by Anna Hackett
Then, Airman Kowalski cried out.
A soldier, the handsome man she’d fought with outside the Cosmopolitan, was jabbing at Aimee with a knife.
Dammit. Rowan glanced around the space. The rest of the team was busy subduing the soldiers.
Lachlan was going to kill her, but she had no choice. Straightening her shoulders, Rowan crept around the edge of the fight, circling closer to Aimee.
She pulled out the Glock Axel had given her. She snuck up behind the French soldier and pressed the gun to the base of his neck.
“Drop the knife, asshole,” she said.
The man spun, the knife streaking toward Rowan. Shit. Off balance, she still managed to pull the trigger.
With a shout, the man fell back, clutching his thigh.
“I warned you not to test me.” Rowan moved closer to Airman Kowalski. “It’s okay, Aimee.” She touched the chains, looking for a way to unlock them. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
Suddenly, the man she’d shot reared up. He rammed a fist into Rowan’s thigh.
Pain speared through her and her leg collapsed. She sprawled on the floor, the gun flying out of her hand.
Oh, shit. The man landed on top of her. With a grunt, she wrestled with him, trying to get him off her. He aimed a punch at her head, and she dodged the blow. She jammed her fingers into his eyes and he shouted.
Airman Kowalski leaned forward, rattling her chains. She strained against the metal, her muscles bulging.
The chains snapped.
Quickly, Aimee reached out and grabbed the soldier on top of Rowan. She lifted the man up and tossed him.
With a cry, he flew through the air, and slammed into some of the shelves. They toppled over with a crash, slamming into the next row of shelves.
Those shelves toppled, as well. Rowan’s eyes widened. Uh-oh. She watched the chain reaction of loaded shelves crashing like dominos.
A shadow fell over Rowan. She looked up at Aimee towering over her. The woman was still huge and menacing, and clearly enraged and upset. She let out a deafening roar.
Then the out-of-control woman grabbed Rowan with bruising hands.
“Hey, calm down—”
Aimee roared again, shaking Rowan until her teeth rattled.
Then the woman spun and took off running down one of the rows, dragging Rowan behind her.
Lachlan kicked the soldier in the gut, watching him fall. Once he was down, Lachlan slammed the butt of his weapon into the man’s face, knocking him out.
Nearby, Blair was fighting hand-to-hand with a young soldier. The man was dancing around, and Blair was clearly out of patience.
She stepped in, slammed a hard jab into the man’s face, then hooked her foot around his ankle.
She slammed him to the ground. “Stay. Still.”
From nearby, Axel chuckled.
Suddenly, Airman Kowalski roared. There was a loud crash as a storage shelf toppled over. Then another. And another.
What the fuck? They all spun, and Lachlan instantly looked for Rowan. The spot where he’d left her was empty. Dammit.
He turned again. Airman Kowalski was loping into an aisle between the shelves, dragging Rowan behind her.
“Fuck!” Blair kicked a shelf.
Airman Kowalski’s restraints were broken, and the twisted, broken body of a man lay near the shelves.
“After them!” Lachlan yelled.
He raced between the shelves. But Kowalski was fast, and he couldn’t see or hear them.
“There!” Seth cried.
Lachlan saw a trail of water leading off down another row of shelves.
“Brooks, be advised that Airman Kowalski is on the run and has Rowan.”
“Shit,” Brooks answered. “Acknowledged, Lachlan.”
Lachlan bolted, pumping his arms, his team just paces behind him. They reached the end of the row, and before them stood the metal exterior wall of the warehouse.
There was a huge hole torn in it, like a large creature had burst through it.
“Fuck.” Lachlan jumped through the opening. He spun, seeing no sign of Kowalski or Rowan on the street.
“Axel and Callie, get the vehicles.” The pair immediately ran off. “Everyone, spread out, and let’s try to pick up the trail.”
They fanned out. Lachlan tried to stay calm, his hands tight on his weapon. He should never have fucking let her talk him into this.
“Here,” Smith yelled.
He pointed to a faint trail of water that led down the street. They broke into a jog.
“Kowalski’s moving fast,” Smith said.
They turned down another street, and then crossed a parking lot.
“She’ll be fine,” Blair said. “She’s tough.”
“I’m locking her up after this,” Lachlan growled.
“Good luck with that,” Seth said.
Lachlan scowled at his friend. “One day, you’ll see.”
“Shit, you’re in love with her.” Seth blinked.
Love. That word was like a kick to Lachlan’s gut. He loved his mom, hell, he’d even loved his dad. But what he felt for them didn’t come close to this big, chaotic, warm feeling he felt for Rowan.
He’d give his life for Rowan. For the girl who distracted him from his father’s rages as a child. For the woman who was sexy, smart, courageous…and his.
“Lachlan?” Brooks’ voice came through his earpiece.
“I’m here. Go ahead.”
“There’s been a disturbance reported at Desert Springs Hospital.”
Damn. “That where Kowalski’s daughter is?”
“Yes, that’s where Jenny Kowalski is being treated.”
The SUVs roared up beside them. Lachlan yanked open the door, and glanced at Axel as the others piled in.
“Desert Springs Hospital. Now.”
As the SUV sped off, a muscle ticked in Lachlan’s jaw. Hold on, Rowan. I’m coming.
Chapter Eighteen
She was cold. So cold.
Rowan stumbled down the hospital corridor, watching people screaming and running to get out of their way. Aimee was still holding Rowan’s arm in a fierce grip, and she knew it would be bruised. The woman’s touch was also freezing cold.
“Aimee, please—”
A rough jerk and a growl. Whatever the Legion de Mer soldiers had done to Aimee Kowalski had caused the woman to withdraw.
On their way into the hospital, Aimee had incapacitated the security guards who’d tried to stop them. Rowan saw doctors and nurses cowering, trying to protect the patients in the adjacent rooms. But Aimee wasn’t paying any attention to them as she powered down the hall.
Rowan’s teeth started to chatter. “Aimee, you’ll frighten your daughter.”
The woman paused, head tilted.
Rowan looked at the artifact on the woman’s chest. God, Rowan wished they’d never pulled the damn thing from the ice.
But right now, the most important thing was to contain it. To let Lachlan and his team lock it away so it couldn’t hurt anybody else.
Lachlan. Rowan trembled. She knew he and the others would be on their way. She also knew she’d endure his anger if it meant she was back in his arms. God, she was head over heels for that man.
Suddenly, she saw Aimee stiffen.
Rowan turned, expecting to see Team 52 coming toward them.
Her stomach fell. Instead, it was a group of men in red balaclavas holding weapons, slowly making their way down the hallway. Oh, no. The Red Wolves. Dammit to hell.
Aimee started backing up, but there was a whooshing sound from behind them. Rowan turned, just in time to see a net engulf Aimee. As the woman flailed, she knocked into Rowan, sending her crashing to the floor.
Rowan shot to her feet, just as the Red Wolves rushed in. “Stop!”
Aimee let out a roar that rattled the windows. Someone tackled Rowan, and she hit the floor again, hard. The breath was knocked out of her and she tried to fight. But her attacker was bigger and heavier
, and she felt a knee press into her lower back, holding her down.
Her gaze went to Aimee, who was struggling with the net.
“Don’t hurt her!” Rowan yelled.
“Hold the creature down,” a voice called out.
Rowan struggled, and the man holding her pushed down harder. He pressed a hand to the floor beside Rowan’s head. She sucked in a breath. There was a Trident tattoo on his wrist.
They were Legion de Mer. They were only pretending to be Red Wolves.
She couldn’t let them get the artifact.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.” She struggled again.
The man crouched, his face close to hers, his gray eyes were depthless and cold.
“I assure you, Dr. Schafer, I know exactly what I’m doing.” This man’s accent was definitely French. “That weapon is very valuable. Reverse engineered, I can sell it to the world’s militaries.” He smiled now, but it was icy. “Imagine a new breed of super-soldier suits. I’ll be the wealthiest man on the planet.”
“It’s too dangerous,” she insisted.
He gave her a shrug. “Life is dangerous.” He lifted his balaclava a little and she saw that the bottom half of his face was scarred, much like Seth’s. “Better to have weapons to protect you and yours.”
Aimee threw herself backward, sending one of the men crashing into the wall. Two big men stepped forward, holding long prods. As they jammed them into Aimee, her body shuddered, and she made pained noises.
God, they were really hurting her. Rowan tasted bile as she watched. Another soldier, this one a sandy-haired female, knelt down. She reached through the net and gripped the artifact. She tugged, trying to pry it off Aimee’s chest.
The woman shook her head. “I think we’ll have to kill the host.” This woman’s accent was South African.
The scarred man stood, yanking Rowan to her feet. “Very well.”
“No.” Rowan slammed herself into the man. She managed to knock the man off balance, and together, they stumbled into the wall.
Someone grabbed her arms and wrenched them back painfully. She was dragged off the scarred man.
He scowled at her, straightening and tugging on the hem of his shirt. Then he swung out, backhanding her.
Ow. Rowan tasted blood and pain detonated across her cheek.
“A bad choice, Dr. Schafer.”
“I’d do it again, asshole.”
“Sir,” a soldier called out.
Rowan swiveled and her breath caught.
Lachlan was running down the hallway, holding his high-tech rifle. God, did the damn man think he was impervious to bullets? Her heart leaped into her throat.
The soldiers opened fire and Lachlan dived into a side room.
And that’s when bodies dropped from the ceiling panels, right on top of the balaclava-clad men around her.
Rowan watched Blair launch into a roundhouse kick, taking down a soldier. Smith slammed two men together. Axel, Seth, and Callie exploded into action.
Her heart soared. Team 52 had arrived.
Lachlan spun around the corner and charged toward the fight.
He fired his CXM and when he was close enough, launched into the fight. Kick. Jab. Cross. One soldier went down and Lachlan spun, dropping to one knee. He rammed his fist into another soldier’s gut.
Ahead, Blair and Seth were fighting together. They were taking on three balaclava-clad soldiers. Blair kicked a weapon from one man’s hand, and then jabbed the heel of her palm into the man’s nose. Seth spun, slamming a punch into the neck of another.
Nearby, Callie fired on two others, while Smith fought with his usual strength and debilitating blows. Axel looked like he was out for an evening stroll—all fluid grace and casual ease. But he packed a punch that got the job done.
Lachlan’s gaze locked on Rowan. There was more swelling on her face, and his jaw clenched. Someone would pay.
He punched another soldier hard enough that the man slammed into the wall.
Rowan was crawling over to where Airman Kowalski lay on the ground, moving sluggishly.
“Rowan.” Lachlan dropped down beside her.
She reached for him, hugging him tight. “God, Lachlan.”
“You’re okay?” She was whole and in his arms again. Thank God.
She nodded. “We need to help Aimee.”
Lachlan pulled out his knife and quickly cut off the net. The woman lay prone on the ground, her chest heaving.
“We need to get the artifact off her.” Rowan reached out with cautious hands, touching the artifact.
Lachlan kept one eye on the fight. The bastards were almost all taken care of. “The Legion assholes couldn’t remove it.”
“Because they were hurting her and she was agitated.” Rowan leaned over Aimee. “Aimee, you need to relax and let it go.”
Milky eyes locked with Rowan’s, and Airman Kowalski let out a shuddering breath. Her tense muscles relaxed.
The artifact came off in Rowan’s hand.
Kowalski’s body began to shrink back to normal, her skin turning pink again. In seconds, there was a naked, exhausted woman lying on the floor.
She started sobbing.
Lachlan jumped up and grabbed a sheet off a nearby gurney. “Here.”
She carefully laid the sheet over Aimee. “It’s going to be okay.”
Lachlan grabbed a towel and handed it to Rowan. “Wrap the artifact up.” The last thing they needed was for it to get accidentally activated again.
“I’m so sorry,” Kowalski croaked, grabbing Rowan’s hand. “I should never have done this.”
Lachlan pressed his lips together. “There’s time to talk about that later.”
Desperate brown eyes caught his. “I was in a terrible place.” Her voice cracked. “My daughter, the bills. It was relentless.”
“But you didn’t hand the artifact over,” Rowan said quietly. “That’s the main thing.”
“I couldn’t. I couldn’t betray my country. I’d do anything for my daughter, but I couldn’t do that.” Aimee’s grip tightened on Rowan. “A mother makes sacrifices for her child. It doesn’t matter if that child is perfect or a perfect mess. I love her so much. No matter what she’s done, I love her just as she is.”
Lachlan saw the look that crossed Rowan’s face. She looked like she’d been hit hard. He touched her shoulder and squeezed.
“Every child deserves that.” Aimee Kowalski began crying quietly.
“Mom?”
They all looked up. A wan-looking teenage girl was leaning into the stocky man beside her.
The man’s agonized gaze locked on Kowalski’s face. “Aimee?”
The pair rushed toward Kowalski, throwing their arms around her. Rowan and Lachlan stepped back.
“You all right?” he asked.
Rowan shook her head. “No. I just fully realized that all the time I’ve spent trying to get some scrap of affection from my parents was a big waste of time.”
“Rowan.”
She looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. “They don’t love me.” Her gaze fell on the Kowalskis. “Not like that. And it doesn’t matter what I do, what degrees I have, what man I’m with, they never will. And that’s on them, not me.”
“I think you’re pretty darn amazing, Rowan Schafer.”
She smiled. “Good, because I am.”
Down the hall, Lachlan spotted the police arriving. He caressed her jaw. “I need to sort this out.”
She nodded. “Go.”
He nodded to the artifact. “Keep that out of sight.”
“Yes, sir.” She tossed him a really bad salute.
He ran his thumb down her cheekbone. When he turned, he saw his team rounding up the last of the Legion soldiers.
Lachlan talked to the police, supervising the Legion soldiers being cuffed and read their rights. Those that were conscious watched sullenly. Blair took over managing Kowalski and her family.
Every time he glanced at Rowan, he noticed sh
e was shivering. Damn, he wished he could hurry this along.
When Callie passed him, he grabbed the medic’s arm. “Can you find Rowan a blanket? She’s cold.”
“Sure.” Callie scanned around. “Where is she?”
Lachlan looked back to where she’d been standing. She wasn’t there.
His body stiffened and he strode forward. Lying on the floor was the towel he’d asked her to wrap the artifact in.
“Lachlan?” Blair appeared beside him, frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“Rowan’s missing.”
His team all looked around, going on alert.
The heavy thud of Lachlan’s own pulse filled his ears. Rowan was gone. And so was the artifact.
Chapter Nineteen
Rowan skirted around the empty hospital bed, keeping it between her and the scarred man she’d tangled with earlier.
He’d yanked her away while no one was looking, and pulled her into a room.
“Just hand over the device, Dr. Schafer.”
“Not going to happen,” she said.
Rowan edged closer to the window and glanced out. It was several stories to the ground below. She could probably climb out, but she was pretty sure Lachlan would lose his mind if she fell off another building.
The man edged closer and she grabbed some medical machine sitting nearby. As he came at her, she shoved the machine at him.
He batted it aside.
“The others will be here soon,” she said. “You have nowhere to go.”
“I’m used to moving quietly and making sure no one sees me. No one saw me grab you.”
“I’m not giving you the artifact.” She shook her head. “You know, I survived a terrible attack, I’ve fallen off buildings, I’ve been kidnapped multiple times, and I just realized that I’m loveable just as I am, and have a super-hot guy who I think has feelings for me. I am not letting you screw up my life!”
The man looked at her like she’d lost her mind, but took a step closer.
“Leave her alone.”
The tremulous voice came from a nearby bed. Rowan glanced over at the elderly woman glaring at the man. When he spun to look at the woman, Rowan lunged, kicking him.