Her gaze encompassed all the men. “I’ve heard of stupid, but this is off the charts. I almost feel sorry for you, knowing how it’s going to end.”
His tone taunting, the driver said, “Ross didn’t want you hurt because he considered you more valuable if you weren’t. But the rules have changed, sugar, and you’re now free game.”
Did he have to sound so anticipatory?
“You’re a dumbass, Andy,” Olsen snapped. “In case any of you failed to notice, Ross is sweet on her. If she hadn’t tried to blow my brains out, I wouldn’t have struck her. Ross is going to be furious and that doesn’t bode well for any of us.”
“I tried to kill you,” Sahara said numbly, “because you shot my brother.”
Terrance snarled over the seat, “You lied to us! You knew he was alive and that he owed us. But you—”
Olsen kicked the seat. “Shut up!”
They all seemed out of control, not at all like Ross, who had dictated with calm decisiveness. Sahara swallowed heavily, her fear very real. Ross had told her he wouldn’t let her be hurt—but he wasn’t here and these men seemed more than capable of hurting her in many, many ways.
She needed the upper hand, and she couldn’t get it by cowering.
Turning her head, she glared at Olsen. He sat in sullen silence beside her. “Is it your plan to freeze me to death?”
“You’ll be able to get warm and dry in a few more minutes.”
Great. That meant the guys could catch up to her that much quicker. She worked up a believable tremor in her lips. “My arms are aching. Those wet ropes are tightening and I can’t feel my fingers anymore.”
His gaze narrowed on her. “Once you’re inside, I’ll retie you to the bed.”
Uh-oh. Trying for mere curiosity rather than dread, she asked, “There’s a bed?”
Andy again looked at her in the rearview mirror. “I’ll help you take off those wet clothes. We’ll have you cozy in no time.”
She snapped, “Will you watch the road before you kill us all?”
He grinned suggestively and went back to driving.
Terrance, the passenger in front, scowled. “Who says you get to play with her?”
“I’m the one who took the worst beating from that gorilla who came after her. She owes me.”
Sahara felt her nerves fraying. She drew up her legs and kicked Andy’s seat. Hard. “He’s not a gorilla!”
The car swerved dangerously, sliding on the wet road and damn near spinning. Olsen thrust out an arm to pin her in place until Andy got control of the car again.
Everyone was silent in shock.
Sahara, who’d half slid down the seat, struggled back up.
Olsen gripped her face in a hard hand. “Do anything like that again and you won’t like the consequences.”
“What will you do,” she sneered as best she could, given how he squeezed her cheeks. “Kidnap me? Tie me up? Freeze me to death?”
Terrance laughed. “By God, she’s got balls.”
Olsen thrust her away. “She won’t be so ballsy when I stick her in the trunk.”
Sahara snorted.
He turned to her. “Naked. I’ll stuff you in there naked—and I’ll let Andy be the one to strip you.”
Okay, maybe that quelled a little of her rebelliousness. But not all. “Ross is going to be furious. Did you know he visited me?” She lifted her chin. “We had a nice, friendly chat. He asked me out to dinner.”
Another silent shock ballooned, then burst with a million outraged questions from all directions. She sat in smug silence until they wound down, then said with derision, “Oh, so you didn’t know? Hmm. Interesting.”
Olsen, being the closest, opted for the most intimidation—by pointing the gun directly at her. “Where did he visit you?”
“A party at Douglas Grant’s house.” She took pleasure in saying, “Do you know the DA? He’s a pig, so I assume you’re good friends.”
Olsen looked blank.
Terrance jerked around over the seat to glare at her. “Why the fuck would he be visiting the DA?”
Sahara smiled. “Why, to see me, of course. He likes me.” Her gaze coasted over all of them. “He’s going to be so enraged when he sees how you’ve treated me.”
“Fuck him,” Andy said with venom, slamming his hands against the steering wheel. “We need to get paid!”
“We’re here,” Olsen said calmly. “Pull around back.”
Sahara bent to see out the windshield, but until the headlights hit a stained glass window, she didn’t realize they were at a church. At least there shouldn’t be a bed, meaning that had only been an idle threat. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It’s abandoned,” Olsen said, already clenching one freckled hand around her arm. “Don’t get any ideas about salvation.”
She managed a credible laugh. “I bet you all incinerate the second you set foot on holy ground.”
Olsen started to open the door, but it was suddenly jerked out of his hand, spilling him halfway out. Since he had a grip on Sahara, she got jerked across the seat.
The pressure on her tightly tied arms made her groan.
Ross Moran stood there, big, blue-eyed, heaving with fury. He seemed impervious to the rain drenching him, plastering his hair to his head, gluing his shirt to his broad shoulders. His fisted hands hung tense at his sides, and his scorching gaze went over her as she struggled upright.
Their eyes met, then his attention shot to Olsen. “Start explaining.”
Sensing a change in her situation, Sahara asked, “Could I please get inside first? I’m soaked, freezing and I’d dearly love to have the feeling restored in my arms.” After all, she couldn’t run off into the night, during a storm, with her arms so tightly tied. She knew she wouldn’t make it far.
If they’d remove the ropes and she could get her bearings, well then...
The blaze of anger on Ross’s face settled into an inferno of quiet rage. He withdrew a large knife from a sheath on his belt and said, “Turn around.”
Terrance protested, saying, “Ross—”
The knife pointed in Terrance’s direction. “Shut the fuck up. I’ll deal with you next.”
Alarmed, he squeaked, “Me?”
Ross looked at Olsen and Andy. “All of you.”
Trying to look brave, Andy stepped out into the rain, too—and promptly pulled up the collar to his jacket, already shivering. “We need our money, damn it.”
“I got your fucking money, moron.” Gently, Ross pressed her forward to better expose her hands. “Don’t move.” He sliced cleanly through the ropes.
“What do you mean, you have the money?” Olsen asked.
“Her brother paid it.”
More questions exploded.
“Gentlemen, please.” Sahara bit back tears as feeling rushed into her aching arms, up to her shoulders and into her neck. “Let’s get out of this miserable rain.”
Ross said, “The three of you go on in.”
Olsen heaved a sigh. “Sorry, no can do, boss. She’s got you bewitched, but what’s done is done. We can’t just turn her loose now.”
“No,” Ross agreed, “we can’t.” He scooped Sahara up into his arms, ignoring the groan she couldn’t stifle.
Her entire body ached, and now more rain drenched her. “Please tell me this relic is heated.”
“No,” Olsen said, walking alongside them. “But we installed a heater. If you don’t dismantle it, you should be warm enough soon.”
Soon she’d be free, but she kept that to herself. She couldn’t quite tell if Ross was with his comrades, or against them. His trite “no, we can’t” bothered her a lot.
Then again, he wasn’t a stupid man so he had to realize that taking a stand at this particular moment could get them both killed.
“I’m capable of walking.”
“Barefoot?” He carried her easily, leaning over her to help shield her from the rain. “I can barely see where I’m going, but I’ve already discovered roots grown through concrete, broken glass and rocks.”
Sahara peered down and saw that he was right. The puddles forming everywhere couldn’t hide the treacherous path. Not that she’d thank him. He was the one who’d started this absurd campaign against her.