Page 45 of Reclaimed (Hostage Rescue Team)

Her back hit his chest and she froze, heart seizing as the stone-filled sock dug into his belly. An agonizing second slipped by, then another as she waited for him to strip off the robe and search her.

When he merely shoved her upright and continued to drag her out of the cell, her heart began beating once more.

As he turned her about to face forward with an impatient shove, she finally saw what was attached to the outside of her cell. A digital clock.

It read ten hours, in glowing red digits.

Hadad saw her looking. Holding her gaze, he reached up one hand and with great care, hit the button on the side of the clock.

Instantly the digital numbers began ticking down, counting backwards from nine hours, fifty-nine minutes. Her gaze flashed up to his, understanding slamming into her with a new horror.

She had less than ten hours to live.

An evil smile twisted his mouth. “That’s right, Summer Blackwell. Time’s running out for you,” he said, and jerked her toward the waiting stage.

Chapter Fifteen

One month ago

Adam unrolled the second sleeping bag and paused to shoot a grin at Summer over his shoulder. “Just like old times, huh?”

Her lips curved upward, that little dimple appearing near the corner of her mouth. “Yep. Colder than I remember it being last time, though.”

“I’ll keep you warm, don’t worry.”

One of their first dates had been to the drive-in, but that had been in the middle of July. They hadn’t needed sleeping bags and knit caps then. This was almost better though.

He’d parked on the same hill they always did, in a farmer’s field just off the drive-in property. From here they could still tune into the radio station needed to hear the audio for the movies, but they didn’t have to pay anything.

Not to mention the added benefit of privacy.

There were a few other vehicles parked on the hill as well, but far enough away that they couldn’t see them from their view in the back of his truck.

“You didn’t by chance happen to bring any M&Ms did you?” she asked, perched on the side of the truck bed in her jeans and down jacket. Her red hair blew around her cheeks in the cold breeze, her cheeks a pretty pink.

“Yes ma’am, I did. And hot chocolate.”

“I should have known you’d come prepared,” she teased. “Except I might not make it through the second movie because I’ll be in a sugar coma.”

He chuckled and spread the second sleeping bag out on top of the first, which he’d placed over top of a big piece of foam. “I’m not worried. But if you did, I’d figure out a way to revive you.” He’d stacked the pillows against the back of the cab, and parked the truck so that they could see the huge screen down below through the open tailgate.

Things had been going well between them lately. The counselor had suggested they go back to doing things they’d done early on in their relationship, to try and rekindle the spark they’d lost.

He’d come home one night last week to find two loaves of homemade banana bread waiting on the counter, the entire kitchen smelling like heaven. She knew it was his favorite, so she’d baked them before work and dropped them off on her way to the office.

That weekend he’d taken her hiking, to one of their favorite spots up in the hills of West Virginia. Today, he’d planned this. Normally the drive-in was closed for the winter but Christmas was right around the corner and the weather was good so the owner had advertised a Christmas-themed double feature to begin at dusk.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he’d made up for them, he began unlacing his boots and looked over at her. She was watching him, unmoving. A little stiff. He smiled to put her at ease. “You nervous?”

She flashed him a shy smile that hit him square in the heart and tucked a lock of hair beneath the knit cap she wore. “A little.”

“Don’t be.” He understood why she was nervous though. It had been a couple of months since they’d had sex last, and for various reasons it hadn’t been very good for her, despite all his efforts. She’d been too deep in her head, stiff, and hurting inside. He got the impression it had triggered a lot of stuff for her emotionally but she hadn’t said anything.

Since then she’d pulled back and they’d barely touched one another, with the exception of a few kisses and hugs over the past couple weeks.

That was all changing tonight if he had anything to say about it.

Hard as it was for him not to jump back into a sexual relationship with her—because he was dying to be intimate with his wife—he’d give her the time she needed.

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