Alexander, Kortny - Surrendering to Summer [Whispering Mountain 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (19 page)

“What’s wrong?” Karen asked, looking hurt by the movement. “I just wanted you to know that I would never hurt you. I thought you knew that.”

Summer shook her head. “Karen, why are we in my house?”

Karen stood and placed her hands on her hips. “You didn’t say good-bye, silly. One afternoon, I drove by your house back in Boulder and I saw the real estate agent locking up. Apparently she had just shown the house to potential buyers. Anyway, I asked her how to contact you. I was a neighbor and tended to get your mail on occasion.”

Summer was stunned at how easily it had been for Karen to locate her. She’d put a call in to that dumb-ass real estate agent if she got out of this in one piece.

“So I drove up here as fast as I could. I figured you would need my help getting settled into your new home.” Karen began to pace the room. “It didn’t take me long to find you in this small town.”

Summer was getting nervous. She could see the agitation clear on Karen’s face. The woman was twisting her fingers and pacing faster and faster. Summer had to think of something. She needed to get free of the ropes. She had to escape this crazy woman.

“I can’t get onto the property where you’re staying.” She stopped fast and turned to Summer. “I mean, what the heck, we are friends. I wanted to visit my friend. But instead I was stuck waiting for you to leave, which you rarely did.”

A thought occurred to Summer. How the hell had Karen been following her and she didn’t notice it? What did she want from her? She was grateful Karen hadn’t tried to hurt her men or sabotage her relationship she was just beginning with them.

“Karen, why haven’t I seen you around town?”

She began pacing once again. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s probably because I bought a new car. I had plenty of money saved after I was fired, so I treated myself to a new fancy sports car.”

Summer could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. “Your car wouldn’t happen to be a red Camaro?”

Karen turned around with the most genuine smile on her face. “Yes! That’s my new car.”

This bitch really is crazy!
Summer thought. “Karen, why did you try and run me off the road the other day?”

Karen knelt in front of Summer once again. “Summer, I wasn’t trying to run you off the road. I was trying to get your attention.”

Oh that crazy bitch had my attention. I could have died!
She thought.

“Summer, don’t look at me like that. I came to help you get settled in. Just you and me. I even helped the contractor. I stayed here last night hanging up more of your pictures. I’ve unpacked just about everything. I wanted to surprise you when you came home. I didn’t expect you so soon. You surprised me. I–I’m sorry for knocking you out and tying you up. I didn’t know what else to do.”

As much as her inner voice was screaming to kill Karen, Summer controlled her facial expressions. There was no point in letting Karen know she wanted to kick her ass. Instead, she remained calm. She had to think clearly because Karen was definitely delusional. Summer had learned a lot from her sister May. She’d taught her how to handle people with mental issues. Summer slowed her breathing to a normal pace as she thought of a game plan.

“Karen.” She waited until Karen looked up at her. “Thank you for that wonderful gesture. I don’t think I have any other friends who would stay in my home and finish decorating it for me. I wish I could hug you.” Her sister May was a pro at reverse psychology. Frankly, May had taught Summer how to get away from lunatics. Summer just hoped this worked. She knew it had when Karen looked at her with requited affection.

Karen smiled. She hugged Summer tightly.

Summer squirmed. “I wish I could hug you back. I really do.” She hoped this worked.

Summer knew it would take a while before anyone knew she was missing. She could only imagine what was going through the minds of Dalton, Dillon, and Denver. That’s if they’d come home early. Summer didn’t know what time it was or how long she’d been unconscious. The men would surely search the town. They’d have to see her car in her driveway.

Hope. That was the feeling slowly creeping inside of her. She had to hope that the men would be looking for her. If nothing else, Agnes would have called looking for her when she didn’t arrive for her flight to Atlanta. Summer knew someone would be looking for her if they hadn’t already begun to do so.

* * * *

“Open the door!”

Dalton heard the banging on the front door, but he could only guess at who’d be crazy enough to do it. Whoever it was, he was angry and impatient. Dalton was grateful that someone had pulled him out of his dazed mood. He couldn’t believe they had sat around for over an hour, stunned at the thought of Summer leaving them instead of getting up off their asses to go look for her. Dalton stalked across the living room and yanked the front door open.

“What the hell do you—” Dalton held on to the door tighter. Everything else seemed to have stopped. “Connor? What’s going on?” Dalton could feel the chills slowly crawling up his neck. He stepped aside, allowing the sheriff to enter his home. When he shut the door and turned around, he found his brothers standing on the other side of the room. They must have felt it too.
Summer.

“When’s the last time any of you talked to Summer?” Connor asked, making eye contact with all three men one at a time.

Dalton, Dillon and Denver exchanged looks. Dalton was ashamed to admit that they hadn’t tried looking for her. She’d left without a word. There was something nagging at Dalton. Why would Connor be at their house demanding to know when they had last spoken to her?

“Connor, I don’t know if it’s any of your business, but Summer packed up her belongings and left us earlier today.” Dalton felt like a failure. His eyes were pinned to the floor when he spoke.

Connor burst out with nervous laughter. “I can’t believe how stupid the three of you really are.” He put his hand up before anyone could interrupt. “Hang on a sec. Summer didn’t pack up and leave you idiots. She’s missing.”

“What the hell do you mean she’s missing?” Denver asked.

Connor managed to yell louder than the thunderous voices filling the home. “Look, I can’t answer your questions if all three of you are yelling at the top of your lungs.” He waited for the men to calm down. Once they were down to a dull rumble, he continued. “Look, I know she was due to fly out on the family jet two hours ago. When she didn’t show, the pilot called Agnes. Agnes tried her cell phone but it went straight to voicemail. She’d called here several times without success. She finally gave up and called me. Hell, I even tried calling and kept getting your voicemail. That’s why I came right over.”

Dillon spoke up first. “Wait, what do you mean Agnes called?” He walked over to the kitchen and picked up the receiver, nodded, and returned. “There’s nothing wrong with our phone.”

Denver stood silently for a moment. “Dammit!” All eyes turned on him. “I turned the ringers off, sending it to voicemail so Summer could sleep in. What? Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I knew she’d end up missing.”

Dalton shook his head. He knew he would have done the same thing if he had thought of it. “All right, Connor, where do we start?”

“First off, we know she’s not here on the property. I’ve already made the calls.” Connor shook his head. “It’s not like she has a lot of places to go. An adult woman just doesn’t disappear in our town.”

All four heads nodded in silent agreement. The room was quiet for a few long moments. All four of the men were lost in their own thoughts.

“Ho-ly shit!” Dillon had broken the silence. “Connor, when was the last time anyone has seen that damned red Camaro?”

“Dammit!” Connor shouted as he grabbed his walkie-talkie, quickly reaching dispatch. He spoke in rapid jargon and almost instantly received a response.

The brothers stood listening to the dispatchers voice responding in the walkie-talkie. Their movements were quick. Dalton grabbed his keys and tactical knives, sliding them into hidden pockets of his pants as Dillon and Dalton grabbed two loaded shotguns and handheld guns. They’d heard the red Camaro had just been spotted outside of Summer’s home. One of the deputies decided to cruise by her home after finding out that Bagley Ames had given Summer her key right before she left the office.

When Connor eyed the three brothers he could only grin. “Let’s go get your woman.”

Chapter 25

Summer calmly watched as Karen pulled out a small pocket knife and began cutting at the ropes. As much as Summer wanted to flinch as the cold, dull side of the blade grazed against her skin, she didn’t move a muscle. She didn’t want to give Karen a reason to change her mind. Summer mentally sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to keep her composed until she was free of the ropes.

“Ah, there you go,” Karen exclaimed happily. She briskly massaged Summer’s arms, trying to ease some of the discomfort.

Summer didn’t waste time. After Karen stood, so did she. Summer waited a few moments, wiggling her arms and legs. She watched as Karen grinned, as if this was all a friendly joke. Like hitting her over the head, kidnapping her, and tying her up weren’t serious penalties. Summer balled one of her fists, swinging hard, connecting with Karen’s nose.

“Bitch!” Karen screamed as she grabbed at her nose and stumbling backwards towards the door. “I can’t believe—ahhh!”

Summer wasn’t retreating, nor was she waiting to give Karen an opportunity to harm her any further. Taking a few quick strides, closing the distance, Summer kicked Karen in the chest. She was glad she was still wearing her tennis shoes.

She watched as Karen spun against the doorframe, falling onto the floor in the hallway. Summer knew she should run, but she wasn’t letting this woman, a person she had trusted, get away without beating her ass first.

When Summer walked over Karen, a hand wrapped around her ankle, tripping Summer. She went tumbling to the floor beside Karen. As Summer tried to get her bearings, Karen rolled on top of her, slapping Summer several times.

“Summer, what are you doing? I untied you. Why are you attacking me?”

The stunned face staring down at Summer was almost laughable. “You’re nuts, you know that?” Summer shoved a hand in Karen’s face, pushing her off of her. Fighting it out with Karen wasn’t going so well for her.

When Karen hit the floor once again, Summer ran for the stairs. She knew getting out of the house was the best decision. She knew Karen had gotten to her feet and was hot on her heels. Summer held on to the banister, leaping, taking three steps at a time. Right as she hit the bottom step, Karen was on her once again.

“I’ve got you now, bitch!” Karen had gotten a handful of Summer’s hair, pushing her hard into the closet door. “You want to fight, I’ll give you a fight. Some friend you turned out to be.”

The move had pushed Summer in the opposite direction of the front door, only a few steps from freedom. The move had also slammed Summer’s nose into the door, stunning her. Blood trickled down Summer’s lips. Karen had grabbed one of her arms and pinned it to her back.

“Ahhh!” Summer yelled out. Karen had her pinned between the door and her frail body. Summer did the only thing she could. She jerked her head back, hitting Karen in the face. When Karen stumbled back, Summer turned and reacted quickly as three things happened all at once.

Summer slammed Karen into the door with so much force it knocked her unconscious, and she straddled Karen’s back and looked up, startled, when her front door was kicked in.

Pistols and shotguns were aimed at Summer as she sat winded on Karen’s back, too tired to speak. Without a word, she knew help had finally arrived. The four smug grins oddly relieved her.

“Looks like we weren’t needed, fellas,” Connor teased as they lowered and secured their weapons. “Only one intruder, Summer?”

Summer nodded slowly as she wiped at her bleeding nose.

“Get your woman taken care of while we handle…the criminal.”

Dalton moved first, gently helping Summer to her feet. While she stood wobbling in Dalton’s arms, Dillon checked her body for other injuries as Denver cleaned her face.

“Ummm, sweetheart, where did you learn to fight like that?” Denver teased when he finally got a look at the red-headed woman.

“Damn, remind me never to piss you off,” Dalton added.

“You did good, wildfire,” Dillon said as he offered her a glass of water.

They’d sat her down on the sofa, waiting for the sheriff to make his way over to them so Summer could give her statement.