Fated Bliss (Bliss #2) (40 page)

Slowly, I looked at him and nodded. “My…my ex-wife. Her name is Gwen. Gwendolyn O’Donnell. She’s from Portland, Oregon.”

The unmistakable sound of a helicopter approaching drifted into the house. Everyone turned and looked out the window as it started its descent into my large backyard.

“One, two, three,” the men said and picked up the stretcher.

Wes opened the sliding glass door for them and then stepped back. We watched as they carried Gwen across my yard and loaded her into the chopper. They ran back towards the patio, the wind whipping debris all over the place, as the helicopter took off again.

Gwen was gone, but with her went the answers to what happened and how to find Lincoln and Samantha.

∞

It felt as if a semi was sitting on my chest as Wes, Brad, and I walked out the front door.

What happened in there?

Where were Samantha and Lincoln?

Why was Gwen at my house?

The questions and terror flooded my mind, swirling and spinning.

A car pulled up and parked next to my Bronco. Mom, Dad, and Emma spilled from it within seconds, running towards us. Adam’s truck screeched to a halt on the street. He opened the door and jogged up the driveway. Chelsea met him halfway, having walked over from their house next door.

Mom, Dad, and Emma got to us first. “What happened? Where’s Lincoln?” Dad asked, his eyes wild, as Emma shouted, “Where’s Sam?!” She searched the yard, trying to find her.

“Mr. Raiden, please take them aside and speak with them. I need to ask Dr. Rhodes some more questions,” Wes stated, taking control of the situation.

I’d heard people say that when an extreme situation happened, they felt as if they were watching it play out from outside of themselves. That’s how I felt. It was as if I was hovering over everyone, witnessing everything, but I was disconnected, left adrift. I’d always thought I’d be level headed and on point, totally focused when encountering situations such as this. That was how I’d reacted in the past. Gunshot wounds, stabbings, and horrible car accidents, I’d seen the destruction tragedies left in its wake during my time in the ER, and I was in complete control.

But this was Samantha and Lincoln.

Samantha and Lincoln.

The two people that meant the most to me in this world were gone, missing. The terrorizing shock of it left me stunned and unfocused. Everything felt thick, as if I was swimming through the murky sea, rocking back and forth, back and forth with the tide.

“Dr. Rhodes?” I heard.

I glanced at Wes, blinking slowly.

“Dr. Rhodes?” he asked again, sounding far away.

“Where’s Sam?!” Adam yelled as he joined us. “Ben,
where’s Sam?!
”

I looked at him, blinking sluggishly again. It was strange – he was right in front of me, but he sounded as if he were miles away.

“He’s in shock,” I thought I heard someone say, followed by, “Is he okay?”

Something collided with my jaw and stars burst behind my eyes. I stumbled backward and landed on my ass in the yard as cries and shouts sounded from all around me, the sound coming back to me with an acute focus. Even my surroundings were crisper, clearer.

I shook my head, rubbing my jaw, and stared up at Adam as he loomed over me and flexed his hand. “Snap out of it,” he gritted out.

I huffed out a short breath and nodded, knowing he was right. I needed to pull my shit together and figure this out. I didn’t have time to fall apart.

“I’m good,” I told everyone. Adam offered me a hand and helped me off the ground. I opened and closed my jaw a few times, the pain centering me. “Thanks,” I said, appreciating the hit, even though it hurt like hell. “I needed that.”

“Dr. Rhodes, I need you to answer some of my questions,” Wes explained, motioning for me to follow him away from the group, undisturbed by what had just took place.

“Fine. Whatever you need,” I replied, following him.

We stopped ten feet from the crowd. Wes flipped his small notepad open again, his pen ready, and met my gaze. “I need you to tell me about your ex-wife and explain why she was in town. Can you go through your morning with Samantha and your son? Tell me everything that happened in detail. Even the smallest thing could mean something.”

“Sure…okay,” I replied.

I began telling him about Gwen, about her addictions, about her compulsive lying. I told him how she’d shown up yesterday and the scene she’d made. I explained my fight with Samantha last night and ended with everything that happened today. I even told him about Mom and Dad’s surprise appearance and my conversation with them.

“Dr. Rhodes, does your ex have a key to your house?” Wes asked, the sound of him scribbling in his notepad grating.

“No. I want nothing to do with her,” I answered.

“So you don’t know why she was here?”

“No.”

“If Miss O’Donnell broke in, would Samantha need to defend herself?”

I tugged at my hair, pulling at the roots. “I don’t own a gun, Detective Wilde. Samantha doesn’t carry one. I don’t know. I don’t know what happened,” I replied, the panic and frustration clawing at me.

Nothing made sense.

“Your ex could have brought one. There was a struggle in the kitchen and around the bar. They could have fought over the gun, and it went off.”

“It’s possible, I guess.” Anything was possible now. “But where’s Samantha and Lincoln if that happened?” I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. They should be here.”

However, I knew Samantha would defend Lincoln with her dying breath, so there was an excellent chance that she shot Gwen. But the question remained how.

Did she flee afterward, afraid of the repercussions? Maybe she was injured and went to the clinic.

Before I could voice this, shouts came from the back yard and the radio under Wes’s blazer squawked. “Detective Wilde, we found the kid in the forest. He’s okay.”

Relief, pure and unadulterated, caused my knees to weaken. I didn’t give the Detective a chance to tell me to stay away – I took off running.

I sprinted around the side of the house, my legs and arms pumping. I cleared the back patio just as a cop walked out of the trees with Lincoln. He was barefoot, wore only a pair of gym shorts, and was walking with a slight limp, but I couldn’t see wounds or anything wrong with him.

Thank you, God!

“
Linc!”
I bellowed, dashing across the yard.

Linc’s head shot up. “Dad?” He met my gaze, his plagued with terror. “Dad?!” He started running towards me, slowly at first, and then gained speed, tears falling from his eyes.
“Dad!”

We collided in the center of the yard. I held him with all my might, wetness hitting the back of my eyes again. “Thank God,” I whispered into his hair. “Thank you, God.”

I pulled back and clutched his face, examining him. There was bruising around his eye and cheekbone, and there was a mist of blood on his chest, but he was fine. People were talking all around us, circling us, firing rapid questions, but I didn’t care. I could only focus on Linc.

“I’m sorry,” Linc cried, his tears falling faster. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re okay, Linc. You’re okay,” I whispered, trying to soothe him.

“No!” he bellowed, hitting my chest with closed fists.
“It’s my fault!”

I hugged him again, trying to console him. “We’ll figure it out, son. You’re safe.”

“No!”
He wrenched himself away from me. “We have to find her!”

My heart rate doubled.

Samantha.

“Where’s Samantha, Linc?” I questioned, my terror resurfacing. “Where can we find her? Is she in the woods?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know!”

I took a step forward and gripped his shoulder. “Tell me what happened.”

Lincoln shook, the fear in his eyes undoing me. “She saved me, Dad. Sam saved me, and then he took her.”

“Who took her, Linc?”

“I don’t know.” Destitution rolled off of him in waves. “I don’t know who he was, but he took Sam with him. He has her because
she saved me!
”

Chapter 33

Samantha

Thirty Minutes Earlier

“Hello, Samantha.”

I jumped and spun around, shocked by the unexpectedness of the voice.

Standing next to the sliding glass door was Mr. Johnston.

But he wasn’t alone.

He held Gwen beside him with a firm grip around the back of her neck. There was no sign of the actress anywhere – Gwen was well and truly terrified, with tears pouring from her eyes, her nose red and snotty. There was swelling along her jaw, and her lip was busted. She was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, but they were ripped and dingy, and she was barefoot.

My heart skipped a beat.

How did they get in here?

More importantly,
why
were they here, and
why
did it appear as if Gwen had the shit beaten out of her?

“W…what are you doin’ here?” I asked, keeping my voice even. “Get out.”

Mr. Johnston pushed Gwen into the kitchen by the neck. Crying out, Gwen stumbled forward and fell onto her hands and knees.

“Mr. Johnston,” I shouted, “what are you doin’?!”

I took a step towards Gwen, but Mr. Johnston pointed a gun at me and I froze, staring down the end of a barrel.

The man leered at me, taking in my bare legs under my blue sundress. “Ben has good taste – I’ll give him that.”

What?

“I’m sorry?” I questioned, confused and utterly terrified.

He cocked his head to the side, letting his gaze drag over me. “Seems Ben hasn’t been truthful with you, Samantha.” He snickered. “Did he not tell you who I am?”

Ben knows this man?

He never mentioned it. If I wasn’t terrified, I’d be pissed. However, the nasty glint in Mr. Johnston’s eyes was disturbing. Where he seemed creepy before, he was now evil.

“No,” I whispered, swallowing hard.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Gwen silently stand. Tiptoeing, she backed away from Mr. Johnston and snuck towards the hall leading to Linc’s room.

Mr. Johnston threw his head back and cackled. “Oh, that’s rich.” As he sobered, Mr. Johnston aimed the gun at Gwen, ordering, “Stay where you are.”

Gwen stilled, whimpering, “Uri, please.”

Uri?

“At least someone knows who I am,” Mr. Johnston, or Uri, muttered humorously.

I found no humor in any of this.

Not only was a crazy man with a gun here, but Linc was in the other room too.

Distract him.

Okay, I could do that.

Find a way to alert Linc.

That would be tricky.

I needed to stay calm and gain control of the situation, but he held a gun.

Get the gun.

I held in a hysterical snort. That man could easily overpower me – he had to have almost a hundred pounds on me.

“What do you want?” I asked, surreptitiously glancing around to see if I could find a weapon. There was a set of knives behind me, but I couldn’t grab one and use it to defend myself while he was on the other side of the kitchen, watching my every move.

My phone.

My phone was on the counter. If I could put my hand next to it, act as if I was holding myself up, overwrought with fear, maybe I could grab it and dial 911 without him seeing. If I angled my body right, it could work. I needed to wait for the right moment, though.

“What do I want?” Uri parroted sardonically. “What do I want?!” He laughed again, the sound full of scorn and hatred. “I want what’s mine!”

Okay, this dude was off his rocker.

“I don’t understand,” I told him, shaking my head.

“Joel’s money,” Gwen whispered, the lights dawning in her eyes. “You’re after his money.”

Uri sneered at her. “Not just the money, the company, too. It was supposed to be mine, all of it.”

It still didn’t make sense.

“What does that have to do with Gwen or me?” I questioned and turned a little, playing the scared and cowering damsel.

As though my knees were weak, I stumbled slightly and placed my hand on the counter behind my back, right next to the phone, hiding my actions from him.

“Everything,” he clipped, with menace woven through his voice. “It has everything to do with you. Ben cares. And if he cares, I can hurt him like he hurt me.”

Ben hurt him?

“That doesn’t add up,” I whispered. Ben would never intentionally hurt anyone.

“Joel decided to sell off his entire empire to move to this shithole because of him,” Uri snarled, incensed. “It was supposed to be mine, and he sold it! I’ve worked for him for years!”

His parents are moving here?!

Ben was not going to like that, but I’d set that aside for another time – the crazy man in front of me took precedence.

“I’m sure you two can work somethin’ out,” I whispered and slid my finger across the screen, hoping I was doing it right without looking at the phone.

Uri snorted and shook his head, pointing the gun at me again.

Every muscle turned to stone.

We’re heading downhill fast.

Try to talk to him.

“Leave now,” I implored. “Leave, and I won’t tell a soul. No one has to know you were here. We can put all of this behind us. I’m sure I can speak to Joel for you.”

Uri cackled again, but then it died and he advanced me, coming at me from around the island. I sucked in a deep breath and pushed myself closer to the counter. I had nowhere else to go.

Within seconds, Uri was right in front of me, only an inch remaining between us. He pressed the barrel against my temple, ripping a whimper out of my throat.

Head to toe, my body quaked with fear.

Using the barrel, Uri caressed my skin from temple to cheek, up and down and up and down again. “I won’t leave until he knows how it feels,” Uri murmured. He dipped lower and put his lips next to my ear. “Ben needs to know what it feels like to lose everything.”

He plans on killing us.

The revelation struck me hard and fast.

“You’re insane,” I breathed, revolted.

Uri took a step back and slapped me. Agony blasted along my jaw. My face whipped around, and I fell against the counter onto my belly, barely catching myself before my face collided with the backsplash and the block of knives. At the same time, my phone flew across the counter and crashed to the ground, the glass screen shattering.

I stayed down for a moment, breathing through the pain and panic. Placing my hands on the counter again, I pushed myself up and scowled at Uri from over my shoulder. “You won’t get away with this. Is your freedom or life worth a bit of revenge?”

“Who said I’m going to get caught?” Uri retorted, smirking, and aimed the gun at me. “You two are coming with me.”

“Sam,” Linc yelled from the hall.

Gwen and I looked at the hallway, crippled with fear. I glanced at Uri again, and then everything happened in slow motion.

Linc continued to speak, his voice growing nearer the entire time. “Did you drop another one of the glasses? I swear-” He stopped mid-sentence as he walked out of the hall and took in the scene in front of him, the blood draining from his face as he came to a dead stop.

Uri’s aim started to move towards Linc.

I grabbed one of the knives in front of me as he leveled his sights.

Gwen pushed Linc out of the way, shrieking, “
No!
”

The gun went off.

As Linc fell against the counter, blood bloomed on Gwen’s chest and splattered the wall behind her. She crumbled to the ground.

Simultaneously, I screamed and launched myself at Uri, intent on sinking the knife into Uri’s chest.

Noticing the knife coming down at his chest, Uri turned suddenly, trying to point the gun at me.

It went off, the bullet hitting the microwave.

The knife pierced Uri’s shoulder, ripping a bellow from his lips.

“Sam!” Linc yelled, running towards me.

“No!” I shouted, pulling the blade out of Uri’s shoulder. “Run!”

Uri backhanded me, sending me reeling into the counter. Pain exploded in my face and side.

As Linc ran at Uri, his face enraged, Uri aimed at him once more.

Bam!

The bullet whizzed by Linc’s head, barely missing him, and went through the window.

Linc kept coming, determined to save me.

Uri didn’t have time to aim again, so he slammed the gun against the side of Linc’s face.

Blistering and capricious, rage engulfed me. Rationality vanished, and all that remained was the instinct to protect Linc.

I
had
to protect Linc.

With a war cry, I lunged at Uri as Linc went down. Using all the strength I had, I attempted to thrust the knife into Uri’s chest again. He caught my wrist before I could sink it home, forcing it away.

Linc rolled over and grabbed one of Uri’s legs, pulling it out from under him. Uri and I tumbled to the ground together, landing in a heap with me on top, the knife clattering across the hardwood.

I grabbed Uri’s hand, the one holding the gun, and slammed it against the floor as hard as I could. “Run, Linc! Run!” I slammed it again. “Now!”

“Sam!” Linc cried, getting to his feet. “Sam!”

“No! Run! Get out of here!”

I yelped as Uri bucked and rolled me onto my back, his body covering mine. I fought with him over the gun, screaming the entire time. “Run! Run, Linc!”

Scratching, punching, slapping, I did everything I could, but I was too weak compared to Uri. He blocked most of my hits, the bleeding claw marks down his face not even affecting him, and sat up, trying to point the gun at Linc again.

About to hit Uri over the head with the pan from the stove, Linc scrambled backward, ducking out of the way, and dropped the pan.

I latched onto Uri’s arm and wrenched it down, away from Linc’s direction.

“Run!” I screeched as I wrestled against Uri.

Linc spun around, finally listening, and disappeared down the hall.

Uri bowled off of me, but I moved with him, refusing to allow him to follow Linc. When he climbed to his feet, I used mine to trip him. Landing on his face, he let out another infuriated shout.

With my heart in my throat, I scrambled up, my need to escape now that Linc was out of danger overwhelming me. I ran around the island, heading for the front door, a voice inside my head yelling
go, go, go!

As I passed the bar, I was tackled from behind. Shouting, I tried to catch myself on the stools, but my hand flung out and sent two of them careening to the floor. The pain didn’t register as I hit the ground – adrenaline pumped through my system, numbing me.

Suddenly, what felt like steel bands caged my midsection, trapping my arms at my sides. Uri struggled to his feet, taking me with him. I kicked and squirmed to break his hold, the sounds falling from my lips unrecognizable. I heard things break and crash, but I didn’t care what I hit as long as I got away from him.

Uri carried me to the wall, attempting to press me into it to control my movements. I wedged my legs against the wall and pushed, sending us backward. Uri stumbled over the stool and toppled again, both of us skidding against the floor.

Uri’s hold loosened, so I rolled onto my stomach, intent on running again, just as something came down on my head.

Dazed, everything became hazy.

I moaned and tried to push myself up, but I was too weak. I kept telling myself to fight, to move, to do something. My body wasn’t cooperating, though, and I could only lay there as Uri stood again.

Uri rolled me onto my back with his boot and glared down at me. “You stupid bitch,” he growled, holding his injured shoulder.

I stared up at him, scared beyond belief. I had no idea how to get out of this.

Uri leaned forward and punched me in the jaw. I cried out, rolling into a protective ball, more dazed than before. A boot collided with my back. I wailed again, the agony incapacitating.

A hand encircled my ankle. Uri dragged me to the kitchen and then dropped my leg. I moaned and turned onto my belly, my will to escape strong. However, I was drained, my energy depleted. Between fighting him off and the hits, I had nothing left.

But I had to try.

Tears began to fall as I pulled myself across the floor with my fingertips, heading for the sliding glass door. Slamming sounds came from behind me. I had no idea what Uri was doing, but I knew he’d kill me at any moment.

I didn’t want to die.

I wanted to live.

I wanted to live and grow old with Ben.

I wanted to get married, have children.

I wanted to watch my children grow and have their own children.

I wanted to witness the great things Linc and Bella would do with their lives.