The Hijacked Bride

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

SHE WAS PANICKING. She could feel that they were almost in Dorchadas. And once they were there, what would she do? What would her captor do?

Monika had thought herself braver than this. But every time she thought of slipping off Little One's rump and disappearing into the forest, she would freeze and become unable to act upon the thought. What if Hayes hunted her down, as he had done last time? What if he punished her for running away? What if he killed her on the spot? No, there had to be a better course of action.

She could knock him out before she ran away. But then again, she would have to be able to do that. And, she thought, as she looked at his broad back, she wasn't quite sure that she was capable of it. What would she use, anyway? A rock? The butt of one of his own daggers, maybe?

Hayes had not spoken much throughout the entire day. It was nearing sundown, and the only time he had said anything to her was when they'd stopped to eat something.

"Your dress is torn," he had informed her, unloading the knapsacks from Little One's back.

For the first time since she had been kidnapped, she had realized that she was still in her nightdress. Embarrassment tinged her cheeks. What a sight she must be! And how dare Hayes! To have taken her away in this state, with no change of clothing. To have taken her at all!

"I wonder whose fault that is," she retorted, even as she self-consciously fingered it. The tear was just below her knee. She must have ripped it when she'd attempted to get away from him yesterday. "Tell me something. What do you want? Why are you doing this? Does someone hate me so much that they'd wish your company upon me?"

He had smirked at her outburst. She had scowled at him. He had said nothing.

Monika sighed and tried to scoot back in the saddle, away from Hayes, wiping a sheen of sweat off her brow. She had to do this every few minutes so that she wasn't in full body contact with him.

Suddenly, through the gleam of the sun lowering itself in the sky, she became aware of a man ambling along the path in their direction. Her heartbeat thumped loudly in her chest, so loudly that she was sure Hayes could hear it. This could be her chance. Surely, the man might have a heart and help her. She just had to wait for the right moment to call out.

Hayes didn't seem to pay any attention to the stranger at first, but as they neared him, he flicked the reins to get Little One moving a bit faster. Monika had to speak now, she knew, before they moved past the man.

"Help!" she cried, the sound of desperateness in her voice. Little One's ears twitched as it rung out. "Help me, please!"

It took a few moments for one of three things to happen. First, Hayes realized what she was trying to do, and tried to get Little One to canter. Second, Little One decided that now was time to prove she had a stubborn streak, and for that Monika was grateful. And then finally, the man seemed to notice that she had been talking to him.

"What's this, eh?" he called out to them. "What's going on 'ere?"

"Please, sir, this man is holding me captive!"

Hayes didn't like her defiance. He spun in the saddle and placed a heavy hand over Monika's mouth, quieting her as Little One came to a stop. "Don't say anything else," he whispered to her, his breath hot on her neck and his tone dangerous.

Then he let go of her, and turned to offer the man a wide beam, one that completely transformed his face. So, she thought. The ogre knows how to smile. Her hands were still shaking from the obvious threat in his voice when he'd spoken to her, and she couldn't reconcile his charming grin with what she'd seen of him so far. It was somewhat crooked, and yet still appealing.