Runaway Heiress (22 page)

              She found an exit sign and stepped through the door, taking a deep breath of fresh air. It was much better smelling than the antiseptic smell of the hospital. She stepped further out and looked around, trying to figure out where she was. It looked like she was on the backside of the building. She started walking along the covered breezeway, figuring she had a ways to go before she made it back to the E.R. entrance.

              “Bree,” someone called. She tensed as she looked around. She was being ridiculous. There was no way any harm could come to her in a public place. There were people all around her.

              “Bree,” the voice called again and she turned, sighing in relief when she saw Charlie running up to her.

              “You scared me, Charlie,” she said with a relieved chuckle.

              “Sorry about that. Everyone is looking for you. It seems you made the great escape,” Charlie said with the same grin she remembered from their childhood.

              “I didn’t mean to. I just wanted a few minutes to myself before having to sit in the crowded waiting room again,” she explained.

              “I understand. It’s still pretty intense in there. Do you want to walk down by the pond? I’ll send Trenton a text and let him know where we are so they stop worrying,” he offered. She knew she shouldn’t. Chad was going to be having a cow. But then she tensed her shoulders and decided she’d like that very much.

              Chad was going to have to get used to her having a mind of her own. They were on hospital grounds and she wasn’t alone, she was with a family friend.

              “That sounds perfect, Charlie. Make sure you let Trenton know, though, so the lecture isn’t too bad when we get back,” she said. Charlie took out his phone and typed in a message, before placing it back in his pocket.

              Charlie stuck out his arm and Bree placed her hand through it and followed him along a flower strewn path. She could hear birds chirping and smiled in delight when a squirrel ran right in front of them and scaled a tree. It turned and made noises at them as if they were disturbing his home.

              Bree laughed aloud at the expression on his face.

              “I learned this hospital inside and out when my dad was here last year,” Charlie said as they moved further away from the hospital. The closer they came to the pond, the more peaceful Bree felt. She hadn’t realized how much stress the building placed on her.

              “I heard about that, Charlie. I’m so sorry you lost him,” Bree responded. So many unnecessary deaths. His father had only been fifty when a truck driver had slammed into his small car, putting him in critical condition. He’d hung on for three months before his body finally gave out.

              “It was a hard time,” Charlie said quietly. She squeezed his arm, offering her support.

              They continued in silence until they reached a small stream that fed into a nice pond. There was a family of ducks swimming in it, and a couple benches on the side. No one else was around, which Bree was grateful for. She didn’t want to make small talk with strangers.

              “I can’t believe you’re pregnant,” Charlie murmured.

              “I know, me either,” Bree replied, rubbing her hand across her flat stomach. If she had a bump, it would all seem more real.

              “You know, I’d do anything for you, don’t you,” Charlie said as he turned and pulled her close to him. Bree started to feel a bit uncomfortable with the intimate gesture. She had to remind herself it was Charlie, Trenton’s best friend for more years than she could remember.

              “I know, Charlie. You’re like a brother to me,” she answered as she tugged against him, trying to subtly let him know she wanted him to let go. Instead of responding to her signals, he pulled her tight against his body, and she felt her stomach turn when she felt his erection pressing against her.

              “I could be so much more than that, Bree,” he said as he quickly bent his head and covered her lips with his.

***

              “How is dad?” Austin asked as Trenton stepped through the doors.

              Chad looked behind him, but the doors shut without Bree following. He stepped forward, wanting to know where she was. He waited for a minute before walking up to Trenton.

              “Is Bree staying with your Dad?”

              “No, she’s right behind me. She had to use the bathroom. I think she just needed a minute to herself. I wanted to get out here so the next two could go back,” Trenton answered.

              “That would be me and Esther,” Joseph said, not giving anyone else a choice. He took Esther’s arm in his and they made their way through the double doors.

              “I think we may be having another wedding here pretty soon,” Trenton said as he watched the two of them disappear.

              “You may be right,” Lucas said with a smile. “You didn’t say how your dad was.”

              “I don’t like seeing him hooked up to those monitors, and he looks too pale, but he’s a fighter. I know he’s going to pull through.”

              “That’s what we needed to hear,” Lucas said as he patted Trenton’s back.

              Chad continued to watch the door. He was getting a bad feeling in his gut, and if Bree didn’t get out there soon, he was hunting her down.

              As he watched the clock, deciding she had five more minutes, the doors opened and Joseph stepped out with Esther at his side. She looked teary eyed, but not as concerned as she’d looked before going in.

              Chad waited for Bree to come with them. The doors once again closed with no sign of her.

              “Did you see Bree?” Chad asked.

              Everyone turned, alerted by his tone.

              “No, she wasn’t in the hallway,” Joseph said, his forehead creasing with worry.

              “We need to do a search,” Chad commanded, his body on instant alert. No one argued with him. The stalker still hadn’t been caught, and they weren’t taking chances.

              “We’ll go through the E.R.” Mark said.

              “I’ll alert security and see if they can spot her on the cameras,” Lucas said as he walked to the front desk.

              “The rest of you span out. Check all the doors and the parking lot. You all have my number if you find her,” Chad said as he rushed out the front doors. He tried not to panic. She most likely had just stepped outside for fresh air. He knew she couldn’t stand the smell of the hospital. He tried calling her, but in their haste to get to the hospital, she’d left her phone at the ranch.

              Chad tried reassuring himself that even if she had gone outside, there was no way for the stalker to know she was there, or be able to kidnap her with security everywhere. If he could shake the bad feeling, he’d feel a whole lot better.

Chapter Seventeen

              Bree fought against Charlie as he defiled her lips, trying to access her mouth. She tried to tell him
no
, and that gave him the opening he was looking for. His tongue snaked out and slipped inside her mouth.

              She gagged as he assaulted her. She couldn’t figure out what had gotten into him. His hand crept down her back and gripped her backside, tugging her hard against his body, as he thrust his hips forward, forcing his arousal against her.

              “Stop!” she yelled when he released her mouth. She grabbed at his hair, pulling his head so he’d get the clue she didn’t want him kissing her.

              “What are you doing?” she demanded.

              “I love you, Bree. I always have and always will,” he said as if it were obvious. “I’ve waited so long for you to be ready for a relationship, and then you get knocked up by that complete piece of crap. I can be your husband and raise your child. He isn’t deserving of you. He doesn’t know you like I do,” Charlie said in an impassioned speech.

              “Charlie, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this isn’t what I want,” she told him.

              His eyes darkened in rage and he reached his hand up and slapped her hard across the face. Bree felt fear spike through her as she fought not to black out. Who was this man she thought she knew?

              “Do you think you’re too good for me just because I don’t have as much money as your family? I’ve always been there for you, Bree. We just need to get you away from here. I figured if things started happening and you got scared, you’d need me. I could be your savior, rescue you from the crazy stalker,” he said. His eyes were wide as he made his speech. Bree realized he wasn’t exactly stable at that moment.

              “Charlie, I’m sorry. You’re right, we really need to sit down and talk. I haven’t been very good to you lately – too self-absorbed,” she said, willing to do anything to get them back in sight of other people. She never should’ve walked off with him.

              His shoulders relaxed at her words, but she knew she wasn’t out of danger yet.

              “I’m really worried about my father right now, Charlie. Can we stop by and see him, then we can leave and talk about us?” Bree asked in what she hoped was a convincing voice.

              “No, we can’t go back in there. If we do, Chad won’t let you leave. Can’t you see how obsessed with you he is?” Charlie asked as he shook her, making sure she was listening to him.

              Bree thought that was rich, him calling Chad possessive, when he’d been stalking her, breaking into her home, and had her held against her will at that very moment.

              “I know, Charlie. He doesn’t give me time alone, but we can sneak in the back door, and I can peak in on my father. I don’t even have to go in the room with him,” she pled. If she could just get inside the hospital, she could notify security and get away from the psychotic man.

              She saw him considering her request, so with her stomach turning at the thought of touching him, she reached her hand up and cupped his cheek, trying to act reassuring that she actually cared about him.

              He bent down and kissed her again, and she forced her body not to tense. She was so close to him taking her back. He pulled her tightly against him once more and she fought the tears wanting to fall. If he saw even an inkling of her disgust, he’d never let her in public again.

              He pulled away and looked in her eyes, then his narrowed.

              “You almost had me fooled. You’re just trying to get away from me. If I take you back in there, you’re going to run away. I know you’ll come to love me, though. I just have to get you away from Chad and everyone else for a while,” Charlie roared.

              He grabbed her arm and started leading her around the pond, farther from the hospital. If he got her too far, she knew her chances of survival became slimmer than they already were. She started fighting against him, but he just pulled harder, laughing like he enjoyed her terror.

***

              Chad ran through the parking lot of the hospital grounds, searching for any sign of Bree. He checked each car as it passed him, looking for anything unusual. Nothing! It was like she’d disappeared without a trace.

              His phone rang.

              “Tell me you have good news,” he barked into the mouthpiece.

              “Security footage showed she exited the back door about twenty minutes ago,” Trenton said with hesitation. Chad tensed.

              “A man met her outside; they chatted for a few minutes, then walked toward the trail at the rear of the hospital. The trail leads down to a serenity pond for visitors. Chad, I saw the footage – it was Charlie. I don’t know if anything is wrong, but I just… I can’t imagine she’d just disappear like that, not with my Dad in here like this…” Trenton trailed off.

              Chad changed direction while still holding the phone to his ear.

              “How well do you know Charlie?”

              “I’ve known him since high school. I don’t… there’s no way… I can’t imagine him being involved in any of this. Maybe, somehow the stalker found out she was here and ambushed them,” Trenton trailed off.

              Chad could hear the pain in Trenton’s voice. Trenton didn’t want to admit it, but it looked like they may have found their perpetrator. His stomach turned as he thought about the man with her. He should have done a better background check on him, but he was Trenton’s friend… Chad didn’t have time for excuses. He had to get to Bree. Hopefully, she was just sitting at the pond, visiting with an old friend, but his gut told him that wasn’t the case.

              He found the trail and silently ran down it.

              “I’m coming out. We’re right behind you,” Trenton said before disconnecting the call. He knew Chad was close and wouldn’t say anything further.

              He shouldn’t have let her out of his sight at the hospital. He could’ve escorted them to the room and waited outside. He had many
what ifs
running through his head, but he knew those didn’t do him any good.

              Chad felt his adrenaline kick into high gear as he neared the pond. He heard Bree cry out and his body went into fight mode. He had his answer. She was in danger.