Holiday Hostage

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

“ T ime to wake up, princess.”

The rough timbre of Bryce’s voice pulls me from the sleep I’d succumbed to about half an hour into the drive, but I still haven’t opened my eyes. I don’t want to wake up because when I do, the reality of my situation is waiting for me, and I’m not ready to face it yet. His large, strong hand is surprisingly soft despite the calluses I can feel when he brushes my bedhead hair from my face. With a content groan and nuzzle in, I refuse to open my eyes and drag my nap and denial out as long as I can.

“Princess.” Bryce makes a noise that sounds almost like a growl but with an edge of pain behind it.

My eyes flutter open, and I shift again, only to realize that my head rests on Bryce’s lap and that is most definitely not a gun pressed against my temple. A gasp escapes my lips, my mouth hanging open a little as I blink, surprised by Bryce’s reaction to me.

“Not helping.” His gaze locks on mine, those glacial eyes darkening as they track their way down to focus on my mouth.

“We’re here.” Koda breaks whatever tension is building between me and Bryce, climbs out of the truck, and slams the door behind him.

Well, at least one out of three doesn’t want to kill me. Which means my chances of survival are about thirty-three percent. Fifty-fifty would be a hell of a lot better, but the jury is still out on where Eli stands as far as I’m concerned. On the other hand, Koda isn’t having any trouble expressing his feelings on the matter. And he is not a fan. I need to win them over if I have any shot at convincing them to let me go.

Except I have no idea how I'm supposed to do that.

I roll off Bryce’s lap, wiping my face with the back of my hand to check that I hadn’t slept with my mouth open and drooled all over myself. After sitting up, I scooch across the back seat and take Bryce’s offered hand to brace myself as I hop out of the truck.

Here is nothing like I would have expected for our destination. Not that I could have gleaned anything from the drive with my eyes closed. They might as well have blindfolded me for all the clues I gathered during my nap. Though the fact that they didn’t comes as a surprise.

“This is…umm, nice.” Nice? Nice. Like they invited me to hang out after school and this is my first glimpse of their parents' house instead of being held as a hostage.

“Yeah, it is.” Eli laughs and shakes his head. He’s waiting at the top of the porch steps leaning against one of the support beams with his arms crossed over his chest, but tilts his head to the side as if something just occurred to him. He unfolds his arms, reaches for his mask, tugs it off, and shoves it in the front pocket of his black cargo pants. “What did you expect?”

Shit. Now I’ve seen all their faces. Under different circumstances, I wouldn’t complain. Hell, I might sit back and admire the view because the three of them are gorgeous. Like if they flashed a dimpled smile and winked at the bank tellers, they would have happily handed over all the money in their cash drawers without being held up at gunpoint. But these were not the circumstances when you ogle a man—or three—and take in every detail. These are circumstances when you are better off forgetting.

Sort of like the question Eli just asked me.

“What?” I ask, realizing too late that I was staring at him.

“What kind of place did you think we’d be hiding out in?” Eli’s smile lights up his face, warming his brown eyes. “I’m curious.”

“I mean, an abandoned warehouse or a garage maybe?” I stopped ogling my captors and took in the scenery around us.

The log cabin looks old and rustic, but it’s clear from the electrical lines running to it that it has modern conveniences and at least one skylight. There are acres and acres of land without a neighbor in sight, and the property is filled with massive pine and cedar trees. It’s picturesque, a place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A place to when you need to get away.

Or a getaway place.

“This is real life, not some low-budget action movie.” Eli shoves his hand in his pocket, pulls out a different set of keys, and unlocks the front door. His broad shoulders fill the doorway before he slips inside.

“Kind of feels like everything’s been ripped straight out of a script to me. Bank robbery, car chase, all that’s missing are a few explosions and an epic fight scene,” I mutter, unable to stop the flinch when Bryce places his hand on the small of my back and nudges me toward the house.

He leans down, lips brushing my ear when he whispers, “I made you a promise, remember?”

All I can do is nod my answer and acknowledge his promise. My breath is trapped in my lungs, and any words I may have said are stuck in my throat over his proximity.

“Move your asses. We’re exposed out here,” Koda barks, clipping Bryce’s shoulder as he passes us and trusses up the front steps.

“Ladies first.” Bryce gives another little nudge and guides me into the cabin. He drops his pack on a solid wood dining table with a clear epoxy finish and natural bark edge that looks like it's been made of a single slab. He nods toward the couch in the center of the cabin. “Might as well get comfortable, princess. We’re going to be here a while.”

“I have a name, you know.” With a hard pivot, I slip out of his reach and plop on the couch with a huff.

“Seeing as we’re going to be here a while,” Eli interjects, “maybe we should get to know each other a little better.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Koda throws his pack on the floor beside the dining table, pulls out one end of the bench that runs the length of the table, swings one leg over, and sits straddling the end. “It’s a hostage situation, not a social visit.”

Inside the cabin is an open floor plan. The kitchen has shelves mounted on the walls in place of cabinets with newer stainless steel appliances running along the right side. Hooks in an L-shape take up a third of the back wall and lead to a set of French doors that I assume open to a deck along the back of the cabin. A butcher block island with a couple of stools separates the kitchen from the living and dining areas. There are floating stairs running up the left wall leading to a loft and what looks like a hall leading to a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom.

Bryce, Eli, and Koda are spread out, sitting or standing in different sections of the open layout. It’s not because they can’t stand to be around each other. It’s purposeful and strategic because they expect me to put up a fight or make a run for it.

At some point, I will, but I need a plan first.

“You already know our names.” Eli picks up the conversation again when I let it drop. “And like you said, you have a name that isn’t princess, so why don’t we start there.”

“Laiken.” I shift on the couch, adjusting my position and craning my neck, stopping to meet each one in the eye as I scan the room. “My name is Laiken.”

“Pretty unique name for a pretty girl.” Eli flashes a smile, and the hint of a dimple makes an appearance on his left side. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before. Does it mean something?”

“It’s Dutch. My grammy said it means from the lake.” I rub at the spot over my heart, the source of the ache I’ve felt ever since she died, but it never helps.

“Lady in the water, huh? Like something out of an Arthurian legend.” Bryce’s smile, though dimple-free, is just as stunning. He scratches the stubble along his jaw and tilts his head. “You said you were at the bank because of a loan, right? They denied it?”

“My bakery…well, it’s not really my bakery. I mean, it is now. It was my grammy’s. She built that business from the ground up. She started selling cakes and pies out of her kitchen to help make ends meet when I was little, and then when the orders got too much for her to handle with one oven and a hand mixer, she signed a lease, and the rest is history. She left it to me when she died.” I rest my elbows on my knees and prop my head in my hands, letting out a deep sigh as if that might expel the exhaustion and failure I feel every day down to the marrow of my bones.

“I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. Are you running the business all by yourself? No family or friends helping out?” Eli mirrors my pose, giving me his full attention.

Bryce seems equally interested, listening as if he didn’t already hear my sob story back at the bank. Koda, not so much.

“It’s just me. Grammy was all the family I had left. My mom died when I was four, and I never knew my dad. He left town before my first birthday. Grammy raised me by herself after that. I’m trying to do right by her with the bakery and her house, but I’m not doing a very good job.” I suck in a ragged breath and swipe at the tears flowing down my cheeks. “It’s still Grammy’s bakery because business just isn’t the same without her. I worked side by side with her since I was old enough to hold a whisk, but the secret ingredient to all Grammy’s recipes was love. She loved what she did, and you could taste it. I make a better assistant than an actual baker. That loan was my last shot at keeping the bakery up and running.”

“Sorry to hear about your grandmother.” There’s a flash of sadness in Koda’s eyes as if he’s all too familiar with loss, but it’s gone so fast I wonder if maybe I’m just seeing things that aren’t really there.

“Yeah, that’s gotta be rough, being on your own and taking over the business like that...” Eli offers a sympathetic smile. “I'm sorry you didn’t get the loan. Maybe they’ll feel bad you were caught up in a robbery while getting denied for a loan and change their mind.”

“Me too, Laiken. I’m sorry about your grammy and the shit going on with the bakery.” Bryce holds my gaze for a moment like there’s more he wants to say, but seeming to think better of it, he looks away, shifting his attention to the view outside the kitchen window instead.

I don’t know if it’s the stress of the situation or their unexpected kindness, but I can’t sit here under the weight of their stares a second longer.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I exclaim, shooting up from my spot on the couch. My bladder is in agreement but that particular need isn’t as pressing as the one to escape this conversation.

“Oh, yeah sure. Come on, I’ll show you where it is.” Bryce escorts me to the half bath, surprising me when he not only leaves me alone in the room but allows me to shut the door. I expected stricter surveillance as a hostage.

Necessary business concluded, I catch my reflection in the mirror while washing my hands. I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me. She’s different from the girl who left the house this morning. My last shred of hope for keeping Grammy’s memory alive is missing from my hazel eyes. But the difference in my appearance from before she got sick until today is staggering, and it’s painful to admit I haven’t paid attention until now. I’ve been too busy taking care of everything but myself. The short blond hair I rocked in high school has grown into an unruly bob. My complexion is fairer, and my cheekbones are more pronounced. I’ve lost weight, and I’m washed out. The vibrancy of my youth is abandoning me way too soon.

Death and desperation have a way of doing that, I suppose.

A light draft in the room pulls my attention to a window above the toilet. I could climb out and make a run for it. But to where? I have no idea where I am or where the nearest town is. I have no money, no supplies. The only thing I would leave here with is the clothes on my back, and it doesn’t take a trained survivalist to figure out my chance of making it alone on the run through the woods isn’t good.

Bryce promised they weren’t going to hurt me. I must be crazy because I believe him. How long does it take for Stockholm syndrome to set in? That’s the only logical explanation for my decision to open the door and go back out into the living room instead of climbing out that window.

Koda is leaning against the wall opposite the bathroom door, arms folded over his chest.

I let out a gasp, damn near jumping out of my skin when I see him there. “You scared me half to death.”

“Thinking about making a break for it and calling the cops?” He arches a brow and examines me with his intense dark eyes.

“Truth?” I ask, hovering in the doorway, too afraid to take a step forward or back.

“No, I’d prefer you lie to me,” Koda deadpans, holding me in place as he continues to rake his gaze over my body.

“I thought about it.” The corners of my mouth curve down in a little frown, and I shake my head. “But I wouldn’t get very far. I’d get lost or injured, or one of you would catch me. Probably a combination of all three.”

“Pretty and smart.” Koda encircles my wrist with his large hand and leads me back to the living room and his partners. “You might survive this yet, princess.”