Slow Ride (28 page)

“Call was traced to the motel,” Sam said. “Jackson went over there and is interrogating
Morris now. I don’t know what the fuck he has to do with this. Kyla, are you friends
with him or something?”

“That’s just ew.” She scrunched up her nose for emphasis. “We talked maybe four times.
He was always staring at me in that creepy way. I don’t know why Rose ever hired him.
He is just . . . creepy.”

“Rose has a big heart,” Cooper explained. “And Morris might seem like a creep and
be an asshole whenever he opens his mouth, but he’s never done anything that crossed
the line. He’s all talk. And I saw the way he’d watch you, but he knew, from the time
I walked you home from the pier, that you were off limits. If he called you to warn
you about something going down, maybe he isn’t as creepy as we thought.”

But if he was trying to help her, why hadn’t he just said who he was? It didn’t make
any sense to her. But then, what part of having an insane psycho stalker made any
sense at all?

• • •

The weekend was quiet. Nothing much had come out of what Morris had to say. Mainly
because before Jackson could get much information, Chief Saybrook had ordered he be
cut loose. This had not made Jackson or Cooper happy, and for the first time Kyla
could see the two men had a similar distaste for the top cop. What made it worse was
that Morris had gone to ground and no one could find him. Not even Sam. This was alarming
in itself, but Kyla could see Cooper was trying to keep his worry hidden. At least
from her.

On Sunday, the guys were sprawled out on the furniture in the living area watching
a football game. The weather was cooling off as September approached, but the leaves
were gorgeous and the frothy waves on the bay, the smell of sea salt in the air was,
to Kyla, perfect. She had made a bunch of finger foods for them to munch on and had
a pot of chili simmering in the Crockpot for dinner. She was leaning against the kitchen
counter, her head bent as she looked through a cookbook when she felt Cooper at her
back, his arms circling her waist.

“Food smells amazing.”

She nestled into Cooper’s hold. “Thanks. It’s my mom’s recipe. She’d make it for us
for our Sunday football feasts. Course, we always watched the Steelers. Not those
guys.”

He grinned and nipped at her jaw. “Babe, this is a Patriots’ house. Gonna have to
get used to that.”

“This is something we’re going to have to disagree about. My mom is sending my jersey
and I sleep in it. So. . .”

“I don’t think so. You sleep in that, it’ll be off before the covers even get over
your body. You’ll be sleeping naked.”

“That isn’t much of a deterrent, Coop.”

His head tipped back and he laughed. “I’ll remember that, babe. You need any help
with this?”

“Nope. Thanks for asking though. We just need to grill the meat when it’s close to
dinner time. That’s your deal.”

“I ever tell you you’re amazing?”

She felt her insides melt and she sighed. “Yeah. But not today.”

“Well, you are. You don’t always have to do this though. I like you for more than
just your cooking and hosting skills. Those are just a bonus.”

She laughed at his teasing. “Yeah, two more checks off your list, huh? Tall, I can
cook, and host a helluva party.”

“You’re also sweet, gorgeous, strong, you press tight against me when you sleep, and
give me a reason to breathe.”

“Cooper . . .” His head dipped to her mouth as she breathed his name.

“God damn it! I fuckin’ hate the Broncos! Cooper, man, stop making out with my sister
and get over here. You’re missing the game.”

Cooper shook with laughter as she felt her face blaze.

“Shut up, Mike! I swear I will tell Mom you’re being a pain in the ass.”

“Whatever.” Mike muttered and turned back to the TV. Yeah, pulling the mom card always
worked.

Her phone vibrated on the counter and she grabbed it.

“Come to the bar while I stock before it opens? I need to talk to you about Tommy.”

Kyla lifted a brow at Sarah’s text message and showed it to Cooper.

“You mind if I go hang with Sarah at the bar? She has to go in early and since you’re
watching the game, I’ll be safe there. Doors will be locked and the bouncers get there
early, too. I will leave by three-thirty to be home for dinner.”

He hesitated.

“I’ll take her over there,” Jack said as he strolled over to the breakfast bar that
separated the kitchen and living room. “I gotta get going anyway.”

Cooper glanced between her and Jack, clearly not convinced it was a good idea, or
that he could win this battle.

“Have fun, baby. Call me and I’ll come by to get you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him, and whispered into his ear, “Thank
you.”

He twisted his head, his eyes melted and he leaned into her body. “You owe me later.
And I promise to collect.”

His mouth touched hers lightly and then he turned to Jack. “Don’t motor off until
she’s inside. Thanks, man.”

• • •

“Thanks, Jack!” Kyla hollered from the doorway and made her way inside the bar, closing
and locking the door behind her. She headed for the counter, glancing around at the
empty stage and dim lights leaving shadows in the corners and recesses of the booths.
Kyla crossed her arms over her chest and shivered.

“Sarah? You in the back?”

A bang from the stage made her head twist in that direction. She squinted at the shadow
she saw behind the curtain and walked forward.

“Sarah? What are you doing? I thought you were restocking.”

Another loud thud and grunt, all the more closer as she reached the edge of the stage.

“Sarah?” Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. She felt her stomach twist as
her eyes adjusted to the lighting. Something wasn’t right. She knew that with every
fiber of her being. She wanted to be sick. She wanted to run. But her feet were frozen
to the floor.

The shadow grew bigger and she finally managed to step back. A body, larger than Sarah,
much larger, fell through the curtain.

Kyla felt her breath hitch in her throat and as her eyes adjusted to the light her
hand flew to her mouth. “Morris?” She whispered his name, the sound coming out like
a hiss.

The man’s head turned and she saw the wicked slice along his length, the copious amount
of blood pouring from it. His lips formed a word, but the only sound that emerged
was a gurgle. She didn’t need sound though. She could read his lips.

“Run.”

And she did. Kyla turned and bumped into a table, her foot catching on a nearby chair.
But she kept moving toward the door.

“I don’t think so.”

Marla stood against the exit. Her eyes were wild, her bleached hair was wild, and
although she had on jeans and a black t-shirt, she looked anything but normal. She
was crazy. And not because of the large hunting knife she had at her side. It was
her posture, the way she flipped the knife around in her fingers, and the deadened
tone of her voice when she spoke again.

“Run, Kyla. Please fuckin’ run because I want to be the one who guts you. I want to
watch you bleed just like Morris, but I want you able to talk, to scream while you
do. I’ve dreamed about it since that day I saw Cooper watching you. I knew you had
to die.”

“Marla. I don’t know why you’re doing this. I didn’t do anything. . .”

As Marla stalked forward, Kyla walked backwards toward the bar. The door to the back
rooms was at the end of it. If she could get there, she might be able to get to a
room and lock herself in.

“You did everything!” The scream ricocheted off the walls of the bar.

“But what did Morris do? I barely know him.” She didn’t dare take her eyes off of
Marla, but the lack of any sound from the stage did not bode well for his survival.

“Cooper was
mine!
You took him from me, you took away the life I was supposed to have. I gave myself
to him when we were kids. We were meant to
be!
And you stole that. I could have had him if I just had a little more time. But you
came to town, all damsel-in-distress and with a psycho for an ex. Cooper had to save
you, he had to claim you. And you didn’t tell him no. I warned you, but you wouldn’t
give up and go home!”

Kyla swallowed. This woman was not stable and her shrill screams were getting more
erratic. She gripped the edge of the bar with her right hand and her left dipped around
the corner, searching for anything under the counter she might be able to use as a
weapon.

“But Morris?” she asked again. She had to keep the woman talking, had to keep her
distracted.

“Morris was watching you, too. He liked you, but he backed off when Cooper stepped
in. He came into the bar here. I gave him a few freebies, made him want me like all
the men want me.” Marla sneered before continuing. “Morris was my partner until he
got a fuckin’ conscience and decided you and Cooper fit together. He didn’t want to
hurt you. He liked you too much. Said you were nice, even though you barely gave him
the time of day. He was
weak
to your charms, just like Cooper! But I will cure them of that.”

Kyla’s fingers wrapped around the neck of a bottle in the nick of time and she pulled
it out just as Marla lunged. Kyla moved fast and jumped back while swinging the bottle
toward Marla’s head. One shot. Kyla was sure she could knock her out and run.

But it didn’t happen. Marla dodged and instead of her head, the bottle shattered against
her shoulder. Marla’s animal scream tore through the bar and she came harder at Kyla.
Both women stabbed out with their weapons. Kyla felt the moment the jagged edge of
the broken bottle sunk into Marla’s flesh thigh and the blood began pooling out to
drip on the floor. She dropped the bottle and moved three steps backward toward the
door before turning to run. She made it only two steps before she felt the searing
heat in her shoulder as the knife sunk into her flesh. Her scream was cut off as Marla
grabbed her hair and yanked her back into the bar.

Kyla fell to the ground, but used her arms, biting through the pain as she scrambled
through both of their blood wetting the floor.

“You’re mine, bitch. Don’t worry, you won’t go fast. I want to play.”

Kyla kicked out but missed her target. Instead the world went dark as the knife handle
knocked her into unconsciousness.

• • •

“What the fuck? Why are you here?” Cooper exploded as Sarah walked through the door
into the house. The action in the room was as electrified as a live wire as all of
the guys jumped up, grabbing jackets and phones.

Sarah’s eyes were round, puzzled as she watched the flurry of activity around her.
“What the hell did I do?”

“Kyla got a text from you, asking to meet her at Felicia’s ‘cause you had some restocking
to do before opening.”

“Uh, no. Wasn’t me. My phone was stolen last night from the bar. Are you. . .” Her
face was pale. “Oh my god. Cooper, it’s a Sunday. No events were scheduled for tonight
so we don’t open until six. I’m not even working today.”

Cooper had already grabbed his gun from the desk drawer and was at the door. Phil,
Tommy, and Mike were behind him.

“Sam, see if you can find Marla. Mike, call Jackson. Let them know what is going on.
Sarah call Felicia, give her a heads up. Jesus motherfucker god damnit!” he roared.

“Man, calm down.”

“Phil, get in the car and drive. We have to get to her. I swear to god. . .”

Cooper didn’t have to finish that statement. He was already yanking the door open,
then hauled ass to the car, not saying a word as he jumped into the passenger seat.

Phil stomped on the gas, gravel flying as they roared off.

Cooper had a tight grip on the gun in his lap, his other fist clenched. He had to
stay in control. He had to get to her. If anything happened, his world would be over.

Phil spoke up first. “We’ll get to her, Coop. She’s strong. She’ll fight back. She
didn’t find you to lose you. She’s stubborn, she’s got a temper, and you only gotta
know her for about two minutes to know she won’t be beat down.”

He only nodded. He believed Phil’s words in theory. He knew Kyla was strong and could
fight. She’d had to deal with that asshole ex of hers to survive. But against a physical
weapon, those were just words. And no amount of pep talks could soothe the ache in
his heart or the fear in his mind.

Kyla lay on the ground, wincing with each racking cough through her body. She had
only been out for a couple of minutes. But in that time Marla had dragged her to the
stage, somehow hefting her onto it.

She blinked several times, trying to clear the fog. Her fingers worked into the back
of her jeans, trying to grab her phone. A rustling somewhere above her caught her
attention and she jerked her head to the side. Marla crouched and spoke, her tone
dead and distant but her eyes filled with intent.

“Kyla, Kyla, Kyla . . . this is what happens when you don’t do what you’re told. This
is going to be quite the mess to clean up. Blood leaves such a horrible stain.” Marla
straightened and after some rustling Kyla heard her captor move behind the curtain
at the back of the stage. She used that time, unsure of just how much she’d have,
to pull her phone out and dial 911.

She tried to lift herself up but the pain in her shoulder wound made her fall back.
She choked out a sob and dropped to her side as the phone rang.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“This is Kyla O’Grady. I’m at Felicia’s. I’ve been attacked. It’s Marla, she’s crazy.
I’m bleeding bad. Please hurry.”

The sound of a door opening made her freeze, but instead of turning the phone off,
Kyla scooted her body to the edge of the stage and dropped the phone over the side,
wincing at the clattering noise it made. She silently prayed it stayed on, but she
couldn’t tell from her vantage point.

She heard the curtain rustle and lifted her head. Her eyes followed Marla’s movements
as she came closer, but her eyes stopped on the knife in her hand. Kyla knew that,
despite the overwhelming desire she had to sleep, she had to force herself to stay
awake. If she lost consciousness, it would be over. Kyla would not let this woman
win. She would not lose the life she had been rebuilding here in Ashten Falls. And
she definitely would not lose Cooper.