to join me?”
She clenched her jaw, refusing to answer.
His gaze narrowed. “My patience is growing thin. You will come to me willingly tomorrow, or I will take you by force. You have one last night to come to your senses. You have been held by my men for thirty days. The Americans are not coming for you.”
He called out to the guards in Arabic, and the heavy door behind her suddenly swung open again. She felt thick fingers wrap around her upper arms as the guard yanked her backwards. She stumbled and then quickly regained her footing as she was marched off to the small room she was being held in.
One more day.
She had one more day to escape this hell hole before she was hurt.
She’d been taken prisoner over a month ago when they were ambushed, and although she’d been shocked that the guards hadn’t raped or assaulted her, she realized they’d been saving her for him—this jackass in the middle of the desert.
There was the ramshackle camp hidden near their base where she’d first been held. The other camps she’d been moved to—a day here, a couple of days there. And now this goddamn compound.
She refused to let him have her. To wait around for the American military to come to her rescue.
The guard opened the door to the dark room they’d been holding her in, shoving her inside. His hand briefly grazed over her breast, and she shuddered, not certain that it had been accidental.
A beat passed as she held her breath, and then he was leaving. Slamming the door shut behind him. She heard the heavy locks click on the door.
She lifted her eyes to the ceiling, letting out a breath she hadn’t even realized that she’d been holding. The air was dusty and dry even inside this building. Emily took another breath, trying to steady her racing pulse.
She was escaping before tomorrow night. She didn’t know how or when, but she’d escape or die trying.
Chapter 2
Ryker took a sip of his steaming black coffee from the deck of the beach house, his gaze scanning the horizon. The hot liquid burned down his throat, and he looked at the waves crashing on the shore. His other teammates were milling about inside with their women, and he frowned.
The glass door slid open a moment later, and Jacob “Joker” Olson walked out, drink in hand. “Yo, Ryker. Jessica said brunch is almost ready.”
He grunted as he glanced back, eyeing his teammate.
“What’s up, Bulls Eye?” he asked, calling Ryker by his nickname. “Sad that your lady friend headed back to Blacksburg?”
Ryker smirked, thinking of the flirtatious blonde he’d spent the summer with. “Hell. She was a firecracker, but neither of us was looking for something long term,” he said with an easy shrug. “It was a good time, but it’s over. No harm, no foul.”
“Yeah. I was just busting your balls.”
“What the hell are they cooking in there that takes so long?” Ryker complained, glancing through the doors toward the kitchen.
“Not sure. Jess and some of the other women are handling the food. They shooed me right out of the kitchen. Bailey’s making some killer Bloody Mary’s though. You should go grab one.”
“God damn, I could get used to this kind of Sunday morning.”
Jacob guffawed. “Hell, couldn’t we all. Jess wanted one last hurrah before she starts teaching at her new school next week. And although she extended the rental of the beach house through the end of September, after that we can kiss this beauty goodbye.”
“Yeah. It would’ve been killer to hang out here this fall and enjoy the beach while the weather’s good, but without Michelle’s parents paying for it, I get it. The rent’s gotta be sky high.”
Jacob nodded. “It goes down a little after summer, but Jessica’s moving in with me when she has to leave the beach house.”
Ryker chuckled. “Hell. Her best friend and I fizzle out, and you’re planning happily ever after with a woman.”
“Hell yeah,” Jacob agreed. “I know a good thing when I see it. It took a hell of a lot of convincing her this summer, but now that she’s staying here in Virginia Beach, there’s no point in waiting around.”
Ryker smirked, glancing back out at the water.
“You looked awfully damn serious out here brooding alone.”
“Surprised you noticed,” Ryker quipped.
“Like I said, Jess kicked me out of the kitchen. It smells fantastic in there, but if she doesn’t want my help, I can take a hint. Maybe we’ll throw one