“Not happening.” His expression was adamant.
“If I go with you, I'll slow you down, Lucas. Please, listen to reason. You go get helpâfor me. It's the only thing to do.”
“That's very noble, Nikki, but it won't happen. We're leaving together or we're not leaving. We can both hide. If your theory's right, it will work for both of us. They'll leave and we both live happily ever after.”
“I suppose that could work.”
“Your choice. We both leave or we both stay. Either way works for me.”
She sighed. “When did you get so stubborn?”
“I'm used to getting my way.”
“So I heard.”
“What's your preference?”
“I don't like the idea of both of us being stuck here. One of us needs to get help and since I can't, I really wish you wouldâ”
“I'm not leaving you this time. I did it once and it was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm not doing it again. I promised I would take care of you, and I will.”
Why did he keep talking like that? It made it awfully hard to think clearly. “Then I guess we'll both go.”
“Great.” He smiled. “I'll get us a few supplies, and then we'll leave.”
After he walked out, she slid to the floor. She just needed to rest for a minute, and then she'd be all right. She was still there when he walked in with a plastic grocery bag. “Just resting. I don't think I can do this. Please go without me.”
“We both stay.”
“OK, we'll both go.” Using the wall as an anchor, she stood up.
He yanked the blanket off the bed, then the sheets. He double knotted them.
“You really think that'll work?”
“I hope so.” He looked around. “I need something heavy to tie it to.”
She pointed. “The bed?”
He wrapped it around the footboard. After he'd tied the sheet to the bedpost, he pulled the bed to the window. “You're a lot lighter than me. So if it holds me, it should hold for you.”
“I still thinkâ”
“I know what you think, but we're staying together.” He stared at her. “I mean it, Nikki. If I get out there and you don't come out, I'll walk to the front of the house.”
“You wouldn't dare.”
“Oh yes, I would.” Their gazes locked. “Promise me, Nikki.” His voice was soft.
She nodded.
“I'm not leaving until you say the words.”
She rolled her eyes. “I promise I'll come out after you. Even though I think it's a mistake.”
“Good enough. I trust you.” After he unlocked the window, he tossed the grocery bag out. He turned back to her and grinned. “Say it one more time.”
Her heart pitter-pattered as she remembered another time he'd said those words to her. Only then she'd told him she loved him. He'd hooted and hollered and made her say it over and over. In spite of the circumstances, her heart softened as unbidden tears filled her eyes. “I promise.”
His returning smile was so sad that she wondered if his words had brought the same memory to his mind. “OK, time to get out of here.” He tossed the sheet out then climbed through the window.
Nikki watched his progress as he shimmied down the makeshift ladder. The headboard scraped across the floor as his weight moved it, but the wall stopped the bed's sliding.
He was suspended midway to the ground. With a grin up at her, he let go of the sheets and landed in a heap. He stood up and brushed himself off.
She heaved a sigh of relief.
He gave her a thumbs-up and spoke quietly. “Your turn, Nikki.”
In spite of giving her word, doubt crept in. He'd have a better chance without her. Surely he wouldn't really risk his life by walking to the front as he'd threatened. The look on his face gave her the answer. He would.
Besides, she'd given her word. She wouldn't break that trust. Grabbing hold of the blanket, she put one leg out the window. Her arm throbbed as she eased through the opening. She moved one hand down the sheet rope and then the other. Tears streamed down her face as her injured arm screamed in protest. Sweat beaded up on her forehead from the pain.
I can do this. I can do this. I have to do this. Just a little further.
“Go ahead and drop. I've got you. Trust me.”
Trust Lucas McMann? That was something she never thought would happen. She let go.
He caught her. His arms cradled her. “I got you, Nikki.” He set her upright and his hand brushed her hair.
Her knees buckled, and she slipped to the ground.
“Are you all right?”
“Just a little shaky.” She leaned against the cabin, waiting for the excruciating pain to lessen. After a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes. A wet spot spread across the arm and side of the borrowed T-shirt. She was bleeding again.
A moment later, Lucas sat down beside her. He handed her a bottle of water and some more aspirin. “Here, take these. Hopefully, it will help with the pain. That probably hurt your arm.”
“That's an understatement.” She didn't think anything would help, but she popped the aspirin in her mouth and then took a sip of water. “I can't do this, Lucas. You need to go without me.”
He smiled and touched her forehead. “Uhâ¦no fever. I thought there would be since you'd have to be out of your mind to think I'd leave you sitting out here in the open alone.”
Why wouldn't he listen? Why wouldn't he leave her like he had years ago? It hadn't seemed to bother him then. She looked at him, knowing the answer.
Because the spoiled rich boy had become a manâa good manâa godly man.
****
“There's no reason for both of us to die, Lucas. I'm only going to slow you down. Please, just go.” Nikki leaned against the cabin.
His gaze met hers. “No one's dying today. It's not in God's plan.”
They were in this together, whether Nikki liked it or not. He would protect her. He wouldn't let another woman he cared about die because of him.
God, give me the strength I need to do this
. “I'll let you rest for a minute and then we'll go.”
“I want to get as far away from this cabin as fast as we can. I don't need to rest. Let's go.”
He took the bottle from her and placed it back into the bag. “Should we just walk across the field and into to the woods?”
“We can't be sure of their location or what they can see. So we need to keep a low profile. We scoot through the grass until we get to the trees. How far is it into town?”
“Twenty-five miles by the road, but a lot less through the woods.”
“Still farther than I can go.”
“There are other cabins closer. We could make a run to one of them but there's no guarantee anyone will be at them or that they'll have a working phone.” He grabbed her hand. “Let's pray first.”
“I haven't stopped praying since the shooting started.”
After he finished, both of them moved to their stomachs. Side by side, they slithered through the grass. He could only hope they blended in with the environment. The approaching darkness helped keep them hidden as well.
Lucas looked over at Nikki. His heart skipped a beat.
She wasn't moving, her eyes were closed, and her head was on the ground.
He shook her gently. “Nikki.”
Her eyes fluttered. “Sorry. Just tired.” She started moving through the grass again. “These trees aren't getting any closer.”
At the rate they were moving, they'd never get there.
A part of him wanted to pick up Nikki and run. But the other part knew it was better to stay hidden. “We'll get thereâjust like the turtle did.”
“Slow and steady wins the race.”
Gunshots and shattering glass exploded the silence.
“They're in the cabin.” Lucas looked at her.
It would only take the bad guys a few minutes to figure out that he and Nikki were gone.
He'd hoped they'd be far away before the shooters realized their prey had slipped away.
Nikki nodded.
“We've got to get to the trees before they find out we're not in there. If they see us, they'll come after us. And they can outrun us.” Lucas stood, leaned down, and scooped Nikki up into his arms. Still holding her, he ran towards the trees. Once they were in the trees, he put her down but kept an arm around her, half carrying her as they ran.
She leaned on him as they weaved their way through the obstacle course. She was breathing hard and her face was pale and bathed in sweat. She'd never be able to walk to town.
“Let's take a rest break.”
She nodded as she slid down the tree to a sitting position. Blood oozed down her arm.
He had to get her to the hospital. He peered through the trees towards the cabin. “I wonder what's happening in there.”
“Nothing good, that's for sure. Let's go.” She didn't look as if she could stand, let alone run. She used the tree as a brace to get up.
He started to help, but she shook her head in warning.
“We need to decide. Town or the nearest cabin?” he asked.
She closed her eyes. He wasn't sure if she was thinking or passed out again. Just when he was about to tap her, she opened her eyes. “I vote for town. I know it's further, but they'll expect us to go to the closest house. If they follow us, that's probably where they'll look.”
“I agree.”
“You go. I'll follow.”
She was so pale he feared she might pass out again at any moment. As he turned, the men came around the corner of the cabin. They stared into the woods, as if they were staring right at them. They weren't moving towards the woods. Yet.
Without a word, Lucas leaned forward and scooped her up in his arms. “Don't fight me, Nikki. They're staring at the woods. I can see them. They'll figure out we came this way.” He jogged through the woods as he talked.
“I canâ”
“No, you can't. You keep an eye out for them.”
Her head dropped against his shoulder. A few moments later, she spoke. “I can't see them, Lucas. The trees are in the way.”
“That's good. If you can't see them, that means they can't see us.” He hoped that was the case. His breath was coming hard. It wasn't easy jogging through the woods carrying a woman. That wasn't a usual part of his exercise regimen at the gym.
“You need to put me down. I can walk.”
“This is quicker, and besides, we don't have much further to go.”
“We don't? We haven't gone anywhere near five miles yet. Unless I passed out again. Did I?”
“You didn't pass out, but I have an idea.”
Her head dropped to his shoulder again. Had she lost consciousness? “What's the idea?”
“There are some small caves in the mountain on the other side of the lake. We just have to get there and then we can hide.”
She nestled in against him. Her breath warmed his neck. “OK.”
“I promise to keep you safe, Nikki. I won't let them hurt you.”
“OK. But whatever happensâ¦not your fault.” She sounded dazed, confused.
The darkness was coming fast, and that was good. It would provide more safety.
His foot hit something. He pitched forward but managed to drop to his knees instead of falling flat.
Nikki jerked. “What happened?”
“I tripped over something.” He peered through the darkness. What ifâ¦
“I can walk.”
“I have a better idea. Let's roll down the hill. Like we did when we were kids.” He berated himself for such a stupid suggestion.
“Really? That's a great idea. That will be lots quicker.”
Before he could say another word, she climbed out of his arms onto the ground, flattened out, and pushed off.
He did the same. When Lucas got to the bottom, Nikki was sitting up.
“That might have been fun under other circumstances.”
He helped her up and then put his arm out to support her.
The two of them walked up the hill, using the trees as cover.
Lucas couldn't hear anyone behind them. But that didn't mean they weren't there. If they were trained killers, they probably knew how to be quiet. A lot quieter than he and Nikki were being.
Nikki slipped from his arms and collapsed to the ground. “I'm OK. Just lost my footing.”
Lucas scooped her up and struggled up the hill.
“I can walk.”
“We have to keep moving.” His arm and shoulder muscles burned with fatigue. It had been years since he'd even walked in these woods, or looked for the caves.
Scrapings and then someone cursing told him that they were much closer than he'd thought they would be. He leaned against the tree, whispering in Nikki's ear. “Quiet, they're not too far from us. But they can't see us. It's too dark.” He eased them to the ground, still holding her across his lap.
As her breathing evened out, he realized Nikki was asleep or passed out.
Looking around to get his bearings, he searched for something familiar, something to point the way. In the dark, he saw the shadow of a bent and gnarled tree. It had more branches, more tangles, but it was the same shape of the tree he recalled from years ago. Lucas picked up Nikki and then crept nearer. He waited in the darkness and moved to the right.
Nikki didn't wake up.
He dropped to his knees, still carrying her, and found the wild raspberry bushes. The thorns scratched as he reached through the bush and touched nothing.
He'd found the cave.
15
Nikki's eyes popped open, but darkness surrounded her. Panic bubbled up. Where was she? Where was Lucas? She was half lying, half sitting. Her back was propped up against something hard. A musty, earthy odor scented the air. Her hand reached out. She touched something. A shirt. “Lucas.”
“Thank God, you're awake.”
Just hearing his voice calmed her. She took a deep breath. “Where are we?”
“We're in the cave I told you about.” His whispered voice tickled her ear. “They won't find us in here. We're safe.”