Page 94 of Zain

“Not getting us killed. You can thank me later.” He unbuckled his seatbelt. “I say we park here and go for a stroll. We can skirt through the brush and check things out unnoticed.”

Good idea. Not that he’d admit it. Micha, sensing they were about to get out, danced in the trunk. “Is she going to give us away?”

“Nah, man. That dog’s badass. Only time she’s gonna bark is when we want her to.” Taschen slid from the vehicle, and Zain followed suit.

While Taschen opened the liftgate, Zain retrieved his AR-15 from the back seat. Strapping it over his chest, he inhaled a stabilizing breath. If these guys worked for Maxine, he’d not only find answers, he’d also find Dana—and he wouldn’t stop until he did.

The vehicle beeped as the back door closed. Taschen rounded the SUV with Micha in the lead. The dog snuffled along the ground, her tail straightand in work mode.

Zain patted her back. “Good girl.”

“Cut through this way.” Taschen nodded toward the trees.

Zain stepped over fallen branches and ducked inside the forest. Pushing away low-lying foliage, he moved in a steady decline along the road the SUV had driven down. Less than three minutes later, they were at the bottom, where a small gravel lot sat. Zain halted in the cover of the trees, and Taschen stopped next to him.

The SUV was parked next to a black sedan. The same fucking car that’d taken Dana. Energy buzzed through Zain’s body. He aimed his weapon and stepped forward.

Taschen’s hand on his shoulder held him back. “Hang on a second. We need to figure out which way they went.”

Zain took a steadying breath and shook off Taschen’s hold. He couldn’t stand the sensation of anything weighing him down or holding him back. Dana could be anywhere, and if he didn’t stop these bastards, they’d kill her any second. But Taschen’s level thinking made sense.

A lead weight sat in Zain’s stomach as he scanned the area. The sunlight shone on a large sign indicating directions for sightseeing. “There.” He nodded at the sign. Taschen and Micha kept pace as he jogged across the gravel, his gaze swiveling side to side, anticipating an ambush.

It didn’t come.

He studied the sign. “The waterfall’s to the left. I’ve got a feeling that’s a convenient place to throw a body, don’t you think?”

Taschen grimaced. “Yeah, I bet that’s their plan. Got your earpiece?”

“It’s in.”

“Let’s hope we’re heading in the right direction. We’ll split up. You go west toward the falls, and I’ll head northwest to cover more ground.”

“If you spot one of the bastards, just shoot.”

Taschen snorted. “No shit.” He dragged his hand over Micha’s ears. “Let’s find Dana, girl, okay?”

Micha panted.

“Let me know if you find anything.”

“Roger that.” Taschen headed into the trees, making a straight line through the branches.

Zain followed. Satisfaction amplified his heart rate, making his eardrums jump. The cool, comforting weight of the rifle in his hand let him finally release an unrestrained breath as he entered the forest.

He paused, inspecting the scene before he took another step. Taschen’s back disappeared ten yards out. No movement to Zain’s right or left. He clamped his hands tighter on his weapon and kept his gaze sharp, on the lookout for Maxine’s guys.

Part of him wanted to scream to Dana. To let her know he was here, that she wasn’t fuckingalone and she didn’t have to worry. Thinking about the amount of fear she must be experiencing right now almost brought him to the ground.

But if they were on the hunt for her, she was still alive. Still capable. And as long as his heart still beat in his chest, he’d fucking find her... because dear god, his heart beat for her.

Crack,crack!

The sharp blast of gunfire ripped through the sky. Birds squawked and critters abandoned their nests.

Every cell in his body turned to stone.

CHAPTER 28

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