For the Taking

“I get it.”

Riley stood, taking hold of Meghan’s hip. He had no intention of letting her go. Not with his enemies waiting right outside.

He shook Buckle’s hand and left. He tried to shield Meghan as he walked back to the car. He didn’t want anything to happen to her, and David and his crew would be waiting to take their chance.

He couldn’t let it happen.

Meghan wasn’t going to die on his watch.

Once back in the car, he grabbed his gun, loaded it up, and prepared his vehicle.

“Shit! You really think they’re going to come after us?”

“They will be waiting. There’s no way David will let us get away without him trying to take us out. He knows I’m alive. We’re on borrowed time now.” It was a good thing he’d done this to himself. Spending his free time with Meghan was becoming harder to walk away from.

He didn’t want to, not even for a second.

No woman, not even Bethany, had made him feel that way.

He’d never stepped out on his wife, never been with anyone else, but he’d needed a break from her. Sometimes, he’d stay in a motel overnight just to have space. She was always so needy.

Why am I thinking about this shit now?

He didn’t need to be thinking about anything but getting them to safety.

“Are you ready?”

“To have a shoot-out car chase? Sure, every girl’s dream.”

“Awesome.” He wasn’t going to deal with the sarcasm. There was no way they could stay in the parking lot.

It was showtime.

Chapter Ten

Riley didn’t pull out of the parking lot slowly.

He pressed his foot to the gas, and Meghan was more grateful than ever she’d put on a seatbelt. She was flung backwards into her seat from the force of the sudden acceleration.

He turned a corner, and she squeezed her eyes closed and then screamed as their car was bombarded with gunshots.

“Get down!” Riley grabbed her head and pushed her down toward the floor.

She didn’t want to be a coward.

This had to be the scariest moment of her life.

Hello, beaten and nearly raped. That could be a scary moment.

No, this had to be worse.

Her heart pounded, and she felt like she was going to throw up.

“Where are the cops?” she asked, screaming the words.

The shooting stopped, but as she tried to get up, Riley pushed her down.

“They’re on his payroll. All it takes is a couple phone calls. Hold the wheel,” Riley said.

She didn’t have time to question him as he was suddenly shooting. She held the wheel and peered up over the dashboard to make sure she didn’t hit any cars. Riley’s foot was still pressed to the gas, and they were going way too fast.

“Riley!”

He’d been shooting his gun before sitting back, twisting the car, and firing his gun once again at the oncoming car.

He swerved to miss it, and she watched the car crash into the brick wall of an overpass bridge.

Another car came up behind them, and Riley took off.

More bullets shot toward them, and she felt a sudden splash of pain in her arm.

She didn’t make a sound. Covering her ears, she tried not to think about Riley and him dying, and just how painful that would be.

Would he even consider taking out David and living? Would that be so bad? Would spending a life with her be awful, compared to death?

She knew she couldn’t ask him for anything.

He’d already given her, her life. Without him, she’d be dead.

Don’t think about this now. You’re in the middle of a car chase. Think about it when you’re alone in bed, wanting him.

Riley touched her shoulder what seemed like hours after.

“They’re gone,” he said.

“They are?” she asked.

Her voice sounded hoarse. She didn’t even realize she’d been shouting. She must have been, as otherwise, what happened to her voice?

“Yeah, come on.”

She got up and groaned. Blood ran down her arm, and she looked to see she’d been hit by a bullet in the same arm that had been broken. She had no fucking luck.

“Shit, don’t worry, I’m heading to a private place. You’ll be safe.”

“I’m fine.”

“We have to go anyway,” Riley said.

She noticed he was holding his side.

“You’ve been shot.”

“Not the first time.”

She reached toward him, but he shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Riley, you’ve been shot!”

“I know. Don’t worry about it. I’m not.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Hers did. Really bad, and she didn’t want to think about the kind of pain she was experiencing right now.

“It’s fine.”

“You don’t have to put a brave face on for me.”

“I’m not. Believe me. I’m not. Sit back. I’ll have us there soon.”

“Is this the doctor who put my arm in a cast?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

She sat back, watching him. How could he still be driving after being shot?

“Did you train for this?” she asked.

“For what?”

“For driving and doing normal things even after being shot?”

He chuckled. How was it possible for him to find any humor right now?