Page 72 of Be Courageous

Making his way through the quiet galley, headed for the cabins on the lower level, Miles froze at the sound of the door he’d just entered opening behind him. He whirled to find his father leaning heavily against it. Drake’s left eye was already beginning to blacken, and his upper lip was cut and bleeding.

“Thanks a lot.” Pushing off the door, his father joined him. “What’d you do with the kids?”

“Paid ’em off. You okay?”

“Paid ’em with what?” Dad licked his bleeding upper lip.

“Money for my current assignment. What’d you do with the skipper?”

His father jingled a set of small keys. “Locked him in the engine room.” He gestured with his head toward the back of the boat. “Let’s do this.”

Miles wheeled away, intent on getting to McKenzie immediately.

His father caught him by the shoulder for a second time that morning. “Slow down there, hotshot. Your silver tongue might have gotten you this far, but Ashton Ravenel’s going to recognize you from the trial. I’m betting he’s armed and ready to kill.”

At the reminder, Miles retrieved the pistol from under his pant leg. “I hope he tries.”

His father flashed him a smile. “That sounds like something I would say. But you’re not authorized for a home invasion, so don’t get carried away.”

“Right.”

“Best we can hope for is to charge him with kidnapping. A few years in jail’s better than nothing.”

Miles nodded. He and his father agreed on that much, at least.

With a lurching of his stomach, he remembered McKenzie was alone with Ashton down in the bowels of his boat. He launched himself down the steep carpeted stairs. He had to get to her before Ashton killed her—or worse.

* * *

Ashton recovered faster than McKenzie had hoped he would. As he slowly stood, huffing with the effort it took, she twisted onto her knees to face the headboard. It was bolted to the wall, which meant tugging wasn’t going to free her. Still, she had to try.

A glance over her shoulder showed him putting a knee on the bed. One cheek was bright red from where she’d clobbered him. His sunken eyes burned with hatred.Oh, God, help me.

“Now you’ve asked for it.” His slate gray eyes burned with loathing. “I was going to kill you quickly and painlessly, but not now. Oh no. I’m going to drag it out for days. You’ll be begging for mercy by the time I’m through cutting you to pieces.”

The words came as no surprise. She’d known of the Cohort’s torturous techniques since she’d read her mother’s journals. Her only hope was to lose consciousness early on and never wake up again.

He lunged suddenly, making a grab for her ankles, but a quick heel-strike to his chin caused Ashton to bite his tongue. He howled in rage and lunged again. Manacling both ankles at once, he yanked her knees out from under her.

McKenzie’s temple plowed into the brass bar so hard her head rang. She willed oblivion to overtake her, but with a painful tug on her hair, Ashton kept her conscious.

His weight pressed her down into the mattress. He breathed hard, expelling his foul breath into her face. “I’m going start with your ears, and then I’ll take off your pretty little nose.” He pinched it between his fingers and twisted it.

McKenzie shuddered at the visions in her head.This cannot be happening.God loves me.

As if in confirmation of that thought, the door crashed open.

Ashton sprang off the bed, allowing her to see two men surge through the door that now listed on torn hinges. Pointing their guns at Ashton’s gaping expression, they shouted, “FBI! Get down on the ground!”

Boneless with relief, McKenzie watched Ashton stumble back to the far wall, blubbering threats. The elder of the two men tackled him to the floor, grappling him into submission in seconds.

Then the first man pivoted toward the bed. “McKenzie.”

She blinked to clear her vision as he joined her on the mattress, his hazel eyes skimming her for injuries.

“Miles?” She reached out with her free hand to be certain. His features, faded from memory after three long years, were suddenly, dearly familiar. “Is it really you?”

“It’s me, Angel.” His expression reflected a tangle of emotions ranging from delight to fury upon finding her chained to the bed.

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