Page 26 of Maddox: Wild Alaska (Hawke’s Ridge #1)

My head hurts and my vision is blurry, but I can tell that I've been dumped underground. The air is stale, and the floor beneath me is hard and unforgiving. It’s so cold that I'm shivering.

It could be the fear. I hope Maddox tracks me and finds the broken branches.

Assuming he knows how, that is. Tears trickle out of the corners of my eyes as I think about the man who has my heart.

He's going to go crazy trying to find me.

I know that for sure. I sniffle into the sleeve of my sweater, wishing I had something warmer.

"Hello?"

I freeze at the sound of a tentative female voice. "Olivia?" I whisper.

"Yes."

Dizziness overwhelms me as I push myself upright and look around the small room. In a far corner, I see Olivia huddled into herself.

Focusing on her, I recognize the pink slacks and white blouse with pink flowers that she wears. She also looks older than a teenager, which is how I thought about her after listening to Maddox.

“He had another woman. Made us switch clothes. He let her go.” Olivia crises softly. “Why her and not me?”

I wince. “At least you’re still alive.”

She blinks and stares at me in shock. “She’s dead? How? He wasn’t gone long and when he returned, he brought you in here.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“He took me with them in a truck. He let her go alongside a road, and then drove off. He brought me back here. I suppose he could have gone back after her when I slept. But he was here when I woke up. He gave me breakfast and then left. He was only gone a short time before he returned with you.”

If that is true, then the timeline is totally off because Samantha was found yesterday.

My head aches as I rub my brows.

Olivia tilts her head. “How do you know who I am?"

“Searchers have been out in the forest trying to find you."

"I'm surprised my father bothered reporting me missing," she says sarcastically. "Then again, he won't want to lose his slave.”

I frown, wondering what she means. "Olivia, does your father abuse you?"

She softly cries and nods. "And the others."

"Your brothers?" I feel sick.

"Yes."

I drag myself across the ground because I don’t have the strength to stand. When I'm within arm's reach of the woman, I take her hand. "When we get out of this, I want you to tell the sheriff everything, okay? He is a good man. His brothers are too. They will protect you."

"We're not getting out of this alive," she whispers. "He's crazy."

“Do you know who he is?”

She shakes her head in response.

"How many rooms are down here? We're underground, right?"

"I think so. I'm not sure. I’m blindfolded when he takes me outside.” Olivia lifts her head and wipes her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve, leaving muddy streaks on her face. Considering the situation we're in, I figure that's not bad.

A loud noise comes from the other side of the door, and our eyes meet. "He's coming," she whispers, her hands starting to tremble. "Don't look at him."

Metal on metal hisses through the door. When I notice the door starting to open, I force my gaze to stay steady.

The man is as huge as I remember, wearing a hockey mask on top of a Spider-Man mask.

My mouth goes dry as he steps into the room, scanning the area with his eyes.

Olivia's grip tightens on my hand, and I can feel her fear radiating off her in waves.

We both know our chances of escaping this madman are slim to none.

"Say bye-bye, girls."

Fear claws at my gut as he rushes me, grabs my hair, and covers my face with a rag once again. I try to fight it, but I can't. I need oxygen and try to gulp it down, but everything goes black.

When I wake up, I feel warm and fuzzy, and I have a terrible headache. My body aches and feels stiff, and I hear a beeping sound nearby. I force my eyes open, but they close again due to the bright light.

"Turn off the light," Maddox says.

How can that be?

I sense the light fading, and then I hear him again. "Open your eyes, Sofie. You're safe now. Garrett’s turned the lights off. Come on, baby. Let me see those gorgeous eyes."

"Maddox?" I whisper.

"Open your eyes," he says softly.

I flutter my eyes open and see his face hovering close to mine. I burst into tears and reach for him. He pulls me close, and I feel dampness on my neck. "You're here? Wait! Where is here? Where am I?"

Maddox pulls back, swipes at his eyes, and rests his forehead against mine.

"You're in the hospital in Anchorage. Hunter and the two feds found you in the middle of the fire road.

They called it in and got you airlifted here.

I've never been so grateful for anything in my life as I was when I got the call that you were safe. "

"Olivia?" I ask, but I'm met with confusion. "Olivia was there with me. You don't have her, do you?"

"Only you." Maddox kisses me softly, then drops into the chair beside the bed and holds my hand. "You're not leaving my sight."

“It's all a bit fuzzy around the edges, but I tried to fight back. I didn't have the strength. Wherever he took me, that's where Olivia is. We have to find her."

“Her family is still looking for her. Branson and the feds are trying to follow leads, but they haven't found anything yet. They sent some of the clay from your sweater to the FBI lab to see if they could narrow down an area to search.”

Olivia's words came back to me, tightening my hold on Maddox's hand. "Her family abuses her. When she's found, you need to make sure Branson doesn't let her father or brothers near her. Promise me."

"We'll talk to Branson, okay? I promise we’ll keep her safe.”

I settle back against the pillows, my eyes focused on Maddox. I'm aware that we're not alone in the room, but I didn't think I'd see him again.

My eyes fill with tears and Maddox becomes blurry. He brushes my tears away with his thumbs, but more fall.

I tug him close. "I need you to hold me," I mumble.

"I'll give you both some privacy," Garrett says. He brushes a hand along my arm. "I'm glad you're okay, Sofie."

Maddox takes off his boots, climbs onto the bed, and takes me into his arms. "I've never been so scared," he admits.

"It was strange. I really thought he would kill me. Yet I'd only been awake for about ten minutes when he came back and knocked me out again. Why would he take me and then let me go so quickly? It seems like a lot of messing around for no reason."

Maddox kisses me on the forehead and stays silent, holding me close.

I feel safe in his arms.