Page 24 of Saving Their Forever

I think…fuck. Is that Cara crying? They throw me in next to Rip before I can be sure. He’s hyperventilating.

“Rip. You will hold it together, soldier.”

“Dax…” The agony in his voice breaks me, but I can’t let him see it. Not now. Not until we’re free and these assholes are six feet under.

“Focus on my voice. You’re not back there. You’re in Seattle. With me. In a few minutes, they’ll let Evianna and Cara go. That’s what matters. Right?”

Two of the men climb in with us, and the door slams shut. A hand fists my hair and drags me up to sitting. He smells like vanilla and cinnamon. Sweet and almost cloying. “Did you let them go? Are Evianna and Cara safe?” I demand.

“The women are in the trunk of the car. In a few hours, they will be able to get themselves out.”

“Fucker!” I lunge for him, but he slams me against the side wall of the van. “What did you do to them?”

“The same thing I am going to do to you.” Something stings my neck. Fuck. A sedative?

“Please,” Ripper whispers. “No drugs. Just…kill me now.”

“You’re okay, Rip. We’re…okay.” There’s no ice flowing through my veins. No instant slowing of the world. But my legs feel heavy. Like they’re not mine anymore.

Ripper’s choked cries start to fade. The engine rumbles to life, and I struggle to hold my head up. “What’d…you…give us?”

The asshole next to me chuckles. He says something, but I’m too far gone. The words fade into nothingness, along with what little is left of my sight.

CHAPTER TEN

Ryker

I tighten my grip on my phone until the glass threatens to crack. It’s been forty-five minutes since Wren was taken. Forty-five minutes since men put their hands on her.

“I can’t reach any of them,” Graham says. “But Zephyr says all their phones are pinging from Northwest Cowork. I’m heading down there.”

“Not alone you’re not. Take Inara with you.” No one’s heard from Dax and Ripper since I left the medical center. If they’re hurt—if they’ve been taken too, along with Evianna and Cara—the fuckers responsible are going to live for years while I carve them into pieces. Starting with their dicks.

“We’re not leaving you alone,” Inara says. “No way.”

“You have to.” I scrape my hands over my face. Half of my cheek is numb, nerve damage stealing much of the sensation. “I can’t lose anyone else.”

Inara takes a step closer and touches my arm. “Ry, you’re not thinking clearly. Remember when Coop took Royce?” Her voice cracks and she clears her throat. “You and West wouldn’t let me be alone. No matter how much I tried to push you both away.”

I jerk back, ready to snap at her, but the pain in her gray eyes mirrors my own. She’s right. But how am I supposed to just wait here without knowing?—

The intercom beeps. “Inara? Ryker? Open the door.”

Royce. Graham lets him in, and the man limps into the condo with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “I came as soon as I could get a car. I grabbed a dozen trans-s-smitters, watch units for monitoring, and the entire contents of our gun safe.”

Inara, who came to the condo directly from her office, wraps her arms around her husband. “You’re a lifesaver, baby. But I need one more favor.”

“Name it.” His gaze sweeps around the room, and he frowns. “What don’t I know?”

“We can’t get in touch with Dax, Evianna, Ripper, or Cara,” she says.

“Fuck.” Royce gestures to Inara’s tablet sitting on the counter. “Can I use this? I’ll see if Zephyr can use my help.”

“Sure.” She starts rummaging through the duffel bag. “I need you to stay here with Ry while Graham and I go to the coworking place Dax and Evianna were using this week.”

Graham heads for the door. “I’ll meet you in the garage in five. Ry, I’m sending Q up. No one should be alone right now.”

Is he worried about Quinton? Or me? It doesn’t matter. He’s right. Even though this building should be the safest place in the whole goddamn city, they found me. Tracked me down when I’ve done everything I can to keep myself hidden.

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