Obviously, killing the woma
n on the slopes had put him in better spirits. “That’s great, Jake. I’m glad you’re happy. Now, I really am craving ice cream, you know? So, I’ll be back shortly.”
He pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my lips.
“Nonsense. You stay here and relax, babe. I’ll get you some ice cream. What kind are you craving? Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road? Just tell me and I’ll get it for you, my beautiful pregnant wife.”
“
Ah, just surprise me.”
He released me and turned around to grab his jacket. “Okay.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, where did this come from
?” he asked, moving towards the flip-phone. He picked it up and a look of horror spread across his face.
Frightened, I turned and raced
out of the cabin, towards the SUV. I unlocked the doors and jumped inside, placing the key in the ignition.
“Lindsey!”
hollered Jake, rushing towards me in the darkness. “What are you doing?”
Trembling, I turned the key but
heard only a “clicking” noise.
“Oh
, my God!” I shrieked as my eyes met Jake’s and he began to pound on the window.
“
Lindsey, open up!”
Sobbing, I tried the engine again but
still nothing happened.
He put his hand on the windo
w and stared at me. “What’s going on? Why are you doing this?”
“Leave me alone!” I cried, reaching in my purse for my cell phone, only to discover it
was missing.
“Come on, Lindsey!”
Just when I thought all hope was lost, police lights flashed on the other side of the SUV. I breathed a sigh of relief; someone in one of the other cabins must have called the cops.
“
Raise your hands and step away from the vehicle!” demanded the officer, as he got out of the squad car, gun raised.
Jake lifted his hands in the air and began backing away. Before he was able to take his third
step, however, I heard the cop’s gun go off and Jake dropped to the ground.
“You can come out
of the vehicle, ma’am!” yelled the officer. “It’s safe.”
Shaking, I unlocked the door and got out. “Oh
, my God,” I shuddered, stepping over Jake’s body. Part of me wanted to hold him in my arms, the other was horrified that I’d married such a cold-blooded killer.
“He won’t be bo
thering anyone anymore,” smiled the officer, staring down in satisfaction at Jake’s body.
I stared at the cop and then
gasped in horror when I recognized him. “Jerry?”
“
That’s right. Happy to see me?” he chuckled; now pointing the gun directly at me. “I’m happy to see you. I couldn’t believe my luck when I found out that you were getting married.”
“How…?”
“Patience, and friends in high places. Just because I moved doesn’t mean I forgot how you murdered my brother, bitch.”
“Please,” I begged. “Don’t hurt me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, cocking the gun. “I’m going to kill you, so you actually feel nothing at all,” he smiled coldly. “You know the old saying: revenge is sweet.”
I glanced towards the other small cabins, hoping that s
omeone would come to my rescue, but the rooms were all dark.
“Nobody’s goin
g to help you,” he laughed. “Most of those other cabins are vacant at the moment. Must be the slower time of the year.”
“Please,” I begged
in tears. “I’ll do anything you want.”
He moved towards m
e and grabbed my arm. “You know,” he said. “I think I’ll take my time killing you. It’ll be much more fun.”
“
No, please, Jerry…”
Ignoring my protests
, he pulled me towards the cabin and pushed me inside. Then, he pulled out a set of handcuffs, dragged me into the kitchen, and cuffed me to the metal refrigerator door handle.
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
“Got to take care of that fucker’s body before we get down to business.”
I stared in terror as he left me
and went back outside. Knowing I didn’t have much time, I tried breaking the door handle, but it wouldn’t even budge.
“Dammit!” growled Jerry, storming back into the cabin
, seconds later. “I don’t know how he did it, but I’ll blow his fucking brains out when I find him.”
“What
’s happening?” I asked.
Jerry glared at me. “He’s somehow
escaped.”
As we stared at each other, t
he lights went out and Jerry began to really freak out. “Goddammit!” he raged. “Thinks he’s smart, does he? Well, I got what he wants, so I’m running this fucking show! Come on, bitch,” he spat, moving towards me. “We’re getting the fuck out of here.”
Once my hands were free
, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me towards the door. “Don’t you dare fuck with me, cunt,” he warned. “Or I’ll put a bullet in your head.”
I bit my tongue
as he pulled me into the darkness, his gun drawn.
“You’d better give yourself up, Sharp!” hollered Jerry. “Or I’ll paint the sn
ow with her blood! Make me one great fucking picture, too!”
A
noise from somewhere behind the cabin startled us both. Jerry tightened his grip on my wrist and began pulling me in that direction. “Well, I know one thing for sure, that fucker is hurt,” he said, motioning towards the speckles of blood on the snow. “He can’t be too far.”
I heard a
creaking sound from somewhere above. We both turned as Jake fell from the top of an old shed sitting next to the cabin, landing on Jerry. I leaped away and watched as they rolled around in the snow together, wrestling for the gun.
I didn’t hesitate.
I turned and rushed towards the front of the cabin, plowing through the snow in my heavy boots. When I heard the echo of the gunshots, I began to sob. Deep down, I knew I probably wasn’t going to escape, not this time.
“Lindsey!” hollered Jake.
I turned and saw him limping towards me with the gun in his hand. I pushed myself faster.
“
For the love of God, woman, stop running! I’ve been shot!”
Images of the
dead women on his phone, especially the ones of Darcy, rushed through my mind. I ignored Jake and pushed myself faster. Unfortunately, what did me in was the clear ice on the driveway. As I moved, I miscalculated how slippery the black ice was, and landed flat on my back.
“Lindsey!” cried J
ake, crouching down next to me.
I shoved him
. “Don’t touch me!”
“Wait,” h
e said, trying to help me as I struggled to get up.
The sharp pains in my lower back were excruciating.
“Please,” I choked. “Just leave me alone.”
He motioned behind him.
“Lindsey, he’s dead, honey. He can’t hurt you.”
“But you can,”
I cried as he grabbed my arm again. “Please let me go!”
He stared at me
, incredulously. “Babe, I would
never
hurt you.
Never
!”
I
t was then that I felt the wetness between my legs and began to sob. I knew exactly what it meant.
“Oh
, my God,” he whispered in horror, seeing the blood on my pants. “Lindsey…”
“Call an ambulance,” I moaned
, turning my head away from his face. “Please.”
I stepped
quietly into Jake’s hospital room and moved towards the bed. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. I pulled a chair out from the side of the room and moved it next to him.
His eyes opened.
“Hey,” he whispered, hoarsely.
I leaned forward and slid my hand over
his. “Hey.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said
, glancing at my stomach.
“
No. It’s not your fault. If anything, it was mine.”
He frowned
. “Why, because you thought I was some cold-blooded killer and was only trying to escape? Hell, if I found what you did, I’d think the same damn thing. Don’t go blaming yourself, Lindsey.”
I
stared at Jake, still feeling guilty about accusing him of murder. When they’d found both of our cell phones in Jerry’s possession, along with the murdered girl’s body in the trunk of his squad car, I’d never been so relieved in my life. Apparently, the flip-phone containing the pictures of the dead women
had
been Jake’s, the one that had been stolen over a year ago. Jerry had used it to take pictures of his and Parker’s victims, starting with Darcy.
“I still can’t believe that bastard found us, especially on our honeymoon,” said Jake.
“He was a crafty son-of-a-bitch,” I said. “In fact, I hadn’t even realized our phones were missing. He must have broken into the cabin when we were skiing, took ours, and planted the other one.”
He nodded. “He wanted to frame me, obviously, or at least, scare the hell out of you.”
I laughed bitterly. “Well, he did a good job. I’m just glad he’s not around anymore, plotting more revenge. He’s already taken so much from me.”
Ja
ke sighed and slipped his fingers between mine. “You know, we can try again. In fact,” he said, scooting over on the mattress. “Hop on up and we’ll get started, right now.”
I chuckled. “
Right, you just survived a near-fatal shot in your side. Just get some rest, Detective. We have plenty of time to try again.”
His face became serious
. “Are you sure that
you’re
okay?”
I stared at him for a minute and nodded. “Considering that I’m alive and still with the man I love, I’m
doing just fine. The fact that we lost this child isn’t easy, but I’m not going to let it tear me up inside.”
“
You’re a strong woman and a wonderful mother. We’re going to try again, Linds. I really want you to have our baby.”
I smiled
at all the emotions reflected in his eyes. “We’ll talk about it later.”
He kissed my knuckles. “
Just remember, I love you, Mrs. Sharp.”
“And I love you,
Detective.”
***
The End
K.L. Middleton
- Adult Contemporary
Excerpt from Tangled Beauty
Kristen Middleton – Paranormal Stories
Zombie Games (Running Wild) Book Two
Zombie Games (Dead Endz) Book Three
Shiver (Night Roamers) Book Two
Prologue
Michael
She stares down at me and I am lost in those magnificent, emerald eyes. They hold me prisoner, a willing captive to this beautiful creature who makes my heart
ache
every time I am in her presence. The desire to taste those sweet lips and bury myself deep inside of her heat…
It torments my soul.
I struggle to control myself as her hands slide through my hair, ever so lovingly. Her touch, gentle at first, grows bolder as she continues her glorious administrations. Inside, I am groaning with desire as I imagine these able hands wrapped around other parts of my body, followed by her full, succulent, lips…
It is almost too much to bear.
I close my eyes and grip the edge of the chair as these wicked thoughts consume me, thankful that my lap is draped in plastic. I try to think of less desirable things, but my body refuses to cooperate and I am on the edge of control. Just when I think I can no longer contain myself, the faucet is turned off and she speaks my name.
Michael.
It rolls from her tongue like a lover’s caress, so smooth and sexy.
I open my eyes and smile up at this lovely enchantress, wishing I could stare forever at her beauty.
She smiles back and urges me to follow her.
I obey without question as I am quite smitten with this beautiful angel. Truth be told, I would follow her to the depths of Hell if asked; I wouldn’t even question it.
I sit down at her station, smoothing the plastic back over my thighs as our eyes meet in the mirror’s reflection. She opens her lovely mouth and asks me what I’d like.