Chapter 19 Something was up with Kelli, and Flash was frustrated because he couldn't figure out what was bothering her, and she wasn't talking. He'd done everything he could to try to get it out of her. He'd apologized over and over that she was stuck in Smiley's apartment all day, but she shrugged it off. Said it wasn't his fault and that she was fine. He'd offered to take her to see her mom, but she declined, saying that they talked on the phone all the time, she didn't need to see her until they knew for certain it was safe. He was doubly frustrated because Williams was still in the wind. It had been over two weeks since the fire at his apartment, and Ryleigh, the woman in New Mexico who was trying to find him, hadn't had any luck. He liked the woman, she was blunt and to the point, a lot like Tex. She'd found the bank account that had been set up to receive ransom money-and disabled it-but that was a dead end as far as finding Williams. She'd even gone so far as to get his current credit card canceled, and she transferred the money in his Jamaican bank account to Flash's, just because she could, also rendering his debit card useless. She'd hacked into security cameras at all the places he'd last used his credit card before canceling it, and she'd also sent pictures of the man to all their friends. But she still hadn't been able to find him. Canceling his cards had almost certainly pissed him off and hampered his ability to hide in shitty motels or rent vehicles...but it also cut off any ability to track him. Still, Ryleigh assured them that she would find him. That she was getting close. Flash had to believe her. Other than whatever was weighing on her mind that she wouldn't talk to him about, things with Kelli on a personal front were going extremely well. She was his perfect match in every way. Flash just hated that she couldn't be free to do what she wanted. To move on with her life by starting her electrician classes. He'd been a little skeptical about her decision, but the more time that went by, the more excited she got. And seeing her so hyped about her future made Flash happy. Their sex life was more amazing every day. Kelli's passion matched his own perfectly. Most nights he went to bed telling himself that he was going to make love to her slowly, but within minutes, she'd blow all his good intentions out the window. She was a wildcat, and he loved it. She loved giving head, which was any man's dream come true. She wasn't as comfortable with him reciprocating, but she was learning the joys of being eaten out. She also loved to experiment when it came to positions...and they hadn't kept their sexual activities to the bedroom, which Flash would never admit to Smiley. Speaking of which, Flash was more than ready to get back to his own place. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate his teammate giving Kelli a safe place to stay while he was at work, it was more that he wanted to be in his space. He wanted to see her shoes in his living room. Her underwear in his laundry hamper. Her body in his shower. His kitchen. His bed. Those thoughts were ridiculous, but he didn't shy away from them. He wanted to be able to start his life with his woman on their own terms, not on Brant fucking Williams'. The man needed to be found. Pronto. Maybe when that happened, Kelli would feel comfortable enough to talk to him about whatever had been bothering her for over a week now. They were currently in bed, and he was running his fingers over her bare shoulder as she lay on top of him. He needed to get up soon, but for now, he was enjoying the quiet moment with the woman who meant everything to him. "Are the guys going to be deployed soon?" she asked, seemingly out of the blue. Flash frowned. "No. Why?" She shrugged against him. "I don't know, I guess because you're all working really hard on whatever it is you're working on, I just figured that meant the mission would start soon." "Sometimes we research for months before we head out. Other times we're sent out on the spur of the moment. It all depends on what the mission is. For instance, taking out an HVT...high-value target...could take weeks of planning to make sure we mitigate as many dangers as possible. But if there's a hostage situation, we might get no advance notice." "That makes sense," Kelli said against his chest. "You okay? What brought this on?" Flash asked, wondering if this was what had been bothering her. "Nothing. I'm good. If they catch Brant, you'll get put back on the rotation to be deployed, right?" He nodded. "When they catch him, yes. Are you worried about that? About me leaving?" "No." "No?" Flash asked in surprise. Kelli picked up her head and rested it on the back of her hand, lying on his chest. "Why would I? I already know that you rock. I've seen you in action first-hand. And your fellow SEALs too." Her confidence and absolute trust in him blew Flash away. "I know things between us have been fast, brought on by some not-so-great circumstances, but you can talk to me about anything, Kelli. Nothing is off limits between us. Understand?" She put her head back down on his chest and nodded. Her reluctance to meet his gaze made him even more sure that she was keeping something from him. And her next words cemented it. She sighed, then said softly, "I trust you, Flash. More than any other man I've ever been with. I can talk to you about anything, which feels amazing. I need you to know that I'd never keep secrets from you. I'm an open book to you. But...sometimes there are things that affect others that aren't my place to talk about." Flash frowned. "Does this have to do with Williams and what happened? Has he contacted you in some way?" "No." Her reply was so immediate and heartfelt, Flash believed her. "Are you in danger?" "Me? No." That didn't make Flash feel any better. "But someone else is?" "Maybe." "Look at me," Flash ordered. He waited until Kelli had picked her head up again and met his gaze. "If someone is in danger, you need to tell someone. If not me, then one of my teammates. Or Wolf or someone on his team." "I can't," she whispered. "I promised." Flash didn't like that answer. Not at all. He didn't realize he was scowling until tears formed in Kelli's eyes. "I don't want you to hate me. Please, that would destroy me." "I could never hate you. I love you." The words seemed to echo in the room. "What?" Kelli asked. He hadn't meant to blurt that out, but Flash didn't regret it. "I love you," he repeated. "You're my everything. It's too fast again, but I don't give a shit. It's how I feel, and how I'll always feel. And I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for you to love me back. "No matter what's going on, I'm not going to hate you, Kelli. I understand loyalty. Hell, there are lots of things I'll never be able to tell you, because of my job. I just need you to promise that if someone's life is truly in danger, you'll talk to me or someone else you trust. The last thing you'll want is any guilt hanging over your head for not speaking up, only for the worst to happen." "I know. And I will. It's just...it's a delicate situation." Flash was baffled how this woman, who hung out in the apartment all day, could have found herself in the middle of a so-called "delicate situation." But he didn't question her. He'd have to trust that she'd come to him when she was ready. "Do not put yourself in danger," he warned. "I won't. This isn't about me," she quickly reassured him. But Flash wasn't particularly reassured. He made a mental note to check in with her more often during the day. Make sure she was all right, that whatever was going on truly wasn't putting her in harm's way. Making a split-second decision, Flash leaned over and grabbed the small box he'd put on the table next to the bed. He'd had something made for her and was waiting for the best time to give it to her. Now seemed like that time. He rolled back over and held it out to her. Kelli looked surprised. Then confused. Then a little worried. "It's not a ring," he said quickly. "I love you, but proposing two seconds after I tell you that I love you for the first time is a bit much, even for me." She grinned, then took the box and opened it without a word. When she saw what was inside, her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. "Flash," she whispered. "Is this..." "It's the spoon. From the bus. The girls found it while they were helping you clean your apartment and since it didn't match the rest of your silverware, they asked me what they should do with it. I took it and was going to have it mounted in a shadow box or something, but decided on this instead." "This" was a bracelet. He'd brought it to a jeweler Caroline recommended and the man had twisted and manipulated it, making it a beautiful piece of art. It was still obvious that it was a spoon, but now it was polished and cleaned up, even if it still had its little dents and dings. Kind of like both him and Kelli. "I...it's perfect," she breathed. "Thank you." Kelli looked up at him and Flash could see the tears in her eyes. "Those are good tears, right?" he asked, suddenly nervous he'd overstepped and messed up. "Of course they are. I'll treasure this forever. It reminds me of the hell we went through, but also that we came out on top. That we worked together to make the most of that horrible situation." Flash reached for the bracelet. "May I?" he asked. Kelli nodded, and Flash gently wrapped the spoon bracelet around her wrist. It was a cuff bracelet, the kind that didn't have a fastener, but could be tightened by squeezing it around a woman's wrist. It fit perfectly. "I've never gotten a more thoughtful gift. Thank you, Flash." "You're welcome." Rolling over, Flash pinned Kelli under him. "I have fifteen minutes before I need to get up," he informed her. Her cheeks were still damp from her tears, but she smiled up at him. "We could sleep," she suggested with a glint in her eye. "We could," he agreed. "Or we could do that Lazy Man position. You know, which I think is only fair, since I'm the one who has to get up and go to PT." "You only like that one because it puts my boobs right in your face," Kelli protested. Flash chuckled. "Can you blame me? You have a set of tits that wars are fought over." Kelli rolled her eyes. Flash smiled and started to move to a seated position, with the headboard at his back, but Kelli stopped him. "Flash?" "Yeah?" "I love you too." Flash immediately leaned down, his cock throbbing against her thigh, the urge to slam inside her and show her how much her words meant to him pushing at him hard. He kissed her...long, slow, and with every ounce of love in his body that he had for this woman. It wasn't long before she was pushing at his shoulders, urging him to sit up. Neither of them had put on anything after they'd made love the evening before, so it was an easy matter for her to straddle him. She was right, this position put her tits right in his face, and Flash didn't hesitate to take one of her nipples into his mouth. She groaned and arched her back. His cock was trapped between their bodies, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he sank home, where he belonged. As usual, Kelli began to squirm, impatient with lust. She lifted up, and Flash moved with her, not wanting to lose the nipple he was biting and sucking on. She wrapped her hand around his cock and notched him between her legs. They both gasped when she dropped down, taking him deep inside her body. "Ride me, Kelli. Take what you want," Flash urged. He didn't need to ask twice. Then he was no longer able to suck on her tits; they bounced too much as she rode him hard. This woman. She slayed him. He loved her so damn much. It didn't take long for either of them to reach orgasm. He loved how tussled Kelli looked after she came. There would never be any question if she'd had an orgasm or not, he could tell by the flush on her skin, the sweat on her brow, and the look of absolute satisfaction on her face. The last thing he wanted to do was pull out of her warm pussy, but a glance at the clock told him he was already going to be late for PT. He took Kelli's face in his hands and kissed her. Then he said, "Stay safe today. We're getting off early. How about we go out tonight?" "Really?" she said, the excitement easy to hear in her voice. "Really. Smiley needs to come over and grab some more things-I think he's just lazy and doesn't want to do laundry, so he wants to get some clean clothes from here. After he leaves, we can go anywhere you want." "There's an amazing Thai place in La Jolla." "If that's what you want, that's where we'll go." "I can show you my favorite beach up there too. Maybe we can watch the sunset." "It's a date," Flash told her, leaning forward and kissing her once more. "Now, I have to get up or Kevlar's gonna make me do extra sand sprints." Kelli grinned. "Wouldn't want that," she told him. Then squeezed her Kegel muscles, making Flash groan as his cock flexed in appreciation. "That was just mean," he complained, easily lifting her off him as if she weighed next to nothing. "I love when you do that," she said on a sigh, as she lay on her back next to him and stretched. "Do what?" Flash asked, distracted by the way her tits moved on her chest. "Lift me as if I were light as a feather." "You are," Flash told her. Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead, knowing if he did anything more, he'd never get out of bed. "You need to get up and lock the door behind me, put the chain on," he told her. "Don't go back to sleep." "I know, and I won't," she said. Flash got out of bed while he still had the willpower, and within minutes, he was kissing Kelli at the front door. "I'll text you when Smiley and I leave work." "Okay. What time...approximately, do you think?" "Maybe three-ish." "Sounds good. Drive safe." "I will. I love you, Kelli. You've made my life so much better, and while I'd never admit that I was glad we were kidnapped, I am glad that your cousin decided to have her bachelorette party at the same resort as Chuck." "Me too." Flash kissed her one last time before heading out. He heard the bolts click into place and waited to hear the clink of the safety chain being slid on. Once he was satisfied that Kelli was as safe as she could be, he strode down the hall and did his best to turn his attention from his cock to the work that needed to be done later that day. Kelli really, really hoped Bree showed up today. She hated keeping the woman's visits from Flash, but she'd been back twice in the last week and a half, and each time, Bree seemed to relax a little more. And she looked healthier too. The regular showers and being able to wash her clothes went a long way toward giving her some confidence. And it didn't hurt that Kelli plied her with as much food as she could while she was there, giving her fresh veggies and other healthy foods to take with her, as well. She especially wanted Bree to show up today, since Flash had said Smiley would be there. If she happened to be there at the same time, maybe she'd work up the courage to talk to him. To finally ask for the help she needed. She'd seemed utterly despondent that first time she'd knocked on the door, and now that she wasn't quite as desperate as far as her personal needs went, maybe she'd be able to dig deep and ask for assistance with whomever was after her. Smiley would be so relieved to have found her, and Kelli knew that he'd agree to help in a heartbeat. According to Flash, that had been his goal all along. To make sure she was safe and wasn't in the clutches of whoever she'd been sold to. Looking at her watch, Kelli paced nervously. It was getting close to the time when Flash and Smiley should be here, and still no sign of Bree. She'd finally admitted that she'd been following the team; she knew where everyone lived and what they drove. If she saw Smiley's older-model Ford Ranger in the parking lot, she most likely wouldn't stop. That would mean Kelli would have to keep the secret of her visits from Flash even longer. His words that morning nearly undid her. Her promise that she could talk to him about anything. She almost confessed everything. But then she'd been distracted by Flash telling her that he loved her. It seemed so unreal. That she, Kelli Colbert, nerd extraordinaire, nobody special, had managed to make Flash love her. And the thing was, she had no idea how she'd done it. Or how to keep him loving her. It was why she hadn't said the words first, even though she'd felt them down to her soul. Flash was...he was a miracle. And not only because he'd been her everything when they were kidnapped. He was a good man. Considerate. Protective. And as a bonus, he was amazing in bed. Kelli became a person she didn't know when she was with him. Like this morning, riding him like she was a cowgirl at a rodeo or something. But since he wasn't complaining, and she'd never felt so satisfied, she couldn't care if she was suddenly...overly exuberant in bed. Stopping by the window to look out into the parking lot, Kelli didn't see Bree or her Subaru Outback. She'd spied on the woman after her second visit and saw her getting into the dark green car. She usually arrived early in the afternoon, wanting to make sure she was gone before Flash came home. It was already later than she'd normally visit...but she had no way to know the men would be getting off work early today, so there was still a chance that she'd stop by, and she and Smiley could actually come face-to-face. Around the time Kelli got the text from Flash saying that he was on his way home, she reluctantly decided Bree wouldn't be visiting. She was bummed about that, since she truly thought the woman was ready to talk to Smiley, but she'd been running for so long, hiding, that Kelli knew it had to be scary for Bree to consider doing anything outside of her current routine. She did manage to convince the woman to take Smiley's cell number after their last visit, and her own. She was worried enough about her, living in her car and on the run, that she'd wanted her to have an emergency way to contact someone. Just in case. Kelli, at least, would be glad to see Smiley. After more than two weeks in the apartment, she was feeling cooped up. Stir-crazy. The day was beautiful. The sun was out and she longed to go outside, at least for a little bit. Get some fresh air. Surely under both Flash and Smiley's watchful eyes, she could do just that. She wasn't resentful, not in the least. If she was on her own, still at her apartment, she'd be terrified. Wondering when Brant would return...and what he'd do to Kelli when he found her. Here in Smiley's apartment, even when she was alone, she felt safe. Brant still didn't seem to know where she or Flash were. And the Ryleigh person who was doing everything in her power to find him claimed she was close to figuring out where he'd been hiding. Without his credit card or access to his bank account, he'd have to make a move soon. Which scared Kelli, but she was aware that meant she and Flash would hopefully be able to move on with their lives. What would happen next for them was still to be determined. Would she go back to her apartment? She hoped they'd still date, figured they would...it wasn't likely Flash would tell her that he loved her one day and decide they were over the next. Kelli removed the chain on the door after Flash's text, then waited impatiently in the kitchen for the men to arrive. When she heard the key in the lock, she walked around the counter. Flash entered first, and Kelli beamed at him. He walked straight toward her and hugged her hard, taking her off her feet. It was how he always greeted her. As if it had been weeks since he'd seen her, rather than simply hours. "You good?" he asked. Kelli laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?" "Just checking." "Hey, Kelli," Smiley said in his gruff way. "I like what you've done with the place," he joked. Kelli chuckled. "You mean cleaned it?" she asked. When she and Flash had moved in, the place looked like a tornado had hit it. Smiley was obviously not a very orderly person. But now there wasn't one thing out of place. It was spick-and-span. She'd cleaned the apartment from top to bottom...it was one way to keep busy during her long, boring days alone. Looking around, Kelli figured Smiley was probably wincing inside at the shape of his apartment, how different it looked from when he'd seen it last. No dirty dishes in the sink, no mail piled up on the counter, and two blankets folded neatly and hanging off the back of the couch. She'd even straightened his bookcase and alphabetized the books by the last name of each author. "Yeah, that," Smiley said. Then he stepped forward and gave her a hug as well. Kelli was surprised. Smiley wasn't a touchy-feely kind of guy, and him being so...well...nice, made her feel guilty all over again. He'd been desperately trying to find Bree, and she was keeping the fact that she'd been here, in his apartment, using his shower, his washer and dryer, a secret from the man. She felt like shit. She was a horrible friend. Suddenly, guilt threatened to overwhelm her. Luckily, Smiley didn't seem to notice. He stepped back and said, "I'll just go and pack some stuff." The second he disappeared down the hallway, Flash wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly. "Nothing, why?" Kelli asked. "Because you seem...tense all of a sudden." She sighed and turned around to face him. "I'm okay. I'm just feeling a little stir-crazy today. It's a beautiful day and I'm stuck inside." Flash frowned. "When's the last time you were outside?" Kelli gave him a look. "Right. I'm sorry." "For what?" "For not truly understanding how difficult this is for you sooner." "It's fine. I'm safe, and that's all that matters." "That's not all that matters," Flash disagreed. "Your mental health is important too. And more than just feeling safe. I never want you to feel as if you're trapped." "You said Ryleigh is getting closer to finding Brant, right?" Kelli asked. "Yes." "So, it won't be too much longer then. Hopefully." "Hopefully. I still want to go to that Thai place you mentioned this morning, but maybe we'll go to the beach first instead of after. Let you get some sun on your cheeks. Some outdoor therapy." "I'd love that," Kelli said with a smile. Just the thought of being able to sit in the sand, feel the breeze on her face, made her happy. Ten minutes later, Smiley came out of his bedroom with three large duffle bags. Kelli giggled. "Did you pack everything you own?" she asked. "Not sure how much longer I'll be gone, figured I might as well get it all now." Flash walked up to him and took one of the bags. "I'll help you carry these down." "Me too," Kelli said, reaching for one of the two remaining bags Smiley had over his shoulders. He stepped away from her, frowning. "No." "Come on, I'm not that much of a weakling." "No," he repeated. Now Kelli frowned at him. "Why not?" "Because." She rolled her eyes. "That's not an answer. Flash, tell Smiley he's being ridiculous and to let me carry one of his bags." "You know you sound like an eight-year-old tattling to her mom about something her brother isn't allowing her to do," Smiley told her. Kelli frowned harder and put her hands on her hips. "So?" Smiley didn't seem to be affected by her irritation in the least. He just walked toward the door. "Wait a sec," Flash told his friend. He turned to Kelli. "You ready to go?" "To the beach and dinner? Yes!" she said excitedly. "Let me grab a sweatshirt. And my purse. Oh, and I need to change shoes!" She heard Smiley chuckle and say under his breath, "I'm taking that as a no, she isn't actually ready to go." "Shut it, Smiley!" Kelli called out, as she hurried toward the bedroom. She was back in less than a minute, more than ready to get out of the apartment. They all left, Flash making sure the door was secured behind them. As they walked down the hall, Kelli complained, "I could be carrying one of those bags for you." "You could, but you aren't," Smiley said. Kelli was actually amused now by his stubbornness. She didn't really care whether she carried one of the bags or not, it was just fun to needle the uptight SEAL. The second they left the building, she winced at the bright light but gloried in being outside, touched by the sun's rays without a window as a buffer. "It's such a gorgeous day!" she gushed. Stopping for a moment to close her eyes and lift her chin to the sky, she reveled in the warmth on her face. She was still standing there, soaking in the moment, when suddenly she was almost jerked off her feet. Kelli's eyes popped open as she stumbled backward, her hands instinctively moving up to her neck, where a strong arm was almost cutting off her air. Her gaze flew to Smiley and Flash, standing by Smiley's pickup truck, one of the three bags at their feet and the other two already inside the bed of the truck. She had the wild thought that she'd never seen Flash-or Smiley, for that matter-look so...murderous. The men were furious. If she didn't already know that she was in big trouble, their expressions would've given it away. "Don't get any closer!" the man behind her growled, even as he forced Kelli to walk backward. It was difficult to breathe, and all she could do was stumble along in the man's grasp. "Let her go, Williams!" Flash ordered. Brant. He'd finally found them. Instead of being on alert, the first time she'd stepped outside in days, Kelli had to stop in the middle of the parking lot and close her eyes. She was an idiot. "No can do," he said. Kelli could smell his body odor, and it made her want to gag. Wherever he'd been hiding, he hadn't been taking care of himself, that was for sure. "You're making a mistake," Smiley said. He and Flash were matching her and Brant step for step now, and Kelli swore she could see both men readying themselves to pounce. "I wouldn't if I were you," Brant said, producing a knife out of nowhere and angling it toward her chest-right over her heart. "I'll kill her. Right here and now. I swear I will! How long do you think she'll live with a hole in her heart? Not long. She'll bleed out in seconds and it'll be your fault." "What do you fucking want?" Flash said in a low, pissed-off tone. "I want my money!" Brant screamed, sounding hysterical. "What money? The money you tried to get out of the government? You're an idiot if you ever thought the Navy would pay a cent of that ransom." "Well, they might not have paid, but you will if you want to see your precious girlfriend again. Now stop walking or I'll do it! I'll kill her!" "Then you definitely won't get your money," Smiley said in a stone-cold tone. To her surprise and horror, the knife in Brant's hand lowered-and she gasped in pain as just the tip penetrated her shirt and skin. Flash reached out an arm, halting Smiley's forward motion. "I'm serious! I have nothing to lose. Stop right there!" Brant yelled. The knife still stuck in her chest hurt. A lot. Between that and the lack of oxygen, Kelli was having a hard time thinking straight. "As long as you do what I say, she'll be fine. I want a million dollars delivered to a new bank account I set up this morning. And if you do anything to get it shut down, I'll send her back to you in pieces. An ear one day, a few fingers the next. The last thing you'll get is her heart. And don't fuck with me! I'll do it!" A million dollars? Flash didn't have that kind of money. Even if he got help from all his friends, Kelli wasn't sure they'd be able to come up with that much cash. Brant had obviously gotten greedy, upping his demand significantly from the fifty thousand he'd originally hoped to get for this kidnapping. Because Kelli was focused on getting air into her lungs-but not breathing too deeply, so the knife wouldn't be penetrating her skin any farther-she didn't realize they'd reached a vehicle. It wasn't until the arm around her neck loosened and Brant pushed her into an open door that she even thought about trying to escape. But that idea was instantly foiled when Brant, still holding the knife, struck out and slashed her thigh. Pain blossomed hard and fast. Kelli slapped her hand over the gash in her leg even as she cried out. "Kelli!" Flash's voice sounded as if it was very far away. Brant pushed her over until he was behind the wheel of the decrepit, older-model four-door car, then he peeled out of the parking lot before his door was even shut. Looking out her window, Kelli saw Flash and Smiley running after the car. Then they abruptly stopped and ran back toward Flash's SUV. Brant laughed. The sound so evil, it made the hair on the back of Kelli's neck stand up. "Those idiots aren't going to catch up. I've outsmarted them! All I had to do was wait and be patient and today was my day. I knew you were somewhere, hiding out. I tried following your boyfriend, but he eluded me day after day. I couldn't find where you two were staying. But today, he and his friend were careless, and I followed them straight to you. I'm gonna get my money! One way or another!" Kelli's throat felt bruised from the pressure he'd used with his arm, hauling her around. And her thigh was on fire. At least her chest no longer hurt as badly...but Kelli was terrified. Where was Brant taking her? She'd dropped her purse in the confusion, so she didn't have her phone to call for help or give any clues as to where they were heading. Brant drove like a man possessed. He took corners way too fast, side-swiped a couple cars, went the wrong way on one-way streets, and generally broke every rule of the road. It wasn't long before Kelli realized he was right. Flash and Smiley weren't going to catch up to him. He was getting away. Surreptitiously glancing at the man behind the wheel, Kelli tried to come up with a plan. Some clever way to escape before he did more than just make her bleed. Because he was going to kill her-she had no doubt. Even if he got his money, he wasn't going to let her live this time. He was too pissed off that his kidnapping plan in Jamaica had failed. That she and Flash had escaped. That it took so long to find them. Then something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Tucking her chin and pretending to fuss over the cut on her leg, Kelli turned her head just enough to glance into the back seat-and was surprised to see a pair of hazel eyes staring back at her. Bree Haynes was in the backseat! Sitting on the floor behind the driver's seat, covered by the clothes and other junk cluttering up the entire back of the car. It looked as if every possession Brant owned was back there...but how Bree came to be there was more than Kelli could comprehend. Bree shook her head and put a finger up to her lips, warning Kelli to stay quiet, then held up a phone. The relief that almost overwhelmed Kelli made her dizzy. Or maybe that was blood loss. She didn't know. She had no idea how the heck Bree was in this car, but the fact that she had a phone-and was hopefully using it to communicate with Smiley-was enough for Kelli to get her hopes up. Brant hadn't won yet. Kelli might be bruised and battered, but she wasn't dead. And as long as she was still breathing, she had hope that Flash would find her. Jerking her head so she was facing forward again, Kelli took a deep breath. Then another. She wouldn't do anything that would give Bree away. The woman was literally her best hope at getting out of this alive. For both of them getting away alive. Because if Brant found he had a stowaway, there was no telling what he'd do. In a romance-themed observation show, several participants undergo a series of interactions and conflicts filled with love, misunderstandings, and power struggles. In the end, one couple rises to over...