Rev (Jack 'Em Up #4) (24 page)

Turning back to my mission, I frowned at the turkey dinners and pot pies. He deserved better than this.

A sudden memory of our pasta night came to me, along with a brilliant idea. I pulled out my phone and dialed Delilah.

“Hello?”

“Hey, cuz.”

“Hey! How are you?”

“I’m good. Listen, I need to ask a favor . . .”

By the time I hung up, I had plans for a healthy pasta dish that I could cook at her place then bring back to the hotel. I even threw in some fresh strawberries to sugar for dessert.

I paid for my groceries and strolled out into the sunshine toward my truck, a silly smile on my face. I wondered if Micah would throw a nutty if I drove by and brought him lunch at work like a normal girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

I liked the sound of that.

I loaded my bags into the truck bed and opened the driver’s door, my phone in hand to text him and find out.

“Hello, Jewel.”

Icy pins and needles pricked my spine in spite of the heat of the day. I froze, my heart galloping behind my ribs as tears threatened.

In a million years, I’d never forget that voice. Or the hate that filled it.

Slowly, I spun and looked him in the eye. His beard was shaggy and long, his hair held the fading remnants of red dye, the blood red swastika tattoo on his neck that he’d gotten since I saw him last was a stark contrast to his white T-shirt. His dark eyes held the same evil glint they’d held the night I ran, only harder, more sinister now.

“What are you doing here, Nolan? You know you can get arrested for being within fifty feet of me.” I didn’t bother asking how he knew where to find me. His stalking had obviously taken a dangerous turn.

“Did you get my roses?” he asked, avoiding my question and inching closer.

I stepped back and my hips hit the bench seat of my truck. I flicked a quick glance around, searching for help. The lot was full of cars, but no people. The sunlight was blinding and sweat was beading up on my body.

A knife appeared between us, concealed between the door of the truck and his body. “I asked you a fucking question.”

A hard knot formed in my chest, crowding my throat. This was it. He was going to kill me. “Yes. I did.” I spoke with a force borne of desperation, hoping he wouldn’t call my bluff.

Suddenly, the knife blade was between my breasts in an impatient shove. “In the fucking truck. Now.”

I felt a trickle of blood roll down my chest as panic raced through me. I could not think. I knew I shouldn’t get into the truck with him, but I saw no way out. He was blocking any escape with his body and there was nobody around to hear me. No cars were even driving by on the street.

I crawled into the truck and made a beeline for the passenger door, but he jerked me back by the ankle, yanking my arms behind my back and tying them with rough rope that cut into my flesh. I tried to kick at him, but he diverted.

I screamed.

Something solid hit me in the back of the skull and I was suddenly fuzzy, fighting the darkness that shrouded my vision.

Then it was all black.

I woke up face-down on the floor. I tried to pick up my head, but a roaring pain held me still. I took a quick mental stock of my body. I was sore, but intact. Unviolated. I wilted in relief then forced my eyes open and glanced around. I was in the living room of my apartment and all the curtains were drawn. My hands and feet were unbound, but I couldn’t seem to move. I fought through the nausea and pain and tried to crawl. I made it about three inches when a banging stopped me.

Someone was in my kitchen.

Nolan.

A renewed sense of urgency gave me strength and I surged to my feet. I wobbled a little, but managed two steps toward the front door.

Before I could go any further, hard arms banded around me, yanking me backward. I smelled alcohol and cigarettes and body odor as he pushed me back to the ground with a violent shove.

“Did I say you could go anywhere, bitch? I’m not done with you yet.” A hard smack across my face snapped my head back and I tasted blood.

I heard the pleas for my life slipping through my lips, almost as if I’d entered a hypnotic state in my panic. I begged him to not kill me, to take what he wanted, anything . . . I just couldn’t leave Micah.

I froze, realizing what I’d said.

“Is that the motherfucker you’ve been sleeping with?” He knelt above me, pinned my wrists above my head, and began yanking at my pants. “I knew you were nothing but a fat little fucking slut.”

Air hit my legs as the fabric gave way. Something deeper than mere fear began to claw its way up my throat. He was going to rape me. Just like the other girls. The ones he used in my place.

I screamed and wiggled, trying to get free, earning myself another smack. I felt my eye immediately begin to swell.

Rough hands shoved past my panties as he bit my neck. “I can’t wait to take this back.”

The fight began to ebb out of my body as a calm acceptance replaced it. I was prepared to die, my only consolation that I’d known real love and that Micah was safe.

I closed my eyes as tears leaked down my cheeks.

“Look at me when I take you, bitch.” Hands squeezed my neck, forcing my eyes open.

A searing pain ripped up my throat as my air was cut off. My body began an automatic fight for breath and I grabbed blindly at his hands.

Suddenly, as if a miracle, I could see Micah over his shoulder, fuzzy and faint. His dark eyes were intent as he silently communicated with me. I blinked and focused. Nothing. He wasn’t really there, but I felt his presence, his love, as surely as if he was. And I knew what I had to do.

I willed my body to calm. Then I reached for Nolan’s thumbs and yanked, bending his arms, just like Micah had taught me. That released his hold on my throat enough for me to get a breath of sweet air. Rage filled his eyes, but it didn’t faze me. In one swift movement, I bent my knees and threw him off with a twist of my hips.

An oomph of surprise rushed past his lips as I scrambled to my feet. Adrenalin spiked through me as I realized I’d done it. I’d overpowered him.

“You fucking bi—”

I cut him off with a swift kick to his nose. Blood spurted bright red on his white shirt and he squealed like an animal. I didn’t relent. I aimed for his groin and used all the power of my body to attack. I boxed the side of his head with my foot for good measure then made a mad dash for the door.

I fumbled with the locks and threw it open without looking to see if he’d followed me. I began screaming for help the minute I hit the breezeway.

I made it to the end of the sidewalk before doors began opening, including my neighbor from three doors down, Mike, who happened to be a firefighter. He took one look at my face and started my way. I pointed blindly at my wide-open door as I knelt over, my hands on my knees.

Nolan appeared in the doorway at the same time Mike passed me.

I opened my mouth to yell a warning, but Mike was on the ball. He spun toward Nolan and was on him before I could take a breath. Mike was a beast of a man so their struggle was short. He had Nolan pinned to the ground in a matter of seconds.

He studied my face. “You okay?”

I nodded.

“He do that to you?”

I nodded again, dabbing at the blood dripping from my mouth.

“I’ve got him now. Go into my apartment and call the cops.”

My legs felt like liquid concrete, but I managed to straighten and stumble in the direction of his apartment. Mike mumbled something sinister under his breath to Nolan, just before there was the distinct thump of flesh to asphalt. I didn’t have the energy to look, nor did I care. He could crack his skull open for all I cared.

I made it to Mike’s place and sagged onto the couch, blindly reaching for his phone.

The 9-1-1 operator answered and all I could hope was that my words were coherent. She reassured me that the police were on their way and I sagged back, closed my eyes, and gave in to the tears.

Micah

I
finished up the differential on the Chevy then stowed away my tools and washed my hands as Blake began to close up the shop.

I was starving and couldn’t help but wonder what sort of meal Jewel had concocted using our mini fridge and microwave in the hotel room. It didn’t matter. I’d eat sawdust if she made it.

The office phone rang and Blake moved to answer as Jesse and Trace headed toward the door to head home.

He popped his head out of his office. “Micah.”

I snapped around at the alarm in his voice. Trace and Jesse froze in their tracks.

“Yeah.” I headed his way. “What’s up?”

His eyes were uncertain. “Do you know where Jewel is?”

My belly seized. “She’s supposed to be at the hotel. Why?”

He maintained eye contact as if afraid I’d lose my shit. “She was supposed to be going over to my place to see Dee I guess.” He listened to his wife a moment. “Something about using our stove to cook dinner?”

My heart dropped out of my body. I felt like I was sinking in quicksand.

Blake bowed his head as his wife said something else then faced me again. “She was supposed to be there an hour ago, but she never showed and she’s not answering her phone.”

I immediately pulled my cell from my pocket and dialed. It went straight to her voicemail. I hung up with a curse.

My mind raced with a million thoughts at once, but was strangely silent at the same time. Disembodied, my thoughts weren’t coordinated. I couldn’t think. I leaned over the trashcan as dry heaves overtook me with a fierce and sudden vengeance.

Disgusted with my own weakness, I stood as Blake hung up. “Dee’s worried, bro. This isn’t like Jewel.”

No. It wasn’t.

I fought for control. Fought to convince myself this was nothing. Her phone battery died. She was running late. Fell asleep. Something. Anything but the intuitive dread that was tormenting me.

“What do you want us to do, man?” Jesse said as he and Trace flanked me.

“We can spread out and search. Maybe it’s nothing to worry about,” Trace added, his attempt at reassurance doing nothing to calm me.

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “I don’t know . . . fuck!” I had no idea where to even start.

Blake placed a hand to my shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay. Jewel’s a strong girl.”

Trace palmed his keys and took charge. “We need to go look for her. Micah, why don’t you go by both apartments to see if she went there to grab something? I’ll call Tori and see if she’s got any ideas, then swing by the hotel to make sure she’s not stuck there with a dead truck or phone. Blake can check and see if she went by work, and Jesse can cruise the roads between the hotel and store to see if she got stranded somewhere. We’ll touch base in an hour and go from there.”

I thought I was going to be sick again. I’d never had my heart and soul and guts tied up in knots like this before. I stomped down my intuition and nodded my agreement. His plan was solid and better than sitting around here with my thumb up my ass.

We spread out and I headed home, knowing even before I got there what I’d find.

Nothing.

My apartment was dark and empty, no trace that a living soul had been there in days. Still, I raced room to room, calling her name. Hoping. Praying. Dreading.

I slumped on my couch and dialed her number again. I squeezed my eyes closed as her sweet voice prompted me to leave a message.

“Where are you, baby?” It literally hurt to speak. “I love you. Call me. I love you.” I hung up, realizing I’d repeated myself like a fool, but I didn’t care.

Maybe I should call Det. Rawlins and let him know she was missing. Could they even do anything since she hadn’t been gone that long?

Gone.

I groaned in helpless agony.

Where could she be? This was so fucked up.

Jesus. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I’d finally found my way to her.

I felt like a zombie, lifeless and dead. On wooden legs, I moved to the door to head out to her apartment, but the guys were just pulling up to meet me, their faces as troubled as I felt.