Page 140 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

When Shelley came out of the ladies’ room, she turned at the sound of someone calling her name.For a moment, she couldn’t process what she was seeing, and by the time she figured it out, Gavin had raised the pistol he was holding.Her heart pounded in her chest as he beckoned for her to come to him.

She looked back over her shoulder, but they were at the end of the hallway.She couldn’t see anyone—and no one could see her.

“Don’t even think about it.And don’t think about screaming, because if anyone comes running, I’ll shoot them.”

She inhaled sharply as she imagined Trip appearing at the end of the corridor—and taking a bullet.When she finally found her voice, she asked, “What do you want?”

“You know what I want, and you’re coming with me to help me get it.”

She started to shake her head, but he jerked the pistol toward the door and said, “Your choice, but I have Jim and your friend in my truck.If you don’t come out with me in the next three seconds, I’ll just have to kill her.Go!”

She hurried to him, and he made her go ahead of him out the door.

She hesitated when she saw a man walking across the parking lot toward the main entrance.

“Try shouting for help and I’ll shoot him,” Gavin said in a low voice.

There was no way she’d risk endangering the man, so she kept quiet and kept walking.Gavin caught her arm and steered her toward an older model pickup truck.He pulled open the driver’s door and motioned for her to get in.

“You’re driving.”

She climbed in without a word.She was shaking so hard she didn’t know if she’d be able to drive, but the sight of Jim and Harper in the back seat made her take a deep, steadying breath.They were both gagged, and their hands were tied.The left side of Harper’s face was swollen, and her eye was closing up.Her right eye burned with fury.Jim shook his head sadly as he met Shelley’s gaze.

She wanted to reassure him, more than that, she wanted to rescue him, but… just as it occurred to her to drive away before Gavin could get in, he opened the passenger door and jangled the keys at her.

“Can’t get away without me.”

“Where are we going?”she asked.

“For a little ride to a place I know.I won’t keep you long.We’re just going to make sure that dear old Uncle Jim’s original will still stands.Once we’ve done that, you can go.”

She met Jim’s gaze in the rearview mirror, but Gavin tapped her arm with the pistol.“You’ll have the chance to talk later.For now—drive!”

He inserted the key in the ignition, and Shelley put the truck in drive.Gavin gave her directions, and for a while she thought they might be headed back to Jim’s place.But before they reached it, he told her to turn right and head up into the foothills.Her heart sank.She suspected he had no intention of letting them come back down.

She didn’t know if she should tell him that the old will—the one that left everything to him—had already been superseded.If Jim were to die right now… She inhaled sharply—if Gavin were to kill him, he wouldn’t inherit a damn penny.She just didn’t know how he’d react to hearing that.He might get mad and hurt her—or Harper—but the knowledge should be enough to keep Jim safe.Or at least, alive.

It was harder to see Harper in the mirror, but when she managed to meet her eye, Harper nodded vigorously.

Gavin turned to glare at her.“Whatever you and your friend think you’re doing, stop it.I don’t want to have to hurt you, but I will.”

“What exactly do you want?”Shelley asked.

Gavin blew out a sigh.“I only want what’s rightfully mine—what my uncle is trying to stop me from having.”He turned to look at Jim.“I don’t even know why you have a problem with it.When you’re dead, it won’t make any difference to you.”

Jim’s words were muffled by the bandana tied around his mouth, but he protested loudly anyway.

Gavin turned back to Shelley with a shrug.“As I said, it won’t matter to him for much longer.”

Shelley slowed the truck as the gravel road narrowed.

“There’s a sharp right turn coming up… now.”

Gavin reached across and turned the wheel, making the truck swerve dangerously.

He laughed as Shelley corrected it to follow a much narrower, more overgrown track deeper into the trees.It was slow going, and they rode in silence for maybe ten minutes before a small cabin appeared in a clearing.

“Here we are,” Gavin said brightly.Shelley stopped the truck and he jerked the pistol at the driver’s door.“You get out and help Jim.I’ll be right here with your friend.”

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