Her Dangerous Promise - Part 3: (Romantic Suspense Serial) by Ashley Stryker Page A

other new tortures had the school librarian endured? Mary didn’t want to know. She twisted away, prepared to run out.
    “Mary.” Nancy’s voice strained as if she’d gone thirsty for a while.
    Mary froze as an icy hand gripped her spine. She couldn’t slip away now that Nancy had seen her. Mary turned to face her.
    Purple bruises blotched the left side of Nancy’s face. Her bottom lip was puffy and split in the corner. Marks left around her neck showed where each finger had squeezed her throat and matched the fading marks still visible on Mary.
    Nancy reached for Mary’s hand and smiled. “Your inspector told me all about how you helped to find me.”
    Mary shook her head, not finding any words that could pass the lump in her throat. The tears burned at her eyes before spilling in hot rivulets down her cheek.
    “You were wonderful.” Nancy reached to Mary and when their hands clasped she pulled her close and hugged her. They clung to each other for a long while, like estranged sisters finding each other after so many lost years. Nancy patted Mary’s back. “Quite a week we’re having, huh?”
    Mary pulled back. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
    “Don’t you be sorry,” Nancy warned. “I don’t want to hear that kind of talk from you. It wasn’t your fault.”
    “But—”
    “No! No more. If I hear you blame yourself one more time, I’ll bop you one, just like I did that creep.”
    Mary wiped the moisture from her face with a tissue. “What?”
    “Oh yeah.” Nancy raised a fist. “He’ll think twice before messing with me again.”
    “What happened?”
    “I kicked the crap out of him.” She punched her fist into the palm of her other hand with a thwacking sound. “I woke up in his van as he tried to carry me into the house. I bit him and scratched the heck out of his face. You’ll see when they catch him. This,” she drew her hand in a circle around her own face, “is nothing.”
    “You are kidding!”
    “Nope.” Nancy continued. “After he tied my wrists to that bed, I started kicking him. He couldn’t get near me. I got him in the crotch, twice!”
    Mary grabbed her friend’s hand. “Nancy! Weren’t you scared?”
    “Terrified. That’s why I was kicking.”
    Mary slumped into the chair by the bed, suddenly weary. “You are so much braver than me.”
    Nancy waved off the comment. “I was just pissed off.” She squeezed Mary’s hand. “Look at it this way. I landed two money shots, one for each of us.”
    Mary giggled despite herself. The gripping anxiety that squeezed like a vise around her heart eased. The ordeal hadn’t destroyed Nancy, as Mary feared it would. Somehow, her friend could still smile and be herself. She’d not merely survived the ordeal but conquered it.
    “That’s more like it,” Nancy laid back against the mountain of pillows. “Anyway, that’s why he tied my ankles. He left me after that. He knew better than to mess with me anymore and left me alone until your boyfriend rescued me.”
    Mary glanced over her shoulder and saw Thom watching her with those suggestive eyes that gave her a rush of warmth from her stomach all the way down her thighs. He was not only a good cop but a good man. He’d watched after her every moment and kept her from harm. He’d found and rescued Nancy. He’d even come to the school and talked to the kids. When his hot gaze fell upon her, her breath caught in anticipation. When he reached for her, every molecule in her body magnetically drew her to him. But, was he her boyfriend? After the heartbreak of losing his high school sweetheart, could he ever commit again? Could he commit to her?
    Brad implied that he would. He seemed to think Thom was head over heels for her. Mary felt a bit topsy-turvy herself when it came to Thom but every time their relationship progressed a step forward, Thom retreated.
    “We should let Nancy get some rest,” Thom said, extending a hand to Mary. “I’m leaving a guard on your door