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The loud rustling of grass behind her—faster and more determined—told her he was close.

If she didn’t hide, he’d find her. The moving foliage was a dead giveaway. She made a sharp right. Lifting her gaze to the night sky, she moved toward the trees up ahead. Every cell in her body demanded she stop.

She sucked in a deep breath, and the scent of grass filled her nostrils. Then she stopped, squatted low, and turned to face the direction she’d come. She’d see the grass sway as he parted it. Laying her hand on her chest, she forced herself to take in air slowly and not in the greedy, open-mouthed way her body wanted her to.

She had no gun. No knife. No phone.

With the grass way over her head, it was impossible to tell how much land was around her. But given how dense the brush was, and there being no sign of it tapering off, there had to be at least an acre. Probably more.

If she stayed quiet long enough, she might be able to make her way to the road. She trained her ears, but no crunching reached her. The moon lit the hay-colored spikes, but none moved as far as she could see.

Had he given up?

The beam of a flashlight cut through the thicket and swept by her shoulder. A squeak caught in her throat as she dropped flat to the dirt. Anxiety fired through her brain.

She closed her eyes and stayed still, her face inches from the ground. The cool, wet smell of dirt kept her rooted in sanity. Where the hell was he? She slowly inched her face to look over her shoulder, but the light was gone.

The odds of him finding her weren’t in her favor. She had to find better shelter. Pushing herself onto all fours, she crawled, taking great care not to crackle the foliage. Cold sweat coated her skin, but a scorching sheen of fear clung to her bones.

She kept her lips sealed to prevent any gasps, breathing only shallow puffs through her nose. There’d been a tree up ahead. If she could get a little farther—

A hand clamped on her ankle.

Gemma let out a shrill scream. Birds cawed and fluttered from the trees. She dug her fingernails into the dirt, but the chilled ground gave way. The ferocious grip dragged her backward and then the guard snagged her arm, yanking her from her belly.

A hot beam of light hit her face, preventing her from seeing the monster behind it.

“Found her!” Adam’s call of triumph ripped over the land.

He scooped her up by the waist. She kicked and fought, punching everywhere she could reach, but he threw her over his shoulder, a laugh bursting from his lips.

Gemma pummeled his back as he carried her back through the grass.

All hope left her, and tears rushed to her eyes. She let out a bloodcurdling scream.

It’s over now.

CHAPTER 28

“Jesus, fuck! I can’t see a thing,” Cole growled, inching the car down the street. The lake shimmered in the moonlight beyond a shit ton of vacant lots and the odd house.

“We’re on the right path,” Dallas said. The words didn’t give him much comfort. Moments ago, Dare had called, confirming the location Lorenzo had given them by tracking the IP address to the laptop Silas had with him.

Dallas blinked. The streetlights were few and far between, and most of the houses were set back from the road, making it tough to determine their colors and sizes.

“He didn’t say how far?” Cole asked.

“No. Just that it was on this road.” Dread sat heavily in his chest, pressing down on his diaphragm and making it damn-near impossible to breathe. He didn’t take his gaze off the landscape—unkempt grass, trees, and crumbled stone walls.

Part of him wanted to jump from the vehicle and go by foot. Adrenaline ran hot and vicious beneath his skin. He might have a heart attack before they found the property.

His eyes burned, and he dragged his hand over his face. Headlights shined in the side mirror outside his window. “Hey, pull over. Maybe this is someone heading to Silas’s now.”

Cole steered the car to the side of the road and an SUV rolled by. “Think that’s one of his?”

“Could be. Follow it.”

Cole didn’t balk at the demand. He pulled back onto the road, keeping his distance from the vehicle ahead.

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