Shoved (Moonlit Lake Matchmaker #4)

Chapter 29

STORM

After helping Serena and the rest of the committee clean up and put away chairs, I held out my hand to her. “Shall we?”

She looked at my outstretched hand, hesitated a moment, and then placed her hand in mine. My heart swelled, eager to get her alone and to pick up where we left off last night. I squeezed her hand before leading her to my car.

As we walked through the snowy parking lot, she said, “So, it looks like you get to be my holidate, after all.”

“Thank God! You don’t know all the horrifying thoughts that went through my head as that bidding was happening.” My body shuddered at the thought. “And when your mom made that suggestive remark after making that last bid… my heart stopped, and I threw up in my mouth. I don’t understand why she had to play it that way, and didn’t just tell us what she planned to do.”

“That’s my mom, always trying to amp up the drama whenever she can.”

“Well, at least it worked out.” I tugged on her hand to pull her closer to me and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Is that okay with you? It sucks that your mom is taking off, but I would love nothing more than to have you and Sadie join my family for Christmas.”

“Hmm… let me think about that. Your mom is a fantastic cook. And Sadie’s already pretty settled in there. I guess we might as well join you.”

“Actually, since I am your holidate, you get to decide what we do, as long as we’re together. If you want to spend the holiday at your place. We can do that. I’m at your disposal.”

She reached up and kissed my cheek, her lips lingering enough to warm my skin. “I appreciate that. Let’s talk to your parents when we get there and see what they say. I don’t want to impose on your family traditions.”

“I can tell you already what Mom’ll say. You saw the stockings she hung for you and Sadie on the mantle. As far as my mom’s concerned, you and Sadie are already a part of the family. She’d be disappointed if you weren’t with us.”

I held Serena’s hand the whole way to the farm, not wanting to let go of her for a second. Feeling like a giddy teenager who finally scored a date with the most gorgeous girl in school, I found myself stealing glances at the amazing woman in the seat next to mine as I drove. Sure, we’d already had one date, but this seemed different. We’d be spending the holidays together, as a couple. Or as a non-couple, according to our earlier agreement. Whatever we were, it felt right.

We pulled into the driveway, and I got out of the car, hurrying to open the door for Serena. As I reached for the door handle, Serena’s eyes on the other side of the glass widened with fear. And then pain explode across my skull. I’d been hit with something hard. I couldn’t breathe. But I still found the voice to protect Serena.

“Lock the doors!” I croaked. “Stay in the car!”

Too late.

Strong harms held me tight and pulled me away from the car. Where another man opened the door and dragged Serena out.

I struggled in my attacker’s tight hold, blinking away the stars tripping across my vision. I couldn’t break free.

That was not nearly as important as Serena, her screams muffled by a gloved hand slapped over her mouth. The man who had her was dragging her toward the barn. My attacker dragged me right along behind them. I broke one arm free long enough to elbow him in the nose, but he banded my arms to my sides before I could do anything more damaging or escape. He muffled curses as he shoved me into the barn right behind Serena and shut the door quietly behind us.

Serena’s gaze flashed between me and her attacker. He had a gun, and he pushed her up against the wall with it, pressing the barrel to her head. She sobbed, and I froze, unable to move knowing what that man might do to her.

Then adrenaline spiked, and I tried to pull free of my captor’s hold. “No, don’t hurt her. Tell me what you want. I’ll get it for you.”

He pulled her away from the wall, holding her wrists locked together with one hand, the gun trained on her with the other. He leaned in close and spat, “We want the money her husband owes us.”

Serena tried to wiggle out of his grip. “My husband is dead, and I don’t have any money. I’m a single mom living paycheck to paycheck.”

If all they were after was money, maybe they could be bought off or at least negotiated with. It was worth a shot. “How much do you need? Maybe I can help you. Let her go and we’ll talk business. Just us men. I’m Storm, and you are?”

“None of your beeswax,” the one holding me growled.

“Alright. Since we’re so close,” I turned my head and sniffed, “I can tell you must be Stinky Stan.” He tightened his grip on me, apparently not pleased with my nickname. “And your friend over there must be…” I looked at the guy holding Serena. He was short and balding, with tattoos on his neck. “Well, you kind of remind me of Danny Devito, but not as bright. I’ll call you Dopey Dan.” Dan’s face and bald head flushed bright red, and he looked ready to explode.

Antagonizing them might not have been the best move, but I hoped it would cause them to make mistakes that helped us escape. They didn’t seem like the brightest bulbs on the tree.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of movement. Lulu snuck into the barn on the other end. I kept talking and prayed the thugs wouldn’t notice her. “What did her husband owe you money for, anyway?”

“He borrowed money from the boss, but never repaid it. Big mistake. And it’s been collecting interest all this time. Now the boss is calling in the debt. One way or another.” Dopey Dan ran his slimy finger down Serena’s face. She cringed but didn’t move.

A chill ran down my spine, and another jolt of adrenaline spiked through my system. I’d die before I let him take Serena or hurt her in any way.

If I could keep them talking, it might buy us some time, if nothing else. “So your boss just wants money. I can help with that, but only if you let her go.”

Dopey Dan shook his head. “No way. If I let her go, she calls for help and we go to jail. I can’t let that happen. Not this time.”

Okay, so he’d been in jail before. Not a surprise. I could work with that. “What was your plan? Did you think she would have the money in her pocket? Or hidden out here in the barn?”

The thugs looked at each other, hoping the other would answer. Clearly, they hadn’t thought this through. “We’re not tellin’ you our plan.”

“Okay, fair enough. Let’s say you get the money for your boss, risking your life and possible jail time. What do you get out of it? It better be good for all you’re risking here.”

“Shut up. Doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, but it does matter. Especially if you already have a criminal record. We already know you’ve been stalking this woman for days, and tonight we add to that aggravated assault, criminal threat with a weapon, kidnapping. Do you really want to keep adding on offenses?”

“What’re you, a lawyer or somethin’?” Dopey Dan glowered.

“I am, and if you take my advice, I can get you out of this mess you’re in and avoid going back to jail. I’m probably your only hope. Because right now you’re each looking at ten to twenty years, more if you let this escalate. I’m sure you don’t want that to happen. Right?”

Stinky Stan yanked my arms back further, causing me to wince. “Shut yer mouth. You don’t know nuthin’.”

Just then, the gate to the goat pen flew open behind the thug holding Serena, and our biggest goat head-butted him in the backside. Dopey Dan flew through the air, arms flailing until he landed face first in a pile of manure. He’d dropped the gun on the ground in front of Serena. She was about to retrieve it when Stinky Stan turned his gun on her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

The rest of the goats were now jumping about the barn, excited to be free, climbing on hay bales, and all over. One of them jumped onto the workbench and pushed a full metal bucket of feed over the edge. It landed on dopey Dan’s head, knocking him down again. Goats and chickens descended on Dan, jumping on top of the thug to chow on the feed. He yelled and kicked his arms and legs but was unable to get up.

It was pandemonium.

Stinky Stan still had a strong hold on me, despite my attempts to wiggle free. I tipped my head toward the mess Dan was in, and warned Stan. “If you don’t want that to happen to you, I’d take off and run. Save yourself.”

“If I go, I’m taking you both with me.” With the gun still trained on Serena, he motioned for her to sit on a hay bale. “Sit there with your hands behind your back.”

She slowly did as he asked. He looked around and made a move to grab a rope from a hook on the wall a couple of feet away. I took the opportunity to elbow him and flip around to pull his arm behind his back. Goats still had Dopey Dan pinned on the floor.

Serena grabbed Dan’s gun off the ground and, with shaky hands, she pointed it at Stinky Stan. “Drop your gun. Or I swear I’ll shoot you right now.”

“I don’t think so?—”

Lulu leapt out of the throng and latched onto his leg. Two hens attacked at the same time, with one of them landing on his arm and the other on his head. The one on his arm began pecking at his gun hand. He dropped it, kicking his arm and legs to try to shake the animals off. As soon as the chickens flew off, I jerked both of his arms behind his back and pushed him face first into the wall.

Sirens sounded, and I heard a car pull into the driveway. The barn door flew open, and Evan and two other deputies came in with guns drawn. My dad was right behind them.

I let out a sigh of relief as the deputies cuffed and arrested the thugs. “Perfect timing. How did you know?”

Dad stepped into the barn and looked around at the mayhem. “We had security cameras installed last year to alert us and the police of any suspicious activity out here. We’d had some trouble with theft and decided to install them, so I didn’t have to patrol the farm at night.”

“Thank goodness you did.”

“Lulu, here, knew something was wrong before the alarm went off. I thought she just had to go outside, but she took off for the barn. That’s when I checked the surveillance and called the police. I had my shotgun ready to come out there, but when I talked to Evan, he told me to stay put. He said I could get us all killed, so I stayed inside, praying that was the right call. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if something had happened to either of you. Thank God, you’re okay.”

The deputies read our captors their rights before dragging them off to the squad cars. Evan turned to Serena and I. “Those guys were the ones who have been stalking Serena. One of her neighbors turned in footage of them sneaking around her house and peeking in the windows a couple of days ago. We’ve been watching for them and hoping to catch them in the act. I’ll be back in a minute to get your statements, if you don’t mind.”

I rushed over to Serena and held her tight to my chest. “Are you okay? When he pulled a gun on you, my heart stopped. I don’t know what I’d have done if they would have hurt you.”

She was still trembling as she clung to me. “I’m fine. Just glad it’s over.”

I ran my hand over her head, shoulders, arms, making sure she wasn’t hurt. When I was certain she was unharmed, I held her face in my hands and crushed my lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me with just as much urgency.

There was one good thing that came out of the whole ordeal—it helped me to see the truth with crystal clarity. I loved this woman and never wanted to let her go. She and Sadie were my future. My home.

I just hoped she felt the same way.