by Avery Gale
For several seconds Logan just stood still and held her tightly against his chest. Being able to feel her heart beating against his own—knowing that they’d found her and she was alive and well—was staggering. Logan felt his heart swell as it was filled with a soul deep sense of gratitude for every single person that had worked to make sure they’d made it to her in time. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that holding her was more for his own comfort than for hers, but he didn’t care. It hadn’t taken her but a few seconds to wiggle herself into position and settle against him. Christ she was nearly frozen. If they’d been forced to wait out the storm the outcome would likely have been much different.
Logan had known she was operating on pure instinct, her body was seeking warmth. When he’d leaned close to her ear and he whispered, “Take off your shirt and bra, baby,” she had moved quickly to comply. Thank God she was petite and agile enough that she didn’t have any trouble shedding her wet clothing. After she’d stuffed the wet clothing in one of the pockets lining the inside of his jacket he’d directed her to pull his shirts up so they’d be skin to skin.
Kalen had shaken his head and chuckled when it became obvious she wasn’t coming back out of the warmth she’d found inside his coat. Logan watched as Kalen rolled the blanket back up and picked up both packs. They started quickly making their way back the way they’d come.
Logan had been happy to feel Abby’s bare breasts press against his naked chest. Her nipples were like sharp icicles that felt like they could almost pierce his skin. The first press of her frigid skin against his own had almost stolen his breath, but he’d somehow managed to hold back the flinch and shiver that had almost been reflex. He’d been convinced she would have pulled away if she’d thought she was causing him any discomfort and Logan knew Abby was right where she needed to be—for both of their sakes.
“Baby, we’re going to meet up with your brother in about ten seconds. If you don’t want him to see you naked from the waist up, I suggest you stay right where you are.” Logan would have sworn it wouldn’t have been possible for Abby to get any closer to him without having his cock buried deep inside her rapidly rewarming body, but he would have been wrong. At his words she wiggled closer and then sighed softly when she found a position that seemed to suit her. Logan had barely finished talking when Jace ran around the corner, his eyes going wide as he quickly took in this situation. He stroked the back of her head several times in a move that was obviously familiar to Abby because she hummed against him. When Logan looked up at Jace the man’s deep love for his younger sister was reflected clearly in his eyes, but there was something else there as well. It was as if Jace had silently passed a torch to his two friends. Jace hadn’t made any move to take her from Logan, he’d only asked if she was injured and then quickly pulled out his phone and begun making calls.
They’d directed Tony Dent to have the local authorities on standby and Logan knew EMS was probably already on the road waiting for them. Logan hoped like hell there would be enough transportation available that they’d all three be able to accompany Abby to the local hospital for evaluation. And at the very least he and Kalen would accompany her even if it meant kicking out one of the paramedics. Logan knew it was important that Abby rely on them both equally and that meant both of them sticking close to her. Everything he’d ever learned about D/s relationships preached beginning as you intended to go, so Logan felt strongly that they needed to both be equally involved in her care.
Logan looked over and saw his friend shaking his head and smiling. Jace was still talking on his phone so Kalen had leaned close and said, “I’m fairly certain you’ll be riding in the ambulance whether the paramedics like the idea or not. I’m sure as hell not going to help them peel her off you and I doubt Jace will be foolish enough to try it either. Christ, only someone who hasn’t ever seen our little Native American Tinkerbell in warrior-mode would be willing to take that risk.” Logan agreed and he appreciated Kalen’s attempt to lighten the mood a bit.
Any doubts Logan had held about transportation had been quickly extinguished when they’d rounded the last corner and entered the small clearing that had been designated as their rendezvous location. They’d been blinded by a seizure-inducing sea of flashing lights. Raising his hand to shield his eyes, he glanced at Jace and smiled. “Ian?”
“You have to ask? Who else do you know that could pull together a response of this scale in under two hours? Hell, you know it takes big money and highly placed connections to get a response like this on such short notice, let alone in this weather.”
Logan was relieved to see Jace finally looking like he was actually breathing again and Logan knew it had to be killing him to stand by and watch as Logan kept Abby tucked securely inside his coat. But Jace had regularly touched her cheeks and brushed her sodden hair out of her eyes. It was obvious that his friend needed to continually reassure himself that his little sister was indeed safe.
* * * *
The flood of relief Jace had felt when he heard Kalen say he’d found Abby had caused his knees to buckle and he’d found himself leaning against a tree to keep from folding face first into the sodden ground. He had waited until he’d seen her for himself before he’d called his parents to let them know that they had found her and she would be fine. He’d called Holly and Gage next. Holly’s elation was like a warm hug to his soul. “Are you all right, husband mine?” Her sweet inquiry had felt like a band tightening around his chest. She’d been thrilled they’d found Abby in time, but somehow she had known the price he’d paid—how personally responsible he’d felt when he found out Abby had gone off-grid.
He couldn’t help but wonder if this would never have happened if he had left Kalen and Logan in Texas with Abby after the wedding. Perhaps they could have gotten her to open up to them about the trouble she’d been having at work and they could have preempted this nightmare? He knew he wouldn’t ever know for sure, but he also knew the question would plague him for a very long time. Somehow Holly had known the battle he’s been waging at his judgment. The woman who filled his soul with love and joy had instinctively sensed his turmoil. When he’d asked how she knew, she’d simply replied that it was her job to know what he needed as much as it was his to care for her. Holly amazed him on so many levels and if he lived to be a hundred he was certain there wouldn’t be a day go by that he didn’t discover something new and wonderful about her. And in a flash of insight he remembered the expressions he’d seen on Logan’s and Kalen’s faces when he’d met them on the road, because it was the same one he saw in the mirror every morning since Holly had become his and Gage’s. Their marriage and commitment ceremonies had been a bonus that was certain, but the real change had occurred as soon as he’d realized she was theirs.
As he sat watching the paramedics trying to talk Abby into letting them get her out from her warm cocoon so they could assess her, he had to smile when she only tightened her hold on Logan. He could tell them they were wasting their breath, but he doubted they’d listen. It was Kalen who’d finally manage to convince them that their efforts would be better served by moving Abby to the local hospital as quickly as possible rather than provoking her any further. There wasn’t room for him to ride in the ambulance with her, so he’d told them he would be following up in a few minutes. But before Logan climbed into the back of the ambulance, Jace leaned forward and kissed her scratched and muddy cheek. “You’re in good hands Short Round. And I know Kalen and Logan will take good care of you—but remember, I loved you first.”
Chapter Five
Abby was sure she’d never be warm again. She hadn’t even realized how cold she’d been until she’d been safe in Kalen’s arms. And when Logan had opened his coat to her, she hadn’t been able to resist. Nothing had ever felt as good as peeling off her wet shirt and bra so she could press her bare skin against Logan’s warm chest. Abby had felt him stiffen ever so slightly when her cold skin met his but to his credit he hadn’t said a word.
Kalen had gently removed her wet running shoes and socks. She’d heard a couple of snaps and then he’d pulled thick wool socks over her feet. Almost immediately she felt heat starting to penetrate the cold. She figured that it was some kind of activated heat device soldiers used and right now she was very grateful they had brought along their little goodie-bag of tricks. She knew they were walking and she’d heard Logan say they were meeting Jace and she sent up a silent prayer of thanks for her big brother. Logan had reminded her that she was bare from the waist up and she knew he was trying to keep her from going “spider monkey” on Jace. Whenever Jace had returned to the ranch, Abby had always greeted him by launching herself into his waiting arms and wrapped her arms and legs around him. They’d teased about being a little spider monkey and for some reason that memory seemed even sweeter because she’d just done the same thing to the two men she’d been crushing on for years.
Hearing her brother’s voice had settled the last of Abby’s fears and she hadn’t been able to hold back the fresh wave of tears when he’d used the nickname he’d called her since she’d been a young girl. When Jace had seen her collapse in their yard after being exposed to penicillin, she’d started calling him Indy. She’d been a huge Indiana Jones fan at the time, so naming him after her hero had seemed only natural. He’d responded by calling her Short Round which had been the name of the small Asian boy in the first movie. He’d insisted it was fitting because she was short, fearless, and always around.
In the back of her mind it registered that he’d been talking to their parents on the phone and then she’d just let everything surrounding her slip away. Now that she was getting warm the adrenaline crash was swamping her and she was tired of fighting the bone-deep fatigue she’d holding at bay for several hours. She barely remembered the paramedics trying to convince her to let them check her over, but she’d just clung to Logan and refused to let go.
* * * *
Logan knew the instant Abby had finally given in to the after effects of the fear and cold. He’d been grateful for Jace and Kalen’s intervention when the paramedics had insisted on taking her. She’d clung to him as if her life had depended on it and he’d been unwilling to force her out of his arms. Jace had been on the phone with Alex Lamont at the time and by the time he’d hung up the most belligerent of the ambulance crew had gotten a phone call that had leached all of the color from his ruddy rat-face and he’d suddenly become much more accommodating. Logan had to suppress his laughter because it was apparent the man had been tag-teamed by Alex and Zach Lamont.
Having served with them when they were all SEALs, Logan knew exactly how formidable they were individually—and together they were a Cat-5 hurricane and bulldozer rolled into one. Kalen leaned over and brushed Abby’s hair back from her face. “She looks like a battered angel.” Logan looked down at her face and was transfixed by the wonder that was Abigail Garrett. Even with the scratches and bruises that were showing up on her cheek – whoever did this to her has just signed their own death warrant – she was still the most breathtakingly beautiful woman Logan had ever known.
Logan and Kalen both watched as Abby’s long, curled lashes fluttered brushing over the dark circles under her eyes before slowly lifting to reveal the windows to the sweet soul of Abby Garrett. Her eyes were such a deep shade of mahogany that ordinarily they usually looked almost black. She whispered, “I found a feather so I knew I’d be okay…that you’d come for me eventually. Thank you for listening to her.” When she fell back to sleep, Logan looked up at Kalen and knew he was equally confused by her comment.
Kalen considered her words for several seconds before shrugging, “Maybe Jace will know what she meant.” He’d just spoken the words when they’d pulled to a stop and were quickly swept up in the whirlwind of the emergency room of the small rural health center.
During the time they were sitting in the family room waiting as the harried staff finished up the paperwork releasing Abby into her brother’s care, Logan remembered her softly muttered comment and asked Jace about it. Jace’s eyes went wide for a second before he smiled. “Our granny always told us that if you find a feather it means your guardian angel is near—like a sign or a reminder. It actually surprises me a little that she remembered that story, because she was pretty young when Granny died.”
Jace turned to face Kalen, “Thank you. On behalf of Abby, my parents and myself, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know there have been a lot of false alarms with her trackers. And it probably wasn’t easy to decide to interrupt my first evening home, because I’d been pretty clear about not wanting to be disturbed, but I’m grateful as hell you did.” Logan could tell Kalen was holding back his own emotion because Jace was right. There had been many false alarms and it would have been very easy for Kalen to have just stalled for a few hours. Maybe Abby had been right, maybe Kalen had listened to her guardian angel.
Chapter Six
Kalen kept Abby tucked securely under his arm as they drove back to Washington. There hadn’t been any reason to call in any more favors to fly the short distance now that they weren’t working against the clock. They hadn’t wanted to file a flight plan either, no need to put Abby on the radar of whoever had taken her. Jace had been working with the local authorities to try and trace the owners of the cabins that lined the narrow mountain road where they’d found Abby. Everyone had hoped there would be someone that stood out as an obvious connection to the Energy Consortium, but so far there hadn’t been any leads.
“Did you speak with Mitch about tagging her files on the server?” Kalen had been catching bits and pieces of Jace’s conversations and knew everything she’d been working on was still secure. But that didn’t mean someone hadn’t tried to get in or wouldn’t try once they figured out they’d stolen a worthless computer and their kidnapped researcher had eluded them as well.
“Already done.” Jace smiled before continuing. “It was nice to know that the man who broke into the top levels of the Pentagon’s system just to prove to their Pentagon contact, General Franklin that he could do it refused to tap into Garrett Oil’s server without speaking to both of my dads personally. Hell, he set it up so you can bet your ass he knows the thing inside and out. Christ I’m glad he’s our friend and not an enemy.”
Before Abby was wheeled into the room by a nurse who looked like she’d worked at least twenty-four straight, the three of them had discussed how to best keep her safe. They’d agreed that they needed to get Abby’s input, but the bottom line was they would simply do whatever it took. A couple of things had already been taken “off the table” including Abby returning to her Houston condo or the Garrett family ranch. The family also owned a cabin in the Colorado Rockies and since that was public record, she couldn’t go there either.
For now the safest place for her was Logan and Kalen’s apartment, which happened to be next to the one Jace shared with Holly and Gage. Kalen was relieved that he and Logan were finally going to have Abby under their roof, but he hadn’t wanted it to be because she was in danger. Sighing to himself he wondered what exactly her abductors had planned for her. The fact they hadn’t bound her meant that either they’d been pressed for time or they really hadn’t wanted her injured. If they’d been concerned with making sure she was unharmed why didn’t they let her ride in the front of the vehicle? Why put her in the trunk? There was just so much about the whole situation that didn’t make sense and often that meant you were dealing with amateurs. And the problem with amateurs was that they were so damned unpredictable.
Abby had given the local Sheriff as much information as she could about the vehicle, but no one was surprised that her main concern had been getting away without being seen rather than trying to memorize the license plate number. She’d been frustrated with herself for not thinking of it, but the elderly sheriff had reminded her to stop judging herself by “that horse shit you see on the television.” They’d all laughed about his words, but he’d been right. The public thinks they should behave like the
actors in the shows they watch and it’s almost always a set-up to fail situation. Kalen had seen it many times – victims are “judged” because they didn’t think with a clear head. Of course they weren’t thinking clearly, they were fighting for their lives.
Kalen made a conscious effort to shake off that train of thought because anytime he thought about where Abby’s head must have been while she was running through the woods in the dark it made him insane. Even without the rain, Abby hadn’t been dressed warmly enough to spend the night in the mountains without proper shelter. The hospital staff had let her shower and given her clothing to wear, but her feet were so small they didn’t have any shoes to fit her. It hadn’t mattered because he and Logan had been more than happy to have an excuse to carry her. Holding her in their arms would never be a hardship.
They had been amazed that she hadn’t even stirred when they boarded Ian’s boat to cross over to the small island that housed Club Isola and the new resort. Ian and Callie also lived in a beautiful home on the western edge of the island. They were nearing completion on the “baby suite” they’d added on, so there would be a lot of traffic on and off the island in just a couple of hours. Hoping to avoid any of those workers seeing them bring Abby onto the island, they had skipped stopping to eat. Getting Abby safely inside the apartment wing of the club while they still had some cover of darkness would go a long way toward keep her presence a secret for at least a day or two.