Beyond Her Wildest Dream Read online

  Jacob stepped over her prone form, searching through drawers and cupboards for something to tie her up with. When he found a heap of Ziplock ties, he grabbed them and got to work. He had no idea why anyone would want and need so many plastic ties in various sizes, but he was glad the home’s occupants had everything he needed on hand. He placed ties around her wrist, locking them together, and then he did the same to her ankles with the large strips of hard plastic.

  When he was done, he exited glass door off to the side of the dining room, jogged down the steps, and jumped the fence, keeping an eye out for nosy neighbors. He jumped three more fences until he landed at the vacant block near where his truck was parked. Staying and torturing her at the house would have been better, but he was worried that if some of the neighbors were still home, they’d hear her screaming.

  He wouldn’t start playing with her until she was conscious and could feel every slice and stab of his knife. There would be no fun without all those tears, screams of agony, and the terror. She’d be awake the whole time he cut into her body. And if she passed out, he’d wait for her to awaken again. There was nothing more powerful than staring into a person’s eyes as they breathed for the last time. The power of playing God, of taking a life, was a rush he’d never been able to feel unless he was killing someone.

  Jacob’s knew deep in his heart that he’d been put on this earth to exact recompense for his mother’s evil soul. Every time he took a life, he could feel the bitch watching. He hoped she remembered the agony she’d inflicted on him when he was a kid, but he was having the last laugh. She’d abused him from a small child until he was big enough to fight back. The day he’d punched her in the face knocking her out had been the last day she’d laid a hand on him. She’d been terrified of him, and he’d loved the power he’d had over her. She died before he’d finished high school when she’d walked in front of a bus. He hadn’t mourned the bitch at all. He’d been glad he’d never have to see her face again. Pushing his memories aside, he blinked to bring his surroundings back into focus.

  Making sure no one was about, he got in his truck and drove toward the house where his next victim was waiting. He left the keys in the ignition and the motor running as he exited his vehicle and ran around the house and back inside. The slut was still lying on the floor out cold with blood pooling under her head and seeping into her hair.

  He bent down, grabbed her arms, and hauled her up before slinging her over his shoulder. This time he walked through the house and out the front door, locking and closing it behind him. He opened the back door of his truck, dumped his unconscious victim onto the back seat, and shut the door.

  Moments later, he was in his truck driving away from the house. Just as he turned to the corner onto the next street, a familiar black truck turned toward the home.

  Jacob pushed his foot harder on the gas pedal, weaving in and out of traffic as he headed southeast. He’d already found a place to work after searching a map on his smartphone. He was heading toward Ripplebrook, but before he hit the small town, he was going to take one of the many dirt tracks and park in amongst the trees. The campground was empty and the perfect place to get to work. There’d be no one around for miles. She could scream to her heart’s content, and no one would hear her.

  By the time the remnants of her body was found, Jacob would be long gone.

  * * * *

  Preston frowned as the dark green truck he’d seen parked at the end of the street early this morning turned the corner heading south. He’d never seen that vehicle before, and since he was a cop, he was very observant of what his neighbors drove. In fact, he knew everyone in the street by name. There was a total of ten houses including theirs. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he recited the license plate number in his head over and over again. As soon as he got inside, he was going to write it down.

  The closer he got to the house, the bigger the knot of dread in his gut grew. The tires squealed as the back end of the truck drifted as he turned onto the driveway. He slammed on the breaks, turned the engine off, and was running toward the front door seconds later. Shoving the door open as soon as he unlocked it, he called out as he raced toward the kitchen, “Lexis, I’m home, baby.”

  The lump of anxiety waned slightly when he smelled cooked toast, but a few seconds later he was having trouble breathing. There was a large pool of blood on the floor, a half empty mug of coffee sitting on the counter, and two pieces of cooked toast were still in the toaster. Of Lexis there was no sign.

  Preston spun on his heels, running through the house from room to room as he called Adam on his cell phone. He was too rattled and didn’t even think about calling it in to dispatch until he heard Adam’s voice.

  “What’s up?”

  “Lexis is missing,” he said hoarsely, rubbing over the pain in his chest with his free hand.

  “What the fuck do you mean she’s missing?” Adam yelled.

  “I came to get her. There’s a pool of blood on the floor, and she’s not here. I’ve searched every fucking room.”

  “Calm down and think, Preston,” Adam said in an even tone.

  “I want you to run a license plate,” Preston said, then rattled off the registration.

  “What’s going on?” Jonah asked over the speakerphone.

  “I saw a truck parked outside the empty lot this morning. It was leaving our street as I turned toward home.”

  “Did you see the driver?” Adam asked.

  Preston ignored Jonah as his boyfriend called in the license plate to dispatch, closing his eyes as he pictured to truck in his mind. He narrowed his inner mind’s eyes gaze on the driver and his knees nearly buckled when he zeroed in on the face. It looked different because there was no more facial hair, but he’d bet his last dime that it was the same man. Fear ripped up his spine, sweat beaded on his brow, and his heart thundered in his chest. He grabbed for the doorframe to the Lexis’s bedroom when his knees wobbled as they threatened to buckle, again. “It’s him,” he rasped out.

  “Him who?” Jonah asked, since he was no longer talking on the radio.

  “The fucker that murdered Alicia.”

  “Where was the bastard heading?” Adam asked urgently.

  Preston sucked in a ragged breath as he called on his military and cop training. He couldn’t afford to let his emotions have free rein, because if he did, the woman he loved could end up dead. “Southeast.” He ran back through the house and out the front door, slamming it closed behind without bothering to stop to lock it. Nothing else mattered except getting to Lexis. He and his lovers needed to save the woman he loved with his whole heart.

  He didn’t even realize he still had his cell phone up to his ear until he heard the wail of a police car siren. Jonah and Adam were already in pursuit. He needed to catch up and hopefully get ahead.

  All they needed now was for another patrol car to call in on the vehicles whereabouts.

  “Where are you?” Preston asked as he raced out onto the road, his siren wailing and his lights flashing as he skidded around the corner. He had his phone hooked up through the Bluetooth system and stereo.

  “We’re just about to hit Bonita. We attended a traffic accident.”

  “All units, vehicle with license number whiskey, echo, one, three five, foxtrot has been sighted turning from 99W onto 217. Apprehend with caution. Driver could be armed and dangerous.”

  Preston pushed down on the accelerator harder. He had a feeling the fucker who’d hurt and kidnapped his woman wasn’t going to stop no matter how many police cars ended up chasing him. His heart was beating so fast he felt as if it was up in his throat, but he kept speeding through the familiar streets. He was going to try and meet up with 217 and cut the fucker off.

  He’d plow his truck into the other vehicle if he had to.

  Please let Lexis be okay.

  Please let her be okay.

  Please.

  Please.

  Please.

  Chapter Eighteen />
  Lexis’s head was hurting so bad she felt sick to her stomach. She tried to lift her arms to clutch her aching skull but ended up gasping when she realized they were tied behind her back. When she lifted her knees closer to her roiling belly and something hard and sharp dug into her flesh, she realized that her ankles were tied together, too.

  She forced her heavy eyelids open, swallowing back a whimper when the light hurt her eyes. It took her a few minutes to notice she was in the back of a speeding truck and tried to sit up, but she was too tired and it was too hard with her arms trussed up behind her.

  She lifted her throbbing head, trying to discount the sticky moisture matting her hair together and on the side of her face as she stared at the head of the man driving the vehicle. Blinking incomprehensibly at the unknown man, a horrible thought started taking form.

  The only people she knew of who would have it in for her could be one of three men. The two men who’d tried and failed to rob the diner, and the man who’d killed her sister. While she hadn’t seen the two men who’d burst into the shop after their ski masks had been removed. She’d know the sound of their voices anywhere. There was also no way they were at large since they were still behind bars. This man had very short dark brown hair, just like her sister’s killer had. Even though he’d dyed it a light blonde color, he hadn’t kept the color up, and the darker roots were showing. It looked way shorter than she remembered it being and figured he must have cut it to try and change his appearance.

  He slowed the truck, indicated, looked left and right, then turned a corner.

  A fearful tremble started in her stomach before radiating outward. After seeing his face in her memories, she’d never forget what he looked like. She’d been kidnapped by her sister’s killer, and she was so scared she nearly lost control of her bladder. She was shaking so hard her body was moving against the cloth seat. Tears burned her eyes, perspiration sheened over her skin, and her heart raced so hard and fast it hurt.

  Lexis had no doubt in her mind that when he stopped, he was going to cut her up just like he had Alicia. The tears rolled down her face, and she stifled the sob forming. She didn’t want him to know she was awake. She was terrified for her life, but if she let the fear consume her, she’d be useless.

  After taking a couple of deep, quiet breaths and letting them out, she pushed the terror in her heart and soul down deep, then wiped her face and eyes on her shoulders. Thinking about the rage she’d felt when those fuckers had tried to rob the diner and hurt Marcus and her helped. The fear quickly dissipated, and in its place was a fury so intense she began to tremble again. Adrenaline surged as she grabbed onto her wrath, holding onto it tightly.

  She’d just met the loves of her life, and she wasn’t about to let some sick psycho take her away from them.

  While she had no idea how she was going to fight him since she was tied up tighter than a Thanksgiving turkey, she had to try.

  Lexis was going to fight him until her last breath.

  She wasn’t going to let the fucking psychopath win.

  With her determined resolve in place, she began tugging and twisting her hands, ignoring the way the tethers cut into her skin. Blood began to flow, slicking her flesh, and she pulled harder and harder after making her hands as narrow as possible by moving her thumb in toward her palm. She yanked and panted, trying to keep her breathing as shallow as possible so he didn’t notice she was awake.

  Thankfully, he was too busy concentrating on the traffic as he sped along the road, zigzagging in and out of cars.

  She felt the skin of her inner wrists split and tear, but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind. What she was feeling right now was minimal compared to what she’d endure once the asshole started on her.

  She brought her men’s faces up in her mind and felt their love wrap around her heart and soul. They hadn’t told her they loved her, but she knew they did just as she did them. She was going to survive so she could tell them to their faces.

  Lexis wanted to marry them, have children with them, and spend the rest of her life loving them.

  No matter what the fucker did to her, she would keep breathing for as long as possible.

  Preston was going to discover that she was missing, hopefully sooner rather than later, since he’d said he was going to come and take her to the police station. When he realized she was missing, she had a feeling her men would have every available cop out looking for her.

  Hope was all she had now so she clung to it like it was a lifeline, because that’s exactly what it was.

  Hope and love were what made the world go ‘round.

  She wasn’t giving up on neither.

  * * * *

  Jonah had never driven so recklessly in his life, but thankfully the commuters moved out of the way as he sped up behind them. His heart was racing a mile a minute, and he was full of fear as well as rage. Deep down in his gut, he had a feeling he knew who had their woman. He was doing everything he could to catch up with the asshole, but it felt as if it wasn’t and never would be enough.

  His heart had stopped beating when Preston had called to inform them that Lexis was missing, and when his lover had told them about the blood on the kitchen floor his knees had gone weak. If he hadn’t already been sitting, he would have collapsed. He’d been grateful when his military and police training had kicked in. While he was still as anxious and scared as hell, he wasn’t fearful for himself, but for Lexis. Nevertheless, he pushed his emotions down deep and called up the analytical SEAL he’d trained to be.

  Every now and then a report came through from a patrol car of a sighting of their quarry and he adjusted their course. From the sounds of things the fucker was heading south-southeast, which he hoped was toward Ripplebrook.

  He had no idea where Preston was or how he was fairing, but he had a feeling his love would be trying to deal with guilt. Preston had been the one to suggest they let Lexis sleep longer. He could almost hear the what-ifs spinning through his partner’s mind.

  They’d been on the road for nearly an hour, but so far they hadn’t spotted the car. The longer he drove without seeing their assailant, the more worried and fearful he got. He had no idea where Preston’s mind was at, but when he’d heard him order the officers in the marked patrol cars not to pursue, Jonah and nearly lost his mind with incredulous ire. If Adam hadn’t explained his theory, Jonah might have ended up causing or being in an accident, he was that angry.

  However, he understood that Preston didn’t want the fucker knowing he’d been spotted. The last thing they needed was for the bastard to have a car wreck and end up getting Lexis killed.

  None of the cops who’d seen the vehicle had sighted their woman, and that scared the living daylights out of him. Had the fucker already killed the love of his life? He wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive the long, lonely years ahead if she died.

  Once more, he shoved his pessimism aside and clung to the hope surging up in his gut. Warmth filled his heart, his soul as he thought about Lexis. Her smile, the way she was so ready and eager to make love with them, and her sheer and utter bravery. She’d dealt with so much in her twenty-five years of life, but she kept right on going.

  That was the moment he knew she wouldn’t want him and his lovers giving up. Shoring up his determined resolve, he pushed his foot down harder on the gas pedal and prayed that he or Preston would get to Lexis in time.

  * * * *

  Adam had hardly spoken after Preston called to tell them what was going down. He clung to the “oh shit” handle, trying to prevent his body from being slammed against the passenger door every time Jonah swerved around vehicles or screeched and skidded around corners.

  His heart had been in his throat for what felt like hours on end, but instead of trying to suppress the adrenaline coursing through his blood, his veins, he embraced it. The fight or flight hormones would help him to react faster when he needed to most.

  They were going to save Lexis if it was the last thing he eve
r did. He had no idea if the fucker had a gun but had to presume he did. Adam would step in front of a bullet if it meant Lexis survived. He loved her more than his own life, and while he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and his other two lovers by his side, he wouldn’t hesitate to give up his own life if it spared theirs.

  He was ready to move when the time came. He would shoot to kill without a qualm and wouldn’t lose any sleep over taking this psycho’s life.

  Men like that didn’t deserve to walk the earth.

  * * * *

  Lexis had no idea how she managed it, but she’d been able to free her hands. The skin on her wrists and the back of her hands were torn to shreds. Blood was seeping over her flesh, making her feel sticky, and she could even smell the metallic scent of her own blood. Her head was pounding so hard she’d nearly vomited a few times, but she’d managed to stop herself from gagging by drawing in deep breaths of air through her mouth. She daren’t inhale through her nose, because she would lose the contents of her stomach if she smelled her blood again.

  She’d been jostled about the back seat as the crazy man up front drove like a maniac. Because he’d been winding through traffic and crisscrossing roads he’d kept his eyes forward the whole time, which thankfully had given her ample opportunity to get her hands free. Bending herself in half and tugging on the plastic ties around her ankles had only exhausted her and made her head ache more. It had been a futile endeavor since she couldn’t break the hard, thick straps of plastic or pull them off over her feet.

  When she realized she could no longer hear other cars or trucks whizzing by or other traffic noises, she began to get scared again. She had no idea how she’d thought logically, but she’d put her arms behind her back again to make it look like she was still tied up. Nonetheless, she’d searched the back seat and the floor hoping to find a weapon before she’d repositioned her body to the way it had been when she’d regained consciousness. The only thing she’d found was a screwdriver, which she’d almost missed seeing. It had been under the driver’s seat nearly out of view. Fortunately, she’d seen the tip and reached for it. She had it in her right hand, and she was gripping it so hard her knuckles were aching, but there was no way in hell she was loosening her grip and losing the only weapon she had, even if it wouldn’t stand up against a gun or a knife.