The Ties That Bind: A Scarecrow and Mrs. King Continuing Story Book 1

Chapter 25

Day 15

Pain rippled through her body in wave after wave of agony. She could feel the blood dripping from her arm, but couldn't tell how much of it she was losing. Her heart was beating a heavy staccato rhythm, and she needed to try to lower its tempo. But he was here. Lee was here.

She still didn't know how many days it had been since she'd first woken up in this hellhole, but she'd known she couldn't last much longer without going insane. She'd about given up hope. But then she'd thought of Lee again – and of their baby.

She had stayed sane by cataloguing her 'firsts' with Lee. The first time they'd met at the train station, the first time they'd pretended to be married, their first kiss playing their cover on the job when Lee went undercover as a football player, the first time she'd thought he might have feelings for her when he'd climbed into her bedroom window to warn her about an Italian terrorist, the first time he'd kissed her because he wanted to after the American terrorist, Steven Sallee, was killed in the Hotel Monroe, the first time he'd told her he loved her on the phone before they went on the run from the Agency...the first time they'd made love.

But she didn't want just 'firsts' with Lee. She wanted 'seconds' and 'thirds' – she wanted forever. She'd also known that in order to have that forever, she was going to have to wait. Wait and survive.

She had just begun waking up again when his voice had floated down the stairs to her ears. She'd known it was him the moment she'd heard it, but there was someone else with him – a woman. Ah, yes. She knew that voice, too. June.

As the voices came closer, she was able to distinguish words. Enough to know that Lee was walking into a trap. And she knew the moment he realized she was here because he called out her name. Everything happened quickly after that. Fred's voice appeared out of the darkness, and the cage door opened. She hadn't expected the tug on her blindfold that made it fall away from her eyes. She'd turned her head toward Lee's voice, and there he was. She'd known it was him, even though her eyes were struggling to adjust to the light. Hope blossomed in her heart; he was good at what he did for a living – he was going to get them out of here.

Then had come the swift, unexpected, searing pain. She'd nearly passed out. It had taken all her effort to stop herself from throwing up, but with the gag over her mouth, she didn't dare; she'd end up choking on her own vomit. She'd closed her eyes in an effort to swallow the pain and control her breathing; but, desperate to see her husband, she'd opened them again...and had seen something move in the shadows...

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Amanda's eyes were rivetted on him, but then her glance flickered toward the stairs before coming back to him again. That was his girl! The team must be standing by – or at least part of it. They knew to wait for his signal, but he had to get Fred talking first so they could bring down Davy, too.

He decided to try a different tactic. "June, listen to me." Again, he didn't take his eyes off Fred. "Do you really think Fred is going to let either of us out of here alive?" He spared a quick glance at her.

"Don't listen to him June," Fred interrupted in a tight voice. "He knows we've got him beat, and he's trying to manipulate you."

"Who's the one trying to manipulate you, June?" Lee kept his tone relaxed, but he knew time was running out. He had to get one of them talking. "June, you're smart; think about what's happening here. He's not on your side."

That got her attention. "What do you mean, 'he's not on my side'?"

"He's not going to allow either one of us to live long enough to be witnesses, June. He's just using you to do his dirty work." Lee glanced over at Fred. The gun was still pointed directly at Amanda. "I figure you're paying him for his help, right, June? Shouldn't you be the one calling the shots?" Lee winced inwardly at his poor choice of words. "It sure looks like Fred thinks he's the one in control here."