Desert Ice Daddy by Marton, Dana (pocket ebook reader .TXT) 📕

moved, probably from the original pistol-whipping. Even if by some miracle he managed to free himself, he was in no condition to drive. So he took the chance to rest and gather up his energy for the fight that was to come when they reached the refinery.

As the pickup started then turned to rattle over the rocky ground, he prayed that Taylor and Christopher were still alive.

Taylor had told Jake that Akeem had the money. Which had probably saved his life.

But this same grand gesture made her and her son disposable.

“COME ON, JAKE.” TAYLOR wiped her split lip.

He had his knife in his left hand, but hadn’t used it yet. And now she remembered someone saying back at the ranch that he didn’t like blood, and she hoped he never would. That he was just trying to scare her.

“Flint did right by you. He gave you a job, food and a roof over your head. Don’t do this.”

“Where is the money?”

“Kidnapping is one thing. Murder will follow you everywhere. The world is getting smaller every day. The cops have databases in every country. They’re all linked to each other. You can’t run from capital crime in this day and age.”

“Where is the money?”

“I don’t know. Akeem had it.” She braced for the next slap, keeping Christopher behind her, out of sight, out of Jake’s mind.

That strategy had worked until now, but it seemed Jake was getting tired of his slap-and-ask game. He walked around her, grabbed the little boy by the arm and yanked him roughly to his feet.

“Maybe the kid needs to clear his head. What do you say we go up to the roof together and see how long I can hold him out over the edge?” He flashed a sick grin. “I’m in pretty good shape from the horses, but frankly this whole business has been damn exhausting. What do you think, ten minutes?”

“Mom!”

“Please don’t,” she pleaded and tried to grab for Christopher but couldn’t catch him fast enough with her hands tied. “Please. Your men will be back with the money soon. Please let us go. Nobody has to get hurt. This is just about money. It’s not worth it, Jake. You’ll have what you want.”

“Damn right I’ll have what I want. And I’ll have some fun in the meantime.” He untied Christopher’s foot and dragged the boy behind him.

Taylor had no choice but to follow. She thanked God he hadn’t tied her legs. She stumbled on the stairs, made Jake wait for her. Playing for time was the name of her game. She needed to give Akeem enough time to somehow get away from the two thugs who had carried him off and get back here.

And if he didn’t?

She hardly dared to think of that.

What if she was all alone in this, with an armed man who was willing to do anything to get the ransom?

She blinked hard. Then she would find a way to deal with it on her own. Because, by God, she was not going to let anything happen to Christopher.

She moved as slowly as she could, scanning the staircase for anything she might be able to use for a weapon, but for the most part, the place was stripped bare.

The handle on the metal door to the roof looked promising, had she had a screwdriver to take it out and free hands to swing it at Jake’s head. As it was, she had to pass by it with reluctance. She stumbled, took her time getting up, ignoring Jake’s impatient swearing.

Christopher whimpered.

“It’s okay, honey. Mommy is here.”

However much she dragged her feet, they reached the edge of the roof all too soon. Jake gave a demented grin in the starlit night, bending to grab Christopher by the ankles and upending him, dangling him upside down in front of him, swinging him like a pendulum.

“Mom!”

If she had nerves of steel, maybe she could have played the game longer, waited for Jake until he held her son over the abyss, kept him talking, given Akeem more time. But the desperate look in Christopher’s eyes did her in and she lurched forward, toward him, falling to her knees to press her head to his small body.

“I’ll tell you where the money is.” She forced the words through her tightening throat, and apologized silently to Akeem. Because she knew that as soon as Jake had the money, he would be on the phone to his buddies to let them know that all further questioning of Akeem was unnecessary. And she had little doubt of what would happen after that. “I’ll tell you everything,” she told the man again.

“I thought so,” Jake said and let Christopher fold to the ground.

Her son was immediately pressed against her, his skinny little arms wrapped tight around her neck.

“So where is it then?” Jake was asking.

“I’ll show you.”

He backhanded her once again.

And this time, Christopher charged at him, catching him at the knees and making him stumble back a little. For a wild moment, Taylor hoped he might go tumbling back and over the edge of the roof, but that didn’t happen.

“Don’t hurt my mom!” Christopher charged again.

Taylor dived for him before he could be harmed, throwing her body between the two of them. “I’ll show you, but I swear to God, if you lay a hand on my son—”

“Get up and get going.” Jake shoved them.

The climb down from the roof went slowly. She made sure to keep Christopher up front so they both had to wait for the boy to pick his step. She was in the middle to provide buffer, Jake behind her with his gun aimed at the middle of her back, making impatient noises, swearing and shoving them now and then.

They went all the way to the ground floor, and once again she kept her eyes open for some sort of a weapon. She saw a couple of pipe chunks, but could find no way to pick one up unnoticed with Jake watching every move she