Page 3 of Breathless
McAdams looked at his watch and picked up his briefcase. “I really have to go. I’ll be in touch.”
“How about lunch?” Liberty asked, trying to sound cheerful and lighten the mood after McAdams left.
“Whatcha say?” Justus asked.
Chaney hesitated. “My parents hired a driver and he’s waiting for me downstairs, otherwise I’d say yes.”
“How would they know if you didn’t return straight home?” Justus said.
“Oh, they’d know. He’d make sure they’d know,” Chaney said.
“It’s okay, honey.” Liberty placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you’re in a tough position right now. You want to honor your parents by abiding by their wishes, but you also want to make your own decisions. It’s hard because you feel at your age you should be able to assert your independence. And we don’t want to make it harder for you so we understand if you can’t go today. Give them time and they’ll come around.”
“I doubt it. They’re threatening to withdraw my college tuition and housing money if I see Justus outside of the trial proceedings. They want me to cut all ties with her and you. It doesn’t matter that you spearheaded our rescue with the Brotherhood Protectors. If it was up to them, I’d be back in Baltimore with them right now. Locked in my old room.”
Justus hugged her tightly. “It’s okay. We’ll get through this. We’ve been through worse.”
Chaney nodded. “I hate living alone especially after our abduction, but they have me in a gated community with round the clock security so at least I know I’m safe.”
The three walked out of the district attorney’s law office conference room toward the bank of elevators. They didn’t have to wait long before the doors opened on one and they stepped inside. Two young men standing at the back were the only other occupants. Then before the doors closed two middle aged men jumped on, causing Justus to bump into her.
“Sorry,” Justus said.
“It’s okay.” Chaney shot her a quick smile, but looked around at the two men.
The elevator stopped on every other floor picking up a passenger or letting someone that got on before off. The men who bumped into Justus inched closer to her and she grabbed for Chaney’s hand.
“What is it?” Chaney whispered.
“It would be a shame if two pretty young things like you had acid dashed onto your faces just because you said something you shouldn’t,” one of the men sneered.
In a split second, Liberty grabbed both the girls, pushing them behind her as the two young men stepped forward. Before Chaney had time to process what was going on the people in the elevator had scattered to one side, getting away from the threatening men as the younger men pushed them against the wall, bending their arms behind their backs to secure them with zip tie cuffs.
Fearing for her life and recalling the threats she’d received while captive, Chaney covered her eyes and began to cry. “I can’t take this.”
“Liberty, what are we going to do?” Justus asked.
“You both need to calm down,” Liberty ordered. “The Brotherhood Protectors are not going to let anything happen to either one of you.”
“But Asher is in Fool’s Gold,” Justus pointed out. “We’re all alone in Colorado Springs.”
“That’s what you think,” one of the young men said glancing over his shoulder at them. “The Brotherhood Protectors have you covered. Specifically, the Lone Wolf Agency. I’m Rafferty Grainger.”
Justus nudged Chaney in the ribs. “Look at them,” she whispered.
Chaney made a face but wiped away her hot tears and took a deep calming breath. Then she looked at their rescuers and her pulse sped up as she took the young men in from head to toe before she mouthed, Oh my!
Liberty snickered at them as the elevator doors opened on the next floor and the other passengers quickly got off, leaving only the two Brotherhood Protectors and their snarling and verbally abusive captives with them.
“Shut up you two or you’ll wish you had once we get through teaching you a lesson,” Rafferty ordered.
“Oh, I’m shaking in my boots,” one of the men scoffed.
“Me too,” the other one said.
Rafferty punched the first in the gut while his twin held the other one and he punched him as well before they men doubled over grunting.
“Who hired you?” Chaney asked.
