Quinn’s Battle (Team KOA Bravo #4)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Dahlia drove away from the ranch, doing her best not to think about counterfeiting, relationship availability, military commitments, or much of anything else. It had been a tense few days as Quinn and the guys waited for word from the Secret Service. The folks running the operation finally called a meeting and Quinn was eager to be included and get an update.

After much discussion, she’d been cleared to drive herself to and from the bar this evening while the guys coordinated with the authorities.

The independence was an emotional boost for her, even though Quinn assured her he’d be back in time to tail her home.

He’d said home, meaning the cabin. She hadn’t pointed it out, though it felt like home to her too. This situation with Quinn was day by day and she couldn’t read too much into any single comment.

Her feelings for him had kept growing. She was helpless to stop it, but vowed to cope. At least she and Quinn were back to normal, having fun and conversing freely. They’d even taken a bike ride, with Flint in a chase car. Not quite as romantic as the picnic, but the change of scenery had been refreshing. She adored the way Quinn soaked up every detail she shared about Hawaii’s history.

She should scold herself for becoming too attached, but couldn’t muster the energy. He was all she could possibly want in a man. Strong, funny and handsome. It was a winning package. His integrity and character sang to her. And his commitment and dedication honed through years of military service was the cherry on top.

Everything about Quinn exemplified devotion to a cause. Was he perfect? For her, yes.

She still had no idea if he’d be around next week. If the Secret Service didn’t make a move soon, would she be handed off to a new bodyguard?

If anyone asked, she’d gladly confess she wanted Quinn. Wanted to have a chance to see what kind of magic they could create together without time pressures or old baggage. But that was letting her heart run away with romantic notions.

He hadn’t given her any sign that his view on relationships was changing. He made no false promises or claims. In fact, he was one of the most upfront guys she had ever met. She liked that. Direct and clear.

And he remained clear that he wanted her. A sizzle zipped through her veins. She wanted him in equal measure. Probably always would. This time it was a familiar twinge around her heart. She wanted so much more than he was offering and she didn’t know how long she could hide it.

Her hands trembled and she pulled the bike to the side of the road. She wasn’t going to risk driving distracted. What a time to realize she was in love. No more maybes. It was an absolute truth. She was irrevocably in love with a man who might not even be here next week.

What do you want? The echo of Moana’s query days ago was relentless. Every answer was reliant on Quinn.

She had to find a way to reframe this before she fell apart or pressured him. He didn’t deserve that. Flipping up the visor on her helmet, she wiped her eyes, shocked to find herself tearing up.

Usually she was on the listening end of some heartbreaking story of love gone wrong. Of course, she and Quinn weren’t actually wrong. They weren’t together or breaking up. She was overthinking it.

What if he didn’t stay? Who cared if he returned to the SEAL teams? She wasn’t opposed to a long-distance relationship. Or whatever term wouldn’t send Quinn into a tailspin. It was probably something she was overdue to try.

Bottom line, she didn’t have to live these next few days with a countdown clock in her head. It would work with Quinn or it wouldn’t, but she had loads of memories to savor regardless.

Steadier now with common sense and logic dialed in, she flipped her visor down and resumed her trip to the bar. Her shift wouldn’t be the same without his sexy grin but that only allowed her to build anticipation for seeing him later.

It was awesome to spend time with a man who was absolutely confident that he could complete any task assigned to him. Whether it was hauling cases of beer into the cooler or sheltering her from trouble, Quinn moved like a man convinced he would succeed.

As she approached the scenic curve just ahead of the bar, she heard a powerful engine coming up behind her. A bigger vehicle, she sensed the size before it even came into her rear view.

The driver of the panel truck kept accelerating until it was right up on her back tire. She moved aside, hugging the narrow shoulder to let him pass. But he didn’t. He stayed on her, too close for her to maneuver. Slowing down would only cause more problems and she didn’t want to cross the center line.

The front bumper tapped her tire and the bike spun out from under her. Off the road, into the trees. Damn good thing she knew where she was and how to handle her motorcycle or it could have been a whole lot worse.

As it was, she was scraped up and a little dizzy when she came to a stop. That was nothing compared to how mad she was. The truck hadn’t even stopped.

“What the hell is wrong with people?” she shouted into the twilight.

She looked down at her bike and swore. This would require some serious time in the shop. At least she wouldn’t be reordering a custom seat again. Reaching for her phone, she was relieved to find it undamaged. She called the bar to let them know she’d be a few minutes late.

“Afraid I can’t let you do that.”

She spun toward the voice and got caught by a man she didn’t recognize. The tribal tattoos along his forearms were the only distinguishing feature as he yanked a black fabric bag over her head and hauled her toward the road. His hold was too tight, pinning her arms to her sides, squeezing the air from her lungs. She couldn’t scream. Couldn’t drag in a full breath. She kicked and tried to squirm, but she was outmatched.

Disoriented, she thought she heard shouts and footsteps. “Help,” she wheezed. “Please,” she begged.

She heard a door rolling up the track and fought harder, only to be thrown onto a cold metal floor. Before she could react, the bag was cinched tight and a plastic tie cuffed her wrists.

The door rattled and slammed into place. She heard the lock, the low voices telling the driver to go.

She flopped like a fish as the truck picked up speed. She had to find a way out. There had to be a way to survive.

Then a more terrifying thought struck her. What if Quinn and his friends were in danger? Was the meeting another instance of bad intel? Had they been led into a trap? Emotion swamped her. Quinn and the others had come here to avoid trouble and she’d only managed to bring more into his life. It sucked.

She had to find a way out.

“Don’t do this,” she begged. Was anyone even back here with her? “Let me out. I swear I won’t tell anyone about this.”

A mean laugh was the first response. “For a bartender, you talk a lot.” He slapped something against the bag, pressing hard over her nose and mouth. The sharp odor stung her throat, made her eyes water. “But that’s over now.”

And then her body stopped cooperating and the world went dark, his awful words echoing in her head.