Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

“I know. Lock the door. Hide in the bathroom if you need to. I’ll try to keep him away from you as long as possible.” I’m hoping to give everyone time. Anna more time to live. Hope time to find help. The guys time to find me.

She grabs my arm and her wide brown eyes meet mine. “Madison, I’ve never seen him like this. He killed Hunter without a second thought. He wants to kill me.”

I draw in a breath. Part of me wants to check out and not deal with this at all. To let my fear overwhelm me. But I won’t.

“And I’m going to do everything I can to keep him from killing you.” I help her sit on the bed. “Try to rest and get some strength.”

“Be careful,” she whispers and lies down, curling away from me.

I draw in a shaky breath. I don’t want to go back out there. Face my stalker and all his issues. I don’t have much choice though. If he comes in here, I can’t guarantee he won’t kill Anna before I have a chance to stop him.

I brush my hands down the sundress. Everything he’s done has been to get to this point. Where he’s in control of me. Where he’s set up the perfect scenario to make me fall for him. In his mind, this will work out.

I have to feed into that fantasy. Fuck, I don’t want to. I want to be back in my lovers’ arms. For a moment, I bask in the world where I’m safe with Seth, Noah, Blake, and Coop. They love me and I love them.

I’ll do whatever it takes to get back to them.

Stiffening my resolve, I walk out of the room.

Hope

My knees feel like rubber as I run. I found a car a little down the lane, but it was locked and I didn’t have the keys. If I had more time, I could have tried to get into it, but the masked man was in the house. I wanted to put as much distance between him and me as possible.

That left running for help. I’m free, but Madison is stuck there with two other hostages and the sick bastard who took me off the street. She came to save me, but I’m going to save her if it takes everything I have left.

My breath wheezes in and out of my lungs. A stitch forms in my side and my leg cramps. Tears stream down my face. I slow to a stop and look around with my hands on my hips as I gulp in air like it’s water.

How long have I been running?

This gravel road must lead somewhere, but trees surround me, blocking my view. This is the East Coast. We can’t be far from civilization.

Bending at the waist, I take a few deep breaths, trying to settle my pounding heart. If I had any food in my stomach, it wouldn’t have stayed there. Two days of captivity plus two years at a desk have made me weak.

If I get out of this, I’m working out more. I’ll make Jason train me. He’ll love that.

I’m just glad the bastard grabbed me on the way from Madison’s. At least I have sneakers and comfy clothes on instead of work clothes and work shoes.

If that’s anything to be glad about.

Fuck, this is messed up.

Glancing back, I can’t see the house anymore, but I can’t see anything beyond the trees either. I don’t know what’s happening to Madison now, but she gave me this chance and I’m taking it. Okay, I’ve got to move. I’ve got to keep going forward. I need to save them if I’m not already too late.

My breath catches and I swipe at the tears on my cheeks. No time to think like that.

A humming fills the air, and for a moment, I’m afraid it’s a car coming after me. I freeze in the road. But as the noise gets louder, I realize it’s coming from the sky.

A black helicopter comes my way, flying low enough they might be able to see me. Relief pours through me.

“Hey, down here!” I wave my arms. I don’t care who’s in that helicopter, as long as they help me and Madison.

Chapter 165

A Proxy Fight

Madison

When I step into the living room, Hunter’s body grabs my attention. His body. He’s dead.