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came
from the front seat and he glared at the back of Deringer’s head.
“As for calling your mom, that’s a definite no. Nobody can know.
It’ll just put them all in greater danger. Your mother is a
fabulous lady, but do you really think she’d be able to keep this
to herself?”
    Tonya didn’t bother to answer, they both knew
the truth: Anita Stephens was many things, but discretion wasn’t
her strong suit.
    “Regardless of all that, I’ve got to go home.
I appreciate you guys trying to rescue me and all, but I can’t do
this.”
    “You need to come with us.”
    “Oh, you have got to be kidding. I think I’d
rather take my chances with the bad guy.” As she said it, she
realized she actually meant it. When they’d first showed up at the
hotel she’d been so freaked out by being attacked twice in one day
she hadn’t really been thinking clearly. Even though she was still
terrified, there was something she feared even more -- Nate. Even
after all these years, being around him had the same effect on her
-- made her want to curl up with him in the nearest bed and not
come out until spring thaw. It was ridiculous. The man had
abandoned her like yesterday’s news, but the urge to kiss him was
almost overwhelming. Pathetic.
    “Onion, you don’t mean that. You’ve got to
cooperate with us. There’s no other way,” Nate said, reaching out
and grabbing one of her flailing hands.
    Tonya struggled to pull her hand away. Pure
rage coiled in her belly and she fought against him like something
possessed. When he wouldn’t release her she swung with her left
hand and connected with the side of his face with a satisfying smack . His head snapped in response to the blow and he gave
her a long look.
    “Okay, I probably deserved that.” He grabbed
her hand when she swung again. “Look, you have every right to be
pissed at me but we don’t have time for this right now. If beating
the hell out of me will help you feel better I promise you’ll have
ample opportunity, but right now you’ve got to come with us.”
    Tonya watched as the outline of her palm
reddened his cheek, a bit ashamed at what she’d done, but he was
right he had deserved it. “I’m not going off to God knows
where with someone I haven’t seen in forever. You might be crazy,
but I’m not. Now please take me back. I don’t know what I was
thinking when I left with you in the first place.”
    “We can’t do that. Please calm down.We’re not
going to hurt you, but you’ve got to do this.”
    “No way,” Tonya said, suddenly realizing that
they’d pulled into another alleyway and the vehicle was no longer
moving. The light had dimmed considerably once they turned off the
street and she strained to see.
    “I didn’t want to do this...” Deringer said
as he turned, reached over the seat and touched her bare arm with a
small electronic device.
    Nate reached for Deringer’s hand, but he was
just a half second too late. Tonya heard a strange clicking sound
and there was a cool sensation on her arm as the gizmo zapped her.
She had a brief moment of panic as she assumed the man was using a
Taser on her, but there was no pain and she sighed in relief.
Before she could ask what they were doing, she became light-headed
and quickly realized that she’d been drugged. Her vision grayed and
tunneled in, and she tried to form words, but she couldn’t get her
mouth to work properly. Even a scream was impossible, the dizziness
became more pervasive and she could barely discern either man’s
face in the dim light. Then she knew nothing more.
    * * * * *
    Tonya awakened slowly. Aware only of an
incredibly deep thirst and a head that throbbed incessantly, she
reached for the carafe of water she kept on her bedside table and
quickly realized she wasn’t at home. That’s when she noticed the
voices. Nate and Deringer were talking just a few feet from where
she lay.
    “Why in the hell did you do that?” asked
Nate. “She’s going to hate me forever for