Safe at Last (Slow Burn 3)

Wade and Isaac both quickly caught up to Gracie, flanking her, guns drawn, their eyes constantly darting back and forth, looking for any movement, any possible way to pinpoint her location within the huge, sagging building.

It was startling to see Wade carrying a gun. How easily he fell in with the other operatives, though it shouldn’t have surprised her. She already knew there was a lot more to him than his polished exterior.

Caleb pulled Ramie back with him, putting her behind him and Capshaw. But there was still a keen sense of unease between the men. It was killing them to put the women they loved at risk for even one moment.

It made her suddenly feel an outsider to something so very precious and all consuming. The memory of when she had that with Zack. And how she’d lost it all. Her dreams. Her passion for life.

But right now she’d give anything for him to be here, because with all of DSS’s resources focused on bringing Eliza home—alive—she now knew in her heart that he simply wasn’t capable of doing what was done twelve years ago. Was she crazy for even contemplating forgiveness so they could both move on, live their lives and try to find the kind of happiness they once shared?

She wanted Zack with her, because every time they were together she felt that nothing could ever touch her, or hurt her, or ever bring her down. Because he loved her. He could have had any girl he wanted with the snap of his fingers and yet he’d chosen a girl four years younger than him and it was like . . . magic. When you see that one special person who you know has just altered your entire destiny.

And then to find out she’d been completely wrong about the man she loved, the man she planned to marry and spend the rest of her life with, the man who’d discussed with her a desire for a large brood of children, at least six, and Anna-Grace couldn’t have been happier on that day.

Because for the first time she’d truly seen a future with Zack. Not just one of dating, passing the time, doing menial and mundane things. No longer did she worry that when he was drafted into the pros she would be left behind. At that time, it had been understood—taken for granted—that their fates were intertwined. Unbreakable, endless, eternal. For all time.

Beau called a halt, close to one of the entryways to the warehouse. He turned to Anna-Grace, leveling a hard stare that held no malice. Just determination and not wanting to wait a second longer than necessary.

“What do you know, Gracie?” he asked in a low voice. “Did you see where in the building they are? Their position? How many?”

Regretfully she shook her head. “There were so many thoughts, some stronger than others, but they all have the same intent.”

Ramie stepped forward, shrugging off Caleb’s hand. “They are in the far left corner from our current position. But there is a lot of clutter and debris on the floor, and though it won’t be difficult to get there, one sound and they’ll know they have company.”

“I need to be the first in,” Ari said in a harsh tone.

Anna-Grace easily picked up on the other woman’s thought patterns. They were loud, as though Ari were screaming into Anna-Grace’s head. Sorrow, guilt, regret emanated from Ari in waves, but also rage, hatred, the desire to serve justice for the women these men had hurt.

Ari felt great responsibility for what had happened to both Anna-Grace and Eliza. The force of Ari’s thoughts hurt Anna-Grace and made her ache to tell Ari she wasn’t at fault. To somehow offer comfort and solace for what was not Ari’s doing. But they didn’t have time. Eliza didn’t have time.

“Hell no, you aren’t going in first!” Beau snapped, his eyes flashing as he stared his wife down.

His fear was overwhelming, filling Anna-Grace’s mind until it shut out all else. Anna-Grace closed her eyes and narrowed her focus in an attempt to break free from the hold the people closest to her had on her mind and to extend outward and reconnect with the men preparing to murder Eliza.

When she reopened her eyes, she saw Ari turn her gaze, an aquamarine that held glints of gold, to her husband, those specks nearly glowing with ferocity.

“Yes, I do. Because once they know we’re here, they’ll kill Eliza. If I get close enough to her, I can erect a barrier around her so that she comes to no further harm while the rest of you take these assholes out.”

The group went silent. Anna-Grace knew that Ari had scored a point. How could they hold her back at the cost of Eliza’s life? But no one liked it. No one wanted any part of falling in behind the deceptively fragile-looking woman and allowing her to go directly into harm’s way.

Clearly it went against their grain to, in essence, hide behind a woman. To take cover and allow her to risk so much. They were warriors. Protectors. They led, never followed.

A small smile curved the corner of Ari’s mouth. “They can’t hurt me. Remember? Or have you forgotten what happened the last time they tried to take me on?”

Beau flinched, his eyes raw with remembered pain. And for the briefest of moments before Anna-Grace once more shut out the thought patterns around her, she picked up on the memory of Ari lying limply in Beau’s arms, soaked in blood and Beau begging her not to die.

A chill scuttled up Anna-Grace’s spine and she shivered at the image so clear in Beau’s mind. She didn’t blame him for his reluctance. Not when he’d come so very close to losing the woman he loved.

“I think that what most of us remember is you very nearly dying,” Beau said hoarsely.

“Just get on with it,” Dane said sharply.

Anna-Grace jumped, startled by how shaken Dane sounded. He was always so . . . not human? He reminded her of a robot, programmed not to feel. Just to act. But right now he was extremely pissed. His nostrils flared and he was sucking in deep breaths through his nose.

And Wade as well. Anna-Grace couldn’t ever remember Wade displaying any outward emotion and yet every cell in his body seemed to be rigid with impatience. He was clearly agitated and restless as though at any moment he’d barge through the doors, with or without the others.

Without waiting for Beau’s okay, Ari walked to the door but stood back a short distance so that she wasn’t touching anything. Even knowing of Ari’s gift, it still made Anna-Grace’s eyes widen when the locks and chains quietly lifted from their resting places and hovered in the air as though waiting for Ari’s next command. Then they simply floated effortlessly away and settled quietly onto the ground several yards from where the group stood.