My cell phone rang in my pocket and I saw Dallas’ name flash across the screen along with a picture I took of her while she was laughing. I almost lost it when I answered.
“Babe?” I asked, trying to stay calm. If I acted like everything was okay, maybe she wouldn’t be so scared.
“They have us, Luke. They have me and Maddie,” she said, her voice a little shaky, but more controlled than I could have hoped.
“Are y’all okay?” Get the facts. Assess the situation. Figure out a plan. That was the job.
“Yes. He is gonna make you choose, Luke. If you love me, if you have ever loved me, then tell them to let Maddie go.”
“Dallas,” I interjected, ready to tell her that wasn’t going to happen, that I would get them out of this.
“Luke, I am begging you. I need you to trust me. Promise me, you will save Maddie. Promise me, right now.”
“I can get you out of this, babe,” I said, emotion becoming more and more evident in my voice. I would give my life before I gave her to that man.
“Promise me,” she whispered, trying to keep her voice strong.
I was defeated. I didn’t have a plan, but I would make one. Right now, Dallas needed reassurance and if it made her feel better, then that’s what I would give her.
“I promise. I won’t let them take her,” I said, closing my eyes and sighing in defeat. I couldn’t choose between them, I wouldn’t.
“Time’s up,” I heard a man’s voice say and the call ended. My brothers were now gathered around me, waiting for my next move.
“Let’s get to the cabin. We have eight hours.”
Chapter 13
Dallas
I knew by Maddie’s slow breathing that she was finally asleep. The morning’s events were traumatic for all of us, but somehow I reached in and found my protective instinct, making my main concern Maddie’s safety and not my own. I was scared to death, not knowing what would happen once we arrived. One minute we were sitting around the living room, after saying goodbye to Brooklyn, and in the next, the kitchen door was being knocked down and Frankie was there. He looked as scared as the rest of us. When he saw Maddie, he shook his head at her, silently pleading with her to keep her mouth shut. Maddie, figuring the goons holding the guns were Frankie’s men, proceeded to lash out at him verbally, earning her a big goose egg on her head when she was hit with the butt of a gun. They tied everyone up, asking who was who. Frankie confirmed that I was Dallas. When a call came through, the request for a hostage changed. They asked for Maddie instead of me. I begged and pleaded with them, telling them it was me that they wanted and not her. The man on the other end of the phone decided that he needed both of us and that he would let Luke decide our fate.
I tried everything in my power to keep them from getting Maddie, but they easily grabbed the both of us and threw us into the back of an SUV. We were scrunched in to the tiny spot between the back hatch and the third row seat. Our ankles and wrists were bound behind us, leaving the only semi comfortable position-laying on your side. I don’t know what happened to the other girls or where the guys from the club house were, it all happened too fast. Brooklyn had decided to stay an extra week with all of us. Thank God that she left when she did. That was one less body to worry about. The week without Luke had crept by. Even with all the excitement from the girls and the stories and sappy movie nights and endless bottles of vodka, I missed him so much that I often just wanted to be alone; wrapped up in his shirt that smelled of his cologne. Maddie and I had kept our distance, only speaking when it was necessary. Which only happened once- when she asked me if we had anymore peanut butter. We weren’t the best of friends yet, but it was progress. At least she wasn’t trying to claw my eyes out. I spent a lot of time with Logan, too. Every day we would work on his homework together. Maddie didn’t seem to mind, but she wasn’t thrilled about it either. I think Brooklyn said something to her that made her back off a little.
It felt like we had been riding for hours when we pulled off the road and into a wooded area. My guard went up and I was terrified that this would be where they killed us and dumped the bodies. I was so relieved when the hatch was opened and the goons held water and sandwiches in their hands, instead of guns, that I almost wet my pants. There were four guys at the house, but only two were with us. I had no chance against them and I was afraid that if I tried anything stupid, they might kill Luke. They told me that I would see him when we got to where we were going. Just the thought helped soothe my worries. The guys were big, bulky and looked like FBI agents. They even wore suits and shiny shoes and little ear piece things. They gently sat me up first, holding the water to my lips. I didn’t think about it being poisoned until I took a big gulp of it. Well, too late now, and I needed my strength. He fed me small bites of a peanut butter sandwich rotating it out with sips of water. I didn’t fight him, and the process went smoothly, almost too smoothly. He acted like he had done this before. The thought was unnerving. When I shook my head, letting him know that I didn’t want anymore. He stepped to Maddie and gently grabbed her by her arms, sitting her up.