Page 41 of Kidnapped By a SEAL

He sprinted across the front yard, realizing he’d left his gun inside. No matter. If someone had harmed her, he’d rip them apart with his bare hands.

The mug lay on the ground, its contents spilled in the grass. “Emily!” he shouted into the forest.

There was no noise. No movement. No sound.

He turned around and ran back into the house, grabbing his gun from where he’d left it on the nightstand. He’d find her. No matter what happened or how, he’d find Emily, but he was losing precious time running back and forth.

He hustled back outside and to the dropped mug, looking around for footprints or traces of whoever had been here. No vehicles had driven up, so whoever had taken her had to be on foot. The upside was that they couldn’t have gone far. She’d been out here ten minutes, tops. And he was going to save her.

Ryker scanned the area, and he saw the grass was matted down heading off in one direction. That probably meant they’d dragged her away, which he didn’t want to think too much about, but it also gave him the best clue as to which way to go.

Bingo.

He holstered his gun and began moving toward the forest. He didn’t know who these assholes were who’d taken Emily, but he was used to tracking people down. He had survival skills they couldn’t even imagine. And they’d crossed the wrong man when they’d messed with his woman.

Ryker entered the forest and then paused, quickly texting Hunter before he lost all cell reception. His buddy had rigged up something to allow for calls and Internet access at the cabin, but there was no telling who he could contact deep in the woods.

He made sure the text was sent, and then he moved forward.

Ryker’s gaze narrowed as he saw a strand of long hair caught on a thorny bush.

A glance a few feet away showed a broken twig on a branch.

He was heading the right way. They’d been in a hurry, which was good for him, because they hadn’t been careful in their tracks. They’d left signs for him all over the place. The weeds in the ground looked trampled this way as well, and he moved quickly in the direction they’d headed.

Had whoever took Emily looped back to the road?

Someone could’ve been waiting farther down. They could’ve left their vehicle there and then traveled to the cabin on foot. He picked up his pace. If they did in fact have a car close by, he didn’t want them taking her to a second location.

His chest clenched.

How had they gotten her to come? Had they knocked her out? Threatened her with a gun?

Jesus.

His heart pounded as he moved faster, and then he was startled to hear voices up ahead. Ducking down in the foliage, he couldn’t believe his luck. Had he literally just stumbled upon them?

“No, no,” a female voice mumbled, and rage pooled within him.

Aiming his weapon in front of him, he hustled forward. What he wouldn’t give to have his SEAL team here now. This was the most important mission of his life, and he was in on it alone.

“You’re coming with me!” a male voice barked. “Don’t mess with me, woman.”

“I feel sick,” came the garbled reply. “What was that stuff?”

“Get up and move!” the man yelled. “Your boyfriend will realize you’re gone any minute.”

Rage roared through him, and Ryker ducked down behind another tree. They were less than thirty feet away now, and he could see the missing teeth in the man’s mouth as he talked. What the hell had happened to him?

The man aimed a gun at Emily, and Ryker’s gaze focused solely on his target. He didn’t have his sniper rifle, but he didn’t need it. He was within close range of this asshole. His entire world narrowed to this one target. Aiming his gun at the man’s head, he watched as he stepped closer to Emily.

He steadied his breathing, aiming right between the man’s eyes. This asshole wouldn’t even know what hit him.

The shot sounded out, and the man was already slumped over. It was over so fast, Emily looked like she didn’t even understand what had just happened. Ryker rushed over, scanning the area to make sure no one else was around, and then he was collecting Emily in his arms.

Sirens sounded in the distance, and Ryker knew his buddies had called in the police and EMTs.

He hadn’t expected Emily to leave him in an ambulance for the second time in mere days, but she was okay and that was all that mattered.

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