“That’s fine,” Keith said, taking her right arm and Scott taking her left.
“What are you doing?” For the first time in her life, she feared her brothers.
“Getting you in the car.” Keith and Scott pulled her toward the SUV.
“No.” Lara struggled with them.
“Come on, Lara,” Scott said softly. “Mom and Dad just want to talk with you.”
“Hell, no.” She almost got her arm loose from Scott, when Keith twisted her right arm behind her back.
“You have to do things the hard way, don’t you?” Something slipped over her wrist as Scott pulled her left arm behind her. Her wrists were secured behind her back.
Lara opened her mouth, and Keith clamped his hand over her face. “No yelling, no screaming.” As much as she fought and thrashed, they were still able to get her into the SUV.
“This is kidnapping,” she said as Keith pulled out from behind her café.
“They just want to talk,” Scott said.
Lara struggled in her seat. “I politely refused. Don’t think I won’t press charges. I’m done.” She was. This was the final straw. She wasn’t putting up with her family anymore. It was time they got the message, and if it took a court battle, so be it. When they got to the family home, Keith pulled in back.
Lara allowed them to pull her out of the car and into the house. Once she was out of the cuffs, she’d leave. There was no way she’d allow them to keep her confined in this house. Her parents and Walter were waiting. Great. Walter was the last thing she needed.
“You tied her up?” Walter’s voice held outrage.
“She fought us,” Keith said.
“Get them off,” Walter ordered.
Keith glared at Walter, but soon her hands were free. Lara rubbed her wrists. Thank goodness she had her purse across her body.
“I’m sorry, Lara; we just wanted to talk to you,” Walter said.
“I said no.” She marched toward the door. “I’m done talking.”
Her father grabbed her arm. “You have to stop seeing that man.”
“That man, as you call him, has a name. Colby. He’s a better man than all of you. You need to let me go. I’m already charging those two idiots”—she waved her free hand at her brothers—“with kidnapping, so unless you want to be charged as an accessory…” Her father let her go, and her fingers curled around the doorknob.
“Lara, please.” Her mother’s soft voice stopped her. “We’re just trying to stop you from making a mistake.”
“No.” Lara turned. “You’re trying to control my life. I’m done. Expect the police.” This time she was able to open the door and leave. They didn’t try and stop her. She could hear arguing, Walter, her father, and her two brothers.
Two blocks from the house, Lara realized she couldn’t walk home. She pulled out her cell. Colby? No, she wouldn’t pull him away from his business for this. If he got angry with her for it, so be it. This was her choice. Her fingers curled around the small business card she’d thrown in there weeks ago. Time to stand up for herself against her family.
“Officer Wolfe.”
“Hi, Officer Wolfe, this is Lara Meyer.”
“Is there something wrong?”
Lara heard the alert in his voice. “Yes.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m at the corner of Fifteenth and Paulson; I need to report a kidnapping.”
“Colby?”
“No, me.” This time, there was no stopping the tears as fear overwhelmed her. She’d never been truly afraid of her family until now. What if her family came after Colby? “I need to warn Colby.”
“I’ll take care of it. I have a car on the way to your location right now. Stay on the phone with me.”
