Page 32 of Tactical Lies

“Yeah, honey. I'm so sorry. Apparently, she fought hard. Witnesses said she was swinging and screaming, and managed to get a few hits in, but in the end, she was knocked unconscious, loaded up, and taken away.”

“Taken away,” Becca echoed, her voice faint. But then it came back with a vengeance, and she struggled against his hold. “We have to find her. They probably took her to the same camp where we were being held. We left her behind, Connor. We should have checked the camp before leaving. We have to get back there. We have to. We have to find her before it’s too late.”

Telling her it was already too late would be cruel even if deep down she already knew it. Becca wasn't ready to acknowledge that reality just yet.

There was one thing he could put her mind at ease about though.

“Listen to me, Becca. She wasn't at the camp. If she was there … if she was there we would have seen her, the men would have been using her.”

“Using her,” Becca repeated, tears forming in her eyes. “You mean raping her.”

“That’s what I mean.”

“If you don’t think she’s at the camp then where is she?”

“It’s been more than forty-eight hours, she could be anywhere.”

“Anywhere,” Becca echoed again like she was his shadow. “Then maybe she is at the camp. We should go back there, Connor. Maybe they’re still there. Maybe they don’t know about the police and the military. Maybe she is at the camp.”

“I’ll give directions to the police and military so they can check out the camp, but she’s not there, honey.”

“You can't know that, Connor,” she shrieked, her voice cracking with despair, anger, and grief. “She could be. Let me go.” She fought against his hold, but he tightened his grip as much as he dared without outright hurting her. “I want to look for her.”

“There’s nothing you can do for her,” he said gently.

“There has to be. I have to try, have to do something. She’s my best friend. I love her like a sister. She’s always been there for me. Always. I won't leave her behind, I have to find her.”

Finishing with a sob, Becca collapsed against him, grabbing onto fistfuls of his T-shirt as she wept. Hating that there was no way for him to take this pain from her, Connor did the only thing he could. Wrapped her up in his arms and held her.

Eventually, her cries diminished, and she rested heavily against him.

Not willing to let her go while she was allowing him to hold her, Connor rubbed small circles on her back. “As soon as we talk to the cops and give our statements, I’ll call Prey. I’ll tell them everything we have on Isabella, and they’ll look for her. I’m not giving up on her, Becca. We’re not giving up on her.”

It didn’t matter what the odds were they’d search for Isabella with every resource Prey had. Becca needed closure and even if he had to deliver the news to her that her best friend was dead, he’d bring it to her.

“Okay,” she whispered wearily.

There was one more thing they needed to address. One he was pretty sure Becca was going to fight him on.

“You heard the man at the camp, Becca. They targeted your village because of me, because they knew hurting you would hurt me, and that threatening you was an effective way to get to me. That means you're not safe. Not out here alone in Cambodia.”

Lifting her head she shot him a suspicious frown. “What are you saying?”

“I'm saying I think you should fly back home with me. If you insist on staying, I’ll stay here, too, I won't allow you to be hurt again, especially not because of me and my family. It will be harder to protect you here, but I won't force you to do something you're uncomfortable with. Still, I think it would be best if you came home with me. We’ll find you a safe house to stay in until we have the proof we need to take these people down and make sure they pay for killing Mom, and hurting you, Willow, and Susanna.”

Her forehead furrowed. “Who are Willow and Susanna?”

Was that a hint of jealousy in her voice or was he merely imagining it? “Willow is a woman Cooper met in Egypt, they’re dating now. And Susanna was Cole’s neighbor who he hated, but we all knew was secretly obsessed with. They cleared the air, and she was able to forgive him and they just got together as well.”

“They were hurt by these same people that framed your mom?”

“They were. These people have to be stopped, Becca. But more than that, I can't let them hurt you. Please, I'm prepared to beg if that’s what it will take, please let me protect you. I owe you so much more but please at least let me do this for you. Let me protect you, it’s my fault you're in danger anyway. I have the skills and the ability to get you somewhere safe, and cameras can monitor the location, so you won't even have to spend time with me.”

The last was harder to say because he ached to be in Becca’s presence again. But in the end, her life was more important than his needs, wants, and desires.

“Connor—”

“I know you don’t trust me anymore,” he said, cutting her off. “But I can do this, Becca. Iwilldo this. Because whether you spend the rest of your life hating me or not, you’re going to live a long and happy life. I won't accept anything less. The world needs you in it, Becca. My world needs you in it.”

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