Under His Protection (22 page)

She felt utterly helpless, worried where
Mason was, praying he wouldn’t get shot. Hoping he was safe.

“We should try and leave,” Suzanne said,
startling Blake.

Blake stared at her, her gaze lingering on
the red mark across Suzanne’s face and she shook her head in
disbelief. “Are you crazy? Did you hear what he said?”

Suzanne shrugged and stood, going to the
small closet. “I have nothing to lose. I’ve already died once. If I
die again, at least I tried to get away. I can’t imagine what my
life will be like if I’m forced to spend it with him.”

“Why can’t you get away? Does he have that
much of a hold on you?”

“It’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t
understand.” She grabbed a jacket from the closet and shrugged it
on, flipping her long, dark hair over the collar. “I have to try
and get out of here. If you want to stay, have at it. But I’m
leaving.”

Blake stood and went to block the door.
“What you’re suggesting is insane. You can’t go out there. He has a
gun. And he seems more than ready to use it. You don’t want to get
shot, do you?”

Suzanne’s lips thinned and she nodded toward
the door. “Get out of the way, Blake. I want out.”

“He’ll hurt you.” Blake scrambled, desperate
to say more and keep Suzanne there. She wondered why the threat of
a gun wasn’t enough of a deterrent.

“He’s hurt me for years. I can’t take it
anymore.” She shoved Blake out of the way and went for the handle,
throwing the door open. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to drag
you into this mess. I hope you can forgive me.”

Suzanne exited the room and started down the
hall, didn’t even bother looking back but kept her head held high,
her strides careful. Blake peeked around the edge of the bedroom
door, watched as Suzanne entered the living room, her steps
cautious, her head constantly flicking this way and that.

Blake swallowed hard. Where was Rich? Had he
gone outside? Out back or out front? And where the hell would
Suzanne go?

A soft rapping sounded at the bedroom window
and Blake whirled around to see Mason peering at her through the
glass, only his face visible. His eyes glittered with fierce
intensity, his hair a wet mop atop his head as the rain streamed
down his face, dripped onto his wide shoulders.

He was the best thing she’d ever seen in her
life.

Running to the window, she fumbled with the
old locks until finally she was able to flip the lever. She tugged
at the stuck window, panicked adrenaline coursing through her and
finally, it rose. With a grunt, Mason tore out the raggedy screen
and tossed the black netting over his shoulder. With her help, he
leapt over the ledge and into the house, overwhelming the tiny room
with his dripping wet presence.

He pulled her into his arms and held her
close, almost crushing her with his strength and the rapid beating
of his heart against her ear soothed her. Abruptly, he pushed her
away and held her at arm’s length, glaring at her. His expression
read both relief and anger.

“What the hell is going on?” His voice was
low and measured, though she heard the ferocity just beneath the
surface. “Who’s the jackass prowling around outside?”

Blake shook her head and took his hand,
clutching it tight. “He’s with Suzanne. I’ll give you the details
later, but we need to get out of here before he comes back inside.
He’s crazy.”

“Let’s go.” He took over, his instincts
kicking into overdrive and he escorted her to the door, where he
looked first to the left, then the right before leading her out
into the hallway.

Blake squeezed his hand and he turned. “He’s
armed,” she whispered. “He has a gun.”

Mason reached inside his coat and pulled out
his own weapon. “So do I.”

A flood of relief washed over her, followed
quickly by a sharp slap of fear. What if this turned into a major
gunfight? Suzanne didn’t have a chance if Rich stumbled across her.
They were all putting themselves at a huge risk.

“Suzanne is out there.” Blake nodded toward
the living area. “I don’t know if she left the house or not.”

“Is she working with him?” Mason’s brows
furrowed. “Did they draw you out here on purpose?”

“She’s not with him. Not really.” Blake
shook her head. She wanted to believe Suzanne’s story but she still
wasn’t sure. The misery etched all over face had been hard to
ignore, though. “I think she’s as much a victim in this as I
am.”

His face was stark, grim determination. “We
need to be quiet while we sneak out of here. And I need you to
follow my lead, no questions asked. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes.” She trusted him implicitly to lead
her out of this mess.

“Then let’s go.” He held a single finger to
his lips to silence her and then headed toward the living area. She
followed behind him, her heart beating so hard, she was afraid
anyone could hear it.

They slunk against the walls and Mason
turned to the left toward the kitchen. She kept up with his steady
pace, her gaze searching for any sign of life. For Suzanne, for
Rich, maybe even for the police.

Had Mason called the authorities? She hoped
so. The local sheriff deputies didn’t see that much action on
Whitney Island, but having them arrive would be better than no help
at all.

They went into the small kitchen. The
counters were littered with empty beer bottles and torn food
wrappers. The sink was full of dirty dishes and the entire room had
a dirty, dank smell permeating it.

Blake wrinkled her nose. How could Suzanne
live in such filth? Was it all Rich’s creation?

The front door banged open and Mason froze,
his arm automatically going out to stop her. Blake stood still, bit
down hard on her lower lip to keep from releasing a shaky breath
and they waited, listening.

“Amber!” Rich’s urgent footsteps sounded
throughout the house and Blake assumed he headed toward the
bedroom. The soulful wail that sounded was downright pitiful.
“Where are you? You won’t get away from me again!”

“We’ve got to go. Now.” Mason’s voice was
firm, urgent, and it scared her. She realized why he’d taken her to
the kitchen.

He threw open the backdoor that led out to
the small backyard and they stumbled down the rickety wooden steps,
onto the marshy grass.

The rain pelted down on them in sheets,
loudly plopping on their bodies and Blake tugged the hood back onto
her head.

“Follow me!” Mason yelled over the pounding
rain. “If you hear me say ‘go’ then I want you to run as fast as
you can, whatever direction you choose. Whatever you do, don’t
follow me. If I say that, it’s because I spotted the guy and I
don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Mason!” She couldn’t imagine running away
from him. It didn’t make any sense.

“Do as I say.” He grabbed her by the upper
arms and kissed her, his lips firm and wet from the rain. “I don’t
want anything to happen to you.”

“Okay.” She nodded, wished she could tell
him how she felt. Was this it? If something happened to Mason,
she’d be full of regret for the rest of her life. “I love you,” she
whispered.

It was as if he didn’t hear her. He probably
didn’t. “Let’s go.”

They ran alongside the house and out into
the front yard. She saw her car parked in the driveway but
remembered her keys were in her purse. And the purse still sat
inside the house.

Crap. She ran faster to catch up with Mason,
wanting to ask him where his car was, when she heard the sound of
the front door crashing open. She swore the wood splintered and the
hinges cried from the force of the slam.

For such a skinny man, Rich had a ferocious
roar. He sounded like a wounded animal and a popping sound filled
the air.

“Go!” Mason’s panicky yell told her
everything in that one word.

She needed to get away. Fast.

Chapter Fifteen

The man was going to shoot him.

All the air left Mason’s lungs and he
whipped his head around, looking for Blake. He saw her retreating
back, her long, black puffy coat flaring out like she had wings,
the hood flapping behind her head as she ran southbound down the
narrow road.

Soaked to the bone, his clothing was heavy
with rain and dragged him down but he ignored it. Focused instead
on the crazy man who stood on the front stoop of the ramshackle
house in just a T-shirt and jeans. His clothes were plastered to
his rail thin body, as was his hair and it hung in his face, over
his eyes.

The gun he waved in his right hand made
Mason fucking nervous, to say the least. The incomprehensible
yelling that came from him sent a chill racing down his spine.

The guy was clearly unhinged. Was he high?
The rain didn’t seem to affect him whatsoever and he kept saying
the same name over and over.

“Amber! Amber! Where the hell are you?
Amber!
”

Mason ran for cover, diving into the thick
bush that sat close to the driveway. It was as if the man didn’t
even spot him, he was so focused on finding this Amber—who Mason
realized had to be Suzanne.

He noticed her before the man did. Suzanne
crouched beneath the large pine tree that took over the entire
front yard, hidden almost completely by the low, swaying branches.
She hunkered down, her entire body shaking from the cold wet rain
and hot fury flowed through Mason’s veins.

She
was the reason Blake was in
danger. And she had a lot of explaining to do.

If she came out of this in one piece, that
is.

“Come out!” the man bellowed. “I see you!
Get out here now, Amber!”

Mason watched as Suzanne crawled out from
under the tree and came into view. Her long, dark hair stuck to her
head and shoulders, her entire body shaking violently.

“Just do it,” she pleaded. Her sobs sounded
low and desolate in the falling rain. “Shoot me. Put me out of my
misery.”

Mason tightened his grip on the gun,
glancing behind him. Where were the deputy sheriffs he called? They
should’ve been here by now.

“Damn it, I don’t want to kill you. I want
you to come with me! Where’s the pretty little rich girl?”

“Gone. She’s gone, Rich. You’re only left
with me now.”

The man—Rich—cursed loudly. Suzanne flinched
at the filthy stream of words. “We didn’t get any money out of her
besides a measly eighty bucks! How is that going to get us out of
town?”

“I don’t know.” Suzanne’s shoulders slumped,
wracked with sobs and her head dropped low as she stared at the
ground. “Don’t take me with you. I’m begging you.”

“Stupid bitch, you’re
mine.
” Rich
pointed the gun at her with a wobbly hand. “You belong to me.”

It was now or never. Gritting his teeth,
Mason stood, aiming his gun directly at Rich’s chest. So much for
using the county deputies for backup. “Drop the gun now!”

Rich turned wildly in Mason’s direction, his
eyes widening when he spotted him standing in the middle of a bush.
“Who the hell are you?”

“Secret Service. Drop your weapon now!”

“Rich, do as he says,” Suzanne said, her
voice weary, defeated.

Rich turned back to Suzanne, training the
gun upon her and Mason released the safety on his Glock. “Don’t
shoot her, she’s not to blame for this. Drop your weapon and no one
gets hurt.”

“She doesn’t come with me, she doesn’t come
with anyone.” Rich straightened his arm, the gun pointed right at
Suzanne’s head. Mason heard her anguished cry.

Jesus.
Mason swallowed hard, his arm
steady, his aim true. He’d never shot someone before and Rich
wasn’t backing down. At least Blake wasn’t around. He had no idea
where she was.

He’d done his job. He had that to hold
onto.

“Please. Please, listen to me,” Suzanne
begged and Rich shook his head, his arm whipping about violently.
“I’ll go with you, I promise.”

“No you won’t. You’ll leave me, I know you
will. No one can have you ever again, Amber. You’re mine.
Forever.”

Before Rich got a chance, Mason fired his
gun. Rich turned at the sound, his trigger finger jerking
reflexively, sending a bullet in Mason’s direction. Rich flailed
upon the bullet’s impact from Mason’s gun, landing sprawled on his
back on the porch. The searing pain that hit Mason sent him
crumpling to the ground.

“Oh, my God!” He heard Suzanne’s screams and
assumed she ran to the man.

Mason stared up at the dark gray sky,
blinking against the rain that fell upon his face. In the distance,
he heard sirens and he shook his head, making himself groan.
Resting his hand briefly on his stomach, he lifted it, held it in
front of his face.

His entire hand was covered in blood.

Sucking in a sharp breath, he blinked, hard.
It didn’t help. His vision was blurry, his head woozy and an icy
cold numbness swept through his body.

And then he fell into nothingness.

* * * *

Blake watched the deputies’ cars speed by,
their flashing lights and obnoxious sirens alerting their arrival.
She sat in Mason’s rental car, her entire body trembling, too
afraid to come out.

Afraid of what she might discover.

She thought she’d heard shots, she wasn’t
sure. She wanted to go find Mason, but it was as if she were
frozen, stuck to the driver’s seat.

An ambulance drove by next and cold fear
wrapped itself around her, choking her. A sob escaped, then
another. She needed to get out of the car She needed Mason but she
was petrified.

What if something happened? Her eyes slid
closed and tears flowed down her cheeks. She rested her hand on the
door handle, slowly wrapping her fingers around it and tugged.

The door popped open with ease and she
climbed out, started walking toward Suzanne’s house. Two deputy
cars sat in front of it, as well as the ambulance. She heard the
shouts of frantically working men.