Page 33 of The Hunted Wife

Millie turned back and looked out the windshield. Red and blue flashing lights, cherries and berries as a young friend of hers called them, were headed their way. She sat back, buckled her seatbelt, and braced herself as she waited for the law to reach them. If Viktor was about to try any fancy driving she wanted to live. He didn’t know these roads especially at night. He was bound to crash.

“You know that getting in an accident won’t save you from either of our fathers. If you live, they might kill you themselves. You want this union too much. You put too much faith in my worth to my father. Trust me, he is only looking at getting rid of a daughter not a legitimate meeting of minds.”

Ricard sneered. “Shut up. You know nothing. You’re just a woman. Nothing more. Only worth what you can bring to the family through marriage.”

She stared back. “You think marrying me will get you that. You’re so very wrong.” Millie threw her head back and laughed. “And your father will blame you. He might even take your territory and divide it among your brothers. He should include your sister. She’s smarter than all the rest of you combined, but that’s a topic for another day.”

“Why don’t you just shut up? What can Sullivan see in you? You’re the loudest, bossiest, most irritating woman I’ve ever known.”

Millie laughed but for a different reason now. She’d just realized that Viktor’s gun was on the passenger seat. He probably thought it was in easy reach. The weapon was. For her.

She unbuckled her seatbelt quietly, so Ricard wouldn’t know or suspect. When it was unlocked and just laying across her lap, she scooted forward and grabbed for Viktor’s weapon.

All hell broke loose.

Viktor took his gaze from the road and reached for the gun.

Millie fought to reach it.

Ricard pulled on Millie to get her back into the seat.

She looked up and saw them barreling toward a large snowbank on the side of the road. With no time to put back on her seatbelt, she forgot about the gun and braced herself against the seat in front of her.

Viktor looked ahead and hit the brakes but the SUV didn’t stop. Instead it slid sideways on the icy, snow packed road, before slamming into the snowbank.

Ricard was the first to recover. He opened his door and pulled Millie out of the car into the snow that was half way up her calf. He pulled her through the snow and into the forest, away from the Sullivans.

Millie’s legs were immediately freezing as the snow worked its way inside her boots. The accident had knocked her head against the headrest of Viktor’s seat and it was harder than it looked, momentarily causing her to lose her focus. She quickly recovered and tugged her arm and dug in her heels to slow their way into the forest, but Ricard was much stronger than she was and simply pulled her along, his fingers clamped like a vice around her wrist.

In his other hand he held his pistol. He raised his arm and aimed the weapon at her. “Get going if you don’t want to die right here and now.”

Having pushed him as far as she could, she started walking as the snow sucked at her boots with each step.

Ricard’s longer strides made keeping up with him hard but if she didn’t she was afraid he’d kill her. She was becoming a liability.

Shouts sounded behind them.

Search lights swept through the trees. Close. So close.

Ricard turned toward her. “If I can’t have you, Milena, then no one can.” He lifted the gun and pointed it directly at her heart.

Her eyes widened and she held up her hands. “Wait, Ricard. I’ll come with you. I’ll do whatever you want.”

He lowered the gun. “Let’s go.”

A shot pinged, hitting the tree beside him.

She heard a shout.

“Stop! No shooting! You might hit Millie.” Adam’s raised voice reached her.

Adam!

“Move.” Ricard pressed the gun into her side.

“ won’t stop. He’ll never stop.” She was exhausted and pregnant and had had enough of everything. She dug in her heels and pulled against his grasp. “I can’t go any further. I’m too tired. Please just leave me. You can get away if you just leave me.”

Finally, after dragging her for several feet, he stopped, keeping the gun pressed hard into her side. “I told you, if I can’t have you, no one can.”