by Morgan James
Xavier had been correct; the terrain was difficult, with a fairly steep incline. It was made worse by the fact that it had rained fairly recently, making the ground spongy and wet. It slowed us down, and we skidded from time to time on the slippery leaves littering the ground. After thirty minutes of walking, Xavier spoke up. “About another half-mile to the north.”
I was trying not to let it show, but the closer we got, the more worried I became. I knew what men like Spencer were capable of—I’d seen the damage Spencer had inflicted firsthand, and Elle was his wife. He would have no compunction hurting Eva, who was no longer any relation to him. And God only knew who was with him. If anything happened to her...
My entire body went hot with rage, and I forced myself to take a deep breath. Callum and Xavier had remained completely silent as well, both comprehending the gravity of the situation. This was our one chance to find Eva; if she wasn’t here or if she was...
I immediately cut the thought short. God, I didn’t even want to consider any possible outcomes other than finding her here and bringing her home safely. As much as I despised William, I had to rely on his information—there was no other option. We didn’t have time to do a full recon as we normally would have. This had to pan out—it just had to.
Almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind, the sound of a large engine rose on the night air, and the three of us stilled. The yellowish glow of headlamps grew stronger as the vehicle made its way up the old gravel road toward the cabin. Fuck. Dread twisted my stomach into knots as we silently watched the SUV pass.
I didn’t know if it was a good sign or not. My gut told me that we were headed to the right place and that Eva would be here. The arrival of the SUV solidified my suspicions and sent my pulse racing. Was she in the truck with them? Or was she already at the cabin, awaiting whoever was inside the vehicle? Either way, the sight of the vehicle crawling closer to the cabin meant that Eva was in grave danger. We needed to get there ASAP.
The men seemed to read my thoughts, and Callum gave a quick jerk of his head. “We’ll intercept them as soon as they get inside.”
Throat clogged with an emotion I didn’t want to name, I quickened my pace as we covered the next half, driven by desperation and worry. A faint glow appeared through the dense forest as we crested the hill. This was it. I closed my eyes and pulled Eva’s face into my mind. My heart gave a hard thump and I inhaled deeply, then exhaled and shut off all of my emotions. I opened my eyes, mind cleared, focused only on the mission now.
We approached quietly, slipping through the trees that surrounded the property. We split up fifty yards from the tree line, fanning outward so we could come at the cabin from different directions. Illuminated by the moon overhead, I counted four men outside, walking the perimeter in front of the cabin. All were dressed in dark clothing and armed with rifles. I watched for several minutes, but they never deviated from their patterns. Incompetent idiots.
I crept closer, taking care to stay concealed in the shadows as I moved silently from tree to tree. I peered around the trunk of the huge Oak tree, counting down the seconds until the guard would pass by again. Ten seconds. Five, four, three... I waited until he was a few steps past the tree so his back was to me, then I made my move. Quickly covering the fifteen feet between us, I stole up behind him. Wrapping one arm around his neck, I arched my back, constricting his throat so he couldn’t yell out. With my free hand, I sank the blade between his ribs and into his heart as I dragged him backward into the shadows of the forest.
His muscles went lax as the life drained from his body, and I pulled the blade free as I lowered him to the ground, concealing him behind the wide trunk of the tree.
A soft grunt rose from the east, and I knew that Callum had just taken down another guard. I peered around the tree again and did another quick scan of the yard. The two remaining guards stood close together, speaking in hushed tones. By now, they sensed something was wrong. Rifles raised, they cautiously approached the trees, sweeping side to side as they moved. Their movements were nervous, jerky, and I shook my head. One of them would probably spook and shoot the other before we even had a chance to take them out.
Xavier must have read my mind, because the call of an owl filtered from the forest to the west. Both men immediately spun in that direction, leaving their backs wide open. I was moving a split second later, and I was on the first guard before he could even react. I drew my blade across his throat, catching the weight of his body just as Callum moved into my peripheral vision and took out the second man. But the last guard put up more of a fight than his comrade. His finger curled around the trigger of the gun, and a shot fired up into the trees.
I swore silently as I dropped the guard I held to the ground. It was something I'd been trying to avoid, because that sound would alert the men inside the cabin to our presence. Now we would have to move quickly to minimize damage. If they knew we were here, they wouldn't hesitate to kill Eva if they hadn't already. Callum and I stayed low as we crossed the yard to the cabin. At the corner, we split off again and Callum silently moved around to the back of the house.
I flattened my back against the roughhewn log exterior of the cabin and drew my pistol from my waistband. The time for stealth was over. A figure skulked around the corner to my left, and I lifted my pistol before Xavier’s face was revealed in the silvery moonlight.
I lowered my weapon, and he nodded to let me know that his side was clear. I didn’t have sights on Callum, but I trusted that he’d made his way around to secure the back of the cabin. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for whatever I might find in the cabin. I could only hope that Eva was inside—and safe.
Dark curtains covered the windows, obscuring the people inside. I had no headcount, no idea where they were. While a huge part of me wanted to go in hot, I forced myself to calm. Eva could be anywhere, and I couldn’t risk her getting caught in the crosshairs.
I met Xavier’s dark gaze, and together we moved toward the door.
I’m coming for you, angel.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Eva
I huddled in the corner of the room, glaring at Spencer where he lounged in the armchair next to the door. Though it was the middle of the night, the lights in the cabin blazed brightly. I wasn't sure how many hours had passed since we’d arrived, but the minutes dragged on in agonizing torture.
The chill that had descended over my body at Sebastian’s parting words hadn’t abated. I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant—but I knew for certain I didn’t want to find out. Sebastian and Spencer appeared to be waiting on someone—or multiple people. I would be damned if I would just sit here and wait to die.
There was a window situated in the middle of the wall to my left, but any escape route was eliminated by the guard patrolling outside. The armed man passed the window once every minute or so, and I knew there was no way I could get past him without being seen. Spencer had been positioned by the door since we arrived, blocking my way out of the room.
I needed to find a way out of here, and fast. I wasn't sure exactly what would happen when the other members arrived, but I knew it couldn't be good. Whatever they had planned didn't bode well for me. I would rather risk being shot trying to escape than endure whatever they had in store for me.
“I need to use the bathroom.”
Spencer, who'd been staring at the floor by his shoes, flicked an emotionless look my way. “I don't know if I can do that.”
It was obvious that Spencer was the low man on the totem pole. “It's either the toilet or I make a mess on somebody's hardwood floors,” I retorted.
His gaze swept the room like he was searching for answers before it finally returned to me. “Okay,” he said as he stood. “But don't do anything stupid.”
I climbed unsteadily to my feet, wrists still bound behind my back. I had a sick feeling that they had removed the hood so I could see everything around me, my mouth unimpeded to scream and beg for mercy. Unfortunately for them, I didn'
t plan to be there much longer and give them the pleasure.
Spencer warily watched me approach, and I fought to control the urge to kick out at him and dart past. The only thing stopping me was that I didn't know how many more were out there. Sebastian, obviously, and probably a couple of guards. I’d seen only the one passing back and forth in front of my window, but the others had to be patrolling the property, too.
I might be able to make it past Spencer alone, but I wouldn’t be able to escape the house with my hands still bound. Spencer gripped my bicep, then guided me across the hall to the bathroom. He closed the door to give me a modicum of privacy, leaving it cracked a couple inches so he could still keep an eye on me.
I stepped into the bathroom, already scanning the walls, but there were no windows to speak of. I glanced in the mirror as I passed, and my anger renewed. Dark circles ringed my eyes, and the side of my face was already starting to bruise from the earlier altercation in the parking lot of the airfield. My lip was split, and blood had trickled down my chin and dried in a jagged maroon line. Fuckers. I swore Spencer would pay for this if I had to kill him myself.
I used the toilet then flushed, all the while working on loosening my bonds. If I had any chance of escaping, I needed to get my hands in front of me. I'd been inconspicuously trying to work them looser over the last couple of hours. It was slow going, trying to keep my movements contained so I wouldn’t alert Spencer to my actions. As the sound of rushing water filled the air, I took a seat on the hard tile floor, praying that Spencer wouldn’t immediately come barging in.
I dipped one shoulder and pulled on the ties as hard as I could, trying to stretch them as far as they would go. My muscles ached as they stretched farther than they were designed to, all the while trying to maneuver them low enough to clear my hips. My heart jumped as the material finally gave enough to the point that I could wiggle them under my bottom. Fierce satisfaction flowed through me as, inch by inch, I got closer to being free. I contorted my body, bending my knees and angling them through the odd-shaped space my arms and torso created. I stepped free and climbed to my feet just as a commotion rose from the living room.
“Masterson!” An unfamiliar voice echoed down the hallway. Oh, God. That wasn’t good. New voices meant more people were here—the people Sebastian and Spencer had been waiting for. Which meant I was out of time.
I froze, every instinct on alert as I listened intently. “Bring the girl out!”
Hell no. My stomach lurched, and my heart thumped erratically as the door swung inward. Immediately, I went on the offensive and rushed toward Spencer. He threw up his arms to fend me off, but he couldn’t stop my momentum as I slammed into him. He stumbled, and we crashed into the wall behind him. With my hands now in front of me, I swung wildly at him, aiming for anything I could reach—his nose, his eyes. Spencer let out a grunt as my fist connected with his face, and I felt a moment’s satisfaction at my direct hit. It evaporated a second later when his hand connected with my cheek, then he threw me to the floor.
My gaze fixed on Spencer, I saw the shadow looming behind me too late. I screeched as a hand fisted roughly in my hair and jerked me backwards. I kicked out wildly as the man dragged me down the hall toward the living room. Laughter and jeers surrounded me, echoing in my ears, but none of the words penetrated the pain exploding across my scalp and over my eyes. Suddenly the man let go, and I collapsed into a heap on the floor. I blinked against the spots clouding my vision and tried to roll to my feet. Before I could even get my hands under me for balance, a foot landed hard in my ribs, knocking the air from my lungs and rolling me to my back.
Agony ripped through my chest as I tried to draw in a breath and stars danced in front of me as black clouded the corners of my eyes before receding. When my vision finally cleared, I saw Spencer standing over me, an uncertain expression on his face. In my peripheral vision, I saw what I guessed to be another half dozen men seated sporadically around the room. Unwilling to look away, my gaze stayed locked on Spencer's face.
Vile taunts met my ears, turning my cheeks red with embarrassment and sending fury rippling through my veins. Spencer glared down at me, every muscle taut with tension. A small trickle of blood dripped from his nose where I’d landed a solid punch earlier, and I longed to unleash my rage on him.
“Look at her face,” one laughed. “Had to put her in her place already, eh, Masterson?”
A voice I recognized as Sebastian’s spoke up. “Gave us some trouble getting off the plane. Can’t imagine why.”
A muscle next to Spencer’s eye ticked, and I saw the first sign of unease as he stood motionless, just staring at me. It occurred to me that, though he was an abusive asshole, maybe he didn’t have it in him to take advantage of a defenseless woman.
“Looks like your wife,” one of the men commented, parroting a remark from earlier.
“That’s his sister-in-law,” Sebastian’s helpful voice cut in.
I didn’t dare take my eyes off Spencer.
“Keepin’ it in the family, huh?” Men’s laughter filled the air, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob as Spencer swallowed hard.
“Don’t blame you,” the same man said. “She’s a pretty little thing.”
“But feisty,” Sebastian replied, a hint of mirth in his tone. “Look what she’s already done to Masterson.”
“Good point,” laughed another. “You can have her first. Wear her down.”
“That’s right.” A third man laughed. “Better he get his eyes scratched out than the rest of us.”
My stomach roiled. How many were there? So far, I’d counted four different voices, including Sebastian’s. Spencer made five. It would take a miracle to get past all of them. The only course of action I had left was to appeal to Spencer’s sense of self-preservation.
“Don’t do it,” I whispered. “He’ll kill you.”
“Get on with it already!” boomed a voice from behind me.
Spencer remained frozen as he stared down at me. I hoped he was seriously contemplating my words. “He’ll find you and he’ll kill you,” I choked out. “You thought what happened to Elle was bad? Think of what he’ll do to you when he finds out you and your friends raped and killed his wife.”
“W-wife?” His eyes widened, and his mouth went slack. “You’re married?”
I held up my hand, palm facing me, so he could see the ring on my finger. Even in the glow of the flames dancing in the fireplace, I could see the blood drain from his face. “Oh, God.”
“Don’t do this, Spencer. If you want to live, you need to let me go.”
“Stop wasting time talking and fuck her already!” the man called again.
Spencer slowly turned to the men surrounding us, his face a sickly green. “But she’s... She’s Fox’s wife.”
Silence settled over the room for a moment, and I envisioned the men looking at each other, weighing their options. Was I really worth it? I held my breath as I waited for them to speak, praying the answer was no.
“We’ll take care of it,” said a new voice. “Go on. You wanted in; you know what you have to do.”
My stomach roiled as I stare at my ex-brother-in-law. I didn't know what the man spoke of, but I could guess easily enough. He funneled information to them, arranged for innocent women and children to be bought and sold like cattle.
“Do it!” called the voice again.
“I... I'm sorry, Eva,” he whispered as he took half a step forward toward me. I kicked upward, and my foot connected with his groin. He roared out a growl of agony, and I let out a scream pure rage that was drowned out by a loud blast from outside.
Around us, chatter rose from the men as they scrambled from their seats, yelling for the guards.
“Go!” One yelled. “Get out there and see what’s going on!”
Spencer was still slightly bent over covering himself, and I took advantage of the distraction. Rolling to my left, I maneuvered my knees under me and lunged toward the fireplace. A tool set sat a
t the corner of the stone hearth, and I reached frantically for the poker hanging from the rod. I let out a little shriek as a huge hand fisted into the fabric of my dress and yanked hard. Using all of my weight as leverage, I threw myself forward, still reaching for the wrought iron rack. As Spencer pulled me backward, my fingers grasped the small shovel and it fell to the ground with a clatter.
I swept my arms clumsily toward the implement, and hope exploded in my heart as my fingers curled around the handle. Just as Spencer pulled me toward him, I rolled to my back and swung upward. The shovel made a wide arc through the air, and Spencer dodged out of the way just in time. It missed him by a narrow margin, and fury turned his face a dark, mottled red.
The momentum carried through, and I didn’t have time to adjust myself for another swing. Spencer lunged forward, dropping to his hands and knees as he wrapped his hands around the handle. We grappled for control, and I dredged up every ounce of strength as I fought to hold on. With a growl, Spencer finally ripped it from my hands and threw it to the floor. The sound of metal striking wood rose from behind me just as a series of booms filled the air.
The sound of gunfire echoed through the cabin, and I instinctively covered my face as wood from somewhere overhead cracked and splintered, sending tiny shards spraying over the room. A mixture of hope and apprehension filled me. Was Fox here? Had he come to save me? I didn’t have time to look as Spencer threw himself forward, and I screamed as his weight landed heavily on top of me.
One hand covered my mouth, and I could feel his pelvis pressing into mine as he covered me from head to toe. My heart kicked into overdrive, and I knew this would be my only chance. His head was only inches from mine, so I did the only thing I could think to do in that moment. I opened my mouth wide and sank my teeth into his throat. Blood filled my mouth as Spencer let out a howl of pain, and I gagged at the irony taste. My stomach turned, and Spencer ripped himself away when I rolled to my side to throw up as all hell broke loose around us.