Prologue
April 8th, 2012
Ian Howl cradled the delicate, unconscious, girl in his arms as he swiftly made his way through the maze of a mansion to get to the garage. Her head rested on his chest and his arms supported her back and legs as he held her close. The swell of her feminine curves against his body felt all too consuming; the warmth of her skin was like a sweet yet biting burn. Tapping down on his ill-placed desires, Ian forced himself to focus on the present: their escape.
He ignored the hulking guard that sat in the security room who called to him as he rushed by. Turning a corner, Ian glanced over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. He hoped for a confrontation-free getaway, but the odds were against them.
Gently, he lowered the arm that cradled the girlβs legs so that they slowly slide down his body until he balanced her on the balls of her feet. Holding her close to his chest, he placed his thumb to the security scanner on the wall. He vaguely thought of her bare feet touching the cold floor, but it was something he couldnβt help right now. He needed to get her out of there and a chill was the least of his worries.
Three heartbeats later, the door that lead to the massive garage swung open with an air-locked swoosh that brought his hope soaring to new heights. They were almost free.
Ian noticed his car was blocked in, so he grabbed a random set of car keys from the wall hook and pressed thedoor unlock button. The headlights of a beautiful Porsche flashed, but the vehicle was in the rear of the garage and several cars surrounded it. The third set of keys he tried unlocked a luxury sedan that wasnβt blocked in and was close to the garage doors. Ian had eased the girl into the passenger seat of the sedan and was securing the seatbelt around her when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.
βWhere do you think youβre taking that car, kid?β
Ian turned his head around to see Brad... Or was it Brent? He didnβt remember the guardβs name, but Ian knew the guy was built like a defensive tackle. Striking first would surprise Brad/ Brent. So he grabbed the hand on his shoulder and pulled the guard into his elbow, targeting his large, beefy face. The guard stepped back, holding his gushing nose. Ian spun around; he thrust the base of his palm upward into the manβs shocked, bloody, face causing him to stumble back again then fall to the floor. The guard didnβt get back up.
βPlease,β the girl whispered.
Ian whipped his head around to see that she was still unconscious and strapped in the car. Rushing to the driverβs side of the commandeered vehicle, he hopped inside and started the engine. The automatic doors to the parking garage opened when the car tripped the underground sensor and they barreled down the path toward the front gate of the property. Luckily there were still party guests inside because usually those sensors only allowed vehicles with an installed security plate placed under the hood to pass through without human intervention.
Again, the underground sensor allowed the vehicle to pass through. The large main gates had opened, but they were not in the clear yet.
Ian didnβt floor the gas pedal until he was clear of his uncleβs property. He wasnβt being followed, but he continued to check the rearview mirror, knowing their absence would soon be reported.
The girl moaned, pulling his gaze from the road.
Her long dark brown hair was matted to her head, practically covering her delicate face, so he brushed some of it away. Bruises covered her body but her dry lips, puffy red eyes, and the darkening hand prints on her throat were the most obvious. She was in bad shape, and Ian feared that the thin sheet wasnβt enough to keep her naked body warm.
βHelp me,β she moaned.
βIβm taking you to a hospital,β Ian told her. He fought the bile that rose from his stomach. Disgust and shame assailed him, but right now he couldnβt think of his role in what had happened to her. He had to get her medical help, but he didnβt know Howard County, Maryland, all that well. The only time he even came to this part of Maryland was when he visited his uncle.
Ian brushed the back of his hand over her bruised cheek and was about to place it back on the steering wheel when her eyes popped open, jarring him a little.
She didnβt move right away. She just looked at him with a hollowed gaze as if her mind had to reboot. Then those chestnut-brown orbs changed from confused to feral in a flash. Before he could react, she was screaming, βNo hospital! No cops!β over and over as she kicked at him and pushed at the passenger door with her hands. Ian grabbed at her feet, but his hand slipped and she nailed him hard on the side of his head with her foot.
βAll right, no hospitals!β Ian yelled her as he slammed his foot on the brake, causing the car to skid along the nearly empty road. The force of the sudden stop propelled her forward and the side of her head collided with the dashboard. Her body went limp.
βShit!β he yelled as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel. Ian pulled the car off to the side of the road, took his cell phone out, and dialed his fatherβs cell. The phone rang several times, then the voicemail picked up. He listened to his fatherβs commanding voice, but he disconnected before the taped greeting ended.
βDamn it, Dad, this is important!β
Ian glanced up at the rearview mirror, peering out into the quiet darkness, lost in thought. The weight of his cell phone in his hand made him find his focus again. He turned the phone over in his hand twice before shutting off the power. Ian stared at the cell phone in his hand for a long moment as he unconsciously rubbed at a spot under his armpit.
βThey will be looking for me, us.β
He glanced at the girl then felt under his arm again. As long as she was with him, they would find her.
