Page 23 of The Hunted Wife

Chapter 8

Adam finally extricated himself from the guests and headed inside to talk to Millie figuring she was back from her walk by now. He was sorry they’d left things the way they had but he was sure if he talked to her, they could get through this. They hadn’t been married for very long and to have a fight like this bothered him immensely, but dang it, none of what happened was his fault…well, entirely his fault. Millie was as much to blame for their current circumstances as he was.

He opened the bedroom door expecting to see Millie, back from her earlier walk, sitting up in bed reading. But the bed was made and Millie was nowhere to be found.

Adam hurried downstairs and checked the den, the library, the living room, every room in the house. He couldn’t find her anywhere.

Then he ran to the barn. She wouldn’t have gone out riding on her own, would she? She could get lost, and he didn’t want to think of the grave circumstances she could find herself in out in the mountains by herself.

He ran to the barn, saw that Venus was gone and saddled Lightning. Then he took off at a dead run toward the only place Millie knew—the waterfall.

Millie hid behind a tree as soon as she heard the horse approach. She wasn’t sure who was approaching and didn’t want to be caught unawares.

Adam was riding toward her. How did he find her so fast?

She slid out from behind the tree walked toward Venus and resumed her seat on the ground.

He slid from the saddle and dropped the reins. The horse was ground broke and would stay there without being tied up. All their horses were ground broke including her mare, Venus.

He walked over with his hands in his pockets. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Mind if I sit.”

She looked up at him. “It’s a free country. Knock yourself out.”

He sat across from her. “Millie?—”

“Adam—”

They both laughed.

“After you.” She waved her hand.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened today. None of it was your fault. I’m not, however, sorry for making love or that you’re pregnant. I’m overjoyed. Isn’t this what we both wanted?”

She nodded. “It is. I just wish Ricard was not around to threaten us.”

“He can’t get to you. I’ve increased the patrols. You’re safe here.”

She shrugged and played with the grass with her right hand, while her left hand was flat on the ground supporting her. “But that also makes me a prisoner. Not a lot different than I would be in my father’s or Ricard’s homes. I can’t go anywhere. I can’t even go into town to get groceries. We can’t go to a movie without bodyguards. We have to find a better solution. There has to be a way to get rid of Ricard.”

“I can always find a way. The ranch is very big. It would be easy to bury a body?—”

She placed two fingers over his lips. “No. I won’t turn you into a murderer like he is. There has to be another solution. Ricard has a weakness for beautiful women, usually brunettes. I know of at least one who disappeared when he was done with her. I heard him telling my father. He sounded proud of what he’d done. They both laughed about it. I was sick to my stomach. I vowed then and there that I would leave. Whether on my own two feet or in a body bag, I couldn’t live with those monsters one more minute. Then my father announced my engagement to Ricard and I knew if I wanted to live, I had to get out as soon as possible.”

She stopped, took a breath and then swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked at the river. “I immediately began making plans. The first thing I did was get a burner phone. I don’t know if my father monitored my calls, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Then I talked to my friend, Margareta, and she helped me like I told you already. I thought I’d made it, that I was finally free…until I happened to see Viktor in town. Then it became clear I was in danger. I’m afraid of Ricard. After what I’ve done, I’m afraid he’ll kill me.”

“I won’t let him near you. I realize that we need to find a better solution. I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner, but I also won’t let you to be taken from me.”

“Adam—”

“Millie—”

She giggled. “You go first.”

“Let’s ride back to the house. Then we can see if we can come up with a solution that will give you the freedom you need and still keep you safe.”