Forever Free

By J.Grayland

How far will Nate King go to fight for the woman he can't live without?

After confronting the demons from her past and laying them to rest with the only man that gave her the ability to trust and ultimately her freedom. Casey and Nate try to settle into a future together. Nate has healed her aching soul and helped to give her a home and now they feel complete.

While the pair focus on their future Casey's past reels it's ugly head and threatens not only their powerful bond and consuming love, but also Casey's life.

In a race against time, traveling through hostile countries, he will stop at nothing to find the woman that has become his world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.Grayland
• Release date: Mar 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224173419

Book preview

Prologue

Sydney, Australia

March 3, 2000

The town of Gosford is so pretty at this time of the year, just starting to warm up with a little less rain, which means that I will get more time to hang out with Flynn after school. I wonder if he wants to play Scrabble again this afternoon? I bet he doesn’t. The last time we played, he started to come up with these really stupid words because I was beating him. Typical boy. They’re all sore losers.

I pick up my pace along the pathway I needed to get down to the corner store before they closed to get the milk that mother left the money and note for on the kitchen table because if there’s no milk for her cup of tea when she gets home, that will mean no dinner for me, and going to bed with an empty tummy is not something I want tonight. On my way back with the milk, a white car slows and pulls in to the curb just outside my house, and as I get closer, a man gets out. I look at him, thinking that it may be a friend of my parents, but quickly change my mind, as he doesn’t look familiar, and he looks pretty dirty. He’s wearing a pair of overalls like the man who fixes father’s car wears, except his are stained with oil and grease, whereas this man’s just looks filthy. As I get closer to my gate, he steps away from the car and on to the footpath in front of me, causing me to stop abruptly.

Is this the Taylor residence? he asks me.

Umm, yes, I answer, pulling the bottle of milk in closer to my chest.

That’s good. I have the right place then. He smiles at me, but it’s not a friendly smile at all. In fact, it makes me feel a bit funny in my stomach.

The right place? I ask, perplexed at his words.

Yes, I was asked to drop off a delivery for a Mrs. Taylor.

Oh, that’s my mother, I tell him.

Will you be able to help me get it out of my car? There’s a box in the back seat, but you see, I have a back problem, and it’s giving me hell today, he says, rubbing at his lower back with a grimace.

Umm, okay, I reply. Walking over to the car, he opens the back door.

Here, let me hold that bottle of milk for you. It’s just in there, he says, taking the milk from me and waving a hand toward the back seat. Kneeling on the long leather back seat, I look around but can’t see anything.

Where is it? I can’t see anything, I say.

It’s just down on the back floor there. Just lean a little further, and you should be able to see it.

Leaning further into the back seat, I still can’t see anything, and when I turn my head to tell him, all I see is the worn tread of a boot as it hits the side of my face so hard that little stars flash behind my eyes before everything goes dark. I remember trying so hard to open my eyelids and them feeling so heavy. Then I remember a flash of light and a horrible smell as rough material is pushed so hard onto my face, it takes my breath away. The air around me is now replaced by a horrible smell. And as my eyes start to get heavy again, the last thought I have is, Where is the bottle of milk? I am going to be in so much trouble, before I am swallowed into the abyss of darkness.

Chapter one

Casey

We’ve been traveling for what feels like hours. I’m hungry, thirsty, and so tired. Lying down on the back seat, I curled up, placing my hands underneath my cheek, propping my head up slightly so I could keep my eyes on that glass divider. Surely, he was going to have to stop at some point to refuel, and when he did, I did not want to be asleep. At one point, when I was hammering at the glass, I was sure I saw him talking on his phone, so I screamed as loud as I could, hoping that whoever was on the other end of that call could hear me. Well, unless the glass was soundproof. Shit, I didn’t think of that. What if the whole car was soundproofed? Was that possible? My mind was whirring with questions and plans of attack, and I knew Nate would find me, but a pang hit me hard in the middle of my chest when I thought of what he was going through. He must be going insane with worry. Fuck you, Nick. As soon as I get out of this car, I am going to punch you in the balls for this.

I felt my eyelids just starting to droop when the car started to slow, and the windows were bathed in bright lights. Scrambling up into a sitting position, I pressed my face against the darkened window, and I saw Nick get out and grab the nozzle of a fuel pump and pull it around to the other side of the car. Moving from window to window, I looked to see if I could see anyone around. Then I watched as Nick walked inside to pay for the fuel, and just as he walked out, I saw an elderly man walking from around the side where the bathroom is. Sitting back on the seat, I lifted up my booted feet and slammed them both against the window over and over as I shouted, Help! at the top of my lungs. It didn’t matter how much the muscles in my legs were starting to burn from the constant pounding, I couldn’t give up. Someone had to hear me. I was stunned when the door opened and Nick grabbed hold of one of my legs mid-air and squeezed my ankle painfully before pushing it away, causing me to sit up and try to get out of the now opened door. He reached out and grabbed me by my throat, lifted me up slightly, then slammed me back down on the back seat.

Shut the fuck up, or I swear I will kill you before I’m done, he hissed into my face before tossing a bottle of water on to the seat next to me.

Rubbing my hand over my throat, I coughed and gasped at the brutality of his grip, taking in deep gulps of air as I tried to catch my breath. I swallowed slowly, and the burning sensation started to ease. As the car started and pulled away from what had been my only hope of escape for the past few hours, I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I took a large drink of the water.

Through the blurriness of the tears, all I could see was Nate’s face, which only made my tears fall harder. What if this morning, when he kissed me before I left for the clinic, was our last kiss? What if I never got to see him again? A sharp pain speared through my chest at that thought. Closing my eyes and squeezing them tightly closed, I forced that thought from my mind because thinking like that was going to make me weak, and that was something that I couldn’t afford to be right now. I needed to clear my mind and dig deep inside to pull that strength up to the surface because I had no idea what was happening or what I was going to be facing, and letting myself feel defeated before I even started to fight was not a smart idea. I needed to plan, to strategize, figure out what might be happening or what could be happening. Think, Casey, think! I chastised myself and tried to dig through the past few months to come up with some kind of explanation.

Could this have something to do with the silent phone calls I’d been getting? The stranger at the house? The recent breach of the computers at King Security? Fuck, did that all have something to do with Nick? But why? What would he have to gain? Thinking hard about what would make Nick sell out Nate and Paxton, I came up with a few different theories, and the only one that made sense was money because money could normally buy anything, right? Now, who and why was the next question I needed to answer. This would have nothing to do with anyone back home in Australia because Max was sent back to prison, so it must have something to do with someone on this side of the world, which led me to the only person who had caused me any problems here: Peterson.

But would Peterson risk everything, including Nate’s wrath? I didn’t think so. Then it hit me. Peterson sold me to that militant leader, Asferat, so maybe Peterson lied to Nate about calling the sale off? Shit, shit, fuck! Could I really be worth that much to this Asferat guy? I guess, if it was more of an honor situation or saving face. Or maybe he was just an egotistical bastard who didn’t like to lose.

Jesus fucking Christ, I cursed to myself, rubbing a hand across my forehead. How the fuck did this get so complicated? Leaning back against the seat, I looked around at the interior of yet another prison. The only difference with this one was that it had wheels.

Chapter Two

Nate

As I shifted the gears in the Audi, I felt my blood pumping through my veins. Pressing down harder on the accelerator, I sped down the highway. I was way past the speed limit, and I was way past giving a shit. All I knew was that I needed to catch up to them. Nick had a good head start, but at my current speed I should be able to make up at least some time. My fucking brain went into overdrive with fury at what that motherfucker had done, and I swore that when I caught him, I was going to rip him apart with my bare hands. My head felt like it was about to explode, and there was nothing I could do to calm the anger that was coursing through my body. My grip on the steering wheel was turning my knuckles white, and my teeth were grinding together so hard that if I didn’t stop, I was sure I would break something. Why the fuck didn’t I see this coming? And what the fuck, Nick? I trusted you to take care of her, and you gave me your word that you would protect her with your life, for fuck’s sake.

I smacked my palm against the steering wheel in frustration at my lack of insight into this whole situation. I should have kept a closer eye on Peterson or at least given him an opportunity to contact me if he couldn’t come to an agreement with Asferat. Not to mention the silent phone calls, the intruder at the house...that must have been Nick. I wonder when that son of a bitch had been approached? And that fucker, Asferat...I should have known he wouldn’t give up so easy on his purchase. Why the fuck did I become so relaxed and complacent with her safety? I should never have let down my guard. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing. Pushing the button on the steering wheel, I answered it on Bluetooth.

Yes? I barked out.

Nate, calm down, came Paxton’s stern voice on the other end of the line.

This is not the time, Paxton, I growled, and I heard him sigh.

I know, but you’re not going to do Casey any good if you die in a car accident before you even get to her, are you?

I don’t intend to. Now, do you have anything new for me? I asked impatiently.

Yeah, I’ve been following them on GPS. Nick is still using a company phone, the dumbass, and I’m betting that they’re on their way toward Port Angeles.

What?

Well, if I’m right, there’s a private landing strip a few miles back from the airport. I’m still trying to find the owner to check if there are any flights due out of there tonight, but it makes sense that they would try and get her out of the country, Nate. Paxton’s voice sounded pained, and then he continued. Look, I’m going to try and reach the owner of the private airstrip, hopefully stop their takeoff, and I’ll call you back. You just try and get there, Nate. Just drive safely, okay?

I will. Just get on it fast, Paxton. I’ve made up some time, but I’m not sure it’s enough.

I will.

Thanks, call me back, I said before ending the call, now with even more exasperating thoughts running through my head. I knew he might try to get Casey out of the country; I was just counting on a little more time.

Come on, Paxton, I need a break here, I said with frustration, looking at my phone and willing it to ring. Maneuvering the Audi through the winding roads at high speeds had bought me a little time, but I needed as much spare time as I could get. Hopefully, Paxton could find the owner of the land where the private airstrip was and get the local authorities to put a lock down on their takeoff.

While I waited for the phone call from Paxton, my mind started to wander into the dark waters of what was happening to Casey. Was she hurt? Did Nick drug and bind her in the trunk of the car? Jesus fucking Christ, what if Nick had taken advantage of her while she was incapacitated? With the bile starting to rise into my throat, I scrubbed a hand through my hair. I really needed to shut this shit down, now. Whatever happens, we could deal with it. With my eyes focused on the road, I tried to just concentrate on the line in the middle of the road and the bends and curves of the road to keep my mind from sinking into the dark thoughts that were fighting so hard to surface. Just as I was starting to relax my breathing into a calm and controlled rhythm, I was brought back to reality as my phone rang.

Paxton? I said as soon as I answered.

Hey, Nate.

What have you got for me?

Okay, I managed to find the owner of the property that the landing strip is on.

And? I said impatiently.

And the guy is out of the country on a business trip, so that was a dead end.

Fuck me! I yelled out into the car, and the phone line went silent. Paxton?

Are you done? he asked with the patience of a saint.

No, I’m not fucking done! I feel explosive, Paxton. How could I have let this happen?

You didn’t let anything happen, Nate. If anything, we were both too complacent with this whole situation. Fuck, I have been keeping a watch on Peterson, and nothing seemed out of place.

You’re not to blame, Paxton. You kept on Peterson more than I did, I said, trying to give him some reassurance. I didn’t want him feeling guilty when it was on me.

I think we were just overcome with life. So much has happened over the last few months that it clouded our judgment.

I just need to find her, Paxton, I breathed out.

I know, Nate. So, that’s what we do, okay?

What’s the plan?

You just keep heading to Port Angeles, and I’ll contact the local police. They’re closer to the airstrip than you at the moment.

Yep, get on to that now, okay? Then text me the address of the airstrip.

Doing that now, Paxton said as my phone pinged with an incoming text. Just be safe.

Will do, I said before ending the call. I turned on my headlights. Twilight was hitting fast, and it would soon be dark, which wasn’t going to help the situation.

Chapter Three

Casey

After exhausting myself once again, trying to get Nick’s attention by having another stint at banging against the partition glass and aimlessly yelling against the back of his head, I found myself totally spent, so, after draining the bottled water of its contents, I leaned my head back against the seat, closed my eyes, and quickly fell into the darkness of sleep.

Walking across the sand, I can feel its warmth as it runs between my toes. Looking up, the sky is blue and clear with not a cloud in sight. Closing my eyes against the bright sun, all I can hear is the roar of the ocean and the waves rolling in and lapping at the sand. I jump when wet fur brushes against my legs, and when I open my eyes, I am soaked by a shower of water coming from Chance as he shakes out his wet body after his morning swim.

Thanks, buddy, I say as I reach down and pick up his ball, tossing it for him to fetch and bring back. I laugh at his antics as he momentarily forgets the ball and starts chasing a small sand crab along the shoreline, pushing his nose as close as he can to the back of its shell until the crab turns with its claws held up in defense, causing Chance to stop and tilt his head from side to side, confused by this strange creature.

Come on, Chance, let’s go get you cleaned up before you lose your nose in one of those pincers, I yell and start to walk up the beach toward the stairs that lead up to the back deck. As my foot hits the bottom stair, I look up into the beautiful, deep, sexy eyes of Nate’s as he stands at the top, arms folded across his bare chest, leaning his hip against the rail. He looks so sexy with his hair messy from just getting out of bed, wearing only a pair of jeans with the top button undone. I walk up the stairs to him, and he drops his arms, opening them to pull me into an embrace. But instead of feeling the warmth of his skin against mine, all I feel is coldness. I feel myself falling into a dark tunnel, and he’s gone.

Opening my eyes with a jolt, I froze as I realized that it was a dream, and I was still lying on the back seat of the car. I must have fallen asleep. Then, I noticed that the car wasn’t moving. It had stopped, and there was a noisy commotion coming from outside. It sounded like I was in a wind tunnel. Sitting up quickly and looking out the window covered in large drops of rain, I gasped as I took in my surroundings. It was still dark outside, but through the rain and the flashing red lights, I could clearly see a plane on a small landing strip. It wasn’t a big plane, but it was not small either. Frantically, I started to pull at the lock on the car door, but it did nothing. The more I pulled and pushed, the more panic started to rear its ugly head, and an all familiar chill started to gather momentum in my stomach, manifesting into a ball, and slowly creeping up into my chest. Sitting back into the seat, I closed my eyes and tried to fight the feeling of not getting enough air into my lungs by slowly counting backward from 100 while visualizing the numbers in my head. Seconds blended into minutes as my breathing started to slow, and just as I felt the coldness in my chest starting to ease, the back door clicked and opened, and Nick leaned into the back seat, wrapped a hand around my wrist, and pulled me toward the door.

Realizing that if I got out of this car I would be getting on that plane to God knows where, I dug my feet into the floor and pulled back against Nick’s grip. After a few minutes of playing a game of tug-of-war, I was crestfallen as he won, yanking me so hard out of the car and onto the hard asphalt it felt like my arm just left my shoulder socket behind.

Get the fuck up! he barked, pulling me up to stand before yelling loudly over the sound of the rain, wind, and the roaring of the jet engine powering up. Walk. He started to pull me toward the plane, but I didn’t move, trying to make myself into a dead weight, which only pissed him off even more, causing him to grab both my arms and twist them behind my back. The pain that seared through my bones stung as he stood behind me, putting pressure on both my arms and pushing me toward the stairs that led up to the open door of the jet. I tried so hard to stop, to make it hard for him to maneuver me in the direction he wanted, but he was much bigger and stronger than I was, and I was losing the battle. By the time he pushed me through the door and into one of the white leather seats, we were both soaking wet.

Put your seatbelt on, he barked out again.

Fuck you, I spat back at him, and I was rewarded by a backhand across my face that caused my cheek to sting and tingle. He leaned down and roughly clipped the belt into place before opening the cupboard of the bar area that was attached to the other side of the plane. He pulled out a bottle of Jack and poured himself a hefty glassful, knocking it back in one large gulp before refilling the glass again. Still holding my palm against my cheek to cool the sting of his slap, I focused on his face with narrowed eyes.

Getting drunk won’t help you, I said with a hint of sarcasm.

Shut up, he grunted.

I hope you have a backup plan, Nick, I said with as much confidence as I could muster, and my tone caught his attention as he turned his head to look at me.

What are you talking about? he growled.

Well, it’s pretty ballsy trusting someone that you don’t know over a boss that you do, don’t you think? I said with a raised brow.

You have no idea what you’re talking about.

Okay. Just making an observation.

Well, don’t, he grumbled as he took another drink from his glass.

You know, you don’t have to do this, Nick.

It’s too late.

It’s never too late. Just let me call Nate and talk to him. If I explain that it was a mistake, he’ll help you get out of it.

Enough! he yelled and slammed the glass onto the table in front of me, the loud noise making me jump. Then, he slid open a drawer under the bar and pulled out a small vial and a hypodermic needle, pulling off the cap. I watched in horror as he turned the small bottle upside down and inserted the needle, drawing a clear fluid into it before walking toward me.

What are you doing? I stammered as I pushed myself further back into the seat. He grabbed my arm, yanking up the sleeve of my shirt.

I’m shutting you up for a while, he growled as he stuck the needle into my arm.

Please, Nick, don’t do this, I pleaded before I felt my eyelids start to get heavy. A feeling of numbness started at my toes and quickly rushed through my body until it hit my lips. I felt like I was freefalling into a funnel, and then everything turned black.

Chapter Four

Nate

The windshield wipers moved back and forth, wiping away the rain that started off light but had now turned torrential, keeping my eyes on the wet road in front of me. The white line in the middle was turning into one long, blurry, continuous streak as I tried to drive as fast as possible on the slick road. Glancing at the GPS, it seemed that the opening for the airstrip wasn’t much further along this road. Looking from side to side out of the windows, I saw that the thick lines of trees that seemed to be ever-present were starting to thin out, and at the same time, the chirpy female voice on the GPS announced that I had arrived at my destination. Looking to my left, I saw a wide opening with a sign bearing the words Johnson Air Field. I took a sharp turn into the gateway so hard that the wheels of the Audi slid across the gravel and spun. I pushed my foot down almost flat to the floor on the accelerator, speeding up along the dirt track, the adrenaline starting to pick up and course through my body. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. When the line of trees that I’d been following up the track dwindled to a clearing, I felt my heart split in two as I faced the sight of two squad cars parked on the small runway with their lights flashing onto a empty air strip.

Pulling off the track, I raced the Audi across the grass and slid to a full stop in front of them, jumping out to look down the thin, deserted tarmac in front of me. Scrubbing my hands through my hair, I yelled out into the night. No, no, no! Feeling a presence behind me, I turned to look at a cop.

Mr. King? I’m sorry, but it took off just as we got here, he said.

How long ago? I barked out at the young guy, causing him to flinch.

Looking down at his watch, he said, About twenty minutes.

Fuck! I spat out and rubbed my hands down my face.

We could have delayed the takeoff if we had arrived here on time, but we just didn’t make it. I’m sorry, but there’s not much we can do from here, he said remorsefully.

It’s okay, I’ll take care of it. Thanks, I said before jumping back into the car and shifting into gear at the same time, dialing Paxton, who answered on the first ring.

Nate? he said anxiously.

It’s gone.

What?

I was too late, and so were the cops. The jet took off about twenty minutes ago. She’s fucking gone, Paxton, I said painfully.

No, no, Nate. We’ll get her back. Just get back here in one piece, and we’ll figure it out, okay? I could hear him talking, but it just sounded like he was talking underwater. My mind was spinning with what I needed to do first, then Paxton’s voice broke through the chaos of my thoughts. Nate?

Yeah, I’m still here. I’m on my way back now, I said absently.

Just get back here in one piece, was the last thing he said before I ended the call.

As I drove back to Portland, the rain started to ease a little, unlike the turmoil in my brain. I was punishing myself for letting this shit happen in the first place, and I was trying to work out a strategy to get to Casey as soon as possible. I knew that Paxton, who was my ever-loving voice of logic, was going to tell me that we needed a plan. In my mind, I already had one: go in and get Casey by any means possible, whatever the cost. And even though that was my plan, in reality, I knew I was smarter than that, and I somehow needed to get my emotions in check because if I let them rule this situation, we were all going to be fucked.

As