Fencing You In (23 page)

He narrowed his eyes and grabbed her wrists again, and this time cuffed them in front of her. “I’ve got time,” he said. “And so do you.”

He took her by her upper arm and led her below the hook. As he was walking her there, she thought about escaping. Maybe she could find something on the shelf to hit him on the head with, hogtie him while he was out, and when he woke, force him to give her the door code to get out of here.

The scenario was an imaginative one, but she doubted it had true possibilities.

When she was under the hook, he raised her arms and looped the metal chain that connected the cuffs over the hook. Then he went to one of the walls with shelves, and beside that, found a button that he pressed. The hook rose until she was standing on her tiptoes, her arms straight above her head, her body stretching taut.

“I’ll give you some more time to think about it.” He started up the stairs again and glanced over his shoulder once and smiled. “I have an errand to run. I’ll be back.”

Tears burned at the backs of Tess’s eyes. This was a nightmare and she wanted to wake up and find herself in Gage’s arms. She wanted to take a chance and tell Gage how much she loved him, like she should have done while he was in the hospital, or right after he got out.

A crazy man had trapped her in a soundproof bunker, somewhere she likely would never be found. And she had no idea how she was going to save herself.

Chapter 37

Gage dragged his hand down his face as he sat on the couch in Harvey’s living room. He’d searched the house from bottom to top and then again from top to bottom. Under beds, in closets, in the attic, in the space under the stairs, and everywhere else he could think of. There was no basement as far as he could tell. The police had searched the same locations so all Gage was doing was repeating the same process.

He felt desperate, his skin too tight over his tense, aching muscles. It was almost to the point where he couldn’t move his leg, much less his shoulder.

Was Harvey keeping Tess somewhere else? When Gage had peeked in the window, he’d seen Harvey in his kitchen. So where the hell could he have gone?

Gage buried his face in his hands as he struggled over the facts that he couldn’t find Harvey and Tess was missing. There had to be an explanation. Had to be.

The sound of scraping came from behind the couch and Gage saw that the wall was moving.

Heart pounding, he ducked behind a chair and braced himself on the knee of his good leg. Careful to stay out of view, he peered around the chair just enough to see a door swinging open in the wall.

Harvey stepped out.

He faced the wall and touched something and then the door closed.

Gage’s throat grew dry. Tess had to be wherever that doorway led to.

He slowly reached for the pistol with the snake shot and got to his feet.

“Hold it right there, Harvey.” Gage’s voice was cold as he aimed the weapon at the man who went completely still. “Raise your hands and turn around slowly.”

Harvey obeyed. To Gage’s surprise, Harvey had a smirk. “Figured it out, huh?”

“Take me to Tess now, you sonofabitch,” Gage said in a growl. “Tell me how you open the door.”

Harvey gave a nod toward the wall. “Just press that knot. The medium-sized one.”

Gage did his best to not show any weakness from his injuries as he moved closer. He trained the pistol on Harvey. “You push it.”

Harvey slowly reached out and pressed the knot. Then there was a hard
click
as the center of the knot dipped in and the door began to move.

Concrete scraped concrete as the door swung open. Gage’s heartbeat quickened. He nodded to Harvey. “Go inside.”

Gage stepped in after Harvey. The first thing he saw was Tess. Relief flooded his heart to see her alive followed by fury at what Harvey had done to her. She was hanging by her cuffed wrists from a hook in the center of the room, wearing only panties and a bra, a ball gag in her mouth. Her eyes were wide and filled with terror as she stared right at him and Harvey.

As Harvey walked down the steps with Gage following, his gaze held Tess’s. “It’s okay, honey,” he said. “I’m here.”

Tess had hope in her eyes.

Gage had to struggle to get down the stairs and still hold onto the gun as he came down behind Harvey.

Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Harvey caught Gage off guard as he whirled around and hit Gage in his wounded shoulder. The pain was so intense that red lights flared in Gage’s mind and his legs almost gave out on him.

He managed to hold onto the gun and he swung it on Harvey, but in a fast, easy movement, Harvey pivoted and looped his arm around Tess’s neck.

“Come on, Gage, hands up. Then toss that gun onto the bed.” Harvey showed the affable good ol’ boy persona that fooled so many people. “We can have us a chat before I get my revenge.” Gage didn’t move. Harvey’s jaw tensed. “Hurry up before I get tired and snap Tess’s sweet little neck.”

Gage raised his left hand and pointed the gun to the ceiling.

“Both hands.” Harvey narrowed his eyes.

“I can’t raise my right arm.” Gage studied Harvey, the realization dawning on him. Now there was no doubt in his mind—Harvey had hired the man to kill him. “As you no doubt know, I was shot in my shoulder and my leg.”

Harvey studied him. “All right. Toss the gun on the bed like I said. But if you try anything, she’s dead.”

Gage pitched the gun underhanded and it bounced on top of the mattress. He felt more frustration and anger—not to mention fear for Tess—than he’d ever felt in his life.

Harvey motioned Gage in the direction opposite of the bed so that he was far from the gun.

“If my memory is correct from all those years ago, and my memory usually is right on,” Harvey said, “all you’ve got is snake shot in that pistol. Isn’t that right?”

“Let Tess go.” Gage tried to relax his stance. “I’m the one you want to get revenge on.”

Harvey shook his head. “I’ve wanted Tess for a long time and you got in the way there, too. You just have to fuck up everything, don’t you,” he stated

Gage let out a slow breath. “Please let her leave.”

“Not happening.” Harvey kissed Tess’s cheek then grinned at Gage. “Tess has a thing for me and has for a long time. She’s been enjoying her induction into real bondage and discipline play.” He kept his grin pasted to his face. “It’s because of her that I arranged to have you killed.” His voice lowered to a growl. “Chess paid for his fuckup when things didn’t go just right.”

“So you killed him,” Gage said slowly.

“His body is off in the Bradshaws. He’ll never be found.” Harvey shrugged, his arm now loosely draped over Tess’s shoulders. “That’s where I plan on taking you.” He nodded toward the pistol. “I’ll put that right over your heart and it’ll take care of you.”

Harvey nodded to Tess as he continued. “I’ll just use her as my sweet little human shield as a little extra safety. I’ll let her have it if you try anything.” He kept his arm around Tess’s neck and leaned over to push a button on the wall with his free hand. The button operated the chain holding the hook, lowering her back firmly on her feet, her arms still over her head.

Scenarios flashed through Gage’s mind as he tried to figure out how he could save Tess and himself. Right now he couldn’t think of a good one.

Harvey unhooked Tess and marched her to the bed, keeping her between Gage and himself. Her wrists were still cuffed in front of her and she was still gagged as he forced her to sit on the mattress. He picked up the gun and turned it on Gage. With his free hand he grabbed a pair of metal cuffs lying next to some other things on the bed.

Harvey tossed the cuffs and they landed at Gage’s feet. “Pick those up and sit against that wall, next to that pipe.” Harvey nodded to a wall with a metal pipe that ran from floor to ceiling. Gage went to the wall and slid down so that he was sitting up, his gaze focused on Harvey.

“Put one cuff on your wrist and the other on that pipe,” Harvey said, waving the gun.

Metal clanked against metal as Gage did what Harvey told him to.

“I don’t want any blood or mess in my bunker, so I’m going to dispose of you in another way.” Harvey set the gun aside and turned to Tess. He dug a key out of his pocket and unfastened one cuff and hooked it to a bedpost. “Don’t move,” he said as he slipped the key back into his pocket. He unfastened the ball gag and tossed it aside.

“I want a kiss,” Harvey said to Tess. “And I want you to show Gage that you want me. Touch my dick.”

Gage narrowed his eyes.

Tess licked her lips and then Harvey moved close to her and gave her a long kiss. It surprised Gage when he saw her move her hand to Harvey’s crotch without the man having to tell her a second time.

Harvey was grinning when he drew away from Tess. “I knew you wanted me. I think I might just fuck you while Gage watches and then kill him.”

Tess’s face seemed paler but she said nothing.

Harvey left Tess and moved toward Gage, studying him. “I’ll be back.” Then Harvey turned and headed up the stairs, the pistol still in his hand. He entered a code on a keypad beside the door. It scraped open then closed behind Harvey as he left.

When they were alone, Gage’s eyes met Tess’s. “How are you, honey?”

“I’m okay,” she said, her voice sounding a little high. It was then that he noticed her ankles and wrists had been rubbed raw. She actually smiled as she raised her free hand. “When he made me touch him, I got the key out of his pocket.”

Relief whooshed through Gage. “You are something else.”

She took the key and unlocked her cuff then slipped off the bed and went to Gage and unlocked his cuff, too.

“Now what?” she said. “He still has the gun.”

Gage scowled. “He clearly doesn’t plan on killing me immediately. We stay put until the right moment and then I’ll take care of him.”

Tess kissed him and he breathed in her scent and felt her soft body against his.

The door started to scrape open again.

“Go,” Gage whispered with urgency.

Tess ran back to the bed and moved so that Harvey couldn’t see that she wasn’t cuffed anymore. Gage did the same.

Harvey walked through the door and it scraped shut behind him. He was carrying a white bottle down the stairs and Gage saw that it was drain cleaner. The gun was sticking out of his pocket.

With a grin, Harvey raised the bottle. “You’ll drink this as soon as I’m finished with taking Tess in front of you. And you will drink it—I’ll kill her if you don’t.” He looked at Tess. “No blood then, right babe?”

As Harvey looked at Tess, Gage made his move. With everything he had, ignoring every bit of pain in his body, he charged Harvey.

Harvey looked surprised. He dropped the bottle of drain cleaner and reached for the pistol.

Just as Harvey grasped the gun, Gage was on top of him. He felt something in his own shoulder give as he grabbed Harvey’s arm and slammed his wrist against the concrete floor.

Bone snapped in Harvey’s wrist and he screamed as the pistol flew from his grip.

Black dotted Gage’s vision as he and Harvey rolled toward the gun that was now near Tess’s feet.

Just as Harvey reached for the gun with his good hand, Tess brought her foot back and kicked him in the face.

Harvey screamed again and blood gushed from his nose and his lip split.

Gage’s head swam as he grasped the gun. He whipped it around and put the barrel against Harvey’s temple.

The man went still.

“You’re right. It is snake shot,” Gage said. “And you’re the snake.”

“Don’t kill me.” Harvey’s expression crumpled. “I don’t want to die.”

“But you were ready to kill me and possibly both of us.” Gage kept the pistol to Harvey’s head. “Why shouldn’t I get rid of you?”

“I’m sorry.” Harvey was sobbing. “Please don’t.”

“Let’s get up real slow.” Gage didn’t lessen his pressure on the gun barrel, praying he had the strength to get up himself while not showing any sign of weakness. Harvey and Gage got to their feet at the same time. He stood to Harvey’s side so that Tess wouldn’t be in the way if Gage had to shoot Harvey.

“Face the wall,” Gage told Harvey. When he turned, Gage raised the gun and slammed the butt down on the back of Harvey’s head.

Harvey went down, hard. Wary, Gage rolled Harvey onto his back. The man was out cold.

“We can use these.” Tess stood by him, holding her cuffs and the ones that had been on the pipe.

While Gage kept the gun trained on Harvey, Tess snapped the cuffs on his ankles. They managed to drag the man to the bed and cuffed his wrists to a metal bedpost.

Gage pulled his cell phone out of the holster at his belt. He tried to dial the number for the police. “No service,” he said.

“Probably because it’s a bunker.” Tess pointed up. “We just need to get up there.”

“I don’t think I can get up these stairs,” Gage said. His body was starting to give out on him.

“I’ll do it.” Tess put on the torn dress. Despite her protests, Gage struggled out of his button-up shirt, being as careful as he could with his shoulder, and handed the shirt to her to wear over what was left of the dress. “When Harvey comes to, we can get the door code from him,” she said.

As they stood in the center of the room, waiting for Harvey to come around, Tess flung her arms around Gage’s neck. “I love you, Gage.” A sob was in her voice. “I don’t want to live without you.”

“I love you, too, Tess.” He felt no pain in his body as he held her close, only a love so deep that it filled him with renewed strength.

She leaned back and kissed him so hard that she took his breath away. He kissed her in return with so much passion that he didn’t think either one of them would ever let go.

When they finally drew apart, tears were rolling down her cheeks. “I love you, love you, love you, Gage McBride.”

He grinned. “I love you more.”

She smiled. “Not possible.”

He hugged her again and held her for a long, long time.

Chapter 38

Gage stood beside his brother, Ryan, as his best man while Tess was on the opposite side of Megan as her maid of honor. Gage’s gaze wasn’t on the bride or the groom. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Tess.