Page 30 of Mine

Wiggling her stiff back against the comfortable passenger seat, she allowed her heavy eyes to drift to the side mirror gracing her door. Noticing a rusted, metal sign pass over the reflective glass, she took stock of the backwards letters. Reading them repeatedly, she tried her best to place them in the correct order until they finally made sense.

Ho li Wlof Rach. Howlng Wolf Ranch. Howling Wolf Ranch.

Howling Wolf Ranch.

“Mmm...yeah, you’re right. I should,” she agreed, not wanting her abductor to suspect that she had just learned where he was keeping her. “I didn’t sleep much last night.”

“I know and I’m sorry about that. Now, close your eyes and take a cat nap, my love. I’ll wake you when we get to the restaurant.I figured we would have breakfast before running the other errands,” he purred.

Mumbling something unintelligible, Lexi followed his instructions and allowed her eyelids to flutter down. Sleep was a precious commodity, and she couldn’t let this opportunity pass her by. For her to escape, she needed as much strength as she could muster.

Pushing out a long yawn, she eagerly surrendered to her body’s overwhelming exhaustion. Her last coherent thought was that of Kade and how beautiful his broken heart would look in her bloodied hands.

. . .

“Sweetheart, we’re here, time to wake up,” Kade said softly, trying to ease her from her sleep.

Moaning like a grumpy child, Lexi wiggled away from his gentle nudge. Reluctantly opening her eyes, she righted herself in her seat and looked around her new surroundings. She knew she had never been to the town before, if you could even call it one. It was merely a single dilapidated road with an ancient diner and gas station on one side, a tiny mercantile grocery and coffee shop on the other. No wonder her abductor wasn’t nervous about taking her out in public. They were still out in the middle of nowhere.

“Where are we?” she asked, her voice froggy with sleep.

“Town,” Kade replied without further explanation. “Now I know this place doesn’t look like much, but they make the most amazing blueberry pancakes. I know how much you love those, Lexi. I’ll make sure to order you a double stack.”

Undoing her tight seatbelt, she couldn’t stop her stomach from rumbling at the mere mention of warm food. Applesauce pouches and granola bars were great, but she needed more sustenance. A carb filled meal was exactly what she needed to fuel up her energy reserves.

“That sounds great, I’m starving,” she said honestly, moving to open her car door.

“Wait!” he exclaimed, reaching into the front pocket of his dark indigo jeans. “I almost forgot...here, give me your left hand.”

Obeying his command, she held out her hand. A look of confused curiosity fell over the features of her face as he placed a delicate gold band on her ring finger.

“What--” she began.

“If anyone asks,” he said, cutting her off. “We’re married. I’m Jon and you’re Emily. We’re here on our honeymoon. Try not to say much, though, that’s my job. Is that understood?”

Unable to verbalize a response, she nodded and watched Kade intently as he placed a similar band on his own ring finger. Married? Sure. Just two crazed murderers out a honeymoon holiday in the middle of the arctic wilderness. As if things couldn’t get any more bizarre.

“Good girl,” he praised before exiting the SUV and walking to the passenger side to help her out of the vehicle.

Taking his hand, she carefully stepped next to her captor as they wove through the icy parking lot. Casually glancing from side to side, she desperately searched for any clue as to where they were. Five cars were parked nearby, but each had license plates from different states. None of the businesses were chain stores,apart from the gas station which sold“Mobile”gas. It was as if the universe was intentionally trying to drive her insane.

Nothing can ever be easy,she thought bitterly as he opened the door to the diner and ushered her inside.

Giving her eyes time to adjust to the bright interior of the classic fifties’ diner, Lexi moved to the side of the waiting area and allowed Kade to step in front of her. Before long, they were greeted by a tall, slim woman with silver hair; the name “Peggy”etched onto the bear shaped name tag pinned to her white uniform. Although the older woman had a stern face, she felt that there was something trustworthy about her. It made her heartbeat quicken with hope.

“Just the two of you?” Peggy asked, giving the attractive couple a once over.

“Yep, just us,” Kade replied, taking Lexi’s hand once again.

Giving them a quick nod, Peggy grabbed two plastic menus from her podium. With a flick of her head, she urged them to follow her to a booth in the center of the diner. Setting the menus down on the rectangular table, she glanced back and forth between the pair as they took their seats. It wasn’t often that such a handsome couple came into the restaurant. Perhaps her day wasn’t going to be so dull after all?

“Can I get you two something to drink?” she asked with a bright smile.

“Two coffees,” Kade answered immediately. “One black, one with cream and sugar.”

“You’ve got it, I’ll come back with the coffees and take your order,” Peggy said before leaving the pair alone.

Tracking the waitress as she walked behind the metal bar, Lexi wiggled out of her puffy winter coat and tossed it on the bench seat beside her. Quickly taking stock of the sparse diner, she noticed only three other patrons gracing the space. Directly behind Kade sat an elderly couple, bickering with one another over the thickness of their overcooked bacon. Off to her right, was a young teen perched on a rickety barstool, hunched over his cell phone and shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth. It was very apparent that no one in the restaurant was equipped to help her escape. She would need to rely on herself and herself alone. Something she wasn’t sure she could do once she caught how Kade was staring at her.

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