Page 27 of Storm Warning

Inside this place built to protect from bombs, Hawk stared down at Remi. In the shadows he couldn’t see the shifting colors of her eyes, but the pure determination and fire that defined her flickered there and stirred something inside him. His heart pounded. He was getting too close too fast. He’d met her this morning. Known her for all of twelve hours, but the events of the day made it feel much longer than that.

Still, Hawk needed to take a step back—physically and metaphorically—but, oh, it was difficult. He wanted to wrap her in that blanket again. Cocoon her in his arms. A woman he barely knew.

But somehow ... hedidknow her. She was a kindred spirit, running from demons. Knowing that time was running out before she had to face them. Her story could be his story.

Hawk forced himself to step back. Again. He sucked in a breath.

“I’m the guy who’s going to help you get your memories back.”Seriously?

What was he doing making that promise when he had no idea if he could keep it? He shouldn’t have said it, but the hope flickering in her eyes bound him to this mission and he had better come through. Still, he hadn’t actually promised as much as tried to reassure her that he would somehow help her finally connect the neurotransmitters in her brain to find what was lost—and he had no idea how to make that happen or truly help her, other than by protecting her.

Whether either of them liked it or not, he’d been thrown into her chaos.

Was it possible the man who had attacked her hadn’t really wanted to kill her? Was he using a tactic he believed would trigger the memories again? Was he the same person to deliver the puzzle pieces? Hawk was only assuming that her attacker had anything to do with those missing days. With so little to go on, he couldn’t know, and she could still be holding back information from him.

They put on their coats and prepared to face the cold, dark, stormy night. He wished they were back in the blanket together—as awkward as that seemed—with him putting his arm around her to keep them warm, but they were not there yet.

Not there yet? As if they were traveling down that relationship road. The idea startled him. While he one day hoped to forge a future with the right person, he was a man on a mission and had only come here to clear his head after the catastrophe that cost him his job and Jake’s life, and his adversary was still out there at large. Now, of course, he had two missions, but neither of those included actually getting close and personal with Remi.

So he absolutely couldn’t let himself go there with her. He needed to focus on keeping her safe and finding answers.

The door clanked and buckled with the wind gusts.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” He started forward.

“I know the property and the woods,” she said. “I’ll lead us back. We’ll hike east and find the trail. Once we’re on the path, we can move quickly.” She donned her gloves. “But what about the guy who attacked us?”

“Let’s hope he’s taken shelter from the storm, but we’ll remain on guard.”

He needed to expect the unexpected. Whoever was out there, he planned to take down and get answers. He grabbed his gun. He left his gloves off since they weren’t fingerless and he needed to stay ready to defend against their attacker, and this time he wouldn’t bother engaging him physically if he came at either of them with a knife. Hawk had been caught off guard before, and he wouldn’t let that happen again. Maybe the assailant was thinking the same thing and would bring a gun to the fight, but Hawk really hoped he wouldn’t be waiting for them in the woods.

He opened the door to let the wind fully blast them.

“Wait!” Remi put all her strength into shoving the door shut again and then she moved deeper into the bunker.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought I heard something.”

“Over the storm?”

“Yes. Coming from...” She pointed into the dark tunnel that led deeper into the bunker.

He waited and listened. Remi was right. The ruckus sounded like someone was banging on a pipe. Or chains clanking. He couldn’t decide which, but the sound was eerie. “Maybe it’s just the wind.”

“Maybe.” She kept going deeper, shining her flickering light around.

She wasn’t going to give it up.

He didn’t have much power left in his flashlight either.“Maybe that’s all the more reason we should get out of here.” Frustration boiled up inside. This could be a mistake. He waved her forward and together they moved deeper into the labyrinth of the bunker.

This was the worst idea, but the banging persisted. Another sound met his ears. The muffled sound of someone crying out for help. A chill crawled up his spine.

Pulse racing, he accelerated his pace, Remi by his side.

God, please let this not be a trap.

They turned right and then left, down a set of stairs. His breaths quickened as he grew more claustrophobic. Finally, he stopped in his tracks.

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