to see better. She could

er to shake yo

e ever believe anything he said? "What the hell happened back there? You

he rushed out. "You were

but this is insane." "Y

but how could they possibly be fine afte

n, too, they'll come get us." Disappoin

come for us, though, do

hurt, which trumps whateve

to happen? Who is Malik? And

erior of the truck before he answered.

ught to be clued in." She was close to snapping like

you'll be safe soon. Why don't you try distr

"And what do you suggest for a distraction? Yo

e inside of a truck, and so am I. I'm thinking there's

not go

ople. "I'm thinking we are. Your so-called team won't be able to fin

it for the right moment to rescue us. We're driving in the

ow?" She shut her eyes. "Are yo

ing lik

just tell me that?" She arched her back and shifted on her bottom, trying to keep her limbs f

an quantity," he said, his

the wheel should've broken her; but somehow, she found herself cl

for what?" Her questions pinged off the metal wa

, "None of that matters

ay

nd be back home right now. "If you really want to provide me with

rse, he rem

ed at her heart. "Your people are only going to come for us

you. Try not to

ldn't be able to see her. "Sure. You told me not

s my f

y, but he didn't of

er head, knowing she was wasting her breath. The man probably cou

p to the cabin?"

nted to come up here. I like the quiet. Being a

e a wr

working on a screenplay. I'm stuck on the ending. Of c

't have

to be the same." "Well, w

want me to?" "It's that o

about myself," she said

her a

Her hands were offi

to talk about yourself. I

to escape the life, she'd found herself right back in it by working on SEAL Security. Destined to be, she su

at I ex

rgetting where she was right now, her heartbeat even beginning to settl

t say

expecting?" "Someth

oks can be

voice. "So, uh, what TV show do you

d then I'm on set during filming." She'd give anything for tonight to have been a s

hint of humor in his voice, and

ou?" A slip of ange

but she could hear his smile,

you, the show is

t know how true to life it is sinc

e road, cutting her off. They fishtailed, giving her a serious case of whiplash. Had she

s words stealing her breath and catching he

head banged against the wall. She looked up to see Luke hanging above her; his han

uch longer, though. She jerked her head to the side an

in of his cuffs probably broken, and he p

s the truck slid on the road, bouncing from

his chin, as gunfire rippled through

th each blast, worried she'd get hit. The noise intensified,

fast once the truck finally st

bullets continued to ping the exterior

ried, her shoulders fli

sound of the truck door sliding open had her crani

was

point, could she dist

nk and avert her gaze. Luke lifted his hands above he

and she had to assume he was

ration to live, to survive this hell

answered. "Anyone get hit?" t

he fact that no bullet had penetrated th

od," Lu

to work at her hands, holding a

" Luke scoffed as the

account for." After freeing Eva's hands and

d the metal bracelets still circling his wrists, the

ve the feeling within them, and then Luke took

from the SUV's high beams

y in the snow bank off to the side of the road, and she cri

f her back, the stroke of his fingers, e

d, her words probably getting

re. Can you give me a mi

ights from behind casting a glow around him as if he

ve. Try not to look at

en walking around, dressed in tactical gear. Military-style fatigues and bulletproof vests. They

s in a ponytail, and her eyes were focused on Eva, even though she was speaking to

who had untied her

I'm okay." She watche

e dead body closest to

the freezing temperature and snowfall, so she rushed to th

okay," she said, her voice trembling. She wiped her mouth and slowly turned to face him. "They'

ething the po

She didn't appear to have an accent des

protected me in the truck. She attempted to brush past Luke as if she co

one swift movement and tu

ed his chin toward the bodies that were n

ght. "Yeah, well, they're dead. So, let me call the police and

," the woman said and then looked to

ps. "Get Knox over here. Find out if

t and looked up at him. "Please let me go.

en. "Unfortunately, I can't let you leave. You got yourself involved in

in her New York loft. She did not want to be on the side of

n washed over her. "I wish you didn't have to be, either," he whispered