Page 69 of Abducted

“Stay here.” He stopped at the dresser against the wall by the door. “Sonofabitch,” he ground out.

She scanned the floor. Goddammit, where were her clothes?

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. She found a pair of sweatpants and sat on the edge of the bed to tug them on.

“My phone is in the kitchen. I wanted you to call Nate.” He held his gun in front of his chest and advanced on the bedroom door. “Stay here and lock this behind me.”

“How did they find us?” she hissed into the blackness that surrounded her face. She wrung her hands in front of her.

“I don’t know. Don’t leave this room. Rufus, stay.” Cal slipped out of the room on silent feet.

Her pulse thundered wildly against her throat. Rufus paced the spot in front of the door. She stood on shaky legs and clicked the lock into place as softly as she could. She backed away from the door as if it blazed with fire. A stream of moonlight peeked through a slit in the blinds, illuminating the way to the bathroom. She took long steps across the cool hardwoods, her ice-cold hands clasped over her bare breasts.

Someone was here. In Cal’s hideaway. Looking for her.

Her mouth went dry. Oh God, she had no way to call for help. She found one of Cal’s oversized hooded sweatshirts and pulled it on. It did nothing to combat the chill that shook her. She found her way back to the bedroom door where Rufus waited. Her breath came in short puffs. A crash suddenly shook the silence that had fallen. It was close—in the kitchen.

She swallowed over the lump in her throat and pulled Rufus against her legs. “It’s okay, boy.” She smoothed his ears back. He kept his body positioned in front of hers. His slim and fit muscles bunched with tension, and he continued a low growl as if he knew they had to be quiet and that he had to protect her. Cal’s ferocious voice boomed through the cabin. Her stomach dropped. Someone was in the house.

Crash! Bang!

And Cal was fighting whoever it was. She backed farther away from the door. Every muscle in her body was coiled as tight as a spring. Fear stung her mouth with its acrid taste. She was useless cooped up here in the bedroom—a sitting duck. Cal was capable…but what if he needed help?

She bit her lip. At the very least, Rufus could help to attack whoever had entered the house.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Sirens pierced the air.

Rufus whined.

This was stupid. She had to do something.

But Cal would kill her if she left the bedroom. She raked her hand through her hair and searched the room for a weapon. She couldn’t see a damn thing. Cal’s angry voice shouted above the screech of the alarm. God, she hoped he had things under control. What if there was more than one intruder?

She inched away from Rufus’s side and along the edge of the bed. She found Cal’s nightstand and switched on the bedside lamp. A weapon, there had to be one. Something…anything. She opened the top drawer.

Condoms sat at the top. She breathed through tight lips. That wouldn’t help. Aha! Brass knuckles. She slipped them on over her fingers. They hung heavily on her slight hands. Good Lord, that wouldn’t help her. She moved on to the drawer beneath.

Her hand closed over the smooth, cool metal of a switchblade. She firmed her lips. Another crash and a yell sounded from the main area. She took a deep breath and clutched the metal. She’d never used a weapon before—much less a switchblade. She opened the knife. The sharp, shiny edge brought a sour taste to her mouth. If she had to use it to save Cal or herself, she would.

She gripped the handle and held it low, the edge pointed to the floor.

Rufus spun in a circle at the door, sensing her exit.

Crash!

Something sharp pelted her legs. Lana let out a shriek and backed away from the shards. Her free hand clutched her throat. She whirled around. Glass scattered across the floor, as the window smashed in. A baseball bat swung at the window again, caving more glass. Rufus charged for the window. Her heart pumped wildly in her chest.

“Rufus!” She grabbed his collar with her free hand and dragged him away from the glass.

He stayed by her side. Her fingers fumbled madly on the door lock.

Another crash sounded behind her. The second intruder was almost through the bedroom window.

She tore the door open and charged out. Rufus raced into the hall, his ferocious bark enough to bring silence from the kitchen.

Her bare feet scuffed down the smooth hardwoods. Rufus’s dark form rounded the corner to the kitchen. Her chest heaved violently. She sucked a deep breath into her nose.

It was silent.

---