Read Online The Enemy's Son by Kristen James - Free Book Online

he started out. Cora had yet to see that he carried a gun, and he wanted to keep it that way, since he kept it for protection and never to scare Cora into listening to him. Not in a million years. Nick prayed things wouldn’t go that far, because he’d let her walk away.
    He drove the car over the tall grass and bushes and on their way. Nick guessed he had a good head start, and a few hours till daylight to put some distance between him and the cabin, where Alexander hopefully still lay unconscious. He’d hide them for a day or two, and form a plan while Alexander searched the city for them.
    What if Alexander was dead? No, he couldn’t even think about it.
    He tilted the mirror down to see Cora sleeping in the backseat. I’ll fix this. He’d made that promise to her and planned to keep it.
     
    ***
     
    Predawn light showed Cora the ceiling of a car. She smelled leather and pine. Nick’s Mustang. She didn’t remember leaving the cabin or getting into a car. Wait, why did they leave the cabin?
    “Are you awake, Cora?”
    He drugged her!
    “Why? Why? How could you!” Flaming mad now, she jerked to sit up but fell back down, dizzy.
    “I’m sorry, but I had to.”
    “Why did you ask me to trust you and then do this?” Hot tears swelled up and fought to plunge over her eyelashes as she remembered the warning from Alexander. 
    “Wait, Cora.” He hit the brakes and threw the car into neutral, turning to her. “I won’t hurt you, I promise. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
    “How will I find my father now?” she cried. “Alexander knows where he is, and I’m sure we won’t find him before Alexander does. He could have helped me.”
    “What?” He looked genuinely shocked. And worried. “You don’t know that man.”
    “Oh, yeah, Alexander is so evil, and yet you’re kidnapping me, AGAIN!” She yelled at the car’s ceiling instead of looking over at him. Damn him!
    “I used chloroform I found in his bag. Don’t you know what he planned to do with it?” He reached to her. “You’d only bring on worse trouble by accepting his help. Your dad trusted Alexander because he fooled him. I’m willing to bet my life Alexander is the one who framed him.”
    Cora wasn’t listening. She wasn’t just dizzy now but also nauseous.
    “Nick, I don’t feel so good.”
    He hurried out and gently helped her stand up and lean against the car. The outside air felt cool, calming her stomach, but goose bumps popped up all over her. She shivered and Nick rubbed her arms while standing in front of her. Cora wanted to push him away, or maybe fall into his arms and cry.
    “We only have a minute or two to spare. Are you okay?”
    Shaking her head weakly, she told him, “I don’t know.”
    “We have to go.” He glanced over the car, looking around, and she wondered if he thought Alexander could catch up to them. He apologized and helped her into the front seat.
    “How the hell did you get me in the car?” she asked, her voice hoarse, although she started to feel better. The path from the cabin to the car was pretty steep and twisted through the trees.
    “I carried you . . . through the woods, in the dark. So don’t say I’ve never done anything nice for you.”
    “Maybe I’ll thank you when you find Jerry.”
    “That’s the idea,” he said. A few miles later, the car left the gravel country road.
    A thought occurred to her, and she couldn’t believe she had missed it before. “How do I know you didn’t have a part in stealing the money?”
    “Excuse me?” He threw her an incredulous look. “Wouldn’t it be a waste of time to help you if I took the money, or knew who did?”
    To a normal person, yes. But they had left normal behind when he kidnapped her.
    “I don’t know,” she said. “I can’t know anything for sure anymore.”
    “Listen, I’m going to tell you what I think is going on, but remember, it’s just my theory.” He waited until she at least looked his way. “I believe Alexander is