Unraveled (Love in Salem, book 2) (29 page)

“Do you remember how I used to punish you for your disobedience?”  His mouth was close to her ear.  His breath was warm against her throbbing cheek.  “It will be ten times worse from now on.  Think about that during your downtime.”

Atayla listened to his footsteps as he left the room and slammed the door closed.  He obviously didn’t worry about anyone hearing her since he didn’t muffle her cry.  That meant calling out for help wouldn’t work.

She knew one thing for sure, though.  The only way he was going to get her obedience was through death.  Until then she was going to fight him with every ounce of her soul.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Aidan pulled off the side of the road and got out of his SUV.  He walked back towards Halliday and Larson’s car.  The window rolled down at his approach and he leaned into the vehicle.

“You need to take this unmarked road,” he pointed the dirt road ten feet ahead of his SUV, “and drive about four miles out.  The house will be on right hand side.  There isn’t any landscape, it’s all sand, so he will see you coming.  You won’t be able to sneak up on him.  Nobody lives there, so there isn’t any reason for someone to stop by either.  He will know why you are there.”

“Everything will be fine.  We will get her out of there.  The sun will be going down soon, and it is dark as pitch in the desert.  We’ll park far enough back that the vehicles won’t be seen and walk the rest of the way.  Once it is dark we will strike.  By the time he realizes we are there we will already be inside and hopefully have Atayla secured.”

Aidan nodded his head.  “I’m going to turn around and head back to that storage facility we passed just inside the city limits.”  He gave Halliday a pointed stare.  “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

“I’ll call.  You have my word.”

Aidan walked back to his SUV and got inside.  He used the same road he pointed out to the detectives to turn around and headed back the way they came.

Halliday looked over at Larson, both practically vibrating with anticipation.  They were psyched up and ready to rumble.  They had Vegas SWAT behind them for the infiltration and rescue. 

“He was right you know.”  Larson told his partner.  “There is no way we would have found the place.  None of these roads are marked.  Without Aiello, our only hope would have been with SWAT knowing the area well enough.”

Halliday put the car back in gear.  “Let’s get this over with.  We shouldn’t have long until go time.  By the time we get there it should already be dark.  I don’t want that young woman to wait on us any longer than necessary.”

Three miles down the road they pulled off and shut down the engines.  The plan was to get as close as possible on foot without being seen.  With the vast expanse of flat desert sand they had a clear view of their target.

Unless Wellington had a pair of binoculars and had been watching for their arrival, the cars were small enough that they couldn’t be seen at that distance.  With the rapidly setting sun, they weren’t too worried about being spotted during their approach.

Silently, the men hurried towards their destination.  By the time they arrived the desert was dark, and they were able to surround the house.  The lights were on in many rooms allowing them to see inside and scope out the area to see what they had to work with.

Wellington was spotted at the bar in family room downing a shot of liquor.  He seemed calm and collected, completely unaware that he was now surrounded.  The objective now was to locate Atayla for extraction.             

‘Clear’ was heard several times via their communication devices as each window was secured and rooms checked.  So far there was no sign of her.  Static was heard over
Halliday’s ear piece before a voice permeated the white noise.

“Southwest corner.  Upper level.  Hostage located.”  From one of the SWAT.

“Can you gain access?”

Silence stretched out for what seemed like minutes when in reality it was only seconds.

“I’ve breached the window.  Access gained.  Moving in for extraction.”

“Affirmative.  You heard him men.  Get in there and secure that son of a bitch.”

Doors burst open and SWAT quickly surround a stunned Randal Wellington.  They had him face down on the floor and handcuffed before he even knew what had happened.  Halliday and Larson ran up the stairs and across to the southwest corner of the house.

They entered the bedroom in time to see a SWAT member wrap a blanket around Atayla’s naked chest.  She stood near the closet, positioned there for easy cover in case Wellington decided to start shooting.

“The target is secured.”  Halliday stated.

Her eyes were wide and terrified as she swung her gaze towards the door.  A large bruise was forming on her cheek, and blood had dripped down her mouth and onto her chin.

“Are you alright, Miss?

Atayla tugged at the bonds around her sore wrists.  She had no doubt it was blood that she felt trickling down her forearms.  She wouldn’t give up though.  There had to be a way to break free.

A gasp escaped her and she swiveled her head towards the window when the sound of it opening caught her attention.  A man wearing a black mask put his finger to his lips ordering her to be quiet.  She didn’t know who he was, but she was willing to take her chances that he was here to rescue her.

She listened carefully for the sounds of Randall’s approach and prayed that she would be long gone before he realized something was amiss.

The man in black cleared the window then whispered into some sort of microphone attached to his person.  Slowly, seemingly harmlessly, he adjusted his scary looking gun until it hung across his back.  He crept towards her, once again putting his finger to his lips as a sign to remain quiet.

Tears overfilled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, so overwhelmed and relieved was she to be rescued so quickly.  Her ordeal would soon be over, and she would once again be back home in Aidan’s arms.  The relief was so great a sob escaped her before she could control it.

She slapped her lips together in a tight line to prevent it from happening again.  Her body shook at the force of her rampant emotions, shock setting in and sapping her remaining strength. 

Then man reached down and took the edges of her shirt and used it to cover her naked breasts.  She hadn’t even realized Randall had destroyed her bra along with her shirt. 

“It’s alright.”  He whispered.  “Keep it together just a little bit longer.  Once I get you out of here you won’t have to be strong any longer.  But I need you to be able to help yourself get out of here.  I can’t carry you and protect you at the same time.  Understand?”

Atayla nodded her head vigorously and somehow found the strength to keep herself from falling apart.

Once the ties binding her wrists were freed she pulled them close to her body and leapt from the bed.  She could handle the situation better on her feet than flat on her back.  The man guided her towards the closet.

“My name is Justin.  I work for Vegas SWAT.  I need you stay here in case you need to take cover.  If you hear shots I want you to tuck yourself into the corner of the closet.  I’ll cover you from out here.”

He grabbed the throw blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders to cover her naked chest.  She had forgotten to hold it together after she flew off the bed.

“I’m hoping my team will have the target secured so you can walk out the front door, but if the worst happens we are going to have to go out the window.”

“The target is secured.”

Atayla turned wide, terrified eyes towards the voice that practically shattered the tense silence of the room.  The man took her in from head to toe.

“Are you alright, Miss?”

Atayla shook her head.  “Can we leave now?  I really need to have a break down.”

“Of course.  There is an ambulance on the way, and I have a phone call to make.  Your boyfriend insisted on being here for you and I need to let him know that you are alright.”

He turned towards Justin.  “Take her outside, but keep to the right of the house.  The offender is still waiting for his escort to lockup.”

Justin nodded and wrapped an arm around Atayla’s waist to help steady her as he led her out of the bedroom and down the stairs.  She gladly accepted the strength that he loaned her so she could make it out on her own two feet.

Atayla crossed the threshold of the house and watched as a police car pulled up and Randall was placed in the back.  Then she saw the most glorious sight in the world.  Aidan’s SUV pulled up into the spot the police car had just vacated and then it didn’t matter how tired she was.  She couldn’t keep from launching herself towards his vehicle.

The door opened and Aidan stepped out.  He was a beautiful sight for sore eyes and when he swung her up into his arms she knew she had come home.  Never in her life had she been happier than at that moment.

Aidan kissed her through her tears.  He ran his hands over her body to ensure that she was alive and whole.  She gasped a breath when he finally broke the kiss and buried her face in his neck.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, knowing she wouldn’t be able to speak through her tears.

“Miss Parker?  The ambulance is here.  You need to let the Paramedics take a look at you.”  Someone said from behind her.

Aidan didn’t put her down, instead carried her over to the waiting ambulance and laid her upon the gurney that had been pulled out of the back of the vehicle.  She grabbed onto Aidan’s hand when he began to back away, not wanting to let go.

He moved to stand next to her head to stay out of the Paramedics way as they assessed her.  Other than the bruising on her face and raw flesh on her wrists, knees and palms she came out of her ordeal almost entirely unscathed.

Since she had suffered two separate blows to her head, one causing her to lose consciousness, they had insisted that Atayla be taken to the hospital.

Atayla shook her head.  “I don’t want to go to the hospital.  Please, Aidan?  I just want to go home.”

“Sorry, baby doll.  I won’t take any chances.  If they say you need to go, then you need to go.”

Lt. Halliday walked up to them.  “It will make this easier on all us if you get checked out.  I’ll need a statement from you and I can do that while you at the hospital.  Plus I’ll need a copy of your medical record to put in my report.  This information is crucial for the case we are building against Mr. Wellington.”

Atayla sighed.  “Alright.”  She looked up into Aidan’s eyes.  “You are going with me, right?”

“I’ll be with you the whole time.  I promise.”  He looked over at one of the Paramedics.  “What hospital are you taking her to?”

“Franciscan South.  Do you know where that is?”

Aidan shook his head.

“He can follow me.”  Halliday stated.  “I know where it is.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

Aidan carried Atayla into the house.  Bill held the door open while Carla and Abby rushed down the hall to pull the covers down on the bed.  The women helped him change her out the borrowed hospital scrubs and into a nightgown.

It was like Deja vu.

Once they had her settled in bed and tucked in the three of them walked back into the kitchen where Bill stood with three bottles of beer open and ready for consumption.  Bill handed Carla a glass of juice and kissed her softly.

Aidan fisted his beer and took a generous swig.

“Thank you for being here for her.  She would have appreciated it.  She just couldn’t stay awake any longer after her ordeal.”

“She’s our friend, Aidan.  We will always be here for her.”  Abby explained.

Aidan nodded, knowing it was the truth.  And he was glad they were here to help keep him strong as well though he didn’t want to admit it.

“Don’t worry about the legal part of all this.  I already have an attorney for her on retainer and Lt. Halliday already made sure she signed a release for all her medical information and the police reports.  He is going to make sure a copy of everything goes to Parkavich.  He is a damn good lawyer.  He’ll make sure Atayla gets her justice.”

“Why can’t you handle it?  I trust you.  I don’t even know him.”

Bill laughed.  “I wish I could.  It would be conflict of interest since she is not only my employee but a good friend as well.  I trust him, okay?  I wouldn’t have chosen him if I didn’t”

“You’re right.  Sorry.”  He blew out a breath and dry washed his face.  “It’s been a really long day.”