Chapter 18

Maddie twistedand slammed her elbow into her attacker"s stomach. He bent over, and she jammed her elbow up into his throat. She hit again and tore away from him, but just as she got free, another man grabbed her. Move. React. Instinct. All her dad"s training roared to the surface, and she moved without even thinking, terror screaming silently in her mind, galvanizing her.

Violet was scratching at the back door and howling, but she was trapped inside.

"Get off me, you asshole!" Piper fought back just as hard, and she hit her attacker in the balls. He fell, but dragged her down with him.

Maddie went for the shin, but he sidestepped.

Behind her was her flower delivery van, with the door open. Ready for her. She twisted and screamed, but his hand went over her mouth, cutting off her air.

He flung her at the van, but just as she hit it, the back door of her store burst open and Lucas and Violet bolted into the alley. Violet went right for the throat of the man who"d gotten her, and Maddie screamed when he pulled out a gun.

"Not my dog!" Adrenaline surged through her, and she launched herself desperately at him with strength she"d never had before. "Violet!" Maddie slammed into her attacker with her shoulder, knocking his gun aside as he pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the side of her building harmlessly as Violet sank her teeth into his wrist and dragged him down. Maddie scrambled out of the way.

Lucas hit Piper"s attacker in the head with his gun, then swung at the third man, taking him down in one lethal strike. He then spun and ran to the man who Violet was attacking. "Call her off, Maddie! Call her off!"

Maddie ran over to Piper as she called her dog. "Violet! Come!"

The hours of training worked, and Violet immediately released her attacker and ran over to Maddie while Lucas grabbed him and pinned him to the ground.

Seconds later, it was over.

Lucas looked over at Maddie and Piper, his knee still in the back of the man Violet had attacked. "You two all right?"

Maddie nodded, and Piper sat up. "We"re good," Maddie said.

"Call the cops." Lucas felt the man"s pockets, and pulled out zip ties. At the sight of them, Maddie went cold.

Piper grabbed her hand, and the two women looked at each other as Lucas put the zip ties to work on the men who"d planned to use them on her. Maddie quickly called 911, reporting the break-in as Lucas secured the men.

By the time he was finished, Maddie was shaking. The adrenaline was fading, and she was starting to freak out. "Piper and I will wait inside?—"

"No." Lucas strode over to them, his back to them as he faced the store, his gun by his hip. "Someone hit me from behind. There"s still someone else around."

Oh, God.

He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Declan. We got hit. You good?" He listened for a moment, then swore. "Get out of there. Tell your pals on the force that we"re leaving the scene. Got it?"

Maddie bolted to her feet. "Is my dad okay?"

Lucas nodded at her as he continued to talk to Declan. He rattled off an address, then hung up. "My truck"s in front. Let"s go around, not through the store."

Maddie felt like she couldn't breathe. "Go around front? What if they"re there?"

"They could be anywhere. I want you out of here. We need to take control." His attention was still focused on the shop. "Let"s go. Maddie, hold Violet"s collar. I don"t want her taking off."

Lucas was pure focus, all business, and Maddie realized he hadn"t been lying when he said he could handle this.

She took a breath. She could handle it, too. Her dad had trained her for this. She grabbed Piper"s arm. "Let"s go."

"You bet." Piper scrambled to her feet. Her face was pale, but she was maintaining her composure as well.

The four of them hurried around the building, staying close. Maddie kept looking over her shoulder, and she saw Lucas was doing the same. Violet was pressed up against her leg, and Piper was close.

Silently, they made their way around to the front. Lucas"s truck was parked by the door, only a few yards away. They all scanned carefully as they headed toward the truck. "In fast," Lucas said, unlocking the passenger door only.

They all climbed in quickly, and he locked it behind them.

The minute they were inside, Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. Almost there. She watched Lucas as he hurried around the front of the truck, still looking around. He got in, and then locked the truck and started the engine.

As he pulled away from the curb, Maddie twisted around, searching the streets for any sign they were being followed, but she saw no one. "You think the fourth person took off with their truck?"

"Looks like it, but I"m not counting on it," Lucas said.

Piper scanned the streets as well. "Do you see anyone following us?" she asked.

"No, but we"ll make sure." He hit the gas and careened about a corner, then spent the next several minutes engaging in slightly terrifying driving as he made it impossible for anyone to follow them without exposing themselves.

Maddie braced herself and looked at Piper. "Are you all right?"

Piper managed a grin. "Anytime I don"t get shot at during an altercation, I feel like I"ve won."

Maddie relaxed slightly, grateful for Piper"s past, which made her a little more resilient than Keira or Tori might have been. "Fun night, huh?"

"Girl bonding is the best," Piper agreed.

As they spoke, Lucas hit the speakerphone on his dash.

This time, Maddie recognized Dylan"s voice when he answered. "What"s up?"

"Les found us."

"Shit. How?"

"I don"t know. Four guys jumped us at Maddie"s store, intending to kidnap her. Someone tried to kill her dad, but I had a man with him, so they"re out and on the run."

"Where are you headed?"

Lucas glanced in the rearview mirror at Maddie. "The jet. We need to get out of here until we can figure out how Les found her, and how to track him."

"The jet?" Maddie sat up. "We"re running away? I don"t want to run away."

Lucas ignored her. "I"m bringing Maddie and her dad to the ranch."

"The ranch?" Maddie leaned over the seat. "We"re not running away. The Vales don"t run. We fight."

Dylan chuckled. "I"ll let you deal with Maddie. I"ll get everything set up. See you soon."

"Bring medical."

"Got it." Then Dylan hung up.

"I don"t need medical." Maddie balled her fists. "Lucas, you don"t get to control my life?—"

"Your dad was shot, Maddie."

Maddie felt her gut plummet, and she grabbed Piper"s arm. "Bad? Is he going to be okay?"

"Yeah, but he needs treatment. I don"t want him in a hospital around here. They might find him, and he"ll be defenseless."

Maddie felt like she was going to throw up. She"d stormed out on her dad, and now he"d been shot? Tears filled her eyes. "Lucas, is he?—"

"He"ll be fine, Maddie. Declan is a trained EMT. He handled it for the moment." Lucas was driving fast, skidding around corners. "Piper, we"re going to meet up with Declan and Maddie"s dad. Declan will drive you home and keep an eye on you, but I don"t think they know who you are."

Piper took a breath. "I"m sure I"m fine. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time." She squeezed Maddie"s arm. "We"ll clean up the store tomorrow and handle your flowers. You go be safe."

"No, you can"t be at the store," Maddie protested. "What if they come after you?"

"They don"t want me," Piper said. "But your store has to go on."

"No—"

"I"ll send people to watch the store," Lucas said. "Piper, don"t go there until I text you that we have coverage. Les"s men may be watching the store for Maddie to come back."

Maddie and Piper looked at each other, then suddenly, Piper grinned. "At least now you get to face your demons. It"s so satisfying. That dude probably will never use his wrist again." She patted Violet"s head. "Good doggie."

Maddie managed a smile. "I"ve been waiting for a fun night like that my whole life."

"Right? Your dad taught you all those self-defense skills, and you had nowhere to use them. Until now. Yay, you."

"And you got to kick some butt, too."

"Right? Girl power is always awe-inspiring," Piper said.

"Totally." But even as they tried to lighten the mood, Maddie couldn't stop thinking about how much trouble she"d have been in if Lucas hadn"t been there. Her attackers had managed to get Maddie away from her dog, and if she"d been alone, she wouldn"t have been able to save herself.

But Lucas had been there. She hadn"t been alone. It had all worked out. "Hopefully, the cops will get some answers from the three we left behind."

Piper nodded. "You don"t have to wait and wonder. You have Lucas and his entire family plotting how to protect you. Les and his pals don"t have a chance, and finally, after all this time, the threat will be over. When you"re done with this, you"ll be free, Maddie. Finally free."

Maddie"s throat clogged and tears suddenly blurred her vision. To be free? Truly free of the past that had stalked her for so long? To no longer have to fear the shadows and the unknown?

She couldn't even imagine what that would be like.

But she wanted it. She wanted…her gaze went to Lucas. What did she want?

"There they are." Lucas whipped off the road into a busy parking lot. "Less than ten seconds to make the switch, ladies. Maddie, you and Violet stay in the car. Piper, with me."

As he swung into a parking spot beside a big, black pickup truck, Piper pulled Maddie into a hug. "Have fun," she whispered fiercely. "You"re about to get an all-expenses paid vacation to a billionaire ranch with a hot guy."

"Fun?" Maddie laughed. "I"m running for my life."

Piper winked. "Not at all. You"re running to your life. Big difference, sweetie. Huge!" Then she gave one last hug as Lucas put the truck in park. "Keep in touch!"

Maddie grinned as Piper jumped out of the SUV with Lucas, slamming the door shut behind her.

Maddie draped her arm around Violet"s neck, suddenly nervous to be alone in the vehicle, even though Lucas and Declan were only a few feet from her.

Dammit.

She didn"t want to fear being alone again. She wanted to be stronger. Not weaker.

Then she saw Lucas helping her dad out of Declan"s pickup truck, and her heart seemed to freeze. "Dad!" She lunged for the door as they reached it.

Her dad gave her a gritty smile as Lucas guided him in. "Maddie?—"

"Dad!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him, unable to stop the flood of tears. "I"m so sorry I left mad. I know we never do that. I"m so?—"

"I"m sorry too, Peanut." Her dad held her tightly as Lucas got in the front and hit the gas.

Her dad grimaced in pain as he held her shoulders. "Maddie, girl, this is it. We can do this."

She nodded through the tears. "But you"re a wimpy old man who can"t even handle working at a flower store right now."

Her dad burst out laughing as she knew he would. "And you"re a dreamy girl who can"t function without her dog. What chance do we have?"

She grinned and leaned against his shoulder, hooking her pinkie through his, as they had so many times when she was growing up. "We don"t need chances. We have us."

"And me," Lucas said. "I"m not just a good-looking chauffeur, you know."

Maddie and her dad looked at each other, then they both burst out laughing, even as her dad grimaced in pain, making her heart tighten. "You"re not that good-looking," Huck said. "But as I always say, if they don"t find you handsome, they better find you handy."

"Then I"m a double winner," Lucas said. "Because I"m both."

Maddie grinned. "Confidence is beautiful."

"It is," her dad agreed, putting his arm around her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Mads."

"I love you, Dad." She frowned at him. "Were you really shot? How bad is it?"

He squeezed her arm and winked. "A little nick on my leg. Not as bad as I"ve been shot before. It"s been a long time. Kind of nice to be back in the game."

She raised her brows. "Of being shot?"

"Of feeling alive."

"Oh." Her stomach tightened again, that little guilt demon who tried to tell her that it was her fault her dad had given up the life that made him shine. She refused to listen when it tried to whisper in her ear that she wasn"t worthy, that she wasn"t enough. Not when she"d come so close to losing him already.

She wasn"t going to listen to the noise in her head.

Instead, she was going to ground herself in this moment, and the second chance she"d been given with her dad.

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, one hand tucked through his arm and the other wrapped around Violet, holding tightly to the two most precious things in her life.

And she was putting them both, and herself, in the hands of a stranger.

A knight in shining armor?

Maddie opened her eyes and watched Lucas drive. He was speeding down the highway, his gaze constantly searching behind them, around them, ahead of them. This man, this stranger, was committed to keeping them safe.

Why? Because his brother had passed through her life briefly a long time ago?

That didn"t even make sense.

But at the same time, it did. Maybe she was crazy. Or maybe she was starting to understand Lucas a little bit.

Maybe she was understanding him a little too much, because there was something about him that was making her want things she didn"t want…like falling in love, like trusting a man, like giving it one more try.

She didn"t want to try.

She wanted her life back, the freedom she"d never had before.

Freedom. And that included not being tied down to a man who would want her to be anything other than herself…because she hadn"t found herself yet, either, and it was time.