“Good. Let’s leave before he comes back.”
“But then my kidnapper will be able to run.” It wasn’t difficult to fake appearing nervous. “What if he comes back for me?”
“That’s your father’s problem. The reward was only to bring you home.”
“Okay. We should hurry.”
He caught me by the arm and pulled me out of the cabin. My pulse raced, and I kept the hand with the poker firmly wedged behind my back. I was surprised he hadn’t questioned it. All I could think was that he saw me as some young, teenage girl, and not Rasmus’s only living child and the heir to his business.
He dragged me down to where he’d left his car. He led me around the side, towards the passenger’s door, which he opened.
“Get in.”
I nodded and awkwardly slid into the seat. The poker jabbed into the back of my thigh painfully, and I did my best not to show my discomfort on my face. He slammed the door behind me and rounded the front of the vehicle. He opened the driver’s door and got behind the wheel. The gun was still in his hand.
Put it down. Put it down.
Finally, he did, sliding it into the panel of the driver’s door. Out of my reach.Sitt!
I tightened my hand around the poker and tried to weigh up my options. If I hit him with it, he’d fight back, and in this confined space, would most likely win. No, I was better just to take him by surprise and run.
He fiddled for the keys, his attention focused on getting the car started. I crept my hand out to the door handle.
One, two...
I threw open the door and lunged out of the car.
A shout of ‘hey!’ followed me, but I ignored him. Moving as fast as I could in bare feet, hardly noticing the small stones cutting into my soles, I ran for the forest. My plan was to put as much distance between us and hide. He was bigger and stronger, but I bet I was faster. The only thing slowing me was my lack of shoes and that I still had hold of the poker. It was awkward to run with, but I wasn’t going to give up my only weapon.
Within seconds, my breath whistled in and out of my lungs and my heart raced. I heard him following me, his bigger body crashing through the undergrowth as he gave chase. I didn’t know where I was going, only that I needed to lose him.
I braced myself for the crack of a gun shattering the peace, but none came. He didn’t dare shoot me if he wanted that reward.
I turned to look over my shoulder, hoping to get some idea of how far away he was.Kurat! Fuck.He was terrifyingly close, his face scarlet with fury. He was faster than I’d thought he’d be.
I kept going. Something sharp caught the bottom of my foot, and I yelped in pain. My next footstep left a bloodied print behind on the fallen leaves.
Oh, no.
I was limping now, and he had a way of tracking me. This wasn’t going to work. I was never going to outrun him.
I threw myself behind a wide tree trunk and lifted the poker in both hands. He would have seen me changing direction, but he might not realise I had a way of hurting him. I was breathing hard, but even over my harsh gasps, I heard him getting closer.
I braced myself.
The minute he came into view, I stepped out from behind the tree. I swung the poker, hoping to make contact with his head. But he was taller than I’d anticipated, and the blow caught him on the shoulder. He barked with pain but didn’t go down. The iron ricocheted off the bulk of his bicep, and the sweat from my palm made me lose grip and it flew out of my hand.
Then he was on me, shoving me down. I hit the ground hard, the back of my head bouncing off the bed of pine needles. Then his weight was on top of me, crushing me.
“Fucking bitch!”
I went crazy, flailing and bucking, clawing and hitting. He grappled for my hands, trying to pin me down, but I managed to avoid him.
“Fuck you!” he snarled. “How’d you like this?”
He grabbed one of my breasts and squeezed hard. I froze, my breath catching in my lungs. He gave a chuckle. “Yeah, thought that might make you behave yourself.”
He jammed his crotch into mine, pressing his erection between my thighs. Sour breath washed over my face, and tears prickled my eyes.