Executive Protection(53)

That he’d lock her in a room? This was more than a room. He’d turned his entire house into a prison...for her.


Could she fight him off before he had his way with her? She’d try to reason with him first.

“What kind of end do you think this is going to come to?” she asked with serenity she did not feel on the inside.

His head cocked to one side as he neared. He came to a stop in front of her.

“That depends on you.” He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face. It was all she could do not to swat his hands away. “On how well you behave.”

She felt as if she were about to vomit.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Well...” He folded one arm in front of him and propped his elbow on his forearm, putting his chin in his fingers as though thinking deeply, albeit full of mockery. Before she could block him, he swung his hand out and smacked her alongside her face. The blow sent her stumbling off balance and she fell. On her hip, she stared up at him.

“To start with, you can stop untying yourself and trying to run away. I’ll untie you when I want to untie you.”

Anger swirled and sparked inside her. No man had ever hit her. She would not do as he ordered. He was sick in the head and she’d fight him to her last breath. Even as she rebelled, his craziness gave her a dose of reality. Could she fight him? He was a big man and stronger than her.

Getting to her feet, she glanced around the room. There was a standing lamp, some books on a bookshelf, and an electronic picture frame. Her options were minimal. As Cam walked toward her, she went to the standing lamp. Picking it up, she swung. Cam blocked it by grabbing the pole, but the base clipped him on his face. She pulled the lamp but he held firm. Letting that go, she went to the bookshelf and started hurling books at him. He knocked a couple away but she got him with two others. His face grew stormier as he marched toward her.

If she didn’t get away now, he was going to seriously hurt her. Unable to control her panic, she ran around the couch. In the kitchen, she opened drawers until she found the knives. She almost had her hand around the handle of one when Cam grabbed her hair and yanked her backward. She sailed across the kitchen and banged into the table, the corner of it digging painfully into her side. She fell into one of the chairs, toppling it over as she crashed to the floor.

Crawling away, she scrambled to her feet, pushing the table askew to block Cam’s advancing steps. She had to hurt him before he hurt her. Or killed her...

* * *

When Thad and Sam arrived at Cam’s house, they spotted Mike standing outside his car. He’d parked in front of the neighboring house. Thad parked behind him. Mike hadn’t gone to the house. Probably smart, since help was on the way. But Thad wasn’t waiting for the police. He alighted from the car and ran with his gun drawn toward the house. Seeing there was no handle on the front door, and the windows were boarded up, a sick feeling roiled his stomach.

Sam tapped his arm. Thad looked to where he indicated. The garage. Maybe there was a side door. Sam wasn’t armed and neither was Mike.

“You two stay behind me,” Thad said, and led them around the side of the house. There was a side door in the back, and Sam and Mike kicked it until it broke off the frame.

Thad rushed in. Like the front door, the inner garage door didn’t have a knob, but someone inserted a key and began to unlock it from the inside. Cam had heard them kicking down the door.

Sam and Mike scattered to either side of the door and Thad stood between them. The door opened and Thad aimed his gun as Cam peeked his head to look into the garage. Seeing Thad, he ducked out of sight and tried to slam the door closed. Thad shoved his foot in the doorway, blocking the attempt. His black combat boots protected his feet. As a cop, he always wore good shoes. At times like these, it paid off.

Pushing the door open, he hurried inside, swinging his gun in each direction. Cam wasn’t in the kitchen.

He heard sirens as he emerged into the living room and saw Cam holding Lucy with a knife at her throat. Other than that and the frightened look in her eyes, she appeared to be all right. She was fully clothed. There was a cut on her face and a faint bruise was forming but Cam hadn’t had enough time to do what he’d planned.

“Drop that gun or she dies.”

“In two seconds you’re going to be surrounded by law enforcement,” Thad said.

“Drop it!” Cam’s eyes were wide with crazed uncertainty.

Crouching, Thad slowly put his gun on the floor. He heard Mike and Sam go into the garage to intercept police. Shortly after, the kitchen filled with uniforms yelling, “Raleigh Police!”

Thad stepped back and out of the way. While Cam was distracted with that, Thad picked up his gun and aimed. He was a good shot. He practiced a lot. It was a sport to him, one that came in handy with his work, too.

Cam stood behind Lucy, his right arm pinning her to him, and his left hand holding the knife. Thad fired for his elbow and hit his target dead-on. Cam gave a shout and could no longer hang on to the knife. It fell to the floor.

Lucy took the opportunity and twisted free of Cam and ran to Thad. He wrapped his arm around her. Police rushed forward and Cam was thrust to the floor and handcuffed. He’d receive medical attention and be taken to jail. Cam glared at Thad as he was being cuffed. All the policemen here knew Thad, and Mike and Sam had probably informed them he was in here. Any other man, they’d have gotten him under control at gunpoint. But in this case, Cam was the only one on the floor. Thad saw the menace directed at him and only felt victory. He’d saved Lucy. He’d gotten here in time. Even without Mike and Sam, the first place he’d have come was Cam’s house. He may have had to fight harder and longer, but the end result would have been the same.