Forest's Fall (Captive Hearts Book 3)

by Ellie Masters

They had to. If they stopped every time he drew close, they'd get nothing done.

  I held back more than one or two snickers.

  Flustered Forest was fun to watch.

  The man had his way with people that didn't match how people worked. He expected them to act like he thought: robotic and lacking empathy. He was oblivious to the camaraderie of his men and the amused expressions they tossed around when he wasn't looking. Forest simply wasn't able to sense that side of people.

  "You doing okay?" Skye breezed past me, pausing to kiss little Zach.

  Zach was usually a bundle of energy, but he was passed out. In his defense, it was hours past his bedtime. The little sucker was going to keep me busy, but for now, I enjoyed the snuggles and ignored the fact my shirt was wet from his drool.

  I had plans and a library full of Disney movies to keep the little guy engaged. Forest thought it was silly to plan for a day at the zoo and another at the aquarium. He said the boy wouldn't remember any of it, and it was a waste of time.

  I disagreed. Lights, colors, and sounds fascinated babies, plus they had a touch pool at the aquarium little Zach could play in. Well, hopefully not in, but they had horseshoe crabs and spiny starfish he could touch. I think they also brought in some non-stinging jellyfish too. Maybe I was looking forward to it too. It was rare to get a break from work.

  Skye lumbered past me, this time with two massive medical packs in tow. A tall, beautiful woman trailed in her wake, followed by a stunning man with the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. The woman was Tia Myers, a certified nurse anesthetist, and the man was Ryker Lyons, the respiratory therapist on Skye's team.

  I knew their names but had never met either of them. They had a fourth man on the team, a trauma surgeon. He'd breezed by and headed upstairs to the roof with his pack.

  "For the love of God, Skye, let me help you." The deep rumblings of Ryker's voice vibrated with irritation and more than a bit of frustration.

  Skye looked over her shoulder. "I can hump it myself."

  "You know," Tia said, "people don't talk like that." Tia carried a pack on her back and gripped a duffle bag in each hand. She walked behind Skye, unfazed by her burdens. She was only a few inches shorter than Ryker and as capable as any of the men.

  Ryker snickered. "What would Ash say to you humping it yourself?"

  "Ryker!" Tia gave a little shout that should have been a reprimand but came out more frustrated than anything else.

  Forest told me those two were engaged. From the exasperated but loving look in Tia's expression, that seemed about right.

  "What T?" Ryker said with a snort. "She said it, not me."

  "But you don't have to be an ass about it." Tia slung one of the bags at Ryker, nearly knocking him over, but he sidestepped with ease.

  "Your fiancé is a pain in my ass, Tia," Skye said. "When are you going to tame him?"

  Ryker snickered, and Tia's face turned beet red. They shared a secretive glance that spoke to an intimacy I would never share with another.

  I held back a deep sigh. Someday, I was going to realize I deserved someone who noticed me, cared for me, maybe even loved me like that.

  Forest was a lost cause.

  But I couldn't leave him.

  He needed me.

  At least, that's the excuse I told myself.

  "T likes when I'm rough." A grin spread across Ryker's face. "She doesn't want to tame me. She prefers the beast." His brows wiggled suggestively.

  Skye gave a huff and turned her back. "Instead of offering to help with my gear, why don't you step it up? There are three more bags downstairs, and if you hadn't noticed, the helipad is on the roof. If you're late, Forest will take off without you."

  Ryker gave a low throaty laugh and jogged ahead of the two women. "I'm on it!" He flashed Skye a cheeky grin and winked at his fiancée.

  Skye and Tia moved by me, and I checked Zach's diaper. I'd changed it ten minutes ago but couldn't help but check again. I left the chaos behind and retreated to Forest's office. My desk was too close to the noise. Zach was passed out, and I wanted to put him down.

  But where?

  I couldn't put him on the couch. He'd roll off. And I couldn't leave him on the floor. One of the Guardians running around might trip over the poor thing. My attention swept around the room while I considered my options. That's when I saw the buffet server against the far wall. The lower drawer was the perfect size for a makeshift crib.

  I placed Zach on the floor beside me while I emptied the contents of the drawer. Using pillows from the couch, and clean towels from the bathroom, I padded the inside and placed Zach inside. Kids slept like the dead, and I envied Skye's son. He didn't twitch as I settled him in.

  I left the door to Forest's office open and watched Forest's team as they methodically moved all their gear up to the helipad. My phone beeped with a text from the pilot, and I went in search of Forest.

  He stood like a mountain, legs spread on a broad base to support his towering form. With his arms crossed over his massive chest and biceps flexed with menace, he looked every bit the part of a Norse god presiding over his subjects.

  Three men crouched before him, duffle bags open in various stages of packing. The teams arrived fully kitted out, but Forest demanded they check their gear one last time before heading up to the helipad.

  There were three teams in total—Alpha and Bravo, the Guardians, a para-military force, and Skye's special ops medical team.

  All of the Guardians had been recruited from special operations forces, ex-military who now found themselves supplied with top-tier equipment and all the technical whizbangs they needed. Forest spared no expense when it came to the needs of his men.

  "Hey, boss." I approached from behind him. "The first helicopter is five minutes out."

  He didn't turn around or acknowledge me in any way. Instead, he bellowed, relaying my message. "Five minutes. Get your asses in gear, ladies! We leave with or without you."

  All bluster, Forest wouldn't leave without his team. I glanced around but didn't see Skye. Surely, she wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. I wanted to look for her, but I couldn't stray too far from Forest's office because of Zach.

  I leaned against the doorjamb, anxiously watching the men empty the lobby of their gear. Before long, it was just me and the quiet of a deserted hall.

  Forest didn't say goodbye. Not that I expected it. The man barely acknowledged my existence, and only when he needed something. Well, to hell with that.

  And what happened to Skye?

  It took no time to scoop little Zach into my arms and head to the helipad at the top of the building. I didn't know how Zach would respond to the noise, but he deserved to say goodbye to his mom.

  When the elevator doors opened, a very nervous Skye glanced at me.

  "Oh, you didn't need to bring him up. I was going to come down to say goodbye."

  "I thought this would be easier. Your brother is ready to go, and I knew he wouldn't be happy if you returned to the office."

  Skye glanced over her shoulder, where Forest hovered outside the helicopter. They had eighteen total in addition to all their gear. The team would split in two, and a second helicopter hovered waiting for the first to load.

  Forest shut the doors to the first helicopter, thumped the metal, then moved to a safe distance on the opposite side of the roof. The first helicopter took off while Skye pulled little Zach out of my grip and into her arms. We turned our backs to the wind kicked up by the helicopter's blades, and Skye cupped her hand over little Zach's ears. Her son didn't even move.

  Kids were truly amazing. I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept that deeply.

  "You be good to Auntie Sara." Gently, she kissed little Zach's forehead and hugged him hard. "Take care of my boy."

  "You know I will." I kept my voice light, hoping my lack of stress would help relieve some of the burden Skye shouldered. Torn between staying with her son and being by her brother's side, she didn't look like she wanted to le
t her son go, but she reluctantly transferred Zach back into my arms.

  "I have tons of fun stuff planned." I wanted her to know Zach would be in good hands. "We're going to have the best time, and you won't have to worry about him at all." I adjusted Zach on my hip and cradled his head against my shoulder.

  I was a little surprised she was on this mission. In a support role only, her team was there in the event someone needed emergency medical care. I cringed about what that implied.

  Skye's team was trained in surgical special ops and providing life-saving care in the most austere environments. But then, I understood the importance of this particular operation.

  "Thank you for watching him. I don't know when we'll be back, but it can't be more than a couple of days. Ash will probably check in with you tomorrow by phone." She fluttered kisses over Zach's eyes and gave him one last squeeze while giving me last-minute instructions I didn't need.

  I understood her nervousness. Skye and Ash were new parents. This wouldn't be the first time I watched little Zach overnight, but it would be the first time he was away from his mother for more than a day.

  I understood her concern, but I also sympathized with her need to be with her brother. Together, they would be closing out a very dark chapter of their lives.

  The second helicopter touched down. The remainder of the team loaded their gear and climbed on board. Wind buffeted me, and the whine of the rotors made it hard to hear, even shouting. However, one sound cut through all the noise.

  "Come on, Skye! Get your ass over here. He's a baby. He doesn't even know you're there."

  Skye glanced over her shoulder, then turned back and rolled her eyes. "My brother can be a royal asshole at times. He's lucky I love him." She kissed Zach. "Be back before you know it."

  Skye wrapped little Zach and me in a hug then jogged over to the waiting helicopter. Forest scowled at her while Ryker extended a hand to help her into the helicopter.

  I waved goodbye, but Forest ignored me. Someday, I would train Forest in standard human social conventions. He studied people but didn't understand the nuances of nonverbal communication, or the importance of a wave goodbye.

  The door to the helicopter closed, and the rotors spun up. Buffeting winds whipped at my clothes and messed up my hair. How Zach slept through all the noise was a miracle, but the little angel didn't lift his head.

  I continued waving. I knew Skye waved back. Forest? He probably forgot I existed the moment I was out of his sight.

  Then my phone rang. It rang with the most annoying ringtone on the planet. "The Flight of the Valkyries" blared out of my phone, and I glanced down at Forest's text.

  Forest: CU L8R

  I laughed. He was always putting that damn ringtone on my phone. I texted him back.

  Me: Save the world!

  He didn't respond. Not that I expected him too.

  "Well, Zach?" I kissed the top of his head. "I guess it's just you and me for the next few days."

  I took Zach downstairs and was surprised when the janitorial team called. They were early and were having problems with their access badges. I buzzed them up. Forest and his team had left a mess behind.

  Hugging Zach tight to my chest, I went to grab my purse and his diaper bag. We were going to have so much fun.

  Chapter Six

  Forest

  I hated confining spaces. The shell of the helicopter wrapped around me and shut me in darkness. It reminded me of things that needed to stay in the past. Memories flooded my mind; dark, ugly things that grew and took root.

  I tugged at my collar, finding it hard to breathe. With one hand pressed against the inner shell of the helicopter, I gripped my knee to keep it from bouncing.

  The fucker wouldn’t stay still.

  I tried to hold it in place, but that proved impossible.

  I felt confined, locked in the darkness where bad things happened to little boys.

  “Forest…” A soft voice skittered through my consciousness.

  All I could hear was the steady whomp, whomp, whomp of the helicopter as it cut through the sky. The powerful oscillations of the engine worked their way deep into my lungs and smothered me. I tried sucking in air, but the deep vibrations made that impossible.

  My mouth opened and closed. A tingling sensation pricked my lips. Like a guppy out of water, I tried sucking in air, but nothing moved into my lungs.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  “Forest?” A voice drew closer. Anxious, the voice clawed at me with its incessant buzz.

  My lids pinched together as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. My chest tried to move, but a steel band encircled it and prevented me from taking in a life-saving breath.

  “Forest!” That voice shouted somewhere in front of me. The heat of its breath brushed across my cheeks. It whispered over my lips and tickled the tip of my nose.

  “What’s wrong with him?” That voice was different; distant, muffled, and barely comprehensible, it spoke of something wrong.

  A buzzing irritation scraped at my senses.

  “He’s flipping the hell out,” it said.

  “He’s fine,” the first voice replied. “I’ve seen this before.”

  Something touched my leg. A delicate sensation, it was soft, warm, and comforting, but concerning. It was too intimate.

  Too close.

  Too much in my space.

  It did things; things my insides twisted and turned into filth and allowed ugly things to grow inside of me. Ravenous needs. Base desires I craved with a feral hunger.

  I pried my lids apart, then jerked back when I realized that voice belonged to Skye. She touched my hand, and I recoiled from the contact. Shaking the remnants of her delicate touch off my body, I tried to clear my head, control my body, and erase errant thoughts.

  Skye did nothing to show my actions upset her. She knew what her touch did to me, and my aversion wasn’t aimed at her. She wasn’t the issue. It was what her touch did to me that I loathed.

  Demons wrestled within me, and she accepted what that meant. My sister loved me unconditionally, even when that meant I couldn’t stand to have her touch me.

  “Bean,” Skye screamed at me. “Forest, come back to me. You’re safe. We’re safe. I’m okay. You’re okay. We’re okay. Beanpole!” She unbuckled and stood over me. But she was too close. Her fingers snapped in front of my eyes.

  Snap. Snap. Snap!

  I expected to hear the crisp pop of her fingers, but the droning vibrations overpowered all sound.

  Her light floral perfume flooded my senses, and her hot breath fluttered over my skin. Recoiling in horror, my gut filled with self-loathing and disgust with memories of what I’d done to her. I was going to puke. My heart accelerated full-throttle with a panic I couldn’t control.

  “Ah shit,” she said. “Now, he’s freaking out.”

  “What’s wrong?” The deeper voice asked with concern.

  “One of his fits.” Skye’s expression softened. She vented a soul-deep sigh and pressed her lips together with determination. “Ryker, can you hold him down?”

  “Seriously? You think I can hold down the Viking king?”

  “Just do it.”

  Two vice grips encircled my arms as Skye withdrew. But that was a ruse. She merely shifted to sit beside me, where she could yell into my ear.

  I could move if I wanted. I could overpower Ryker and push him away, but I didn’t. I didn’t because I needed the restraint to ground me. I liked the feel of being overpowered, even if that disgusted me too.

  “Breathe, Bean, just breathe. Grab ahold of my voice and follow it to the light. I’ve got you. Bean…I’ll never let anything happen to you again.”

  Her hand hovered over mine, and the fine hairs on my arms lifted. It was always this way around her. I’d been getting better, but still had problems with her touch.

  The horrible things I’d done to her were not my fault. I knew this, but it didn’t change the fact there had been a time when I derived
pleasure from hurting the one person who loved me unconditionally, flaws and all.

  There wasn’t another human on the planet who did that.

  Above our heads, long rotors cut through the air. We flew over the city with each chop rattling the passenger cabin. It closed in around me like a cage.

  “Come back to me. Forest. Come back.”

  I was in a helicopter.

  It was night.

  This was not a cage.

  I was not in that basement.

  My entire body buzzed.

  It’s not a cage.

  But that’s not what my mind thought. It believed I was twelve again, locked in the cage in the basement, where I entertained monstrous men with my pain.

  Ryker’s grip tightened, and I sank into the sensation.

  A whole-body shiver overtook me as I struggled to clear my head.

  “Bean, come back to me.” Skye’s voice anchored me, and I began the long climb back to reality by following it to its end.

  I was not in a cage surrounded by the impenetrable dark.

  I was no longer that scared little boy.

  I was in a helicopter with my sister and my men.

  And I was a fucking giant who no longer feared other men. I wasn’t afraid of Snowden anymore. I was the Viking king, and I would be victorious.

  “Come on, Forest.” Skye soothed, using her voice to guide me back. “There you go. Come back to me.”

  The vice on my arms relaxed and then released as the steel band around my chest eased. I took in a slow, measured breath.

  My eyes opened, and I stared, not into Skye’s eyes, but rather Ryker Lyons’ vibrant green orbs which spiked with concern and worry.

  I gave a slow blink and took another breath. “I’m good.”

  I didn’t turn my head to glance at Skye. I couldn’t face her. Not after the direction my thoughts had traveled. It would take a moment before I could look at her again and not do so with the shame and regret which filled nearly every moment of my life.

  Usually, I kept that ugliness locked up tight, but I was off tonight.

  Things were leaking out that had no business seeing the light of day; demons I had conquered, or so I thought.