Page 75 of Brick
Natalie sprinted acrossthe beach, her breathing broken and ragged.Her legs burned as she tried to stay upright on the sand.If she could make it back to the forest, she’d have a shot at losing Keetan.
“You fucking bitch!”
Her skin puckered.His voice was close.
She didn’t slow.Didn’t falter.The trees were within reach, waiting to absorb her body into their branches.
Keetan’s rough hand caught her arm and tore her backward.She fell to the ground, but he jerked her upright.She tilted back her head to stare him in his cold, dead eyes.Sand speckled his sweaty cheeks and red marks streaked his skin.
He pulled back his hand and slapped her face.The force of the hit sent her reeling, but with his hand still on her arm she didn’t go far.A sharp cry fell from her lips and pain spread across her mouth.Blood touched her tongue.
Slowly, she met his gaze again.Fury bubbled beneath her skin.“I can’t wait for him to kill you,” she whispered.
Keetan’s eyes narrowed with indignation.“You mean your boyfriend?I outsmarted him.If he’s still alive, he’s going to know I’ve taken everything from him.”His mouth twisted.“Almost everything.”
Icy cold fear crawled up her legs.“You’ll be dead before you get to Bray.”
“Maybe.I don’t even want to kill the kid.I’d rather him cry himself to sleep, calling for his mommy.”
“You bastard!”She lunged at him, throwing her fist into his jaw.
Keetan staggered back an inch.His eyes filled with rage but he said nothing.He yanked her arm and began pulling her back across the beach.
Her feet slipped and slid.Tears burned her eyes.She’d been so close.Still, Keetan didn’t know Brick was alive, and the fact that he’d survived gave her hope—not so much for herself, but for their son.She’d have peace knowing Bray would grow up with his father.Of course Brick would be looking for her now, but Keetan had taken her more than an hour from Detroit.
Even if Brick had located her phone, he’d still be too far behind.
Keetan hauled her onto the dock.The sun-bleached wood creaked under their feet.Water lapped the posts, and the rancid scent of fish and algae reached her nostrils.As they approached the boat, Keetan dug into his pocket while keeping his hand tight on her arm.
He pulled out a set of keys, dropped his bag in the boat, and pushed her to the edge of the dock.“You try anything and I’ll bash your fucking skull in right here.”
She gulped.Getting in the boat meant it’d be harder for Brick to find her.
Keetan certainly isn’t the romantic type, she thought, in a desperate attempt to find humor in dire circumstances.Surely whatever he had planned would end with her at the bottom of the lake.
“Get in.”He shoved her forward, almost sending her off the dock.
She gasped and seized the edge of the watercraft for support.“One second, for god’s sake,” she snapped.She couldn’t do much but follow his orders.At least not until she had a plan and a weapon.She could stall, though.
She deliberately wobbled her legs as she hung on to the edge of the boat, pushing it further from the dock.“Uh, I can’t.”
Keetan huffed with impatience, leaned forward, and pulled the boat back to line up with the dock.“Quit fucking around.”
Natalie glanced toward the shore.The trees swayed beyond the deserted beach.Keetan’s forceful hand on her shoulder sent her pitching forward, halfway into the boat.
“Get your ass in there before someone comes.”
She swung her legs over the teetering edge and landed on one of the gray seats.Keetan unwound the rope from a post, tossed it inside, and then climbed in.He seized her wrist and stretched her arm toward the railing.After removing a set of handcuffs from his pocket, he slapped them on her, securing her to the side of the boat.
“No life jacket?”she said, with contempt.
He smirked.“You won’t need one.”
You might.
She bit back the threat.As much as she wanted to turn the tables and see him floating face down, she needed the means to attack.Keetan climbed into the captain’s chair and fired up the motor.
He sat with his back to her and steered the boat away from the dock.Tucked into the back of his pants was a handgun, too damn far away or her to grab.She glanced toward shore again and searched desperately for any sign of Brick.Only sand, water, and trees stared back at her.
