Page 32 of The Maverick

“You’re probably right.” He didn’t loosen his hold.

“We really should.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and enjoyed the feel of being in his arms.

“Yes, we should.”

“You have to let me go.”

His eyebrows slashed downward. “I’ll never let you go, Rach. I can’t. You’re my best friend.”

Her heart softened, and yet she wanted so much more. “I know, and you’re mine. That doesn’t change the fact we need to go inside and get some sleep.”

He took a deep breath, but he released his hold. “You’re right. You get the glasses, and I’ll get the bottle. I don’t want our little terrors to get the wrong idea.”

“They aren’t terrors. They are the best-behaved children you’ve ever met. Although I will admit Jake has been much happier since we came here. I’m kind of afraid to take him back to the house.” She lifted her shoulders.

“Then stay. You don’t have to go.” His eyebrows rose a little with his round-eyed expression. “I hate the thought of you moving back to that place. It’s not safe. Here you’re safe and Jake is safe, too.”

She slowly shook her head. “I can’t do that. I can’t just live here with you permanently.”Without being married.She would never tell him that, though. Rachel didn’t want to risk what they had, but how long could she keep her feelings to herself?

* * *

Greg Bennett had watchedthe comings and goings on the ranch for more than a week. He’d purchased the best binoculars money could buy and parked his rental in a stand of trees so it wasn’t on the road. Then he walked until he could see the ranch in the distance. He didn’t want to get too close to that guard house or to the cameras he saw around the buildings.

He’d watched them swim and play. The next day he saw Rachel and that man, Nicholas Kincaid, take off in a car and returned about four hours later. They’d obviously been to dinner, but where was the question. Rachel was wearing the dress he’d forbidden her to wear in public. He would punish her for that. First, he had to get to her, and then he had to figure out how to get her off the ranch.

Getting to her was the hard part. He could sneak onto the property, nab Rachel, and then steal one of those fancy cars to get her off the property. He’d learned to hot-wire a car as a teenager. A skill he still had today. But he wouldn’t have her long before that man came after her. Could he punish her and kill her in that time? Or would he just have to kill her without punishment?

Unfortunately, she was usually with that man. Greg really needed her alone or maybe he could take Jake. Rachel would come for him. But there he had the same problem. Jake was usually with the little girl.

He could bide his time. Eventually, he would find her alone. The odds were in his favor, after all.

* * *

Monday arrivedand it was supposed to be Jake’s first day of school and Rachel’s first day of work. Trying to get both of them going was difficult.

The kids both wanted to stay home and ride their horses.

Rachel wasn’t having it. She walked them down to the gate. Then Earl let them through and walked them out to the bus stop. She probably should have driven them, but the exercise was good for them all. Earl left his guardhouse to follow them at a discrete distance.

She walked out to the bus and she made sure they were both on it before turning and heading back to the house. Rachel had wanted very much to kiss Jake goodbye, but she knew he would have been mortified if he did that in front of the other children. She heard a car behind her and got over to the side of the road.

The car stopped next to her, the window on the passenger’s side was rolled down.

She bent over to see in. “Can I help you? Are you?—”

“Get in Rachel or do you want me to take Jake instead?”

Her stomach roiled and she backed away from the car. She looked back at Earl who had started running.

Greg pulled out a gun. “Get in the car. Now.” He pointed the gun at her.

When had he gotten a gun?

Not seeing any way out, she opened the door of the nondescript sedan and sat.Where is Nick? How long before he knows something is wrong? Will he be able to find me?

“Put your seatbelt on. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He whipped a U-Turn in the road and headed down the road, toward the highway.

Earl jumped in front of the car with his weapon drawn.