Hell or High Water Read Free Page B

and loud while banging on the door. Strong hands gripped her arms, shoving her knees onto the hot pavement. She twisted free, and sprang to her feet, ready to defend herself, but the largest one blocked her punch while the other grabbed her, dragging her as if she weighed nothing.  
    “Hurry up.” A voice came from inside the van. “Somebody’s coming.”
    Thank God. Somebody responded to her cry for help. She turned her head toward the sound of an engine. Kay’s eyes almost popped out. A motorcycle barreled straight at her. This maniac was going to kill them all.  
    Even at the high rate of speed, the rider expertly laid the bike down on its side. He stepped off with precise timing, never losing his footing. Sparks shot through the air as the out-of-control hunk of metal slid across the pavement. Dressed in black, wearing a black helmet with darkened visor shielding his face, he sprinted toward the van.  
    The stranger’s arrival turned her attacker’s attention away from her. Air gushed from Kay’s lungs as the tension on her arms relaxed.  
    “Run,” the motorcyclist growled, shoving her out of his way. She stumbled forward almost falling facedown onto the pavement again.  
    His right foot lashed out and connected with one of her attackers’ kneecaps. The snap of breaking bone echoed like a shotgun blast. Fists, feet, and elbows moved at mesmerizing speeds. Ski Mask Jerk number one hit the cement, moaning. Holy shit, a ninja had dropped out of the sky to rescue her. Kay’s jaw dropped at the display of raw power.  
    “Run, Goddamn it.” Her rescuer’s growl had turned into a roar.
    His attention had been on her attackers—how did he know she hadn’t run? Didn’t matter. He was right. Kay bolted toward the front of the building. Heaving, gasping for air, she ran into the lobby. The girl at the front desk called out that she had 911 on the phone.
    “The operator says cops are on the way.”  
    Kay knew the drill. She should stay put until the squad car showed up. But how could she leave the stranger behind? What if her attackers overpowered him? If he’d been killed, she’d be responsible for another death.  
    The sounds of sirens in the distance were enough to give her the confidence to run back outside to check on her savior.
    Gone? How could that be? The men, the van, and the ninja were gone.
    She had nothing to validate her story except her skinned knees and the scars on the pavement where the motorcycle had dug grooves during its slide.  
    Through all that had happened, one thing stayed at the top of her mind. Holly was missing.  

  Chapter 3
    Nate Wolfe leaned against a cement pillar, his gaze never straying from Kaycie and the cops taking down her information. The third floor of the garage across from the morgue offered a clear view and allowed Nate to stay out of sight.  
    His mind raced over the events in the parking lot. Christ, what if he’d arrived five minutes later?
    The sight of the two assholes dragging Kaycie toward the van had sent him straight to combat mode. Damn, he’d wanted to kill both of those bastards.
    He spit the iron taste of blood from his mouth. One of the first lessons he’d learned in hand-to-hand combat was to eliminate the threat, never allow the dickheads to escape. Glancing away to ensure Kaycie had run as he’d instructed had allowed one of the assholes to clock him from behind. Stupid new recruit mistake. Distractions could get him killed.  
    A gust of wind ruffled Kaycie’s disheveled, chocolate-brown hair. Whatever hairdo she’d set out with was long gone, which was understandable since she’d been knocked to the ground and then dragged a few feet. He watched as she no doubt described the attempted abduction to the law. That she couldn’t talk without making elaborate gestures brought a smile to his face and a stirring down deep he refused to recognize.  
    He twisted the Saint Jude medallion hanging under his shirt then jerked his hand back