Page 61 of Saving Her

Fuck.

I sway with the building weight bearing down on me. I mentally battle to remain conscious.

“I’m sorry he’s taking this out on you.” Penny’s whispered voice acts as a balm to my pain and a fucking trigger all at once.

I open my eyes. She stands in the doorway to the bathroom, Tobias at her side.

“I don’t blame him.” I squeeze the bridge of my nose and start for the hall. “You should get some rest while you can.”

I don’t pause for a reply, I stalk my ass out of there and into the living room, finding Keira, Hunt, Decker, and Torian seated around the dining table.

“Where’s Sarah?” I drag out a chair opposite Penny’s brother to keep an eye on the aggressive motherfucker.

“Escorting Anissa home.” Torian drinks from a steaming mug. “They should be halfway to the jet by now.”

“We’re stranded? Again?” Jesus fucking Christ. We got into this mess because these assholes called our jet back to Portland. Now, we’re stuck all over again. “Is that a good idea?”

“Another aircraft is on standby,” he growls, making it obvious he doesn’t appreciate my questioning. “We can fly out of here at a moment’s notice. Now, tell us what’s going on with her. What’s she playing at?”

“She’s not playing at anything. Her actions could be long-term PTSD. Or shock from today. Who the fuck knows? Only time will tell.”

“Time isn’t something we have a lot of. Especially not if you’re suggesting taking her back to Naxos.”

“Can we drop that line of thought right now?” Decker mutters. “She’s not going back there.”

“Protest all you like, but she’s our greatest asset in helping to retrieve the other women, along with whatever information we can get our hands on. God knows the shit Luther was up to. This might be our only chance to find out.”

Long moments of tension-filled silence pass. Nobody talks. Nobody moves. We all sit there, weighing our options or lack thereof. It’s a case of saving the other women or letting them die, which, to me, means there’s no option at all.

“Do you really think it’s necessary to take her?” Keira asks. “Can’t she just tell you everything she knows?”

“No, I think he’s right.” Torian leans back in his chair. “We’ve been to Luther’s house once already. And I can’t think how we’d get past the guarded gate without her. Those rifle-toting assholes won’t let us in without permission. She could be our ticket inside.”

“Fucking hell.” Decker wipes a hand down his face. “There’s gotta be another way.”

“There might be. The question is—do we have enough time to figure it out?” I return to massaging my temples. Then the back of my neck. I do everything and anything to try and relieve the pressure in my skull. “Penny has already said Luther’s men will start taking action if their boss doesn’t make contact within a certain amount of time.”

“How long is that?” Hunt asks.

“She doesn’t know.” I close my eyes, the lack of bright light helping to ease the pain in my head. “Our window for action might have already passed.”

I relax into the darkness, my nausea receding. All I need is a few more minutes to pull my shit back together.

“What if it’s a trap? She doesn’t seem all that keen on sharing our company,” Hunter adds. Maybe she wants to go back to the place where she feels comfortable. This could be a case of ‘better the devil she knows.’”

“It’s not.”

My pulse spikes at the sound of her voice and I force myself not to react. I don’t raise my head. I don’t open my eyes either, not until Decker whispers a harsh curse under his breath.

I push upright and see her walking toward us dressed in one of the spare T-shirts I’d left in the bathroom. And no fucking pants.

The sight of her is pure fragility.

A gorgeous figure dwarfed by baggy material.

It’s the strong set of her shoulders, the confident stride, and the high arc of her neck that make it clear she’s not letting her guard down anytime soon.

“I don’t want to go back to Naxos for any reason other than to get my sisters.” She wraps her arms around her middle, the loose material hitching higher to reveal more of her perfect thighs. “And I promise I’m not setting a trap. As far as I know, nobody else was aware of Luther’s motives for coming out here. His guards won’t suspect foul play. At least not yet.”

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