Page 85 of Mountain Protector

It’s almost incapacitating.

“Don’t think your dad is safe, either. I can call him for help. Get him in an office. And then…” The gun presses hard between my breasts. “I think you know what comes next.”

Can this really be happening?

“Let’s go.” Ed pushes me in front of him and pushesthe barrel against the small of my back. “Before your stupid boyfriend gets here and ruins everything.” He pauses. “Here’s how it’s going to work. We’re going to take the back stairwell. If anyone asks, you’re under the weather and I’m just walking you out. And if you say anything?—”

“Yes,” I snap. My temper flares. “You’ll shoot them. I know.”

Ed smacks the back of my head, hard enough to make my ears ring. “Remember who has the fucking gun, here. So shut your damn mouth.”

As we leave my office, terror sweeps through me. The hallway is empty, which isn’t surprising considering at this hour, most people are on calls or busy catching up on emails. There’s no one to notice something off, not that I could say anything if they did. There’s not even anyone to see me leaving.

How long has it been since Knox’s last text? Five minutes? Ten? What is he going to think when he gets to my office to find me gone and my phone left behind on my desk?

He’s going to be soworried.

“Faster,” Ed mutters in my ear. “Move it.”

Wait.

How could I have forgotten?

The necklace. With the tracker. And the alert. Knox might not be tracking me now, thinking I’m still safely at the office. But if he sees my alert go off, he’ll know I’m in trouble. He can change course, follow me to wherever Ed’s planning to go. Hopefully before…

No. I can’t think about that.

Just trigger the necklace.

As we enter the stairwell, Ed glances back to make sure the door is shut. In the moment his attention is split, I quickly reach for the necklace and press it hard, hoping with all my heart that I actually triggered it. That I pressed the little button hard enough. That it really works.

“Move. Faster.” The stupid gun jabs into my back again, hard enough to bruise.

“I’m moving as fast as I can. Do you want me to—” My mouth clamps shut. It’s probably best not to give him ideas. I grip the bannister as we hurry down the stairs, now terrified Ed will bypass shooting me and just push me down them.

When we get out to the back parking lot, it’s a jarring incongruity. The sun is out, turning the snowbanks into fluffy piles of glittering diamonds. The air is crisp and clean, a contradiction to the suffocating fear filling my chest.

Ed shoves me ahead of him and says, “Get in your car. You’re driving.”

What?

Why?

“I don’t understand?—”

“Shut up. Just do it.”

None of this makes sense. The gun. The very evident fact that Ed was involved in trying to kill me. May still be planning to kill me.

When we get to my car, Ed pulls my key fob from his pocket and unlocks the doors. The move is so similar to what Knox thoughtfully did for me only hours ago, tears spring to my eyes.

I want Knox.

I want him so badly it’s a physical pain.

Ed shoves me in through the passenger side and slides in beside me. The gun settles against my ribs, and I hear that horrible sound I’ve become all too familiar with.

The click.

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