Page 70 of Abducted

She hesitated at the corner of the hall and the kitchen. Icicles prickled her spine.

A tall, black form rounded the corner of the kitchen. She screamed. Her back slammed against the wall behind her. She sliced the air with the knife.

“Lana!”

Cal.

She dropped the knife to the floor. It landed with a clatter and danced at their feet. She flung herself against his chest.

He closed her in his arms. “I told you to stay,” he growled into her hair. Another crash sounded from the bedroom.

“Someone broke the bedroom window. He’s almost inside.” Her voice shook, and her body trembled like a leaf.

“Sonofabitch.” His body bunched. He kept her close to his chest and led her into the kitchen with him.

He snagged his phone off the counter and handed it to her. “Take this.” He grabbed his keys from next to the spot that his phone had vacated. “Go in the garage, wait in my truck, and lock the doors. Don’t unlock them until I come for you. Call Nate once you’re safely in the truck.”

She slipped the phone into the front pocket of the hooded sweatshirt she wore.

“The code is 1-1-2-7. His number is programmed in my phone.” He turned her in the direction of the front of the house, where the garage access door was located. She nodded and started away.

“Cal, please be careful.”

“Go. I won’t be long.” His voice was low, barely audible. He crept to the edge of the kitchen and rounded the corner of the hallway. He moved as soundless as the wind. Rufus crept behind Cal.

She didn’t look around for the attacker. Cal would surely have him restrained, unconscious…or worse. She made her way through the house. When she reached the garage access door, she shoved her feet in her shoes, unlocked it, and entered. The air was cool in the garage, sending a shiver over her skin. She took a deep breath and found the fob on his key chain. The door shut behind her with a soft click.

She depressed the unlock button. The truck’s lights flashed in her eyes and beeped.

“Don’t move.”

Something hard and metallic pressed against the back of her head. Her breath sucked in sharply. Ice shot through her veins. Her body turned to lead, anchoring her to the spot. A scream caught in her throat. The cool metal kept it trapped in her chest.

The speaker snatched the keys from her hand. Another shape moved in the darkness. The rear passenger door opened.

“Get in,” the cold, dead voice hissed. “Make a sound and I’ll blow your head off.”

CHAPTER 23

Cal motioned forRufus to stay at the bedroom doorway. He crept his way into the room, his Glock poised in front of him. Someone else was trying to get in his damn house. Whoever it was was halfway through the window, his booted foot on the sill and gloved fingers on the side of the window frame. His head was down, shielded by a black baseball cap. Anger rippled down his spine. Cal balled his hands into fists at his side.

Hell, no.

He was done with this shit. Done with people terrorizing Lana, done with people thinking they could enter his property. The alarm company would have contacted the police already, but it would be a while before they arrived. He moved across the room on the balls of his feet. The intruder grunted as he tried to heave himself over the window ledge.

Cal’s hands itched with the urge to jump him. Like the unconscious fuck in the living room, this sonofabitch was going to get a beatdown.

In one swift movement, he snagged the back of the man’s jacket and flipped him through the window. His back slammed against the hardwood floors with a thud.

Air wheezed out of his lungs. He cursed over a groan.

Cal crushed the side of his foot into the man’s throat. He choked and sputtered. Pleasure tickled his insides. They were going to pay…all of them. The guy’s hands flew around like baby birds trying to pluck at Cal’s sweatpants.

Light from the bedside lamp shone over his reddening face.

“You stupid little bitch,” Cal snarled.

The man’s eyes rolled back. He eased enough pressure off of his throat for him to catch some air. Having him unconscious would do no good when the police got here.

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