RunningScaredBN

RUNNING SCARED

LCR Elite

BY
 

CHRISTY REECE

Published by Christy Reece

Cover Art by Patricia Schmitt/Pickyme

Copyright 2016 by Christy Reece

ISBN: 978-0-9967666-0-9

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at
[email protected]
.
 

Prologue

Eight years ago

She was free!

She had told herself this day would come. Over and over again, she had repeated the mantra that had given her hope, the will to survive. She had told herself that she would one day escape. That there would be one moment of inattention. One moment when
he
wouldn’t be around, the servants would be distracted, an opening would present itself, and she would be able to find her way out. She had almost given up, almost believed it would never happen.

Had there been other opportunities, and she had missed them? It shamed her that this might be true. She had been drifting in a state of despair and pain for so long, she had stopped looking for an opening. But after his declaration tonight, she’d had three choices. Accept that she would be tied to a monster forever, kill herself and end her misery, or find a way to get the hell out of there. In her mind, there had been only one acceptable choice. If she died in her attempt, then so be it. At least she would not have died a coward.

The click of her heels against the asphalt had her looking down at her clothing. A floral patterned dress and three-inch heels weren’t exactly travel wear, but she didn’t care. She counted herself fortunate that her opportunity had come when she was wearing something decent. There had been too many times that she had—

No, she wouldn’t think about that now. She was free, and that was all that mattered.

A different kind of fear hit her as she abruptly took in her surroundings. She had been so focused on getting away that she hadn’t given thought to where she was going. Where was she? All around her were tall buildings—skyscrapers. And people. So many people. For so long she had existed in silence. All the noises together, the traffic rushing by, people chattering on their cellphones or with each other, horns blowing, machinery grinding. The cacophony of sounds was deafening.
 

She wanted to ask someone the location but feared what might happen if she did. What if they thought she was crazy for not knowing where she was? What if they took her to the police? Her heart beat faster as panic threatened. Maybe they knew him. Maybe they would call him and he’d come for her. What would he do to her this time? The one and only time she had tried to leave, he had…

No. No, she couldn’t take the risk. She drew in a deep, calming breath to settle herself down. She would just walk around until something looked familiar. It was as simple as that.

As if she were just another person and knew exactly where she was and had a destination in mind, she blended with a crowd waiting at a traffic light. When they went, she went. When they stopped, she stopped. It wasn’t until she’d walked several blocks that she realized that none of the conversations taking place around her were in English. How was that possible? Everyone at the mansion had spoken English. Although he’d had an accent, he
had always spoken English. She had thought she was in the US.
 

Skidding to a stop, she ignored the irritated grumbles coming from the people who bumped into her, almost ran over her. She assumed they cursed her. Raising her head, she looked at signs above businesses. She recognized a few of the letters. An old saying popped into her head: It’s all Greek to me. And it was true. The signs above her were written in Greek. Did that mean she was in Greece? If so, what city? She didn’t speak the language. How was she going to find someone she could communicate with? Someone who wouldn’t turn her in?

The blare of a ship horn startled her. She glanced to her left and realized she was close to the docks. Giant cargo ships, small boats, and cruise ships were lined up in a neat row. At the very end, a ferry was slowly shuttling away from the dock.
 

Disappointment swamped her. That would have been her best bet to escape. Even though she had no money, she might’ve been able to sneak onto the ferry and hide in one of the cars. It would probably return in a few hours, but she couldn’t wait around. She had to find a place to hide.

Another loud blare came, this one from a giant vessel at the end of the dock. A cruise ship. It was large, at least ten stories high, and would hold hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Could she sneak onto the ship? It was so big she could stay hidden until they reached another port of call. She didn’t care where it took her. As long as it was far away from
him
, that was all she cared about. She had to try!
 

Her mind made up, she headed toward the ship. For the first time in her life, she made a decision for herself. It didn’t matter where she was going, and a part of her didn’t care if she lived through the adventure. She only knew that she was at last free. If freedom meant death, then she would accept her fate. She had no fear of death, not if the alternative was to be returned to him.

Going back to that monster was something she would never do.

Chapter One

Sinjar, Iraq

Nineveh Province

Shots whizzed by, dimpling the crusty dry ground, pinging the rusted abandoned cars around them. Riley Ingram forced herself to stay focused. She was tempted, oh so tempted, to turn around and look. Even more tempted to turn around and return fire.
 

Breath rasped from her aching lungs. Bruised ribs from a training exercise last week throbbed with an unceasing ache. They hadn’t expected this kind of action. What should’ve been a low-risk op to gather intel had turned inside out in seconds.

“Dammit, Ingram. Move it!” her partner, Justin Kelly, roared. “I’m going to be very pissed off if you get shot today. Haul ass! And I mean…now!”

Too busy trying to save said ass to be offended, Riley ground her teeth and kept running. Justin was several feet behind her, firing random shots. Killing any of the scum-suckers chasing them wasn’t in their plan, but neither was getting shot at in the first place. Dammit, she should have figured out another way.
 

“Head north,” Justin shouted. “Fox and Thorne are waiting.”

Without a break in her stride, she veered north. If either she or Justin were injured, the chances of them surviving were slim to none. These thugs were out for blood, and thanks to her screw-up, something even worse than a bullet awaited her if she was caught.

She’d already made a mess of this op. She was absolutely not going to get her partner killed, too.

Gritting her teeth, Riley gave it all she had.

Justin was breathing down her neck, almost even with her. She spared a glance back. In an instant, Riley comprehended his thoughts, his body language. She’d seen that fierce, protective look in his eyes too often not to recognize it. He was considering doing something stupid, like hauling her over his shoulder. Which would slow him down. No!
 

Reaching for her last ounce of adrenaline, she surged forward.
 

Didn’t matter. Her partner was stronger, faster, with an indomitable will that wouldn’t back down. He would do what he felt was right, one hundred percent of the time. Without any seeming extra effort, he reached out and pulled her off her feet. Half carrying her, half dragging her, he raced toward the black SUV on the other side of a rusted fence.

Stopping abruptly, Justin released his hold on her and yanked out his wire clippers. Riley whirled around and fired shots in the direction of the men running toward them. The bullets struck the ground just short of their feet, right where she wanted them to.
 

“Let’s go,” Justin growled.

Getting off one last round, Riley went through the opening her partner had created. The instant she was on the other side, she resumed shooting. Justin slipped through behind her, then pulled her with him toward their rescue vehicle barreling toward them.

The SUV squealed to a stop, and the doors popped open. Aidan Thorne grabbed Riley’s hand and dragged her into the back with him. Justin leaped into the front seat. Sabrina Fox was behind the wheel. The instant they were inside, she tore down the road.

“Everybody okay?” Sabrina asked.

His heart still thundering in his chest, Justin Kelly twisted round to check on his partner. That had been too close for comfort. Riley’s face was a stark-white mask. This should have been an easy op of intel gathering and nothing more. That kick to her ribs a week or so ago wasn’t healed yet. Even though they’d expected no trouble, he should’ve suggested she sit this one out. He knew better than anyone that unexpected shit happens.

Knowing she would resent being babied, Justin growled, “Ingram, you want to answer the question?”

“I’m fine,” Riley gasped out. “Just a few twinges in my side.”

Justin didn’t even bother to argue. He knew she was in pain, but until they could get to safety, none of them could do anything about it.

“I’m sorry, Justin. I overreacted, and it blew up in our face.”

He noted three distinct things. First, she had called him Justin, something so rare he could count on one hand the number of times it had occurred. Second, she had apologized to him in front of other operatives. Riley Ingram didn’t show vulnerability. Ever. And third, she had
apologized
.
 

The last was the thing that pissed him off.

“What are you apologizing for?” he snarled. “Fighting for your life or fighting to keep from being raped?”

“If I hadn’t slugged that guy, none of this—”

Justin held up a hand, stopping more idiotic words from coming. “Let me get this straight. You think I’m upset that you didn’t allow those bastards to attack you while I stood by and watched?”

“Well…no. I just—”

He leaned over the back of his seat and got in her face, more furious than he’d ever been in his life. “Listen and listen good, Ingram. The day I stand back and let my partner get attacked just to save my ass is the day I walk away from this job for good. You got that? You did the right thing.”

As if realizing their conversation had gotten a little more intense than she’d planned, she nodded and clamped her mouth shut.
 

Breaking the tension, Thorne asked, “So, you guys want to tell us what
did
happen?”

Justin gave a frustrated one-shouldered shrug. “Got blindsided on our way to the meet. Five dirtbags thought they’d get their kicks by harassing two strangers. When they realized Ingram was female, they got other ideas.”

“I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

Justin glared at her and then cursed himself for doing so. She didn’t need any more blame put on her. She was doing a damn good job of that all by herself. Ever since she’d been injured last year, her confidence level had dipped. And lately…lately he didn’t know what the hell was going on with her.
 

“Dressing like a guy was your best defense, Riley,” Sabrina said. “Don’t beat yourself up. It should’ve worked.”

As small and slight as Riley was, they’d had no choice but to dress her as a young boy. The bullies had seen someone smaller. While two of them had tried to distract Justin, the other three had gone after Riley. Their intent had been to harass and intimidate, probably to rob. When they’d looked closer, saw the delicacy of her features and realized she was female, their intent had taken on a darker tone.

Facing the front again, he pulled out his cellphone. “We need to let Malak
know what happened.”