legs were numb and the rope around her wrists rubbed them raw.
She dodged several large bushes, turned left and spotted a hill, large boulders rising out of the ground. This could be her chance to find a place to hide and rest her battered body. She rounded one of the larger boulders, scrunched herself between the cold stone and an evergreen growing against it. She gulped in deep breaths to her burning lungs and pressed her arm to her bloody side, just managing to stifle a pain-laced groan. The pounding of his feet on the ground grew ever closer. She did her best to slow her gasping breaths and be quiet. She prayed she’d put enough distance between then and he didn’t find her.
Unable to catch sight of him, his quick steps faded into the distance to her right. Desperate to put space between them, she backed further into her hiding spot. The moist earth gave way on the far side of the boulder and she rolled, sliding down a steep hill on her bottom, rocks and brush jabbing into her back. Her feet hit the bottom, momentum tumbled her forward as earth and debris rained down on her prone body. The lights winked out.
David lost her in the thickening trees. Who knew she could run so fast—and in her condition? The drops of blood he spotted and followed earlier were harder to see in the fading light. At some point she’d turned and he’d lost sight of her. Halted beside a huge fir tree, he leaned against it and sucked in deep breaths.
“Shit. Where the hell are you?” he yelled.
Nothing. Not a sound, but the wind rustling the leaves. Not even a damn bird taking flight to indicate which direction she fled.
“I hope you die out here, you stupid bitch.”
He leaned forward and braced his forearms on his thighs. His lungs ached and his arm throbbed from the scratches and puncture wounds from the damn dog.
“Fuck!”
Everything went wrong. He had a plan. This time she’d do as she was told. He never expected her to fight him. He should have known better. Her strength and defiance both set him off and excited him. One of the many things that drew him to her.
He never meant to actually use the knife. He could still feel the blade slicing her open, the red blood staining her clothes. Funny, the fact that she could take it and still fight him off made him feel proud. An exceptional woman. His.
He took a deep cleansing breath. It hit him hard, he hadn’t gotten everything he wanted. If she died out here—and he believed her threats—the company shares would be in the hands of that rancher. He needed a plan to get them back. With a dozen lawyers on retainer, he’d make sure they tore her will apart and the shares went back to him. He’d get back what she stole, even if he had to kill the rancher to get them.
Resigned that he’d lost her, and fearing someone from the ranch had noticed her absence and began looking for her, he took out his compass and headed back to the jeep. He searched for any sign of her, but found none.
The stillness settled into him, washing away the last of his anger and clearing his mind. This game hadn’t ended the way he wanted, but she’d left him alone and wanting her for years. Now she’d be the one left alone—in the darkening woods. He wasn’t worried about her. The damn woman had nine lives. No doubt she’d run again. He looked forward to the next time he found her. The thought put a smile on his face.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
* * *
THE BAD FEELING haunting Jack since this morning was getting worse with every minute that ticked by and the guard didn’t call him back. He tried not to panic and thought about Jenna and all the wonderful times they had shared over the past several weeks. They had so many more memories to make.
God, I love you. Where are you, Jenna? Please be safe.
He’d put the ring on her finger and gotten her promise to marry him just this morning. She was going to be his wife. He already thought of her as his. His to love. His to protect.
Caleb and Rick met him on the driveway and he announced, “We need to head back. Right now.”
“I promised to pick up some new baby furniture for Summer. We’ll haul it back in the horse