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Allie took a slow breath in and opened her eyes again. This time she was able to focus. Ray stuffed what looked like a satellite phone in his pocket and mumbled to himself.
She had to get away from him. Warn Jen and…Dakota.
Where was he?
He’ll show. I have the girl to make sure of that.
This was a trap. Her hands were bound behind her back. Her ankles were duct-taped together.
Why had she pushed Dakota away thinking she was better off alone? He knew all about her horrific past and still wanted to give it a shot. What she wouldn’t do to see him now. To tell him she was sorry for listening to her fears instead of giving them a chance. Because that’s all it was. Fear of repeating the past. She might say she’d walked away for his sake, but it was glaringly obvious now. She’d done it because she believed the lie that she deserved it.
There’s grace. Mercy. Loving kindness. Did you forget about those?
Belle’s voice filled Allie’s heart. She wasn’t alone here. This wasn’t a punishment. It was time for her to take stock of things.Because Belle was right. Allie was trying to pay back for one bad choice and debt she could never pay anyway.
All you can do is receive.
Okay then.
Lord, I need You.
Something rattled in the bushes just outside the ring of lantern light. Ray pulled a pistol out of his hip holster. He pointed it out in the dark. “I know you’re out there, hotshot.”
With a snarl and a flash of black fur, Scout leaped at Ray.
His powerful jaws clamped down on Ray’s gun arm.
Ray dropped the pistol and roared. Someone else yelled, “No!”
Ray backhanded Scout’s head. The dog released his arm and fell to the ground. He didn’t move.
Allie screamed. “Scout!”
Ray charged her way, eyes boring into her filled with such hatred and darkness they looked like the pit of hell itself.
She braced for what he would do. Held her breath.
“Allie!” A dark form crashed out of the forest and lunged at Ray, knocking him down.
A blur of familiar red hair made Allie’s breath catch. “Dakota!”
They hit the ground. Both men thrashed, tumbling over each other as they grappled. Rolled. Grappled some more.
Dust flared up in a cloud.
Ray swung his arm, and Dakota’s gun went flying. He grabbed Dakota and flipped him onto his back. The lantern toppled over and shattered, casting darkness about so Allie could barely see.
Dakota cried out.
She gasped. “No!”
Ray stood over Dakota, who grasped around in the dirt.
Something metallic glinted in the air.
“A knife,” she screamed. “Ray has a knife!”
Dakota swung a gun up to face Ray right as the other man plunged the knife down toward him.