Saved by the Rancher

chapter Thirty-Five


JENNA’S LEGS ACHED thanks to the fast pace David kept, pushing her along. Each time she slowed, he shoved her or punched her in the back. She’d fallen twice already, and with her hands bound behind her back, she couldn’t use them to break her fall. She’d torn her jeans and cut her knee badly. Limping, she tried to keep up. She’d rather have sore muscles than be punched in the back again.

They came to a halt standing just inside the tree line next to an empty pasture. The ranch stretched across the land in a long rectangle with the valley of pastureland down the center and the trees and hills on each side. That’s part of what made the landscape so beautiful, the rolling hills with trees that came down to a wide-open green valley. Jenna and David stood at the shortest distance between the two sides of the tree lines on both sides of the valley. They’d have to cross about three hundred yards of pasture to get to the other side. In some areas, several miles separated the hills and trees.

“We’re going straight across. You had better run and hope no one sees us, because if they do, you’re dead.”

Unable to speak with the gag, she nodded. Shoved from behind again, she ran across the field. She stole a glance both ways, but didn’t see any of the ranch hands. No cattle or horses grazing on this piece of land, so none of the men were out checking on them. They made it to the other tree line and into the woods without being seen. Jenna’s spirits dropped. She’d hoped someone would have seen her and David and try to help her. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt, but she didn’t want David to take her off the property and someplace else. He could hide her forever, and no one would find her.

The guards didn’t patrol this part of the property. That’s how David had gotten past them. They’d concentrated on Summer’s and Jack’s houses, not the outlying forested areas. Her nightmare had come back to haunt her again. He’d taken her and no one knew.

Jenna screamed in her head for Jack to come and save her. Deep in the woods, David used a compass to keep them on some course she couldn’t determine. Each time she slowed, he’d hit her in the back, in the head, in the shoulder, like she was some kind of punching bag. Biding her time, she waited for the right opportunity to make her move.

They finally cleared some of the trees and rough terrain and came to a narrow dirt road. They headed down the road for about a mile when they came upon David’s jeep. Open with roll bars and no doors, covered in dirt. Additional rope along with a black canvas bag sat ominously in the back. She didn’t want to know what it contained.

No way was she getting in that car. If he took her somewhere else, he’d kill her. How many times had the cops told her, never let him take you to a secondary location? Time to take a chance and try to get away, because if she didn’t . . . She didn’t want to think about what would happen if she didn’t.

David spun her around and slammed her up against the side of the jeep. He hooked a finger in the bandana and dragged it out of her mouth and pulled it down around her throat.

“Scream all you’d like. No one will hear you.”

The truth of that threat hit her hard, like a fist to the gut.

“Where are we going?” she asked to distract him.

“A special spot I’ve picked out. I went back to the cottage after the last time we were together, but you’d already gone. You’re fast. I’ll give you that. I’ve been searching for you ever since.

“I didn’t want to marry that bitch, but my family insisted. All I want is you. You’re everything I ever wanted.

“You and I are meant to be together. Fate carried me right to you at the college campus. From the moment I looked into your eyes, I knew you were my destiny.”

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. He called it fate, but now she wondered if he’d targeted her.

“You’re usually much better at hiding, but this time you made an easy mistake. Did you think I wouldn’t find out about the trust you set up for this land?”

“I did it for Jack.” She didn’t see the blow coming. He struck her with the knife handle on the side of the head above her temple and across her brow, cutting her above the corner of her eye. Blood ran down her cheek. He hadn’t hit her hard enough to knock her out, but white flashes of light obscured her vision and she stumbled back a few steps.

“I don’t want to ever hear another man’s name come out of your mouth.”

She didn’t want to instigate a fight, knew his jealousy would feed his rage. Better strategy, shut up and keep her wits about her.



WORRIED, FRUSTRATED AS hell. Irrational, Jack knew, but as the day dragged on his gut got worse. Jack tried Jenna on the phone again. No answer, just the incessant ringing. He figured Beth went home early and Jenna was still out in the garden unable to hear the phone. He tried her cell, but got voicemail again. He and Caleb had another hour left of their drive to his buddy Rick’s place. Reluctantly, he stuffed his phone back in his pocket and tried to remember she was okay by herself. He didn’t have to be with her every minute of every day. She was fine. That became his mantra over the next hours.