Page 17 of Strength of the Mountain
“My turn!” Lily says from behind me. She hugs me tightly, and I hug her right back. “Thank you for today,” she says, her arms still wrapped around me. “And thank you for bringing my brother back. You’ve been so good for him.”
“He’s been just as good for me, too.”
We finally break apart, and Lily discreetly wipes away a tear that fell. She’s so sweet, and I’m happy she approves of me and her brother. She’s the sister I never had, and I can’t wait to get to know her even more.
“Come on, let’s go meet some of your adoring fans! I think Cindy, Robert, and Glen are about to give up on viewing thebuilding today.” She nods toward the entrance, where a line of people is blocking the doors.
Lily tugs me along, and soon I’m engulfed in the crowd. Pamela finds me and squeezes me into a tight hug. Travis squeals when he sees me and clings to my leg. I bend down to give him a proper hug, my heart full to bursting when he kisses me on the cheek.
I seem to have lost Lily while taking time to talk to the McClones, but that’s okay. A few more people shake my hand and pat me on the shoulder, thanking me for my efforts. It’s getting kind of chaotic the further I push through the throngs of people, and I’m feeling claustrophobic.
The more I try to fight my way out of the crowd, the more it closes in on me. Someone wraps their hand around my bicep and tugs me to one side rather forcefully.
“Hey!” I shout, hoping to get the man’s attention. My voice is drowned out in the noise of the crowd.
I look up at the man dragging me through the mass of people, but I can’t get a read on him. He’s dressed in all black with sunglasses and a baseball cap pulled down low to hide his identity.
I try pulling my arm away, but his grip just tightens to the point of bruising. The next thing I know, I’m being thrown into a waiting van. I try scrambling away from my kidnapper, still in absolute shock that any of this is happening.
He lunges forward and captures my wrists, holding them in front of me with one hand while securing a zip tie with the other. The rough plastic digs into my skin, making me whimper.
“Why are you doing this?” I plead.
“You just couldn’t shut up,” he snarls. “Couldn’t leave it well enough alone. Well, you’re not gonna get in the way anymore.”
I can’t see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses, but his smile is vicious. He’s beyond delusional, and I wonder if he’s actingalone or on behalf of Top Spot. Surely, they wouldn't go this far, right? Vandalism is one thing, but kidnapping?
My captor shoves me further into the van and slams the door closed. The backseats have been removed, so I land on the bare floor of the vehicle, wincing at the sharp pain in my right shoulder.
I manage to roll onto my back, and I remember I have my phone in my front pocket. It takes a bit of effort, but I maneuver myself in such a way that I can shimmy it out of its secure spot.
“Stop moving back there,” he barks out once he gets in the driver’s seat.
The man takes off, the wheels spinning before the entire van lurches forward at full speed. I’m tossed around the back, clutching onto my phone, my lifeline.
Tapping the screen a few times, I navigate to my recent calls and hit Hayden’s number. I’m hoping he hears everything going on and can maybe track my call. He was doing security and bodyguard jobs for the last few years, and I pray he can use his skills to track me down.
“Cami, where are you?” his faint, worried voice sounds over the phone. I turn down my volume and cough to cover up the sound.
“You’re not going to get away with kidnapping me,” I announce to my captor as well as Hayden. “Besides, it’s not going to change anything. You saw all the people out there. Even if I’m not there, they’ll continue fighting.”
“Shut the fuck up!” the man yells.
I swallow back tears, but continue talking. Maybe I can get more information out of him.
“What is your plan, exactly? Are you holding me for ransom? Are you going to kill me?” Fear strikes my heart and trickles down my spine, but I have to know. I have to keep him talking.
“I… I don’t know,” he spits out. It’s the first time he’s been flustered, and once again, I get the sense he’s a rogue agent. “But I’ve invested too much and gone way too far to give up now. I have to succeed. I’ll secure this town for Top Spot, then Cindy will be mine.”
This is all for the CEO?He doesn’t just want to impress her; he wants her to fall madly in love with him. He’s more deranged than I originally thought.
“You were the one who vandalized Lily’s store, weren’t you?” I accuse.
“Yeah, well, didn’t work out exactly how I planned,” he mutters. “I had to do something else. Something drastic. And there you were, speaking to the crowds and getting everyone riled up. You put the target on your own damn back.”
The van comes to an abrupt halt, sending me flying into the back of the passenger’s seat. I gasp at the pain shooting up my spine from the impact. The door is ripped open, and then I’m thrown out of the vehicle. My phone goes flying out of my hands, and I wince when the man’s eyes land on it.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he roars. “Stupid fucking bitch.” My kidnapper stomps on my phone, shattering it and rendering it useless. I’m flat on my back, the air knocked out of my lungs from landing so hard, but I manage to roll a few inches away from him.
