Trish awoke slowly, aware of two things—she was too warm, and Tushar’s arm wrapped around her body was the cause. She sighed. Where had she been? Why the hell had she put them both through weeks of silent treatment?

The room was bathed in the first rays of sunshine. They had fallen asleep curled into each other after the best sex of her life.

Her stomach grumbled as Tushar kissed her ear. “We didn’t eat dinner,” he whispered.

“I didn’t even notice,” she pointed out, shivering at the touch of his lips on her skin.

“I need to feed you.”

She turned toward him to more fully see his face. “I’d rather you didn’t. After watching you make spaghetti the other day, I’d be worried about eggshells and burnt bacon. How about I feed you instead?”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

She wiggled out of his arms. “I need a shower.”

“I could join you,” he said, grabbing her hand to keep her from slipping away.

“We would both die of starvation if we did that. I’m hungry. Save the shower antics for another time.” She gave her hand a tug and headed for the bathroom, feeling his gaze on her naked body.

She smiled through the entire process. Finally, a breakthrough between them. They still had issues to resolve, but at least they were speaking and not at each other’s throats.

After a quick shower, she dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved West Point T-shirt and headed for the kitchen while Tushar slipped into the shower.

She had a big breakfast going when he joined her. “Oh, so you don’t put the entire egg in the pan,” he joked as he leaned over her shoulder.

“Only if you want them to be hard boiled, but that would require boiling water.” She kissed his cheek and returned to stirring the scrambled eggs.

They were quiet while they ate, and she realized they had many things to discuss. The air was thick with this knowledge, but neither of them mentioned their disagreements until the plates were cleared and they were seated on the couch.

Tushar took her hand. “Talk to me.”

She met his gaze. “I’m worried we aren’t going to agree on the basic parts of our lives right now.”

“I’ll try to be more open-minded.”

“Okay, but the fundamental problem we have is location. I want to go back.”

“I know you do, and I can understand your reasoning.”

“Why do you and Temple think the bunker would be in such danger simply by having us present? It’s well-guarded. More security could be added. How is it more efficient to divide us up and scatter us around the country with even more protection than we would have at the bunker? It’s a huge waste of resources.”

He sighed. “For one thing it lowers the threat to the entire team, both the new team and the old team. There’s a reasonable fear that if the mob of people outside the gates gets large enough or angry enough, they could overpower the security guards protecting the bunker. That would put everyone inside at risk. At least with us two states away, we’re taking the heat off the others and dividing the potential enemy.”

She rolled her eyes. “The enemy is relatively imaginary, right? I mean, all of this is based on the supposition that one or more of the people protesting outside the bunker are interested in a physical altercation.”

“It’s more than a hunch, Trish. Emily was kidnapped by a madman.”

“But that guy is in custody.”

“We don’t know how many others are like him.”

“We also don’t know that I won’t slip and fall in the shower and die from a skull fracture.”

Tushar inhaled slowly. “Next time you take a shower, I’ll join you. It’s not very large. You stand very little chance of falling if I’m there to grab you on the way down.” He smiled.

She rolled her eyes, though the visual of him pressing her wet naked body against the cool tile of the shower made her wish they were doing something far more constructive like that than hashing out their differences on the couch.

“Look, at least set up a timeframe. I’m not staying here much longer. I want to be with Ryan, and he could use my help. I might be a decade behind on medical research, but I can run data and double-check people’s work. Sounds like the entire team is on edge. They need a mediator to keep them from lashing out at each other.”

“What if one of them is the mole, Trish?”

She nodded slowly. “I’ve thought about that, but it doesn’t add up. Who would dedicate their life to researching and developing cures for the world’s diseases if what they really wanted to do was sabotage every project? It doesn’t make sense. Both our team and the one working for Ryan are made up of the most intelligent people on earth who spent years of their lives working night and day to get their degrees. It’s unfathomable that one of them was groomed from a young age and planted in that bunker to cause harm.”

He sighed, leaned back against the sofa. “You’re right.”

“Maybe there is no mole. Maybe we’re overreacting. Maybe everything that has happened has been a coincidence. Or someone outside stole information. There are thousands of hackers in this world who could have broken into the system and discovered any number of things.”

“True. It’s also possible someone working for the government or the military outside the bunker has the clearance to obtain information and make a buck on the side. Lord knows most of those people aren’t paid enough.”

“Exactly. So, when can we go back?” she pressed.

He groaned. “We don’t even have permission to go back. I didn’t single-handedly propose this arrangement, and I don’t have the clout to undo it either. I’ll talk to Temple and see if she can pull some strings on her end. It might help if she goes to bat for us with something more substantial than wanting to spend time with our son. Perhaps if she can show her superiors that we are a benefit to the team…”

Trish faced forward and sank farther into the cushions. She wasn’t in the mood for bureaucratic red tape. She just wanted to go back to Colorado.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Tushar added.

They sat in silence for several seconds before Tushar’s phone rang in his pocket. He released Trish’s hand, lifted one hip to extract his cell, and took the call.

His face scrunched as he answered. “Davin?”

“There’s been a perimeter breach.”

Trish could hear every word. Her ear was only inches from Tushar’s. She stiffened.

Tushar hesitated a moment. “Pardon?”

“The fence was cut along the south side of the ranch.”

“What?” It seemed Tushar was struggling to catch up. He shook his head, his free hand gripping Trish’s thigh tighter than he probably realized. “When?”

“Just now. I have three men rushing to that location, but it’s a distance away. You need to get out of there. Now.”

Trish’s heart raced, kicking up another notch as her adrenaline spiked.

Davin continued. “The fence is on an alarm. It went off two minutes ago. I can only tell which section. If someone knows you’re here, they could also know about the cabin.”

Tushar finally moved, jumping to his feet.

Trish followed, standing but then finding herself unable to move. She wasn’t sure what to do. She watched Tushar rush around the cabin. He was still speaking to Davin, but she could no longer focus on the specifics. It was like the two of them were living in different planes. Tushar rushing around at high speed; Trish watching in slow motion.

When her husband thrust a coat at her, she somehow managed to grab it and shrug her arms into the sleeves as he pocketed the phone. His hand was on her cheek in an instant. “We need to leave. On foot. Quickly. Can you do it?”

She nodded. What if she had said no? She almost laughed. “You really think someone found us?”

“It would seem that way. Not taking any chances.”

She glanced at the window. “What’s the temperature?” At least it wasn’t snowing. In fact, it hadn’t snowed in a few days.

“It’s cold.” He rushed across the room to tug on boots and then a hat and scarf. Tucking thick gloves under his arm, he came back to her. “Trish?” His brow was furrowed. “We need to go.”

She nodded, but couldn’t manage to get her body to receive the flight message. Her brain was processing the urgency, but her arms and legs hadn’t caught up to the adrenaline boost.

Tushar had her boots in his hand. He kneeled in front of her and lifted one foot to slide it into the thick lining. Moments later, he did the same with her other boot. He stood, zipped her coat up, tugged a hat over her head, and handed her a pair of mittens and a scarf.

“Trish?”

“I’m okay. I’m with you,” she forced out, wrapping the warm scarf around her neck and then pulling on the mittens.

He didn’t look convinced. He frowned, holding both her cheeks, his face inches away from hers. “We’re going to be fine.” Who was he kidding? Nothing about this arrangement was fine.

If they hadn’t come to this remote cabin in Montana, they would be safe. She found it hard to believe the mob of protesters outside the bunker in Colorado had plans to force their way inside.

Running around a ranch in the dead of winter without much to protect them from the elements had to be the worst idea she’d ever heard.

Tushar turned around, found her phone on the kitchen counter, and tucked it into the pocket of her jeans. He grabbed her hand next, tugging her toward the cabin’s only door. After yanking the door open, he picked up a backpack that had lain slumped on the floor for all these weeks.

Trish had never questioned its contents or asked why it was there. Now she realized it was probably filled with survival equipment. It was large and stuffed full.

“Let’s go.”

She followed, a cold blast of air hitting her face as soon as she stepped onto the porch. Damn, it was freezing. She pulled her hand free from Tushar to adjust her scarf to cover her cheeks. “Where are we going?”

“North.” One word. Too vague.

“Tushar?”

He met her gaze again. “We have no choice.” And then he jogged down the steps, reaching for her hand the second he hit the ground.

North? Just randomly north? With no destination in mind? “Are you sure this is necessary?”

“No. I’m not sure of anything. What I know is that someone cut the fence along the south side of the ranch. We have to assume it wasn’t so they could steal a cow.”

“Won’t Davin and his people be able to handle it?”

“Yes. I’m certain they can. But we’re not taking any chances. No one knows yet what we’re facing. How many people. How armed they might be.” Tushar was moving fast.

Trish had to jog to keep up with him. She wasn’t in good enough shape for this. But she said nothing until they hit the tree line. Gasping for breath, she pulled her hand from his and stopped.

He wrapped an arm around her and hauled her against his chest. “Sorry about that. I wanted to get out of the clearing as fast as possible. We can slow down now.” He tipped her head back with a gloved finger. “You okay?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t do this, Tushar. I’m in no shape to run.”

“I know.” He kissed her forehead and released her. “Take a second. Catch your breath. Then we’ll keep moving.”

Deep breaths. Several of them. She was still heaving when he took her hand again. “I’m sorry. We need to move.”

“Maybe it’s nothing. Someone could have cut that fence for any number of reasons.” God, she hoped that was the case.

“Maybe…” He didn’t look at her.

She didn’t argue further, mostly because she didn’t have the breath to speak.

He picked their way between the trees, stepping carefully over branches and brush. “Try not to step on the snow,” he encouraged.

She nodded, knowing he was worried about their tracks. Luckily the snow was in patches, easily avoidable. They continued like this for half an hour before Trish lifted her gaze to see them approaching the mountain range.

Tushar stopped walking and pulled her close again. Holding her with one hand, he extracted his phone from his pocket with the other. “Good, we still have service.” It rang in his hand before he could do anything else. “Give me good news, Davin. It’s damn cold out here, and Trish isn’t in shape for this.”

Trish lifted onto her toes to listen.

“Sorry, man. Wish I could. We found the section of fence that was cut. It was definitely intentional. There’s also an SUV parked a short distance away, marginally hidden off the side of the road. Whoever drove to that spot wasn’t very smart if they didn’t realize the fence is on my security system.”

“Fuck.”

“Yes. That sums it up.”

“Any idea how many people we might be talking about?”

“Not yet. My men found at least two sets of prints, but they’re nearly impossible to follow after they came through the fence. Where are you?”

“We moved north. Not fast. Maybe a mile from the cabin.”

“Okay. If you can keep that up, you’ll come to that stone ridge I told you about in another quarter mile. There are several indentations in the ridge that will provide at least the semblance of shelter on three sides.”

Shelter?

“Got it. Thanks.”

“You’re going to lose cell service any minute now. I can’t believe you still have any. I’m sending my men your direction. They should intersect you from the west.”

“Okay. Thanks, Davin.”

The called ended, and Trish met her husband’s gaze. “We can’t stay out here, Tushar.” She was shaking her head in defiance and shock. “Not after dark.”

“We might not have a choice.” He reached back with one hand to tap the backpack. “I have provisions.”

“Provisions?” Goose bumps rose all over her body. She shuddered. “You have a tent in there? Some sleeping bags?” She took a step back. Fear climbed up her spine to replace the adrenaline. The temperature was low. It would dip considerably lower when the sun went down.

“I have what we’ll need. Let’s keep moving.”

She inhaled, trying to calm her nerves. Trying not to freak out or scream at him. “This is your plan? Keep moving? Hide in a small cave?”

“Yes.” He frowned at her. “I didn’t say it was ideal.”

“But you planned this ahead of time. You had a backpack ready. You plotted it out with Davin.”

He took a step closer. “Trish, I had backup plans. Yes.”

“We should have taken the four-by-four. Why leave on foot?”

“We don’t know what we’re facing. We couldn’t risk heading for the main entrance.”

“You knew this might happen, and you kept it from me.”

He blew out a breath. “I didn’t know anything. I simply made plans for any eventuality.”

Her voice rose. “And you didn’t share them with me?”

He glanced around and then spoke barely above a whisper. “Let’s not help out the enemy.”

She replied through nearly gritted teeth. “You made this escape plan and didn’t tell me. I’m hardly in good enough shape to walk across the room, and you thought it would be a great idea to trek through the woods toward the mountains at an altitude that’s not conducive to breathing.”

She had to give him credit for not walking away from her while she railed at him. But dammit.

He cleared his throat, stepped even closer, and whispered again. “Trish, you’ve hardly been speaking to me for three weeks. When was I supposed to share my escape plan? Would that have been while you were giving me the cold shoulder in bed with your back to me or while you were barricaded in the room avoiding me during the day?”

He was right. Of course. But she was still pissed. She jerked up her wrist and held it in front of his face. “And let’s not forget we both have a GPS tracker in our damn arms. If that’s what the enemy used to find us on this ranch, all we’re doing is luring the bad guys away from civilization and trapping ourselves out in the middle of nowhere.”

He nodded. He’d thought of that. She could tell by the look in his face. “We have to hope whatever intel someone might have came from a tip. It would be very difficult for someone to get into the system and use the GPS locator.”

She nodded past him. “Fine. Let’s go find these indentations you seem to think will resemble caves.” She stepped past him, continuing toward the north.