Isn't It Bromantic (Bromance Book Club #4) - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,107
to have mercy on my husband.”
He suddenly jerked the wheel as he whipped his head around to look over his shoulder. “You bitch! Do you have a phone?”
“No—”
He jerked the wheel again, and this time she crashed onto the floor. The phone flew under the front seat, out of her reach.
All she had left was to scream. “My name is Elena Konnikova! I have been kidnapped! I am in my husband’s car. A Cadillac Escalade, license plate NBT-413.”
Another lesson from her father. Always know your license plate number.
The car rocked to the right as the man whipped off the road. Her face whacked against the floorboard of the back seat, sending spots before her eyes and blood into her mouth.
“Fuck!” The man beat his hands on the steering wheel. “You fucking bitch!”
Beneath his seat, the phone was facedown. She had no idea if the dispatcher heard her scream for help. The man suddenly threw open his door and got out of the car. Elena scrambled to sit up, but she was trapped between the seats. He stormed around to the passenger side, the side where her feet were. Good. She could struggle better that way. She could kick and make it impossible for him to pull her out of the car.
Elena drew her knees up.
He wrenched open the door and leaned in.
She kicked with all her strength.
Her feet connected with his face. There was a disgusting crunch as blood spurted from his nose. He stumbled backward, and Elena hoisted herself to a sitting position. He lunged for her again and managed to grab one of her ankles.
Elena screamed and kicked again as she twisted toward the front. She wrapped her bound arms around the console between the front seats and used the leverage to haul her body up. Her leg slipped from his grasp, and this time he fell.
Elena threw herself forward, scrambling into the front seat. The car was still running.
She looked over her shoulder as he lunged toward the open door. She bent and used both her hands to put the car into drive. Then, without looking, she jammed her foot on the gas pedal.
The SUV lurched, and Elena looked back just in time to see him fall again. With a jerk of the wheel, Elena hit the gas again and whipped out into traffic.
And right into the path of an oncoming car.
There was a scream. A crash. The crunch of metal on metal.
And the world went black again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Vlad was going to be sick. He stumbled just in time to the bathroom and heaved into the toilet.
Colton came running. “Everyone’s here, man. It’s going to be okay. We’re going to find her.”
“It’s my fault. I should have stayed here. I shouldn’t have let her go.”
Malcolm, Mack, Noah, and fucking Cheese Man crowded around the bathroom door. “It’s not your fault,” Mack said. “You couldn’t have known.”
Vlad sagged against the wall. His leg throbbed, but he barely felt it. “How could I just leave? Why didn’t I stay?”
“Vlad! Get out here!” Michelle’s voice was a high-pitched panic.
Malcolm and Mack each grabbed an arm, hauled him up, and helped him back into the hallway. Michelle stood at the front door.
“A cop is here,” Michelle said, her hands coiled into a tense ball against her stomach. Neighbor Dog woofed and began to wag his tail.
Noah strode forward and opened the door. Just in time, Colton grabbed Neighbor Dog’s collar to stop him from launching himself at the cop’s chest as he walked in. The officer introduced himself as Lt. Zamir Hammadi.
“My wife,” Vlad sobbed, fear turning his muscles to useless rubber.
“Sir, is your wife’s name Elena Konnikova?”
Another sob broke free from his mouth. “Yes. Yes. Someone has taken her. She’s a journalist and—”
“Sir, please listen to me. Your wife has been found.”
His knees gave out, and once again, the guys had to grab him to keep him from falling. “Where? Is she okay? Is she hurt? Who had her?”
The officer raised a hand. “Sir, I need you to calm down so I can answer all your questions.”
“Vlad, let him talk,” Colton said. But even he was biting his nails.
“What I can tell you is that she was involved in a car accident—”
Vlad swayed again.
“—but her injuries do not appear life-threatening. She has been taken to Nashville Memorial.”
Vlad looked at Colton, who was already digging his keys out of his pocket. “Let’s go.”