Page 65 of Protecting Jess

Whoever had her stopped by a van.

Why did they always have vans?

He yanked her up by her good arm, the movement jarring her injury, and another hot shaft of pain radiated down her arm.

This time, Jess bit her lip hard, so he wouldn’t know his actions had hurt her. No way was she giving him more power over her.

“Sit.” He pushed her down on the bench seat, tossing her bag on the ground before rummaging into a duffle that was at her feet. He extracted some cable ties and tape.

No, he’s not going to restrain me. I won’t let him.

The mantra ran through her mind as she fought against him.

She opened her mouth to scream, but he slapped her hard, her head snapping violently to the side.

Jess was dazed for a few seconds, and that was all he needed to tape her mouth shut and bind her feet.

Her captor grabbed her arms to deal with them, and this time, the pain was so intense, her vision clouded.

She could feel the stitches in her wound ripping. Imagined the blood seeping into her top. Tears welled in her eyes but she blinked them away. She didn’t want to show any weakness, but her shoulder throbbed.

“Now, that’s so much better. I don’t want to hear your voice. Keep quiet and still and things will be so much easier.”

“Who are you?” Because of the tape across her mouth, her question came out as a muffled mess.

Her kidnapper looked at her and laughed before shutting the door.

At least this time, she’d gotten a good look at his face and committed what he looked like to memory. When, not if, she was rescued, she wanted to be able to give the police a good description of the person who took her.

Twenty-Two

Finn dropped the three chocolate bars and ran out of the hospital cafeteria. The feeling that’d enveloped him when Jess was stabbed had returned.

She was in danger. She needed him.

He didn’t know how he knew; he just did.

Instead of waiting for the elevator, he headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time until he reached her floor. The exit door slammed against the wall when he opened it and the people nearby all stopped and stared.

Finn probably looked like a madman. Someone hell-bent on doing harm, and he could unleash hell if he wanted to. That was what he was trained for.

Ignoring them, he raced to Jess’s room, where he found her doctor and a nurse looking around the room, as if hoping Jess would miraculously appear.

“Where is she?” he demanded breathlessly. He bent at the knee and sucked in a couple of breaths.

“You didn’t come and get her?” the nurse asked.

“Does it look like I have her?” he returned. “I wouldn’t have asked if I knew where she was.”

“Okay, let’s remain calm,” the doctor said. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for where Ms. Killian is.”

Finn clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to keep his cool. “I hope there is. But I think there’s not. I think she’s been taken, and we need to get security in here now.”

Without waiting for the doctor to respond, he pulled his cellphone out, wishing he’d connected Jess’s phone to his so that he could track her. Luckily, he knew someone who could.

He found Tex’s details and connected the call. “Come on, answer,” he muttered as the ringing went on and on. Voicemail kicked in and he bit back a curse. “Tex, it’s Finn Spelling. I need your help. Someone’s taken Jess from the County Hospital in San Diego. Call me as soon as you can, please.”

“I think you’re jumping to conclusions, Mr. Spelling. We don’t know for sure that Ms. Killian has been taken. Couldn’t she have simply gone for a walk?” The doctor smiled reassuringly.

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