STORMY HUDDLED IN the corner of the cell, a chill in her bones. Colette was curled up close. She’d fallen asleep some time ago while Stormy stayed awake listening for any sounds in the eerily quiet house. On occasion there would be a pop or crack in the structure and she’d jump each time. Her fear was the old house would fall around their ears.
A flash of light feathered through the window, but her hopes were dashed as the low hum of the car’s engine faded into the dark. Tears came to her eyes because there was still no sign of Gray. Maybe he wasn’t coming. If morning came without anyone coming to save her and her sister, Stormy would have no choice but to figure out a way to save Colette.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Stormy imagined she was with Gray, in his arms and listening to his heart beat. Her feelings for him were deep, but she wasn’t ready to fall again. How could she ever trust her instincts when she’d fallen into the web of a murderer like Duncan? She couldn’t compare him and Gray. They were worlds apart. Yet, she was the reason why they were in this mess. How had she not see Duncan’s true colors? He’d told her he’d been shot in the war. Liar!
She allowed Tiffany to hand her the key to the cabin and then Stormy had waltzed right into Duncan’s sinister plan. Then again, if she’d turned away Tiffany’s offer Stormy wouldn’t have met Gray and if she hadn’t come to the house to search for Lola’s owner it was likely she wouldn’t have found Colette. Stormy was certain Duncan would have killed her sister.
It was time Stormy cleaned up the mess and stopped acting like a naïve woman and instead be a princess warrior.
She wanted her relationship with Gray to continue after the snow melted, but she also wasn’t sure he felt the same, especially after finding out Duncan was her ex. However, if they parted at least she had the memory of his kindness, strength and how making love with him opened her to a new world.
Carefully moving so she didn’t disturb Colette, Stormy crawled across the short space. Although she’d already investigated the cage a dozen times or more, she couldn’t discard the chance that she could find a lose spot.
Running her fingers along the rusted bars, her fingers scraped across sharp metal, slicing her skin. She could feel the warm moisture of blood, but she couldn’t allow that to stop her.
There must be a way out!
Hearing the door rattle, she felt acid boil up inside her throat and crawled back into the corner, into the shadows. She could hear Duncan’s heavy footsteps move across the cement as he approached the cage. A light came on, shining in her eyes and she lifted her hands to try and block some of the brightness.
Colette stirred and came up with a squeal. “Wh-what’s happening?”
“It’s okay,” Stormy consoled her, placing an arm around her sister’s slender shoulders.
Keys jostled and clanked. Is he letting us out? Stormy held her breath, listening to the key slide into the lock and a dull click then squeaking as the rusty door opened.
She wasn’t sure where her thoughts were, but she decided if she was going to make a move it was now or never.
Lifting herself on her knees, she crouched down, waiting…
The flashlight shone in her eyes again and without knowing how it would turn out, she jumped at Duncan’s waist and he lost his balance, his shoulder striking the bars behind him. “Run, Colette,” Stormy screamed.
Focused on holding his legs so he couldn’t move, she felt his hand in her hair, tugging as roots popped. The pain made her squint, but she refused to let go, not until she knew her sister was safe.
Her heart pounded hard and she was losing her grip. He was much stronger than her.
A hard hit to the back of her head sent her flat onto the floor, in a daze. The light of the flashlight turned fuzzy before she closed her eyes against the ache in her skull. Was she dying?
Everything faded…
*
Suited with night vision goggles, bullet proof vests and guns drawn, Gray and Cade moved toward the dark house. The GPS tracker had led Gray here although he didn’t see the SUV close.
Once he got to the address, he’d called Cade, knowing his friend wouldn’t say anything to the rest of the team members about this assignment. Gray wouldn’t ask the Hawks to come in and clean up a mess he’d made.
In retrospect, he’d missed clue after clue and let Phantom slip through his fingers like water. And yet, Gray didn’t regret the choices he’d made. He would still protect Stormy above anything and anyone, which led him to the decision that he’d have to resign from the elite force team. Some men could balance, like Cade and Jamison, but Gray realized his time had come to hand in his badge and settle down. His knee reminded him every day that his biological clock was ticking. Running was harder, and the team needed a man who was one hundred percent.
He loved Stormy.
His heart flipped. What a wonderful feeling.
They’d get her out alive. This was what the Hawks were good at, trained for.
“See anything?” Cade asked through the closed-circuit radio.
“Not a damn thing,” Gray answered, frustrated. Although he liked moving in at night because it lowered the risk of anyone getting hurt, he also hated that he couldn’t see anything—couldn’t see Stormy.
“No hard feelings, you know, about what happened back at the office.”
“It wasn’t you, Cade.” Gray huddled down in the dark. “I need to ask, how are you able to balance the team and your family?”
There was a short hesitation and a long sigh. “Melly swore she’d never date a man who wore a badge, but then she realized this is who I am and who she fell in love with. But I’ve had to make safer choices, bro. Not take unnecessary chances like I used to. That’s a promise I made to her.” They were leaning against a fence.
“Does she know you’re here today? Taking an unnecessary chance?” Gray asked.
“Hell, man. This ain’t an unnecessary mission. We’re saving your woman. Remember how you and the team helped when it was Melly’s life on the line? I owe each of you a huge favor.”
“Are you ready to do this?”
“I was born ready.”