Page 119 of Lethal Threat

I will not cry.I will not fucking cry.

The truck suddenly lurches to a stop. My body rocks. The road noise is gone and all is deadly silent.

This is it.

The end of the road.

The bridge to nowhere.

What’s up with all these water deaths, or near-death experiences? If I get out of this, I’m moving to the mountains, where the biggest body of water is a trickling stream.

I bet Cole has a stream near his house.

A nice, small, bobbling stream of water. Great for sitting next to. Perfect for dipping a toe into. But I will never, ever have a chance of drowning.

Thinking of Cole’s cabin and beautiful land makes fresh tears spring up.

If I ever want to see that place again, I need to get loose.

Twisting my wrists, I try one more time to break theplastic ties. It hurts. My skin tears. Blood oozes beneath my restraints.

“Let’s do this,” thecommandersays to the other guy.

No!

The doors open. The truck rocks when the front doors slam. My pulse ceases. Cardiac arrest might be happening.

But I’m breathing. Hard and fast. Hyperventilating is a completely inadequate word for what’s going on back here.

A race car’s pistons pump slower than my chest is right now.

Get a grip. Slow down.I’m going to pass out if I don’t.

I close my eyes and try to control my body, but know I’m probably about to not only die, but do so in the midst of a full panic attack.

Maybe I’ll get lucky and just keel over first…

Agonizing minutes pass.Where are they?

I strain to hear. Several more minutes go by before I catch their voices approaching the truck. The crunch of boots gets louder.

Breathe. Brrrreathe.

Angels, if you’re up there,please save me now.

If only I could teleport. I’d whisk myself away to Cole’s cabin in an instant. Maybe I should be praying to the Star Trek Enterprise crew instead of angels.

One push of a button and I’d be tucked into his side with his big brawny arm around my shoulder, and his heartbeat would be steady below my ear. A fire would snap and glow in the gigantic stone fireplace.

My throat aches horribly. I tug at the plastic ties again, grunting. Fighting to ignore the pain.

I want Christmas lights too.They would twinkle like perfect stars on a clear winter night.

And I’d tell Cole how much I really love him.

My chest heaves as I break down. Complete emotional collapse.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Cole.I just wish he knew I loved him.