Page 67 of Hot For You

“I’m on the way to your hotel with the police,” Cody said as he and Reese hurried to the stairwell and through the door. “We think she’s been kidnapped.”

“Oh, my God,” Sam said. “I’ll meet you outside the front entrance.”

“We’ll be right there,” Cody said and disconnected the call.

Cody and Reese rushed to his car. Reese put on the flashers and siren on his unmarked vehicle and they tore through the streets to the hotel. The Best Western was within minutes of the hotel that Cody and Carilyn were staying in.

Sam was waiting outside like he’d said.

“We’ll take your phone,” Cody said as he rolled down the window and Sam hurried to the car.

“I’m going with you.” Sam jerked open the rear door before Cody could reply.

“Stay in the car when we get there.” Reese spun out of the parking lot. Clearly Reese felt they didn’t have time to argue. “Give your phone to Cody.”

Cody took the phone and examined the location. “Damn. The sonofabitch has her in the Bradshaws.”

Sirens going and lights flashing, Reese called for backup as he tore through town toward the mountains.

Cody’s gut was churning. They had to find Carilyn. She had to be okay.

For the first time in a long time, Cody prayed.

* * *

Carilyn’s entire body shook as she watched Nathan light matches. He looked at the flames like a lover watching his mate remove her clothing, until the fire burned down to his fingers. He dropped burnt matchstick after burnt matchstick into a pile on a kitchen table.

Every now and then he would grin at her and she knew he was toying with her, doing his best to frighten her.

It was working.

She was tied up in a cabin, God knew where, and no one knew where she was. She swallowed. Somehow she would have to save herself.

How? She bit the inside of her cheek as she hopelessly strained against her bonds. How am I going to save myself? Images of the woman being burned alive were seared into her retinas and she could see it as if she was watching the video now. The flames, the muffled screams behind the gag, the terror…the body…

A tear rolled down Carilyn’s cheek and she wished she could wipe it away before he saw it. She didn’t want to show weakness in front of this bastard, but she hadn’t been able to help herself.

Nathan grinned at her, affirming that he had seen the tear and liked seeing her scared, that he reveled in it. “It won’t be long, my sweet Carilyn.”

“Don’t call me that.” She glared at him. “I’m not your anything.”

He chuckled. “I’d say you certainly belong to me now.” He gestured around them. “Do you see anyone else? There’s no one here who cares for you the way I do.”

“You pig.” A part of her snapped. “You’re nothing but a loser who gets off on hurting and killing women.”

A clear change went over him and she instantly regretted her outburst. “I’m going to enjoy watching you burn,” he said in a nasty tone. With his brows narrowed, he went back to lighting matchsticks.

Eyes watering, she looked at the camera he had set up on a nearby tripod. He’d turned it on just before he’d started lighting matches and it was recording everything…everything but him. He was clearly out of the scope of the lens.

She squeezed her eyes shut tight. Dear God, what was she going to do? Was she going to die here, burned alive by this—this insane man?

“Watch me.” Nathan snapped the words. “Watch or I’ll light you on fire now.”

Carilyn looked at him, a burn in her throat and pressure behind her eyes. She tried to avoid his gaze and instead stared at a crack in the wall just over his left shoulder.

“Look at me, Carilyn.” Nathan spoke in a warning tone as she heard the scratch of another match.

She swallowed and met his gaze, and then she shuddered at the death in his eyes. Her death.

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