Legally Hot by Leigh, Lora (smart ebook reader TXT) 📗

at the trunk lid. It was so close and the space so small that she felt claustrophobia start to set in. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “But there’s not much battery power left. I don’t know how long it’s going to last.”

“Shit.” This time Adam did let it out. “All right, it’s going to be okay. Just hang with me.”

“I will.” Her body rocked as the car jostled her.

Adam asked her about sounds she heard, talking with her while trying to figure out where she was.

They drove for about fifteen minutes and finally they came to a stop.

Finally? Was that what she really wanted—for the ride to end? Would she be killed before Adam could find her?

She heard the car doors slam and then the squeaking of the trunk lid opening.

Right before the trunk lid was all the way up, Keri put the open phone into her backpack and prayed that Adam would be able to hear anything that was said.

Thug jerked her out of the storage trunk and hooked his arm around her throat before dragging her out of the van.

She blinked. “We’re at Edward’s old house. Why?” she asked, hoping Adam could hear her through the pack. “Didn’t he sell it?”

“Doesn’t matter, lady,” Bruiser said. “What do you care?”

“Furnishings and all,” Thug said. “But the boss made sure the two of you could use it one last night, though.”

Keri swallowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean why don’t you just shut that trap of yours or I’ll shut it for you,” Thug said. “For good.”

It was then that she felt the gun pressed against her spine.

  TWELVE

  Carter’s house.

Thank God. That meant he was close and didn’t have far to go.

Adam’s strobe lights flashed and his siren wailed as he tore through the night.

Let me be in time. The place had been under surveillance up until yesterday, when the keys were reportedly turned over to a new owner.

Adam used the police radio in his car to call for backup. From where he was, he’d make it there around the same time his backup would.

He heard muffled sounds over the phone connection, then Keri saying, “Edward.”

Adam clenched his teeth as Carter said, “It’s the little ballerina slut.”

Keep him talking, honey, Adam thought as he drove up the toward Carter’s house. Keep him talking.

“Why are you doing this?” she said, her voice fainter.

Damn, he hoped her phone wasn’t going to die.

“That’s a stupid question,” Carter said. “Even for you, Keri.” The bastard had a sneer in his voice. “Let’s see. You give me up to the cops and I get put away for almost seven years. Would have been longer if my lawyers hadn’t figured out a way to get the verdict overturned.”

Keri’s voice was muffled and the connection went dead.

*   *   *

  “On your knees.” Edward shoved Keri and she cried out as her knees hit the floor.

Her heart pounded and fear tasted sour in her mouth.

“Get out of here, all of you,” Edward said in a snarl to Thug and Bruiser. “I’ll deal with her myself. I’ll have my fun before I take care of her. It won’t be messy.”

“Right, boss,” came a voice from behind her, someone she remembered from years ago. Edward’s flunky, Johnny Hill. “Do you want us to wait outside?”

“Yeah,” Edward said as he glared at Johnny. “Now get the fuck out of here.”

The moment Keri heard the door close behind them, Edward backhanded her. She cried out when pain sparked in her head as he knocked her onto her side on the floor.

He towered over where she was lying. “Hands and knees, bitch.”

Shaking, she obeyed. She cried out as Edward grabbed her by her hair and jerked her along behind him, toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

“You’re slowing me down,” Edward was saying. “Crawl.”

“Edward, please.” Pain was in Keri’s voice as he started leading her down the hall while she crawled. “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. I promise.”

“Sure.” Edward came to a stop and jerked her closer by her hair. Her scalp ached with pain. He raised her up so that she was just on her knees and he bent his head to get his face close to hers. “Give me back the years I lost being stuck in that fucking prison. Think you can do that?”

“I’m sorry,” Keri said as more panic seized her. “When I turned you in I was scared,” she said.

“Are you scared now, Keri?” Edward yanked her head back. “I bet you’re scared,” he said, then shouted, “Aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Keri’s voice was low as she stared up at him. “I’m scared.”

Edward laughed. “You know what’s funny? As much fun as it’s going to be to kill you, it’s going to be even more fun to see your detective suffer. When you disappear forever, on his watch, he’s going to be real sad, isn’t he?”

Keri just looked at Edward as a cold, icy feeling rolled over her. He shook her by her hair and repeated, “Isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Keri whispered. Then louder when he shook her again. “Yes,” she shouted.

Edward jerked her harder by her hair. Her eyes watered and she had a hard time catching her breath. She could fight him, but he was bigger than she was. She needed to wait for the right time to try to escape.

She wasn’t going to give up hope on Adam. She wasn’t going to give up hope at all.

Keri glanced up as he dragged her and saw a handgun tucked in the back of his pants, up against his spine.

Chills made her shiver almost uncontrollably. Was he going to shoot her? But he had said something about it not being messy. What did he mean by