Harlequin Intrigue February 2015 - Box Set 2 of 2: Heart of a Hero\The Cattleman\Countermeasures by Debra Webb

Author:Debra Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The pain in his lungs was excruciating, but Nick had kept it together on the return walk to the front of the house. The men at his sides had kept a death grip on his biceps. Now they talked around him, admiring the fight, complaining about another night in the cold tent, wanting to finish their job and be reassigned somewhere there were women.

Beth caught his eye, raised her eyebrows and tapped her pocket where the knife was hidden. He shook his head, crossing his fingers that she’d wait until they were back at the gully. When she stretched her neck just like she always did before firing her weapon, every muscle in his body tensed, ready. But she continued walking between her escorts.

They were separated into the two Jeeps they’d arrived in. Waiting to attack was better. They’d be that much closer to the border when they escaped. That much closer to finding help. He watched her get into the backseat without a word or glance in his direction.

Beth would know they should make their move before they were back in their cage. But did she have it inside her to use the knife and not second-guess herself?

His hands were secured in front of him with a thin nylon rope that cut into his flesh. He understood most of the conversation spoken in Spanish. While the two guards talked, he painfully pulled and stretched the nylon cord to a workable length.

Fortunately, the two men he’d sent for a swim had stayed behind. The guys were betting on who would win in a no-rules fight—Nick or the overgrown wrestler he’d taken to the bottom of the pool.

The wrestler, named Ricky, would win according to the driver because he’d kill Nick the next time he saw him. The other guard agreed, because Nick had let both of the men live earlier.

Yeah, the nice guy in him had come out in spite of his anger over nearly being killed or about confronting the man who wanted him dead. He’d thought about it for a split second, but hadn’t been able to leave the guard to drown. The next time he wouldn’t think twice. He’d think about being shot at the corral and slowly bleeding out, his thoughts and vision fading to nothing. He’d remember how they would kill Beth if they didn’t get out of this mess.

The jerks in the front thought it would be fun to ride with the windows down to freeze his wet body. He took deep lungsful of air, coughing up water in the process. He shook himself, getting the blood circulating throughout his body—especially his hands—and becoming more alert.

As they bounced over the rutted tracks that led back to their camp, he tugged off each boot and dumped the water that had pooled inside. He’d be able to run now, instead of slosh his way to freedom.

Completely cognizant of his whereabouts during this trip, he confirmed where they were on the map in his head.

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