Becca struggled to stay conscious, her stomach roiling. It was hard to think, her brain as sluggish as her muscles. Like she was trying to swim through molasses.
Fear gripped her. Whoever this guy was, he’d just run over Rick. It terrified her to think of what he might do to her.
“Who are you?” she forced out, her words slow, slurred.
“Landon.”
The name meant nothing to her. “What do…you want with me?”
He glanced over, and the predatory gleam in his eyes sent a wave of terror over her. “You’re mine now.”
She recoiled, shrinking away from him. He was unhinged. But her body was slow to obey her as she tried to look around the front seat area. Searching for a weapon before she blacked out.
A brilliant light hit her eyes, reflected off the side mirror. She raised her hand to block it, realized he hadn’t bound her hands. Headlights behind them. A car following them.
Chase?
She grabbed the door handle to pull herself around, but a big hand caught her jaw and twisted her head to face forward. “Don’t look back. There’s no point. Look forward.”
Her attempt to pull away was futile. Whatever he’d given her was hitting her hard.
She gasped when he released her suddenly and took a sharp turn, would have slammed into the door if he hadn’t shot out a hand to grab her arm. The power in his grip sent ice sliding through her veins.
Forcing her head upright, she widened her eyes to try and see better. Her mind was too fuzzy to recognize anything around them, the blurry lights of the passing traffic and signals all adding to the sense of disorientation and confusion. The urge to let her heavy eyelids drop and give into the weight pulling at her was powerful.
Stay awake. Don’t close your eyes!
The sound of the engine grew louder, higher pitched as Landon turned the wheel slightly right and left. Dodging other cars, weaving in and out of traffic. A red glow appeared in the air up ahead. Growing brighter. Brighter.
Stoplight.
Her heart leapt, her gaze shifting to the shiny silver door handle beside her. Have to get away. She gathered all her strength, all her determination, waiting.
Landon tapped the brakes. “Fucking move,” he snarled at another driver, leaning on the horn.
Becca jumped, realized they had almost stopped, and reached for the door handle.
Her arm moved so slowly. Frustration boiled up, her fingers clumsy and uncoordinated as she tried to grasp the bit of metal that would open the door.
“Don’t,” Landon snapped, reaching out to jerk her upright, ripping her hand from the handle with ease. He gave her a little shake, his jaw taut, eyes livid. “You sit still and don’t try that again, hear me?”
She tried to push back upright, but fell back against the leather seat when Landon stepped on the gas. The truck shot forward, a blur of colored lights and the blare of horns making her head spin. He must have run a light. Maybe several.
They were still on a main road. There would be stoplights.
She waited, staying still, picking her moment. Her eyes were starting to droop. She forced them open with sheer, brute willpower, locking her gaze on the door handle.
Get out. Get out now!
As soon as the truck began to slow, she started her slow reach. Stretching out her arm. Her hand. Landon muttered something and hit the horn. He jerked the truck left, and this time her side hit the door.
She grabbed for the handle, held on while more tires squealed.
It took a moment for her to realize they weren’t moving.
Becca yanked at the handle, desperate to escape.
“No, I told you!” he shouted.
She barely caught the blur of his hand streaking toward her face. The sharp crack of his palm across her cheek snapped her head around, the sound registering a split second before the pain did.
She cried out and tried to throw up a hand to shield herself, but she was too slow. He grabbed her roughly and shoved her off the seat, into the foot well below it.
“Stay there and don’t fucking move,” he warned. “God dammit, don’t make me hurt you, Becca. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”
A click sounded, and her heart plummeted when she realized he’d activated the locks. She hadn’t even thought to make sure the door was unlocked before trying the handle. Then something sharp jabbed into her shoulder.
A gasp wrenched free as she stared in horror at the needle he’d just injected her with again.
She huddled on the floor, shaken, the drug stealing through her system. Her face throbbed, eyes watering. She was dizzy now. Totally disoriented. Lights and shadows streaked over the seat, over Landon as he kept driving.
The car behind them, she suddenly remembered, heart hammering. Was it Chase?
He would come for her. There was no way he wouldn’t come for her. But she had to help. Had to figure out a way to save herself.
With effort, she managed to turn onto her hands and knees, huddling in the shadows beneath the dashboard. Fight it, she commanded herself urgently. Fight it! It’s your only chance!
The haze engulfing her lifted the tiniest bit. She redoubled her efforts, glancing around for something she could use as a weapon. Weak as she was, she still had to try. Couldn’t just sit back and let him take her.
When they passed through the next intersection, more horns blaring, she thought she heard the faint wail of sirens.
A burst of hope made her heart swell. Police. They were coming. Chase would be coming.
She gritted her teeth, fought to keep her eyes open, every tiny motion frustratingly slow and awkward. Bars of light passed over the interior. Glinting off the metal buckle of the door handle and seatbelt buckle, and…something wedged into the crease of the seat.
Slowly the oblong object came into focus.
The syringe he’d injected her with. He hadn’t put the cap back on.
Adrenaline ripped through her in a hot torrent, momentarily combating the second dosage.
Landon cursed and yelled at another driver before cutting to the side. Becca reached out blindly to grab the seat in front of her to steady herself, then froze, shifting her eyes to Landon.
He was focused on the road, the sirens getting louder. Closer. He wasn’t paying attention to her.
Locking her gaze on the syringe, she crept her hand over the seat. Her fingers met the hard plastic cylinder. Curled around it and drew it toward herself.
Heart tripping, struggling to get a decent breath now, she fought her way to one knee, reaching her other hand out behind her to steady herself with the door.
Fight it, Becca. Keep fighting it, or you’re dead.
She gritted her teeth as everything swam in front of her, her chest oddly tight. Once they stopped, she would stab him, unlock the door, and get out.
Landon snarled something and hit the brake hard. The back of her head bounced off the edge of the dash, momentarily stunning her. Then the truck swerved and rocked to a stop.
This was her last chance.
With every remaining bit of her strength, she swung her arm out, driving her fist toward his leg. Slamming the needle into his thigh.
He screamed and grabbed his leg, his whole body arcing in shock.
Becca released the syringe and lunged for the door, managing to hit the lock release button as she grabbed the door handle and yanked. The door opened slightly.
She leaned toward the gap, felt cool air on her hot face as gravity took over.
“No!”
A powerful hand grabbed the back of her shirt. She pulled, frantically struggling to get out of the vehicle. No, no!
Her foot slammed into something solid. She heard a deep grunt, and the hand released her.
She fell out of the half-open door, her elbows and chin slamming into the pavement.