Chapter Thirteen

Holly could officially say she was having the absolute worst night of her life.

It had started out innocently enough. After leaving the coffee shop, her backpack slung over her shoulder, she'd run into Randy again at the bookstore. She had to admit—she'd been completely charmed by him as they spoke in the coffee shop, so it was as if fate had intervened, screaming at her that she should give him a chance as he asked her to join him for dinner. Sure, she technically had a boyfriend, but they weren't exactly exclusive with each other, so there was nothing stopping her from hanging out with another guy.

And that was how she'd justified it to herself. She couldn't cheat on her boyfriend if she was just hanging out with another guy. Nick hung out with girls all the time and she never once thought of him cheating on her. So, what harm would it cause if she did the same with Randy? Besides, she desperately needed a break from studying and Randy seemed like a great guy.

That was, until he'd walked her back to her dorm. Holly never suspected anything was up with him, not even has he wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close to him. She'd actually been somewhat flattered and anxious as he stood over her, leaning down for what she hoped was going to be an epic kiss. It wasn't until she felt a rag covering her nose and mouth that she realized something was very wrong. The sweet-smelling odor instantly made her woozy and her eyes widened in fear as Randy's turned cold, the chilling smile he wore eliminating any of the charm she'd witnessed earlier.

A short time later, she'd awoken to a bright flash of light, realizing dimly it was a camera. Opening her eyes, she'd found herself tied to a chair with Randy standing in front of her, leering. She'd tried to scream but there was something in her mouth preventing it from happening. Panic instantly seized her, sobs wracking her body as she tried to figure out what exactly was going on. She had no idea where she was—it looked to be some abandoned building, a far cry from the bright, colorful dorm room she shared with Nancy.

Nancy! First her roommate had been taken and now her. No way had Holly thought this could be a coincidence. So, what the hell was going on?

"Smile for the camera, Holly," Randy said softly, the flash blinding her once again as he took another picture.

Blinking rapidly, Holly watched as he walked towards her laptop, hooking the camera up so he could upload the photo. She had no idea what he was up to; she only knew that she had been very wrong about him. She was well and truly terrified and prayed with everything she had that he wouldn't kill her.

A few minutes later, Randy closed the laptop and stood up. Walking towards Holly, he pulled the fabric out of her mouth and smiled down at her. "You did very well, Holly."

"Wh-where am I?" Holly asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her throat felt dry and scratchy, as if she hadn't had anything to drink in a week.

"Well, you're certainly not in Kansas anymore."

"What do you want with me?"

"I need your help," Randy said. He grabbed a chair and turned it around so he was straddling the seat. His green eyes fixed on hers as he rested his chin against his arms. "Depending on how this works out, I'll have you back at your dorm before your first exam in the morning."

"Help with what?"

"I need you to help me find your roommate."

Holly shook her head, her red curls bouncing slightly. "I told you, she was kidnapped. I don't know where she is."

Randy smiled. "I know she was kidnapped. I orchestrated the entire thing. She was quite comfortable with me until she managed to escape."

"You took Nancy?" Holly couldn't keep the horror out of her voice. If Randy was the one behind Nancy's kidnapping, then there was no way he was going to just let her go, especially after telling her he was responsible. He had to know she would go straight to the police as soon as she was free.

"Well, I hired someone to take her." Randy's smile grew. "After all, I didn't want to get my hands dirty."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you take Nancy?"

"You told me you knew what she used to do before she decided to give college a whirl. You're a very bright girl, Holly. You were correct when you said it was probably someone she put away. I was the one she put away."

Holly shivered at the casual way he said it. There was no doubt in her mind that Randy was dangerous. She couldn't help but feel glad that Nancy managed to get away from him. "Why do you want me?"

Randy sighed. "Nancy has a very noticeable character flaw—she's very protective of the people closest to her. Since I can't find her myself, I'm going to bring her to me."

"You're using me to draw her out."

"I told you that you were a very bright girl."

"What happens when you find Nancy again? Are you going to kill her?"

Randy said nothing as he stared back at Holly.

"I'm not going to help you? I won't bring Nancy back here just so you can kill her."

"I'm afraid it's a little too late for that."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just sent an email to Nancy, showing her that I now have you. She'll come running as soon as she sees it." Randy smirked. "Like I said, Nancy has a weakness. And I'll do everything I can to exploit it to make sure I get my hands on her again."

Holly swallowed down the bile that was rising in her throat. She couldn't help but feel sickened by Randy, hating herself for even being fooled by his charms. Because of her, Nancy was very well going to run headfirst into a trap. Holly also couldn't help but be worried about herself as well. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I wasn't planning to, but…" Randy gave her a helpless shrug and it was all the confirmation that Holly needed. There was no way she was getting out of this alive. Randy was going to kill her as sure as he was going to kill Nancy.

"Please…" Holly begged, tears springing to her eyes. "Please, just let me go. I won't say anything, I swear."

"And there it is—the begging." Randy stood up, slowly walking to her. "I knew it was only a matter of time. You have a right to be afraid, Holly."

"Please…"

Without another word, Randy put the handkerchief back into Holly's mouth. Pressing a kiss against her forehead, he walked out of the room, leaving her alone to sob quietly.

Nancy couldn't stop the smile stretching across her lips as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. As soon as she'd closed her eyes and went to sleep, she kept replaying the previous night she'd spent on the beach with Max. The feel of his lips against hers, the firm but gentle way he held her against his body as they stared up at the stars. It was as if she'd stepped into a new world, where there were no worries about if and when Randy would find her again, and what would happen to her if he did.

As much as she'd been against the idea of hooking up with Max, she couldn't help but feel insanely attracted to him. He was exactly her type—tall, dark and handsome. But he was also very dangerous and she knew he could very possibly break her heart. Max was the first man she'd allowed herself to be open with since Ned. She knew she was setting herself up for disaster, but she didn't let it bother her.

What she had with Max was a fling—a caught-up-in-the-moment affair. As soon as they put a stop to Randy and his plans for her, they would go their separate ways, never to see each other again. Nancy tried to convince herself that was what she wanted, but her heart wasn't so sure about that.

"I'll deal with that when the time comes," Nancy assured her reflection. Tightening up the strap on her robe, Nancy walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where the smell of bacon, eggs, and coffee wafted throughout the house. A small smile teased her lips as she saw a shirtless Max standing over the stove, his back to her.

"Good morning," Nancy said, feeling somewhat shy. She looked around, but didn't see Daniel anywhere.

Max turned and smiled. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than I have in the past few days," Nancy admitted as she seated herself at the counter. And something tells me that it had something to do with you, Nancy added silently, feeling her cheeks burn at the thought.

"Me too, actually." Max stared at her for a few moments, seemingly lost in a trance. Nancy couldn't help but feel herself getting lost in his blue-green eyes. The way he was staring at her was making her body respond in a way that she liked. "Um, Max…"

"Yeah?"

Nancy nodded at the stove where smoke was starting to billow from the pan sitting on the burner. "I think you're burning something…"

Max's eyes widened a fraction as if he just realized he'd been cooking. "Dammit!" Turning back to the stove, he removed the pan from the fire and dumped the burnt remains of bacon into the trash can.

Ducking her head, Nancy tried to hide her smile. She had to admit, it was weird to see Max standing in the middle of the kitchen, cooking breakfast. It just seemed so out of character for him. She honestly thought he had a staff that waited on him hand and foot, giving him whatever he desired. But seeing him like this, somewhat domesticated, it made him seem a little more human.

"You look like you're trying not to laugh," Max said, breaking into her thoughts.

Nancy's head immediately shot up, her cheeks once again burning. "Sorry."

"Is it really that shocking to see me like this?"

"Sort of."

"Really?"

"It's not that I didn't think you could cook. It's just that I never pictured you in a kitchen." Nancy shrugged apologetically. "The only thing that would make it even funnier would be if you were wearing a frilly apron."

Max chuckled before opening the refrigerator and pouring them each a glass of orange juice. After fixing them each a plate, he brought everything over to the counter and set them down. Then he leaned over her and kissed her softly. "Good morning."

Nancy smiled against his lips. "I think we already established it was a good morning."

"Now it's better." Giving her another kiss, he sat down on the barstool beside her and took a sip of his orange juice.

"Where's Daniel?"

"He's following a lead," Max said after a brief hesitation.

"You found something?"

"We got word that Wolfe may possibly be on the move. Daniel flew out to see if he could dig up any intel for us."

Nancy frowned. "You let him go alone?"

"Daniel knows how to take care of himself, Nancy," Max said softly. "He'd never allow himself to get into a dangerous position. He values his life too much."

Nancy knew Max was right. Daniel seemed perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Still, that didn't stop her from worrying about the other man. She knew how dangerous Randy was and what he was capable of. Max and Daniel had just met him; they had no idea what he could do.

Max saw her trouble expression and tilted her chin up so he could look at her. "I assure you, Nancy. There's nothing to worry about."

"I know, but…"

Before she could say anything further, Max quieted her with another kiss. Nancy wanted to pull away from him, but she found herself lost in the feel of his lips against her. She wondered vaguely if Max would resort to this every time she questioned anything he did. And then she realized she didn't mind if he did it one bit.

What in the world was happening to her?

Max pulled away and pushed her plate towards her. "You should eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

Picking up her fork, Nancy dug into her eggs. Still, she couldn't help but worry about Daniel.

Daniel arrived in River Heights in record time.

As soon as he arrived in town, he started asking around and floating Randy's picture everywhere he went. It wasn't hard to pretend that he worked for law enforcement in pursuit of a rather dangerous criminal, considering it was partly true. After all, Randy Wolfe was a very dangerous man and one that needed to be stopped.

Besides, Daniel had to admit he was having fun with the assignment. He'd always enjoyed getting his hands dirty—he didn't get to do it quite often enough. Usually, Max's assignments went off without a hitch so there was no need for Daniel to do anything more than point Max towards his next gig. Maybe Nancy coming into their lives was a good thing.

Daniel certainly knew it was a good thing for his best friend. He'd never seen Max more alive since Nancy had stumbled into their laps.

He'd gotten confirmation that Randy was in town from the barista at the coffee shop. She'd been very willing to talk to him and Daniel had been only too happy to oblige with a little flirting. She'd practically melted at the attention he was giving her. He was pretty sure he could have even convinced her to rob a bank if he so desired, she was that gullible.

Randy hadn't done well covering his tracks. It was rather pathetic how easy it had been for Daniel to find his trail. Of course, Daniel was sure that Randy's confidence was getting in the way. After all, no one knew he was out of prison and had no reason to suspect he would have anything to do with Nancy's disappearance.

After just a couple of hours in River Heights, Daniel now found himself sitting in a diner across from an abandoned office building. It was in a prime location for holding a hostage. There were only a few other buildings around it, so noise wouldn't be too much of a factor. And it also served as a great vantage point for Daniel, considering he could blend in with the other patrons and keep an eye on the building.

He'd seen Randy walking in and out a couple of times, always locking the door behind himself. Daniel knew the front entrance was going to be off limits. He would simply have to find another way in. Unfortunately, the only thing stopping him from running in and grabbing the roommate now was the fact it was daytime. He'd rather have the cover of night—it made for a better quick entrance and exit. Daniel was confident that the girl would be safe until then.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Daniel glanced up as the bell above the door jingled. Randy Wolfe walked into the diner, giving the room a once over before settling on a booth in the back corner. Daniel kept his head down and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He was sure that Wolfe wouldn't realize he was working with Max, considering he'd never met him before.

I've arrived. Found Wolfe. After typing out the message, Daniel sent it to Max to wait for his reply.

Max's reply was almost immediate. The girl?

He's keeping her in an abandoned building across from the diner I'm at. I'll get her tonight and come back. Daniel took another sip of his coffee, before signaling the waitress for another refill.

Be careful, Max replied.

Daniel was about to reply when the bell above the door jingled once again. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw an imposing man with broad shoulders and silvery black hair that was slicked back. His face was rather rugged looking and even from this distance, Daniel could make out the triangular scar on the man's left cheek. The man surveyed the diner with cool, grey eyes before they seemed to settle on Randy. Daniel ducked his head as the man made his way past him and slid into the booth across from Wolfe.

Looks like Wolfe just got company, Daniel texted to Max.

Can you get a picture?

Letting out a sigh, Daniel lifted up his cell phone, calling up his camera application. Pretending that he was squinting at something on the screen, he surreptitiously snapped pictures of the pair, making sure he got clear shots of the newcomer. As if he sensed what Daniel was doing, the man lifted his head and fixed him with a glare.

Not wanting to be obvious about what he was doing, Daniel pretended to fiddle his phone as if it refused to cooperate with him. He couldn't very well hide it from view—it would be as if he was announcing to the world what he was doing. Instead, he made a big show of it, allowing his voice to get loud as he cursed at it.

"Stupid bloody phone!" he said before slamming it down on the table. Satisfied, the other man turned away from him and went back to his conversation with Randy.

When he was sure they were no longer paying attention to him, Daniel sent the pictures to Max. Then, taking one last sip of his coffee, he threw some money down onto the table and walked out of the diner.

Finishing up breakfast, Nancy stood up and gathered their dishes. She figured it was the least she could so, considering Max had cooked for the two of them. Besides, she never could stand the sight of a dirty kitchen and she especially didn't like the feeling of not being able to do anything.

Taking their dishes to the sink, Nancy stared out the window as she washed them. Once again, her breath was taken away at the beach before her, the waves crashing against the shore. She would have given anything to be able to wake up to this view every morning.

"You don't have to do that, you know," Max said, sidling up behind her.

Nancy smiled as she leaned back against him. "I don't mind. It's nice to have something to do."

Max kissed her neck, making her skin tingle under his soft touch just as his phone began to chirp. Cursing under his breath, he picked it up and read the message.

"Is it from Daniel?" Nancy asked.

Max nodded as he typed in a response.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Max said distractedly as he got another message. His brow furrowed as he typed in another response.

Nancy turned around to face Max, the plate she was washing dripping water onto the tile floor. "Max, what is it?"

"Daniel found Randy. He said he's meeting with someone."

"You think it's our mystery person?"

"Possibly." Max glanced up at Nancy, smiling slightly. "He's going to send a picture. Maybe we'll get lucky and recognize who it is."

Nancy nodded, watching Max anxiously as they waited for Daniel to send the picture. It seemed like hours, but in actuality it was only a couple of minutes before Max's phone chirped once again.

"I don't recognize him," Max said, staring at the image on his phone. He turned it around to Nancy so she could see the picture.

For a horrifying moment, the world seemed to stop as Nancy looked at the picture, instantly recognizing the man sitting across from Randy. It was a face she never would forget, no matter how many years passed by. She barely flinched as the plate slipped out of her hands, shattering on the floor, the shards scraping her bare legs.

"Nancy? What is it? Are you okay?" Max pulled her away from the broken remains to the plate, shaking her slightly to get her to focus on him.

"I know who that is," she whispered, her blue eyes wide as she stared at Max.

"Who is it?"

"His name is John Krieger." She swallowed hard against the bile in her throat. "And if you think Randy Wolfe is bad, Krieger is your worst nightmare."

A big thanks to the following people for their lovely reviews: Alicia Hardy, Michelle Gallichio, Angelvie S, lys, Ealasaid Una, SC15, Lady Emily, and Cupcake. You guys rock!

And a very special thank you to my beta and constant source of encouragement, Lady Emily!

I know I keep teasing you guys with the Halloween story—so allow me to be the first to tell you that I will begin posting it on October 25th with an update every day leading up to Halloween.

Until next time, friends!