Free Saving Me (Finding You #3) by Amanda Mackey Page A

start to worry when it rang out and went to the message bank.
    I should be at our new home unpacking, excited about the new life Kyle had given me, not held hostage in my deranged ex-husband’s car on the way to face some sort of cruel punishment that he called ‘affection.’ The thought of his hands, mouth, or any other body parts on me was enough to invoke the darkest of fears.
    It was quiet for ages. Houses, offices, parks, and life in general passed by with no interest to me whatsoever. Cars that drove beside us had no idea I was traveling against my will with a violent criminal. I called him a criminal because that’s what he was. Nothing less suited him.
    In a controlled voice he asked, “Did you like the anniversary gift I hand-delivered?”
    It had been him all along! In disguise! Holy hell. He’d managed to fool everyone, thrusting me into a false sense of security. “How…? Why…?”
    “How did I get to the top floor? Why did I deliver it? Well, let’s start with the why first. I’m deeply disappointed in you, Dakota. Shame on you to have forgotten our anniversary. Haven’t I always brought you roses? Why should this year be any different? We’re still married, after all. Are you annoyed it was dried and not fresh?”
    He didn’t even wait for my response, probably knowing he wasn’t going to get one. The sound of his voice was making me feel sicker than I already was.
    “That rose traveled all the way from our garden back home. I thought it would have far more meaning if I hand-picked it from our own collection. Don’t you agree?”
    I gripped my head, wishing he would just shut up. He was talking too much. I needed silence so I could think clearly. It didn’t seem to bother him though as he kept going.
    “My brilliant disguise was compliments of a friend of mine who has security clearance to the building. He owed me a favor. So you see, everything has worked out just perfectly.”
    I sat in my claustrophobic bubble praying that a truck would cross lanes and hit us head-on.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    Kyle
     
    I had been looking at my watch every five minutes and decided it was time to call. Pressing Dakota’s cell number, I listened to the accentuated dial tone that seemed to get louder with each second she didn’t answer. I’d told her to keep her cell with her at all times and she had hands-free in her car.
    Damn! Why wasn’t she picking up? It had been two hours since she’d left to get the necklace. That was plenty of time even with heavy traffic.
    I swallowed hard, feeling a stab of apprehension in my gut. Something wasn’t right, I could feel it with everything I had.
    Moving upstairs to Daniel’s room, I made the decision to go look for her. “Hey, pal.”
    Daniel looked up from the book he was reading on his bed. “Hey, Kyle. I love my new room! It’s so big and the view of the ocean is amazing!” He got up to go over to the window to look out and I followed, grateful to see the boy so happy.
    “It’s great, isn’t it? I’m so glad you like it. Someday soon I’ll teach you how to surf.”
    Daniel spun around and was beaming. “Really?”
    “Yeah, really.” I put my hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze. “Listen, champ, we need to go for a ride. It’s probably nothing but I just want to make sure Dakota hasn’t broken down somewhere. I thought she’d be home by now. We’ll do a quick trip over to the apartment just in case.”
    Daniel was too smart to take my explanation at face value and had obviously read into it when his smile suddenly turned into a glower.
    “Do you think something’s happened?”
    “No! I’m sure she’s on her way home as we speak but I just want to make sure. Maybe her cell need to be charged. Don’t worry, okay? Everything is fine. We’ll leave a note in the kitchen in case she comes home while we’re out. Grab your shoes and meet me at the car.”
    I prayed she would be back when we returned and that