Page 107 of Samuel

“Yes. And never fear, Evelyn. Samuel will know just where to go to retrieve you. But I can’t have you seeing an escape route or knowing how to get away before I’m ready.”

The fabric slipped over Evie’s head and plunged her into darkness. She just needed to keep a level head and remember that the baby needed her to be calm. But the stale air under the fabric quickly had her fighting back wave after wave of nausea as he walked her out of the barn and shoved her into the back of a vehicle.

Something rough and frayed slipped around her wrists as she waited for Garrett to buckle her in.

Rope.

“Can’t have you trying to escape, now can we?” The excitement in his voice made her want to scratch his eyes out. If she wasn’t worried about Jellybean getting hurt, that’s exactly what she would have done.

“Garrett, please. There has to be an easier way to do things. This isn’t okay.” She fought to get her hands free, but he yanked them painfully away from her body and she yelped, trying to stay seated upright.

“Can you breathe?” he asked as he finished up tying her hands together.

“Y-yes.”

“Then you’ll be fine.”

The car door slammed shut next to her. He hadn’t buckled her in. Evie’s heart went into overdrive as the car’s engine started, and she felt them pull away from the ranch. She twisted sideways, trying to find the edge of the seatbelt to do it for herself, but she couldn’t manage it.

As soon as Garrett took the first curve faster than was necessary, Evie reached out and held on to the headrest of theseat in front of her. It was her only hope of staying upright and not banging into something if Garrett continued to drive recklessly.

The moment Evie felt stable, she began to memorize the turns. She tried to count the time in between them, to know the way back to the ranch. But after what felt like maybe five or ten minutes, she gave up hope of that working. Even if she was able to remember the directions, it was too hot outside for her to be walking all the way back on her own.

“Call Clarke.” Garrett’s command jolted Evie. They’d been driving for so long that Evie’s arms were growing weak. But she still held on tightly, knowing that simple action was keeping Jellybean as safe as she could. For a split second, Evie thought about screaming. About begging the person on the other end of the line to help her.

But she knew if Garrett was calling them in front of her, they weren’t somebody who would help her, anyway. So she stayed quiet. And she listened.

“What do you want?”A strange voice answered over the car’s speaker system.

“Clarke, I’ve decided to speed things up a bit with my plans. I expect you’ll be waiting for me in a few hours to finalize the paperwork.”

“Jesus Christ, Garrett. I’m presiding over a trial today. I’m not just at your beck and call whenever you fucking feel like it.”

“I didn’t really think an honorable judge like yourself would want those pictures getting out. But if I’m wrong, Clarke, just let me know. I can have them circulated right to the courthouse in a matter of minutes.”

“No. No. I don’t want that. I’ll figure something out and adjourn the trial until tomorrow. You’re sure you’ll have the paperwork for me this afternoon?”

“Yes. My insurance policy is currently sitting in the back seat of my car.”

Garrett was blackmailing a judge. Over the paperwork he was going to force Sam to sign. He was going to make Samsign over the ranch, and her safety was going to be the thing that he held over Sam’s head.

“I’m just about to drop her off, Clarke. I’ll send you a message when it’s done.”

“Fine. I want all the copies you have of the pictures when this is all done, Garrett. I mean it.”

“I know the terms of the deal. I set them myself, remember?”

The car slowed, Evie’s body lurching forward as Garrett parked the car. That was the last straw. She knew the only thing she could do was fight back. She wouldn’t make it easy on him. There was no way she’d let Sam sign over the Ranch to Garrett.

As soon as Garrett had the car parked, her brain took off. The only thing she had going for her was the fact that he hadn’t tied up her legs. If she could get them under her, she might be able to kick out against him. She could get the keys and drive away. That what she–

Heat scorched her skin as Garrett’s hand landed on her arm. God, she wasn’t paying attention. He’d already made it around the car to her, and with one swift yank, she was stumbling out onto the ground.

“Sit. Now.”

“Outside?” This whole time she’d been thinking he was taking her to his house.

“Yes. Outside. I heard you had a hard time saying goodbye to those heifers I killed. Figured you might want to sit with my herd for a while, and say hi. Although, honestly, if I were you, I’d figure out a way to get away from them as quickly as I could. Cows are unpredictable at best when they’re spooked.

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