Captured Hearts

By Anna Hague

When his parents were murdered when he was sixteen, Jamey Marcum has had to make difficult choices. Choices that often changed others’ lives. Now, he’s made a decision to change one more life. Allee Jones.
Allee Jones is the perfect target. No family. No friends. No one will miss her if she never shows up to her job again. Because of her anxieties, she’s a social pariah.
When Jamey abducts Allee, he never imagined she would be the one to slip into his sealed heart, and emotions could get both of them killed. Still, he delivers her to a ruthless woman who enslaves Allee to the whims of deviants and predators in a hidden Pacific Northwest location housing dozens of abducted women.
In the midst of the nightmare she faces, Allee has to decide to trust her abductor or die, but she has her own attraction to the man who grabbed her off the street.
Together they must fight each other’s demons to face their undeniable desire, exposing more of Allee’s secret afflictions that threaten to consume their budding relationship.
Terror, guilt, forgiveness, and love all collide on their path to a HEA.
This book is intended for audiences over the age of 18. Though not graphic, some scenes may be a trigger for some.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anna Hague
• Release date: Nov 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9780998271507

Anna Hague

My career in Sports Journalism spans over 25 years. I currently do freelance sports reporting to allow more time for writing. I published my debut contemporary novel Captured Hearts in November of 2016. I live in central Indiana with my husband, three parrots and a dog.

Book preview

ANNA HAGUE

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Epilogue

About the Author

Captured Hearts

Copyright © 2016, Anna Hague

* * * * *

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This work of fiction is protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, A. Gorman, except where permitted by law.

The author acknowledges the trademarks status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks are not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

EVEN THOUGH BLASTS of icy February wind bulldozed through Louisville, Jamey wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

Cigarette smoke and stale bourbon permeated the worn leather jacket, making him recoil at the smell. His rapid breathing and tense muscles made him second-guess himself. Something about this Allee Jones was not right. A week’s worth of surveillance had provided more questions than answers. Every day, he watched her apartment, and at nine thirty in the morning, she tentatively descended the three concrete steps to begin the walk to her job about fifteen minutes away. Her gaze, always focused on the sidewalk, only lifted to check her progress. She never spoke to anyone. She waited to cross the street until she was alone. Every time a group started to form at the crosswalk, she moved away so fast, he watched her stumble. Some days, she stood by the crosswalk for several minutes until the path was completely clear of people. Often she leaned against the wall of a business watching the people hustle by, never making eye contact with any of them. Women completely ignored her, but men would look at the attractive blonde-haired woman who tried to fade into the bricks. When a man would talk to her, she spoke a few words but never looked him in the eye. They all shrugged and walked away from the strange, but beautiful girl.

Jamey thought she was a stunner with waist-length honey-colored hair down to the middle of her back. Maybe she was about five foot seven, but he couldn’t tell since she hunched over most of the time. This girl’s mesmerizing actions forced Jamey to reconsider his own choices, but too much was at stake. Watching her every move, he tried to understand why someone so attractive would go out of her way not to interact with people. Those thoughts flooded his brain, and his real mission became cloudy. Something about her reached out to him, despite the fact he had never been closer than twenty yards. He could not shake the attraction.

Jamey became obsessed to find out more about this woman. Once she left for work the following day, he spent all of sixty seconds opening the lock to her apartment.

Minimalist.

The walls were standard apartment white with closed white curtains on the two windows that faced the street. An immaculate postage-stamp kitchen contained just a counter and a barstool. The kitchen, dining and living room were one continuum with no distinct beginning or end lines. A light blue, worn sofa and a twenty-inch TV on a pressboard wooden stand in the living room stand screamed lonely to Jamey. The single bedroom contained a twin bed and dresser, but the bold red-striped comforter told him that she might possess some sort of spark. Like the kitchen, nothing dared be out of place.

He found what he was really looking for on the sofa, a laptop. Jamey opened the computer, hit the power button and waited. Success. No password needed. Once the screen welcomed him, he found her e-mail account and opened it. What he found made him a little sad, but when the spotter chose Allee Jones, he chose perfectly. In a month’s worth of e-mails, just one was personal, appearing to be from an old boss asking how she was doing. Allee had yet to answer the brief note dated three days ago.

For all practical purposes, this woman didn’t even exist. She seemed to have no contact with anyone, but instead lived a solitary life. The scouting notes he received were completely accurate. Jamey was no doctor, but he presumed she had some sort of affliction that kept her from interacting often with the rest of society.

After scanning the e-mails, he leaned back on the sofa looking around at the sterile walls. He saw two framed pencil drawings, one of a fountain in a park and another of a person setting on a park bench feeding pigeons. On another wall was a framed print of a beach scene and right below that was a pencil drawing of the same print. She did have good taste in what little art decorated the walls. The apartment itself was spotless, no dirt, no dust, no dirty dishes in the sink. Nothing personal was in residence here. She seemed to live a life of barren solitude.

Lastly, simply to satisfy his own personal hang up, he checked her kitchen. In the refrigerator milk, chocolate syrup, orange juice, cheese, a chocolate bar, apples and mayonnaise were the only contents. Jamey shuddered when he looked in the pantry finding nothing but packaged processed food like mac n cheese, toaster pastries, peanut butter, canned soup and potato chips. He shook his head. How could someone be so thin and eat junk like that. The only thing he found even palatable were the apples and milk.

Jamey left the apartment to move to his other position of reconnaissance, across the street from the McDonalds that Allee frequented. He was eager to see her, and yet, the thought filled him with dread knowing what he had to do soon. Each mission lately had surpassed the previous one in carnage.

As she walked home every evening, Allee would stand outside of the McDonalds until the restaurant was nearly empty before going inside.

This day, instead of loitering across the street, Jamey waited inside at a table near the back by the restroom. When he saw her approach from outside, he turned away slightly, waiting until she came in the door. He kept his distance, but slipped behind her in the line, keeping his head down, dirty red baseball cap pulled low.

Hi Allee. The high school age girl behind the counter greeted her. Having your usual? She tapped long fingernails on the register.

Allee smiled and nodded at her. The worker put in the order for the Big Mac, medium fries and a Coke, her standard order. After getting her food for takeout, she softly told the worker good-bye as she walked from the restaurant, looking down to the sidewalk all of the way to her apartment. Jamey ordered a coffee as he watched her leave. As he left, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass door. The rumpled hair and unkempt beard adorned who he was now, but he hated this guy.

God! He didn’t want to do this, but in his situation, he didn’t have a choice. Tomorrow. He would do the task tomorrow and be damned forever. He had gotten so good at his job; the lines between right and wrong were now indistinguishable.

As usual, Allee waited until everyone at the office left the building. By then, the winter sun had nearly set. She took her normal route toward the McDonalds on Bay Street.

Jamey was waiting in the alley two blocks from her office. In just a week’s time, he knew she was an extreme creature of habit and would walk right by the alley on her way to the Big Mac, fries and a Coke. Again, he was sweating profusely in the thirty-degree temperature. His historically cool self nearly evaporated. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Just do this and don’t think about it, he told himself. Right now, he truly hated himself.

As Allee passed by, Jamey reached out and grabbed her, one leather-gloved hand clamped over her mouth and one arm snaked around her waist as he dragged her into the deserted alley. Allee tried to scream, but the pressure on her mouth, allowed just a muffled moan. She lashed out kicking her legs against his shins, her fingers reached for his hair, but her attacker’s strength was too much for her thin body.

As quickly as the struggle began, the drug-soaked rag in his hand stole her conscientiousness almost immediately.

Jamey carried Allee’s motionless body to the Harley he had parked in the alley. The effects of the drug had worked effectively to put her out, and he managed to sit her upright in front of him. Her weight so slight, Jamey carried her like a child. Knowing she would be out for a while, He drove slowly out of the alley holding her with one arm against his chest.

Jamey could feel her heart beating through him. With each thump, he grew nauseous. Fuckin bastard, you are, he told himself. Is it worth it? Still he kept riding.

Although awkward now, he had chosen a motorcycle instead of a car, feeling he would have better control of her on the bike during the lengthy ride they would take later. He drove to the dump of a motel room he rented on the outskirts of the city. No one there would question anything, because no one there wanted to know. Just another day in paradise at StayAwhile Inn.

As she lay unconscientious on the shabby bed, Jamey took a closer look at her. Despite the fact that she ate fast food every night, she was very thin. Jamey thought she must have some type of eating disorder to go along with her social problems. Her flawless fair skin and blonde hair were quite captivating. The more he stared at her, the more his stomach churned with the vileness of his task. How could he have become this?

When he was young, he was sure he would be an architect, designing buildings that everyone would notice, talk about and visit just to marvel at how beautifully constructed they were. His subscription to Architectural Design and his life stopped when he was sixteen. A monster inhabited his soul now, but how much longer could he continue this darkness.

He unpacked the black bag he had left in the room. He pulled out a pair of black silk long underwear, a black silk turtleneck, dark slim fitting knit pants, and leather motorcycle chaps. He also pulled out black boots, black leather mittens and a black leather heavy motorcycle jacket.

He sat on the edge of the bed watching her, knowing that he should get started. She would wake soon.

Jamey began to undress her, removing first her shoes and slacks. He then took off her light winter jacket and long-sleeved blouse. He left her undergarments on before redressing her in the clothes he brought.

As he looked down at the young woman still asleep on the bed, Jamey had to keep telling himself he had no choice, he had to do this. He couldn’t allow himself to think of what was about to happen to her and how he had a part in it. He shoved away the thought that he would destroy this woman’s life.

He took a deep breath, sliding her arms into the turtleneck then pulling the bottom down over her chest. He finished with the pants deciding to wait until she was awake before putting on the chaps and jacket. She would start to come around soon, and Jamey wanted to get her out of there while the darkness leant some security. He would drive through the night as long as he could stay awake. The sooner he arrived at his destination, the sooner he could separate himself from Allee. Damn. He wished he didn’t know her name. This situation would be easier if she did not have a name, because now, she was a person and not just a job.

Jamey went to the bathroom to get a washcloth. He wet the thin rough rag with cold water and brought it back to the bed, wiping the cloth on Allee’s face. She stirred but did not wake. He kept rubbing her face with the cloth until she began to come to. She opened her eyes and a tiny shriek escaped her mouth before Jamey clamped one heavy hand over her mouth and grasped her throat with the other.

Jamey bent down so his face was close to hers. Don’t say anything, and do exactly as I tell you, he said with authority and no emotion.

Releasing her mouth and throat. He roughly pulled on her arms. I need you to sit up. Her groggy body was still limp.

When he had her sitting on the side of the bed, Jamey straddled himself behind her, taking her hair and separating the tresses into three strands. A hint of apple permeated his nose, for a moment distracting him from the silkiness that rested in his fingers. A white fire pulsed through his hands traveling through his whole body until the desire rested in his groin. He dropped her hair as if the mane truly was on fire. Slowly he inhaled, picked up the sections and began to wrap her hair in a French braid.

Why are you doing this? What do you want? Her voice barely whispered, but he heard her fear.

Her trembling sent shockwaves of regret through his body.

Jamey closed his eyes, but took his right hand, entangling his fingers into the back of Allee’s hair, and then pulled tightly causing her cry out. I told you to stay quiet, he whispered in her ear. Now, we’ll finish getting dressed and leave here. You won’t make any attempt to get away from me.

The only response Allee made was silence, but Jamey could feel the pulses of fear going through her body. He knew she was afraid, but she was not resisting.

Jamey pushed her into a standing position as he stood behind her. She was still woozy and unsteady on her feet, and Jamey had to hold her briefly before having her sit again at the wobbly, laminate table by the window. He gave her a bottle of water and crackers.

Eat this before we go, he ordered. Allee took a drink of the water, but left the crackers.

When he turned his back, she scrambled on unsteady legs toward the door. Just as she grabbed the knob, Jamey’s arm snaked around her waist. Allee bulleted her elbow connecting with his forehead at the same time she kicked his shin.

God Damn it! He spun her around, shoving her so hard against the door, her breath heaved from her chest. His fingers closed around her throat. A muffled cry escaped her lips.

What’d I tell you? Keep it up, you’re gonna get hurt. He whispered in her ear, but his voice held no softness only danger. Now, get back in that fuckin chair and don’t move.

Grasping her upper arm, Jamey propelled her forward to the chair before pushing her body hard into the seat. He latched onto her chin roughly tilting it toward him. Try that again, he warned.

Jamey moved around the room, making sure he had collected everything. He walked by the window, glancing outside then doing a double take. Damn, he said, seeing flashing blue lights in the darkened parking lot. If he saw the lights, he knew Allee saw them.

Get away from the window, he said sharply.

Allee did not move, but stared through the window.

Jamey grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the window and pushing her down on the bed. I told you to get away from the window, he gritted through his teeth.

I’m sorry, she said barely above a whisper.

Shit! Jamey peered out the window again to see a police officer approaching the door. He turned to Allee, grabbing a strong hold on her arm. She winced from his grip. This cop is getting ready to knock on this door. He pointed at her. Just sit there and be quiet.

When the knock came, Allee flinched. His stare bore into her again warning her with his glare, before opening the door to the officer.

His demeanor completely changed when he opened the door. Hello, Officer. Jamey looked him straight in eyes and yawned. Is there something I can help you with?

He knew the cop with salt and pepper hair was mentally sizing up the guy in faded jeans and black leather jacket. There was a robbery here a few doors down earlier. I was checking with the guests to see if anyone heard anything?

Can’t say that I did. We’ve been traveling and are pretty bushed. Been trying to catch a nap before heading out. Didn’t hear anything, sorry, Jamey explained. He looked over his shoulder to Allee still on the bed, but staring at the floor not at the cop.

The cop stepped farther into the room, backing Jamey up two steps.

What about you Ma’am, did you hear anything? the officer asked.

Allee raised her head, glanced at the officer and then, stared at Jamey. He held his breath, knowing this was her chance, but she seemed terrified just looking at the officer, and Jamey noticed that instantly. No, I didn’t hear anything. I was asleep too, she averted her eyes to the pilled blanket on the bed.

I see. He narrowed his eyes. That your bike?

Jamey nodded. Yeah.

A little cold for riding, now, isn’t it, the cop asked.

Yes, it is, but we are headed south to warmer weather. Wanted to take the bike down to Daytona for Bike Week, Jamey answered.

The officer paused. Well, have a good trip,

The interview was apparently over, and the officer walked to the next room. Jamey didn’t say anything, but gave Allee a silent acknowledgement of her cooperation.

We need to finish and go, he said to her, gathering her discarded clothes into a plastic bag, and picking up the ones he needed to put on her.

She stared at the floor as he pulled the pants up over her hips. Next, Jamey wrapped the chaps around her and fastened them snuggly. Next, he motioned her to allow him to slide the jacket on her one arm at a time. Jamey zipped the leather the length of her neck. When he held out the mitten, Allee moved her hand away.

Don’t, Jamey warned. She offered her hands without resistance.

Allee looked up at him, but said nothing. Her sorrowful eyes said to him she surrendered.

He made her sit again while he packed up what few items remained. When he was ready, he roughly grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. She stumbled forward into his chest, catching Jamey off guard. He instinctively and gently steadied her, placing both hands on her shoulders. We need to go, he said roughly, breaking a faint spark of humanness.

He threw the duffle with Allee’s clothes into a trash dumpster and proceeded to secure the small bag in the saddlebag of the Harley.

Get on, he pushed her to the bike. We’re getting out of here.

WHY WAS HE letting her see his face? Despite the unkempt hair and scruffy beard, this man wasn’t dangerous to her. Of that, she was sure. Something in his demeanor told her so. Maybe she knew when he was braiding her hair. His hands were gentle, somehow reassuring to her trembling body. Maybe it was when she stumbled into his warm solid chest. His touch calmed her. She hated interacting with most people. Their proximity sent her brain into fight or flight overload. However, this man, he was different.

At first, when he held her throat, she believed he would kill her. His grasp, though, was firm, but he did’t squeeze. He didn’t choke her. He didn’t want to hurt her, even though she hurt him. Whatever was happening to her, maybe she could find a way to stop it.

Allee was furious, but at her stupid fears. She had the perfect opportunity to save herself, and she let her panic stop her. The police officer was just steps away. One word and she could have been free, but that extensively ingrained fear of the police was so much more powerful. The sight of the silver badge sent her to years ago, but the memories of sitting in handcuffs in the back seat of a cruiser cut sharply into her psyche. Ignored screams, the taste of blood dripping down her throat, the vomiting, and the isolation— still too recent to suppress.

Her opportunity gone in an instant because her fear of the known, greater than her fear of the unknown.

ONCE SHE WAS sitting on the bike, the black-visor helmet Jamey placed over Allee’s head completely blocked her vision. He lined the inside of the visor with black tape so she had no idea where she was going and no means of seeing the way. He climbed on in front of her, started the bike, hit the kickstand. Before he pulled away, Jamey reached back for Allee’s arms and placed them around his waist.

He roared out of the parking lot toward the highway, while his captive sat in the darkness, with no idea what the next miles would bring.

AFTER A FEW hours, Allee leaned forward pressing her weight into Jamey’s back.

He absorbed the change in her position, realizing the hours on the bike had to have been exhausting for her. He would stop soon, first to grab some sandwiches, then to check into another shady motel.

Shady didn’t begin to describe the accommodations for the stop, but the roadside dive was the kind of place where no one would ask questions nor would they offer any help…to anyone.

Jamey took off his helmet, shaking his hair loose from the several hours of riding in the night. They were miles from Louisville, enough distance so that he was comfortable stopping for a few hours of rest. When he swung his leg over the bike, he turned to her and removed Allee’s helmet before taking her hand pulling her off onto her feet and to the motel office. I remind you. Don’t say a word, Jamey warned her.

He knew Allee was too exhausted to try anything. She barely kept up to his long strides on the walk to the office. Jamey made quick work of paying cash for the room all while his fingers underneath her hair pulled a few strands and squeezed her neck in warning. Quickly he moved them from the office to retrieve the duffle and sandwiches.

The shabby room looked similar to the one they had left just hours before, one double bed, a table, chair and old television. Relatively clean was the best adjective. Allee sank on the bed, barely sitting upright. He took off her jacket, chaps, and offered her one of the sandwiches.

She declined the sandwich, but took some water.

It’ll be a long day, Jamey told her. Go take a shower. Then you can sleep.

Allee made no movement. He sat beside her, gripping her chin in his hand. I said to go get in the shower. His perfected glare was enough to force herself up and go into the bathroom. Before she went inside, Jamey handed her a tee shirt, shorts, toothbrush and paste. You can wear these tonight.

She accepted the clothes before entering the dimly lit bathroom. A tiny shower, toilet and chipped porcelain sink could all be touched without moving from her position. Allee looked into a dingy mirror at the red eyes with dark circles staring back. No amount of makeup could change the fear she saw.

As much as she didn’t want to get into a shower, the hot water was a blessing, soothing her aching body and washing away the tears on her face. She sank to the bottom of the yellow-stained tub, letting the water pour over as she sobbed silently.

Allee shuffled from the bathroom wearing the shirt and shorts. She found her captor stretched out on the bed with one of the sandwiches sitting beside him. Just a few bites were missing.

Without a brush, she finger combed her wet hair. Come over here, he told her. Allee complied as he motioned her to sit in front in him on the bed. Again, he divided her hair in three sections to braid. Just like the last time, his fingers gently pulled and twisted her hair into a perfect braid. He lightly brushed a stray strand from her face confusing her with his mixed messages.

When he finished he asked her, Are you sure you don’t want something to eat. It’s been almost a whole day I know since you’ve eaten.

Allee said nothing, staring at the floor not reacting to his softened tone.

Well then get into bed. She flinched when his tone changed back into abductor.

He moved over so that he was on the side closest to the door, keeping space between them, but Allee wondered if that space offered any chance at freedom.

ALLEE LAY IN the darkness, exhausted, but sleep eluded her. She could hear the even breathing of the man next to her. Whether he was asleep or just dozing, she couldn’t tell. With his sloppy hair and full beard, he appeared frightening, but Allee did not fear him. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have done so by now. The few times she had looked directly into his emerald eyes, she didn’t see evil, she saw damaged. She saw her own expression staring back.

At some point during the night, she did fall asleep. When she awoke, she wasn’t sure how long she had slept, but the room was still dark. She heard a quiet breathing from the man beside her. Somewhere in the night, he had covered her with the blanket. Allee slowly and carefully pulled the blanket from her, easing her left leg from the bed to the floor before continuing. She moved her right leg inches at a time until the leg teetered on the edge of the bed. Suddenly, a hand grasped her upper arm. Don’t even think about it, came a husky voice in the darkness.

I need to go to the bathroom, Allee whispered the lie.

That better be all it is. Get up and go, he said as he sat up in the bed.

She went to the bathroom, sitting on the toilet briefly before flushing the empty bowl. She washed her hands then returned to the bed, staying to the edge with her back to her abductor. Surprisingly, she fell back asleep, but it seemed like just a few minutes before she heard him moving around. When he switched on the light abruptly, her opened eyes throbbed with a stabbing blindness Get up, we’re leaving, he said to her.

He brought the clothes from yesterday over to the bed. Several hairs had escaped the braid overnight and he brushed them away from her face before handing her the shirt and pants to put on. Allee went into the bathroom to change, bringing the shorts and shirt out, leaving the man to finishing dressing her for the day.

Her abductor sat on the edge of the bed scrolling through his phone. He stopped and appeared to be texting someone. He finished, opened an app before reading intently the information. Good, he muttered.

Allee glanced at the phone when he laid it aside. She saw a weather report for Interstate 84 in the Boise area. Idaho. That made sense. The weather certainly was cold enough, but still didn’t give her any more insight as to her destination.

Just like yesterday, the helmet darkened her vision. Allee still had no idea where she was, and the monotony of the road was exhausting. Though she left little behind, no family or friends, she tried to suppress her fear of what was to come. She knew nothing of her future, but surmised that when this bike stopped for good, her life was aces and eights. She considered jumping off the bike, but here in the middle of the highway, Allee didn’t really want to die that way. As disappointing as her life had turned out to be, she wasn’t ready to throw in the cards just yet. Another opportunity would arise. She just had to wait and hoped she wouldn’t die from the mind-numbing cold attacking her body.

Sometime later, she could tell he was going through some sort of restaurant drive through. When she shifted her weight, the man grabbed her gloved wrist.

She heard a muffled. Don’t.

He handed her the bag, drove off onto the road again. Later, they stopped. Allee removed her own helmet to see where they were. He had pulled into a roadside rest stop, but they were the only ones there about to sit outside in the cold.

He swung his leg across the bike in front of him so as not to hit her. She followed him to a picnic table nearby. The weather had not warmed, nor were there any form of leaves on the trees, so she knew he lied about traveling south as he told the officer. Numbness claimed her body, from either the cold, or shock or both. The clothes she wore were heavy, but throughout her life, cold embraced her like a lover in a coffin.

He laid out two turkey sandwiches using the wrappers as plates before setting two bottles of water beside them. Allee was too hungry to refuse today. She quickly devoured half of the sandwich before taking a drink of water.

Another car pulled into the rest stop. Allee watched as a couple and two teenagers emerged from the minivan. From the corner of her eye, she saw he was watching her watch the people walking toward the restroom, but he said nothing.

Allee went back to eating trying not to look at the people, who once they had left the restroom, went to a picnic table to have an outdoor lunch in the afternoon chill. Their table sat at the far end of the rest stop about twenty-five yards from where she sat.

Jamey put his sandwich down and took a drink of water.

Allee made her move. She jumped up from the table and started to run straight for the family. She could hear the man running after her, getting closer with every step she took. The substantial jacket weighed her down, and Allee realized she would never cover the distance to the family before he caught her so she screamed, hoping they would turn her way. All four heads twisted in her direction just as Jamey caught her arm, but instead of dragging her down, he pulled her into an embrace, kissing her viciously at first, blocking any words from her mouth.

He briefly stopped the kiss. You kiss me back and make it look good or you’ll be sorry.

The family, initially startled, realized that the young couple were just playing and smiled at their embrace. I remember those days, Mom said to Dad.

The teenagers frowned.

Jamey continued until Allee softened in his arms. He kissed her again pressuring her softly until she returned his advance. When he pulled away, she looked at the ground. He tilted her chin to face him. Don’t try that again. He walked back to the bike, pulling her along, stumbling in his wake.

He was in such a hurry to get out of there, when he took off without warning, the force of the forward movement, nearly unseated Allee before she grabbed his waist to hang on. He kept up a relentless pace, stopping only for fuel, not even allowing her to go to the bathroom. They were losing the light, and again Jamey could feel her weaken and lean against his back for support. Even