Chapter Eight

Growing up, Nancy had never been afraid of roller coasters or any other amusement ride where speed was concerned. After tonight, if she ever saw another one of those rides in her life, she was sure she would throw up on the spot.

It wasn't as if she had never been on a high-speed chase before. She'd had plenty of them in her experience as a detective. But usually, she was doing the driving or there was someone she trusted at the wheel. Either way, it didn't result her in praying as much as she had, clutching onto Max as he weaved in and out of traffic—the kind of traffic that should be impossible to weave yourself in and out of, even on a motorbike.

Add being chased by some gun-wielding psychos who weren't afraid to fire at innocent bystanders, and it was turning into one of the worst—and most stressful—days of Nancy's life.

"Where are we going?" Nancy shouted, afraid to lift her head. She'd already felt several shots whiz by her head and she wasn't about to give their assailants a better target to hit.

"Somewhere safe!" Max shouted back, turning suddenly to the right.

Nancy let out a startled yelp, clutching onto him even tighter. "Will you please be careful? Though I'm sure the freaks behind us wouldn't mind if I was splattered all over the road! It would make it easier for them to take me back!"

"I know what I'm doing, Nancy. Besides, they don't want you dead. You're much more valuable to them alive!"

"Really?" Nancy braced herself as Max took another sharp turn. "I think there happens to be a difference of opinion on the matter at the moment!"

"Trust me!"

"That's the second time tonight you've told me to do that! So far, it's still out to the jury!"

"I got you out of there, didn't I?" Max took another turn, a little slower this time. "I think we lost them, so you can relax your grip on me now."

Nancy loosened her grip around his waist just slightly, frowning when she didn't hear the squeal of tires and gunshots behind them. Max was right—they seemed to have lost them. At least, for the time being. "Did they give up?"

"Daniel probably diverted them so we could make our getaway."

Daniel. There was that name again.

Nancy lifted her head as Max slowed the bike down, pulling into a massive parking garage. They were in the heart of San Diego, Nancy noticed, tall buildings stacked against each other that seemed to go for miles. She frowned when she noticed the parking garage was attached to a hotel—The Kennedy Hotel, to be exact.

"What are we doing here?" Nancy asked, wincing at the loud pitch to her voice. She'd become accustomed to shouting above the motorbike's engine, but it wasn't necessary now.

Max pulled forward until he was in the darkest corner of the parking structure, away from lights and security cameras. He put down the kickstand and slid off the bike with ease once Nancy released her grip on him. "We're staying here—for the night, anyway."

Nancy frowned as she took off her helmet, shaking out her hair. She didn't even want to see what she looked like, knowing she had to be completely disheveled from the wind. "Is it safe?"

"Of course it is." Max looked slightly offended. "I wouldn't put myself in jeopardy, Nancy. I don't take chances with anything."

"Well, at least I know you're looking out for number one."

"I meant you, too. I'm not taking any chances with you, either."

Nancy felt herself blush slightly, but shook herself as she remembered he was the reason she was in this mess in the first place. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Max shook his head as he took her hand, leading her towards the bank of elevators. She noticed that he kept mostly to the shadows, as if he was afraid to be seen. "We'll talk once we're safely inside the room."

"How about we talk now?" Nancy tried pulling her hand free from his grip, but he only tightened his hold.

"Look." Max whirled on her, staring down at her intently. "I know you're pissed at me and you have no reason in the world to trust me, even though I've been asking you to all night. Please, let's just get inside and I'll try to answer any questions you may have. It's not safe out here, Nancy."

Nancy didn't miss the edge of pleading to his voice. She knew she still wasn't out of danger and she had no guarantees that they weren't followed to the hotel. All of a sudden, she felt very vulnerable and open, almost like a deer caught in a hunter's sight. "Okay."

Max flashed her a grateful smile, taking her hand once more and hurrying towards the elevators. She watched as he pressed the button for the tenth floor, and they rode up in silence. She could sense his tension in the small, suffocating space and didn't miss the way his eyes watched as the floors went by, almost as if he willing the cart to continue on its trek without stopping. For once, luck seemed to be on their side as the doors finally opened on the tenth floor.

Stepping out of the elevator, Nancy followed Max down the hall until he got to the room. Sliding the keycard out of his pocket, he opened the door and ushered her inside before turning on the lights. A slight gasp escaped from her lips as she took in her surroundings.

The room was massive—obviously a suite, which didn't surprise her from the little time she had spent with Max. He seemed to like luxury and comfort and a lavish lifestyle, which she supposed she couldn't really fault him for. What person wouldn't enjoy living their life, never worrying about how much something cost and whether they could afford it or not?

A living area took up the majority of the space. A large sofa dominated the room, flanked on either side by a loveseat and a plush chair. A chestnut coffee table sat in the middle and in front of all of that was a massive entertainment center. Though the doors were closed, Nancy surmised that it housed a large screen television. There was a door to the left of that, which she guessed led into a bedroom.

She found herself walking towards the panoramic windows, the lights of San Diego burning brightly below them. The view was spectacular and if she currently wasn't fighting for her life, she might have enjoyed it a little more. As it was, the twinkling spectacle served as a reminder about how far from home she really was, not sure if she would ever get to go back.

All of a sudden, Nancy felt a heavy weight in her heart, her emotions threatening to spill over now that she was away from Randy. It would be so easy to collapse right there on her knees and allow herself to cry until there was nothing left. But then she remembered that she wasn't alone in the room and she refused to let Max see any weakness in her whatsoever.

"Room service should be up here shortly," Max said, startling her as his reflection appeared in the window beside her. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Nancy said, turning her back to the window so she could face him. "I guess I'm just a little jumpy."

Max nodded but didn't say anything. The silence dragged between them as they went from staring at each other, looking around the room, and back to staring at each other again. Now that they were out of danger for the time being, it felt a little awkward. After all, how was Nancy supposed to strike up a conversation with the person who had kidnapped her in the first place?

"So…this is weird, right?" Max asked, grinning sheepishly.

Nancy found herself chuckling. "A little bit, yeah."

"Did you want to sit down?"

"Sure." Moving past Max, she walked over to the sofa and sat down in the middle, sitting on the edge of the cushion. Max was right behind her, but instead of sitting beside her, he walked over to the loveseat and sat down so he was facing the door. Nancy had to admit that she was grateful to have a little space, even if it was just a few feet.

"Oh…did you want anything to drink?" Max asked, rising halfway out of his chair.

Something really strong, Nancy thought. "No, I'm fine," she answered instead.

"Are you sure?"

Nancy nodded, rubbing her hands against her jeans. She had a million questions for Max but for some insane reason, she found it hard to ask any of them. She didn't understand what it was about him that made her uncomfortable and anxious all at once. Luckily, she was saved from saying anything when the door opened and an unfamiliar man walked in. She instantly tensed up, her body alert as she began to work out possible escape scenarios in her head.

"I think that was perhaps the most fun I have had in months, Max." The man was practically grinning ear to ear as he looked at Max before his eyes fell on Nancy. "You really are quite stunning, aren't you? No wonder Max was intent on going back for you."

Nancy felt her cheeks grow warm as she looked back and forth between Max and the newcomer before her eyes went to the floor. Suddenly, the tiny squares on the carpet looked very interesting to her.

"Ignore him. He tends to speak before his brain processes what he's about to say," Max said, standing up. "Nancy, this is Daniel. Daniel, this is Nancy Drew."

Daniel smiled as he walked across the room, holding out his hand for Nancy. "What Max says about me may be accurate, but I always speak the truth."

Nancy glanced up to see Daniel's eyes twinkling as he continued to hold out his hand for her. She couldn't help but be charmed by his accent and his personality. Tentatively, she reached out for his hand and placed it in his. She thought he was going to shake it; instead, he brought it to his lips and softly kissed her hand.

Oh, yeah…he's definitely quite the charmer.

"And Daniel James claims another helpless victim," Max muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Daniel let go of Nancy's hand and straightened up. "Jealousy is not an attractive trait, Max. I simply cannot help that I am brilliant in all that I do."

"And modest, too."

"You're the one who was driving the Jeep behind us," Nancy said, breaking in between the banter.

"You noticed, did you?" Daniel asked, grinning.

"Were you followed here?" Max asked.

Daniel looked offended as he turned his eyes to Max. "Give me a little credit, Max. Do you think I would be here if I was followed?"

"I wasn't suggesting that—"

"Good." Daniel reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a small bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, he tossed it at the trashcan, satisfied when it bounced inside. "If you must know, I shot out their tires. When I glanced in the rearview mirror, they were flying through the air. Someone should have warned them about speeding on a damp road with bad tires."

He said it so casually, Nancy wondered for a second if he was joking.

"I never doubted your abilities, Daniel."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Max opened his mouth but before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Without a word, he rose from his seat and walked over to the door. Daniel took the opportunity to walk over to Nancy and take a seat next to her.

"Forgive me for my lack of manners, but are you all right?"

"I've been better," Nancy admitted, surprised that he was concerned about her well-being, considering she had only just met him.

"I imagine so. You've been through quite a lot."

"I guess I have."

"And to think, I thought Max was absolutely insane to want to go back for you."

Nancy tried not to let the shock show on her face. "It was Max's idea to come back for me?"

Daniel nodded. "And to think, I tried everything I could think of to convince him not to do it." He glanced up as Max closed the door, the enticing aromas of food filling the room. "He can certainly be stubborn about things, once he sets his mind to it."

She wasn't entirely sure how to answer that. She wanted to question Daniel further about his reluctance, but once Max rolled the cart of food to the middle of the room, her mind ceased from thinking as her stomach rumbled loudly.

Max frowned as he glanced at Nancy. "When was the last time you ate, Nancy?"

"Sometime early this morning." She rubbed absently at her bruised wrists. "Randy had his assistant bring me breakfast."

"I have to admit, I'm surprised he did that."

"Travis—his assistant—said he wanted me fed and healthy."

"Really?"

Nancy nodded, chewing on her lower lip. Her stomach rumbled once again and she winced, trying to will it to quiet down.

"Let the poor girl eat something, Max," Daniel admonished him with a stern look. "Then she can answer all of your bloody questions. I'm sure she has plenty of her own."

"We haven't actually had any time to talk," Max said as he removed the silver domes from the plates. "I wasn't sure what you liked, Nancy, so I ordered a little bit of everything."

"At this point, I think I could eat pretty much anything," Nancy admitted. She glanced over the array of food before settling on a steak with a baked potato and steamed broccoli. Taking the plate, she walked over to the small table and sat down, instantly digging into her food. She noticed with some relief that Max and Daniel were keeping their distance from her, which gave her some time to think.

Now that some time had passed, everything was slowly starting to sink in. Just twenty-four hours ago, she had been snatched off the street and flown across the country to land up in the waiting arms of a psychopath who wanted revenge on her. She'd spent the entire day tied up and helpless in a bed, only to be whisked away once more by the very man who had introduced her to this nightmare. And now, all of a sudden, he'd had a change of heart. What exactly was his game? Was he just trying to screw with her? Give her a false sense of security and then rip it away as soon as she let her guard down with him once again? Did he have some ulterior motive that she wasn't even aware of?

Nancy didn't realize she was shaking until her fork began to rattle against the plate. She instantly dropped it, taking a deep, calming breath. She had to get control of herself. As it was, several emotions were warring with her, vying for the top spot—anger, fear, relief. She wasn't sure which one she wanted to give the trophy to yet.

Fortunately, she didn't have to think too hard on it as Max appeared at her side, holding a glass of water. "I thought you might be—"

Launching herself out of her chair, Nancy knocked the glass out of his hand, ignoring it as it went flying across the room to shatter against the wall. She thrust her hands out, pushing him hard against his chest. "This is your fault, you son of a bitch!"

Max was momentarily stunned as he staggered back from the blow.

"You took me away from everything!" Nancy reached out to hit him again, but he seized her wrists, firmly but gently in his hands. She instantly began struggling against him, trying to pull herself free. "Don't you touch me!"

"Nancy, calm down." His voice was soft, almost soothing.

That only infuriated her even more. She brought her knee up to hit him in the groin, but he was a flash of movement before she could connect the blow. He twisted his body, keeping his grip on her wrists as he moved behind her, holding him against his body.

"Let go of me!"

"Not if you insist on hitting me."

"Let me go!" Nancy demanded again, struggling against him with everything that she had. She noticed Daniel watching them, his body tense as if he was waiting for the signal to jump in a help with the situation.

"Nancy, you have no reason to be afraid of me." Max maintained his grip on her, though it wasn't too tight.

"You're the one who did this to me, Max! You're the one who took me away from my home and brought me here and delivered me to that psycho! And now you're telling me that I shouldn't be afraid of you?"

"She's right, you know," Daniel said quietly.

"Shut up, Daniel. You're not helping," Max bit out.

All of a sudden, Nancy's body felt like a balloon deflating as all of the energy and adrenaline of the past few minutes drained out of her. Her knees buckled and if it wasn't for Max holding her, she would have fallen to the ground. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. "Why, Max? Just tell me why…"

Max didn't answer. Instead, he reached down and picked her up, lifting her easily into his arms as if she weighed no more than a small child. "We can talk later, Nancy. You need to sleep."

"Not tired…"

"You're exhausted," he argued, walking with her towards the door she had noticed earlier.

"Your room…"

Max shook his head. "I'll sleep on the couch. You can stay in here."

Nancy felt her eyes getting heavy as he carried her to the bed and set her gently on the edge. She watched through bleary eyes as he pulled the covers back. Then he was standing up and looking at her before his eyes went to her hands which she held in her lap. Her eyes followed and she saw that he was looking at the bruises and cuts encircling her wrists.

"Let me take care of that," he said, turning towards the bathroom.

"It's okay," Nancy said softly. "I've had worse."

Max ignored her as he walked into the bathroom, emerging a few seconds later with a first aid kit. Kneeling in front of her, he opened the kit and took out some antiseptic wipes, gauze, and antibiotic ointment. She didn't have the strength to fight him as he cleaned each of her wrists before wrapping them carefully and gently. When he was finished, he pushed the kit away and stood up.

Taking one of her hands, he helped her turn around on the bed. Once she was nestled in the middle, he pulled the covers over her body. She watched as he hesitantly reached forward and pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. His touch was comforting, even though she knew she shouldn't be thinking about him that way. Not after what he had done.

Max reached over and turned out the light. "I promise that you're safe now, Nancy. I'm not going to let anything else happen to you. You have my word."

"Thank you," Nancy whispered, his words warm and comforting as sleep claimed her.

A huge thanks to MCR-1993, Angelvie S, SC15, Michelle Gallichio, Alicia Hardy, and Jabba1 (thanks for giving my little story a chance!). I appreciate all of your kind words! I would also like to thank everyone who is reading and adding me to their follow/favorite lists!

I apologize for any mistakes that may have gotten past me!

Please let me know what you think.

Until next time!