Page 85 of Keeping Kara

Kara didn’t bother to respond, not that she could.

Nolan laughed again, an eerie sound that made the hair on Kara’s arms stand up. He was insane, and he was going to find pleasure in hurting her.

She still believed Arrow would find her. He just needed to hurry.

As Nolan began to turn the car, her phone rang. She’d dropped it when Nolan had grabbed her around the neck, and it was currently buzzing and ringing away at her feet. After the ringing stopped, it immediately started again.

It was Arrow.

Kara knew that deep in her heart. He’d already figured out that something was wrong, thank God. He was on her trail, and she’d do whatever was necessary in order to live. For him. For them.

“Fucking asshole,” Nolan grumbled.

Then the phone in Jen’s purse, which was also next to Kara’s feet, began to ring.

Nolan slammed on the brakes, mumbling under his breath, making Kara’s heart rate spike. Was he going to hurt her now? Kill her?

But he ignored her as he reached down between her legs. He grabbed Jen’s purse and quickly found her phone, which was sitting near the top of the bag. Then he reached back down for Kara’s. He turned them both off, then threw them out the window, into the same muddy water where he’d tossed Jen.

Without a word he put the car back into gear, completed his turn, and started driving back to the main road.

Kara’s hopes plummeted. The sound of those rings had given her hope. Made her more determined than ever to stay strong. To endure whatever Nolan had in store for her.

She took a long, slow breath. She wasn’t giving up. She couldn’t. Not now. Not when she was happier than she’d been in a very long time. Kara needed to stay alive to tell someone what he’d done to Jen. Where he’d left her.

Determination swelled within her. Nolan had fucked up in coming after her. It would be the last thing he ever did. He wouldn’t get a chance to hurt or kill anyone else after Arrow got his hands on him.

She’d never been a bloodthirsty person, but she couldn’t wait for Arrow to find her and rid the world of a psychopath like Nolan Colins.

His time was coming. She just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

* * *

Jen kept her eyes closed for what felt like hours after she heard her PT Cruiser pull away. She had to make sure Asher—no, Nolan, was really gone.

Everything hurt. Her face, her ribs, her legs. He’d beat her badly, but she still felt extremely lucky…because it was obvious his intention was to kill her.

He’d been impatient though. Too excited about seeing Kara again.

Jen felt sick. And like a complete fool. She’d fallen for the man’s bullshit, and all along he’d been using her. Pretending to like her in order to get information about Kara. To spy on her. No wonder he’d always had something come up and could never meet her friends.

He’d called and asked if she’d meet him at Stumpy Lake Natural Area for a hike, and she’d eagerly agreed. She hadn’t been able to see him much, supposedly because of his work schedule. She’d brought Fred with her, thinking that they could do some training. That maybe Asher would want to participate.

Fred hadn’t been too fond of him, but Jen was sure that if he could just spend more time around Asher, the dog would become more comfortable. That was stupid on Jen’s part. She should’ve known that if Fred didn’t like the man, there had to be a reason.

Asher had smiled in greeting when she arrived, and they’d walked into the trees along the path.

As soon as they were alone, he’d punched Jen in the face.

She’d been utterly stunned, which gave him the chance to pick her up and carry her back to her car. Fred had barked and growled and jumped at Asher, but he’d kicked her beloved dog every time he got too close.

He’d thrown her into the driver’s seat and put a knife to her throat, telling her to drive. She’d had to leave Fred behind, and the last time she saw him, he’d been running after the car desperately. It broke her heart…

But not as much as when Asher told her to call Kara, to ask for her help looking for Fred.

It hit her then that she’d been used. That Asher wasn’t Asher…he was Kara’s ex. That he didn’t care about her.

All the lovely things he’d said and done, how beautiful he’d made her feel, it all disappeared in a puff of smoke.