James blinked. “I’m sorry. You broke my heart, you know?”
Maryn was so tired. She couldn’t deal with this right now on top of everything that was happening to Tucker. “I know, James, and I feel awful about it, but… I really just want to go to bed. Can we talk later?” She saw Beck’s taillights pulling away. Alyssa must’ve convinced him that James was okay. She’d known James almost as long as Maryn had.
“I understand.” He pulled her into his arms again. “I’m here for you. Anything you need.” He tilted her chin up and whispered, “Anything.”
Maryn pulled back. “Thanks. I’ll be okay.” She grasped her door handle.
“You can’t seriously still want to be with him,” James said from behind her, his voice full of contempt.
Her hand froze on the door. She counted to ten, but it didn’t help. “He didn’t murder anyone, James. If you knew him, you’d know the truth.”
“He roughed up the guy I paid to watch you yesterday.”
Maryn whirled around. Her eyes wide. “You paid someone to follow us yesterday?”
“Yes.” James’ blue eyes were sparking. “And your precious Tucker hit him repeatedly then told him to tellmeto back off. I think the exact words were, ‘Maryn is mine’.” James harrumphed. “You want to be around a violent guy like that?”
Maryn searched her mind and suddenly it hit her. Tuck had excused himself to use the restroom and been gone long enough that she started playing around with the paddle board while she waited. Had Tucker really hurt some guy? No. Unless he wasn’t the man she knew at all.
Her back straightened as she glared at James. He only held her gaze for a second before looking away. “You’re lying about Tucker hitting him.” His squirm confirmed she was right. “And you had no right to pay someone to follow us. Tuck had every right to tell him to back off.” A little thrill went through her. Tuck had seen the guy following her when she had no idea and he’d acted to protect her.Maryn is mine?Hmm. The thought of Tuck saying it was actually kind of sexy.
“You want some guy to claim you belong to him? Like you’re another piece of property for his portfolio.”
Maryn pressed her lips together. It wasn’t like that with her and Tucker. He wanted her… all of her and she wanted to be Tuck’s. Wanted it more than anything. The thought of him sitting in some jail cell stole her breath away. What if he was convicted? She’d never believe that he could murder someone despite what he’d had to do in the Army, but if he was convicted of murder… She took a long breath. How would she deal with that? Could she really wait for him until she was puckered and bald?
“It’s none of your business what I want James. I told you no and you just can’t handle that. I love Tuck.” The words shot out of her mouth and she clapped her hand over it. Did she really? Love Tuck? Yes, she did and she wasn’t going to let James make her question Tuck’s goodness. “I’m on his team.” She crossed her arms and gave him a saucy head bob.
“You slept with him again, didn’t you? I know you two got a hotel room. Don’t equate physical attraction with love, Maryn.”
Maryn rolled her eyes. “If you don’t stop accusing me of being a floozy I’m going to rip out your nose hairs.”
“I don’t have nose hairs. I have them waxed.”
“Ugh! You are such a girl!”
James’ eyes narrowed, but then suddenly they widened. Maryn heard soft footsteps and turned. A burly dude with no hair grabbed her arms while someone else shoved a cloth bag over her head. “What the Jehosaphat?” she screamed, struggling to get free.
“Thought you could con us, eh James?” A man with a smooth voice said.
“Don’t fight them, Mar,” James begged her.
Yeah, right. She couldn’t help but fight. She squirmed and tried to get her arms free. When that didn’t work, she kicked at whoever was holding her. The guy grunted, whirled her around, and pinned her arms to her side. She was airborne and her stomach plummeted. She screamed until a large hand was clapped over her mouth, cutting off her screams and leaving her with very little oxygen.
“Leave her out of this,” James demanded.
“Not a chance.”
Shaking her head to free her mouth and nose did nothing. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Her stomach slammed against the guy’s shoulder as he pounded down the stairs. She was dropped into the seat of what she assumed was a car and shoved in. Bodies pressed against her on each side and then the door slammed and the car jetted off.
The body next to her on the right squeezed her hand. “Maryn. It’s going to be okay. Just let me take care of this.”
“You stinking idiot. What have you gotten us into? I’m going to kill you.” She jerked her hand free from James and tugged at the bag on her head.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the lilting voice said.
“Well, you’re not me.” She pulled it off to see the burly, bald dude pressed on her other side with a large gun in his hands.
“If you want to live, keep the mask on. The less you know about where we are going the greater your chance of being free again.” He had some kind of accent, maybe Australian. He held out the mask to her.