Untraceable (14 page)

If they were bound, it would mean their chance of escaping according to their plan was dead. As he helped Heidi clean up the dishes in the small kitchen, only the dim light from the gas lamp and the fire across the cabin to illuminate their chore, he wondered what she was thinking.

Her lush chocolate mane fell forward, though slightly askew and tangled, and hid her face as she cleaned the bowls. Hiding her thoughts from him. As if he could read them if he could see her face—but there was a time, months ago, when he had felt that close to her.

The moment overwhelmed Isaiah.

The guard he’d put in place shifted. His resistance falling away, he surrendered and pulled her curtain of hair back, exposing her flushed cheek. Heidi slowly turned toward him and looked up, emotions he couldn’t read pouring from her eyes. Well, one of the emotions he read well enough. Like a magnet it compelled him forward, tugged him closer, until his face was mere inches from hers. Her breath warm and soft against his skin, Isaiah did something he’d longed to do for months, maybe even since the moment he met her almost four years ago.

He covered her lips with his own, only the quiet and dim lighting protecting them from unwanted spectators. He felt her sweet and tender response, and beyond that, the flutter of confusing emotions that mirrored his own. Regret and loss mingled with longing, hopes and dreams. Isaiah held passion and desire in a well-guarded dungeon. This wasn’t the time or the place, but now that he’d done the forbidden and kissed her, he wanted to somehow convey that she was a precious treasure that he cherished. The fierce protectiveness he’d always harbored for her washed over him, even in this moment.

He cupped the silky skin of her cheeks, and her response nearly undid him. If only he could wrap his arms around her and unleash all his buried emotions, show her everything she meant to him.

The thought jarred him as if he’d fallen through a frozen lake.

Isaiah severed the connection, tugged away from her lips.

Heidi’s eyes were soft at first, then widened when realization hit her, just like it had him. The rogue environment had washed away his guard. Made him weak and he’d given in to it.

“Heidi,” he whispered, his voice throaty. He should apologize for taking advantage of her and the situation. But he couldn’t apologize for that kiss. Why hadn’t he kissed her long before this? If he had, maybe everything would have been different between them. And now this moment had been their first kiss, shared at the worst possible time and place, under the watchful eyes of criminals and killers.

What did that say about Isaiah and Heidi’s relationship? Did it mean that nothing else could ever break them apart, should they choose to build something between them? Or did it mean they were doomed to fail from the start?

By the fire, Jason struck up a conversation with Cade. Jason’s words pulled Isaiah completely back into reality. Something about looking for rope to tie them up for the night. Isaiah wouldn’t bother helping him. All Jason had to do was dig around in the mountain-climbing-gear packs.

Isaiah and Heidi continued with their chore, as though the kiss had never happened.

Had Cade seen them? Had anyone else noticed? Maybe they were all too overwhelmed with their own worries.

Once again their predicament weighed on Isaiah and he realized he wasn’t thinking clearly. He shouldn’t have kissed her, after all, letting his deepest feelings for her surface. His weakness appalled him. He shouldn’t have any feelings for her. None. Even if he allowed himself to love again, he didn’t deserve her.

Heidi reached for a dish, her fingers brushing his, then reached over and covered his hand with her own. She didn’t look at him, just kept her head down, but her action conveyed more to him than he could have asked for. The kiss was much more than a moment of weakness for her. She spoke to him in a silent language that sent his heart and mind scrambling to find traction. Maybe he’d been wrong to think that keeping his past a secret was the only way to move on with his life. In order to move on, he had to open up and tell all. Cade and Leah already knew the truth, but Heidi was the most important person in Isaiah’s life. He’d admit that much.

And maybe he needed to reveal his past to her.

She glanced up at him, a soft smile inching across her face, and he knew...he
knew
that once he told her—with everything she’d been through—she would be lost to him forever.

* * *

Heidi worked to put the dishes back, tucking them into the cabinet nice and neat, doing the best she could to respect the owner’s property. She’d also picked up the cans Rhea and Zach had thrown on the floor haphazardly when searching the pantry. Acid burned her insides at their disregard for others, but she shouldn’t be surprised, considering they had abducted a search and rescue team and forced them to guide them through the mountains.

The last bowl clinked and, before she closed the cabinet door, Isaiah’s face filled her vision.

“Heidi.” The way he said her name, the same husky way he’d said it moments before, after he’d kissed her, crawled all over her. She could live on that sound for months.

She thought her trust in love and happily-ever-after’s had been tarnished for good—destroyed, more like. But Isaiah made her want to believe in good things again. Was he the right man? Could he make her believe in the possibility of a lasting love? Heidi sucked in a breath. How could she possibly think about a future with Isaiah when they were in survival mode?

“Are we still on for tonight?” he asked, keeping his voice almost too low for her to hear.

His question confirmed she needed to focus back on their reality. She shook her head and whispered, “They’re looking for rope. We can’t escape.”

“I think I can get us out of it.”

Another, more vigorous shake of her head. “Didn’t you hear Zach’s warning?”

“He won’t harm Cade. He’s his only way out.”

“Maybe not right away, but eventually he would.”

“That will be all our fates, Heidi, if we don’t go for help. This is our chance.”

“No. I can’t leave my brother alone with the guy who is going to hurt him. We just have to trust God for another way out.”
Where are You, God?
Her heart sent up the silent prayer once again.

Isaiah’s gaze held hers, the disappointment in his eyes running deep, but mixed with fear and concern for her safety. Fear for his closest friend, her brother Cade. She knew he cared about Cade but both of them were basing this nonsensical plan on protecting Heidi, and she wouldn’t have either of them risking themselves on her account. There had to be another way.

“The three of us should stick together. I wish I had never said anything.”

It had been her initial idea, after all.

“Then we can all go. We’ll all escape together,” Isaiah suggested.

“Talking Cade into this won’t be that easy, but that’s the only way I’ll go.”

It would increase the chance of Zach following them, but how far could the guy make it without their help?

The seconds ticked by slowly with Isaiah standing far too close. Heidi could hardly breathe. For the longest time she’d known her feelings for this man ran long and deep. Any woman would find him attractive with his broad shoulders and strong, trim physique. Thick hair she wanted to run her fingers through. Deep, penetrating gaze that could see right through her. She’d been caught up in all that was Isaiah at some point, no doubt there. But it was more than that now.

The guy knew how to listen, really listen. She’d never met a guy like that. Or maybe it was just the way his eyes watched as though he lived on every word she said. But he was easy to talk to. All that had changed between them when he’d pushed her away. Not so much with words but with actions, and because he’d stopped looking at her with that penetrating look.

For a while Heidi had thought he couldn’t look at her because he cared too much and didn’t want her to know it. Or at least she’d lied to herself, convincing herself that was the reason. She couldn’t bear to think of it any other way because it was much too painful to think that Isaiah would willingly push her away. That he didn’t want her anymore—though they’d never before crossed the lines of friendship, not until moments ago when he kissed her, giving her what she’d dreamed about all those months ago.

But why here? Why now? Heidi thought she might know. Somewhere deep inside, the fear that their lives were coming to an end wouldn’t leave her. Maybe Isaiah sensed it, too, and wanted to show her what he hadn’t been able to reveal before.

She closed the cabinet, pulling them both out of their imagined private moment, hidden away behind an open door. Heidi wasn’t sure why Isaiah had pushed her away in the past.

But that didn’t matter because she had reasons of her own to keep her heart far and away from Isaiah or any man. Her head ached. She regretted that kiss, but her heart would never ever forget it. Still, she’d do well to remember the reasons she must try to forget Isaiah and his kiss—even though by tomorrow evening that all might not matter. They could all be dead and buried beneath a field of ice.

FOURTEEN

I
saiah watched Jason tie Cade’s hands and feet to a chair. He huffed. If Cade wanted out of that, he could easily break the old rickety chair apart and be done with it. Instead the guy went along with these miscreants like he had no other choice.

Isaiah grew tired of playing this game. They had choices, all right. They could take control of this situation. Should have done it long ago. With Zach and Jason showing severe signs of exhaustion, now would be the perfect time to gain the upper hand. Maybe that’s what Isaiah had been counting on all along—that he could outlast these rookies.

Unfortunately, Cade’s eyes slid to Isaiah as if he could read his mind. His frown and narrowed gaze were a warning to Isaiah. They knew each other too well. Isaiah had never imagined himself in this situation. Of course, who would? But he never thought he’d be this torn about what to do. He’d never been so indecisive in his life except, well, where Heidi was concerned. But he slammed the door on those thoughts. Nothing mattered except surviving this ordeal.

Even if he managed to break free from the rope and untie Heidi as well, she would likely refuse to go with him as they had planned. Apparently, they still hadn’t agreed on what to do, especially after Zach’s threats.

There were trees here, plenty of cover if they ran this time. It wasn’t as if they would be running across the snow—easy targets for Zach to shoot at—which had been the terrain for their entire trek until the cabin.

But the thought of Cade or Heidi taking a bullet rocked him. Should they try to escape or not?

God, what is the right thing to do?

Silence.

Not knowing the answer drove him up the wall.

But Isaiah did know one thing: even Cade had finally realized that their fates were sealed if they didn’t find a way out. And Isaiah couldn’t take the kowtowing anymore, not when he and Cade were both far stronger than their male captors. All they needed was to grab the weapons.

All Isaiah needed was a chance.

God, just give me a chance.

He eyed the situation. Zach looking on as Jason did all the dirty work. He didn’t see Rhea. She must have been exploring the other room in the cabin. Jason finished tying the knots on Cade’s ankles. He’d laid his weapon over on the hearth, easy enough for Isaiah to reach. Zach played around with his gun as usual, but leaned back in his chair like a kid.

Once Jason tied Isaiah up his chance would be gone.

He kicked the leg of Zach’s chair and it fell back. Isaiah knocked the gun from his grasp, then reached for Jason’s weapon on the hearth just as Jason clued in and lunged for the gun. From the chair where he was bound, Cade leaned over and onto Jason, doing at least that much to help.

Isaiah had the weapon. He motioned for Jason and Zach to stand against the wall.

“Heidi, get Zach’s gun. Then untie Cade. We need to make a call on Zach’s SAT phone. Call for help. Get the Alaska State Troopers here.” He didn’t want to guard these guys any longer than he had to. In fact, he considered just leaving the three criminals here. It wasn’t as if they could make it through the mountains themselves. They would be trapped until someone came for them. A SAR team backed up by Alaska State Troopers this time. “And then we’re getting out of here. We’re taking all the camping gear and the weapons with us.”

Heidi’s eyes grew wide and she lunged toward Isaiah. She didn’t agree with him? “Watch out, Isaiah!”

Pain sliced through his head. Darkness edged his vision.

Shards of a vase tumbled down his shoulders and hit the floor. Isaiah fired the gun into the ceiling to gain control, but Zach and Jason tackled him to the ground. Behind them, he saw Rhea.

She’d been the one to take him down.

“I’m going to kill you.” Zach flashed a knife in Isaiah’s face. Isaiah believed him. The man had done it before to one of his own.

Isaiah had been an idiot, but he’d been desperate.

“No. Please don’t, Zach.” Heidi sounded more desperate than Isaiah.

He didn’t want her begging for his life, putting her own in danger. Why hadn’t he paid more attention to Rhea? He hadn’t really considered her a threat. Jason kicked Isaiah in the kidney and pain erupted.

Zach stood up, getting off Isaiah and letting him breathe. “Did I tell you to kick him?” He stared his brother down.

Come on, Jason. Stand up to the guy for once.

Heidi was suddenly next to Isaiah, her face in his. “Are you okay?”

“You mean other than being an idiot?”

She smiled, the kind of pained smile that came from a situation like this. Zach yanked her away. Isaiah tried to stand but Jason shoved him back down with his booted foot.

“Get your hands off me.” Heidi twisted from his grasp. “The only way you’ll make it to the ice field is with our help. Haven’t you noticed it takes all of us to help you rappel the cliffs, guide you and set up the tents? You’d better not lay a finger on him, or you can forget about going anywhere.”