Page 85 of Play With Me

“Where are Sophie and Anna?” Lola echoed my immediate thoughts, and our attention flew to the bridge ahead where Anna was three-quarters of the way across the swinging bridge and Sophie half way behind her, both tiptoeing across the platform like ghosts.

“What did you say to them?” I held the angry vibration that was trying to escape from my mouth behind my gritted teeth.

“I said that we’d cross as soon as it was safe. I guess they thought it was safe. Shit.” She bit her lip and gripped the straps on her backpack tightly, as if she were getting ready to dash out and didn’t want to leave anything behind. “They’re still okay. Look.”

Beyond the rocks, down in the valley, the moonshiners were minding their business, completely unaware of the trespassers above them. This could work. We could actually do this, but not if that stupid cub kept following my daughter.

“No, Boo. Stay.” I pointed to the bear that had just stepped onto the bridge as Anna finished crossing. He made his way toward Sophie, and I stopped breathing. One grunt or one squeak of the old boards and it would only take the moonshiners three seconds to set their rifles. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to breathe until Sophie was safe on the other side.

“Shh, just stay still.”

We watched as the cub crossed, warily inching his way toward Sophie. She was near the end when we decided it was a good time for us to make our way over as well, but the bear sped up near the end and joyously yelped at Sophie.

Shit!

Gunfire ricocheted through the forest as bullets whizzed in front of us. We dove to the ground, behind the rocks where the moonshiners couldn’t get at us. Anna and Sophie screamed and dashed into the forest. The bear was right behind them, and it took all my strength not to dash across that platform like Superman to get to my daughter. I tried to rise, but Lola held me down by my arm.

“We can’t go now.”

“I have to get to Sophie.” I pulled out of her grip.

“She’s with Anna. They have a GPS and the coordinates, and they’re smart enough to head to the cabin on their own. We went over this scenario on Sophie’s map, Brook. They’ve got this.”

“No, you don’t understand. I’ve failed her in so many ways already. I have to get to Sophie. I won’t let anyone hurt her again. I have to get to my d—”

A resounding slap connected with my face. Lola’s whack shook me awake. I widened my eyes, sucked in a long breath, and focused on Lola, just the way she’d intended.

“Brook, get a hold of yourself. You won’t be any good to your niece with bullet holes in your body. We’ll get to Sophie, but let’s do this the smart way.”

In awe of her composure, astonished how not only my body but my heart wanted to listen to her, I waited for her instruction. I was falling for her. I was falling for her hard. I didn’t want to play any games any longer, not unless the game was one where I was Sophie’s father and Lola would agree to be her stepmother. I just wanted her. She made me feel like I could actually pull this father role off. Lola made me a better dad, and I wanted her to know that. She was so good for Sophie. I could no longer imagine my life without Lola.

I then watched as her face went pale and she grabbed the middle of her chest. Her face twisted with pain to the point where I could almost feel it in my own chest. I watched as her eyes filled with agonizing tears.

“Lola? Lola, what’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. Something’s wrong.”

“What is it?”

She was fixated on the rocks across the canyon where Sophie was crouching near the end of the bridge. Waiting.

What is she waiting for?

And just like that, I felt an urgent ache in my heart as well.

“Sophie!” Lola screamed.

She was too late. We both were too late, and we watched from across the canyon as two thugs approached and someone else snatched her from behind. She didn’t even have a chance to scream.

Chapter 20

Lola

Iwanted to scream, but I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight and then empty. As I watched Sophie get snatched, I didn’t stop to think but leapt past Brook, running toward the bridge, praying that I could dash past the flying bullets that began to skim by my head. Halfway across the bridge, I dove once, got up, ran again, and dove once more near the end, crossing to safety. I dashed to the side, listening to my instincts and the forest at the same time. I followed the sound of distracted birds and headed north. Brook, the stupid asshole, ran behind me. When I’d last turned around to check, he was in the middle of the bridge, diving to the boards, but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t help him evade those bullets - he had to do that on his own now. I wouldn’t stop until I had Sophie in my arms again.

It was moments later that I heard Brook getting closer. He must have been pushing himself because I was certainly pushing myself as well. I pushed even harder for about half an hour before I had to stop for a moment to ensure I was heading the right way.

“What were you saying about being smart about this?” he asked, bracing his arms over his knees, trying to catch his breath. I removed a water bottle from my backpack and drank half of it, and then passed it to him and said, “That was before Sophie was snatched.”

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