Page 5 of Relentless

CHAPTER THREE

Liam confirmed the van in front of him was the target vehicle and scanned ahead for a suitable place to force the kidnappers off the road. The trick was to stop them without endangering Piper.

Nothing but ditches, trees, rocks and rock faces lay between the van and the interstate. That left one option. He passed the van on the left and whipped in front of the vehicle.

Hoping his ride was as reinforced as Bear, the favored Fortress mechanic, had promised, Liam braced himself for impact and hit his brakes. At the speed with which the van was traveling, the driver didn’t have time to react. He slammed into the back of the SUV.

Liam fought to control the slide as the van’s momentum shoved his SUV forward. As soon as both vehicles stopped, Liam scrambled out the passenger side door and rolled to a crouch, Sig drawn and ready.

He moved to the rear fender well, the section in the deepest shadow. He saw the driver but not the thug in the back. He also didn’t see the woman who was sunshine to his darkness.

“Get out of the vehicle with your hands up,” Liam ordered. “Now.”

The driver stirred, glanced back into the cargo area, leaned to the side for a second, then opened the door.

He had a gun. Liam scowled. Idiot. He hated that Piper might have to see him kill someone, but her safety was paramount even if he lost her because of it.

The driver raised one hand in the air. “Hey, man, sorry about the accident. Couldn’t stop fast enough.”

“Raise both hands.”

“Can’t. I, uh, think I cracked a rib or something. Hurts too bad to reach with my right hand.”

Keeping the passenger side door in his peripheral vision, Liam waited for the driver to make his move. “Walk toward me.”

The driver shuffled toward the front of the van. At the last second, he raised his right hand and pointed a weapon at Liam and fired.

Liam squeezed the trigger of his Sig. His bullet pierced the driver’s forehead. The body dropped to the ground. Liam dove into the ditch as the van’s side door opened and the second thug fired multiple shots at him.

“Back off or I kill the woman,” the kidnapper shouted.

“Not going to happen.”

“You think I’m kidding?”

“I think you want to walk away in one piece. If you harm her, you’re a dead man.”

A harsh laugh. “Want to negotiate?”

“Terms.”

“Safe passage out of this wilderness.”

“Let her go and you walk away.”

“Just like that?” Skepticism rang in the stranger’s voice. “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”

“You don’t.”

“Not much of a bargain.”

“I want the woman. You want to save your own skin. Guess it comes down to which one you value more.” He silently urged the thug to make up his mind. Liam needed to check on Piper.

“Yeah, all right. We’re coming out. Don’t shoot.” Seconds later, a big bruiser appeared, using Piper as a human shield. His arm was wrapped around her neck to hold her in place, a weapon held by his side.

Liam’s lip curled. Piper wasn’t a good human shield. Although the thug kept her in the center of his chest to protect his heart and hunched enough to obscure most of his head, Liam had been trained by the best snipers in the business. He didn’t need a large target to do a lot of damage.

“Put down your gun,” demanded the kidnapper.

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