When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,70

the car stopped it dug into her kidney. Her bladder was full, and if it happened again, she’d be lucky if she didn’t pee herself. Between that, the grumbling of the motor, and the grueling pain amplified with each jar in the road, she could almost imagine Hell.

A head banger’s ball raged in her skull, and the in and out tides of consciousness rendered it impossible to gauge time. As she fell in and out of a drunken-like stupor, she had the most terrifying nightmare and struggled to open her eyes, but once she did, she wasn’t safe in her own bed—the nightmare was real.

After being conscious for what seemed like a short while, the car turned and slowed to a stop. The engine cut off along with the radio. Two doors slammed briskly, one after another. There were muffled voices and laughter. Fear made her tremble from beneath her skin as if the fear itself was trying to escape. The doors opened again, and she heard the ruffling of objects in the backseat. When they closed, she welcomed the tranquil silence. It seemed they’d parked in an isolated area, but she was afraid to kick or expose her presence in any way. If Max were in fact alive, she’d rather die than have him hurt. She tried to believe him being hurt or worse wasn’t a possibility, but after three months of threats, and now this, she couldn’t be sure.

The pounding in her head had lessened to an unsympathetic ache. Despite her anxiety, her exhausted mind and body surrendered, and she fell unconscious.

The rattling of keys and the screech of the trunk opening woke her. The sunlight burned her eyes like a laser. It must be mid-afternoon. She pinched one eye and saw Wayde—a black silhouette against the purity of the sun.

He reached down, cut her wrists free, and wrenched her feet upward by the rope that bound them. The knife sliced the rope with one quick hack, and her legs dropped with a thud.

“Get out.”

Her bones creaked like rusty hinges that hadn’t been opened in ages, but she no longer ached. The long drive had rendered her body numb. She grasped the rim of the trunk and tried to pull herself up, but her arms gave way, and she fell back.

“Jeez-us.” He bent down and lifted her from under her arms, bringing her to her feet. Her knees buckled. His shoulder gutted her, and he heaved her over it.

Her head dangled from her neck like a wrecking ball, and the dizziness made her woozy. Once they got inside the cabin, he dropped her on an old musty couch. The ratty thing felt as good as the most luxurious piece of furniture she’d ever had the pleasure to sit on. She pointed to her mouth and glanced at him for approval.

“Take it off.”

She pulled slowly at the tape, wincing with each movement. He shook his head and grunted as he reached down and yanked the sticky gag roughly, tearing it from her lips. After spitting the sock from her mouth, she attempted to talk, but with the dryness and the stray cotton, talking seemed more akin to hacking and choking. “Wa,” her voice croaked. “Wat.” She grasped her throat and hacked some more.

Wayde handed her a bottle of water. Before the bottle reached her mouth, she was gulping fast enough to gasp for air at the same time.

“Don’t drink so fast. You’ll puke.”

When she didn’t stop, he snatched the bottle from her hand. The water caught midway between the bottle and her mouth, she quickly mopped up as she swiped her lips over the shoulder of her T-shirt with a gasp. “I have to use the bathroom.”

“Over there.”

She stood and scanned the room. The condition of the cabin confirmed it had gone unused for some time. The boarded windows and the furniture had at least a year’s worth of dust. The structure consisted of one large room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. A small kitchen area contained a table, sink, propane stove, and Coleman ice chest. Her bag sat beside the front door. “Can I get my bag? I’ve got my period.”

He drew hard on his cigarette and curled his lip with distaste. “Just what you need, and leave the rest. The bathroom door’s on the right. Remy is in the other bedroom sleepin’.”

She stubbornly refused to let herself think Max was anything but safe, and she kept her emotions and wits about her. She had to if she