Page 41 of Gray

He set down his flashlight, leaving it on, but didn’t hear Jett’s next words over the headset because all of his focus was now on the woman before him.

“Gray?” she asked. “Is it really you?”

He pulled back, searching her watery gaze. Her cheek was red and bruised, like she’d been smacked, and he was almost too afraid to ask if she’d been hurt elsewhere. The chains that held her to the wall meant she’d barely been able to move while in the metal container. He couldn’t imagine staying in the same position for days on end while the ship sailed around the world. His gaze had swept the ground as he’d rushed to her, and he’d seen no food. No water.

They deserved to die a slow death for leaving her like this.

“It’s me, baby girl,” Gray said, running a hand over her tangled hair. “It’s really me.”

“I thought I was dreaming. Hallucinating. They drugged me again, but you found me,” she said, tears smarting her eyes. “You really found me. I tried so hard to be strong. I knew you’d come.”

“Of course I would. I will always, always come for you,” Gray said, his voice thick with emotion. “And I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there yesterday,” he added, his voice catching. “When we realized you were gone—” he cut off, choked up.

“They’re the ones to blame for this, not you,” Lena said vehemently. “They’re animals. They’ve been stalking me all along like I was their prey.”

“Are you hurt?” he asked, blinking away his own tears as he frantically assessed her, his big hands lightly running down her bare arms. “Damn. You’re freezing,” he murmured, rubbing her arms gently. Her feminine, pink dress was ripped and dirty, but she was clothed. Talking with him. Not screaming in pain. His gaze tracked down over her body, and he didn’t see any blood or major injuries. The possibility of injuries he couldn’t see chilled him to the bone. Had she been raped? Assaulted? He could hardly choke out the words.

“I’m not hurt. Not really. Just some bruises and scrapes. Ivan tied me up again and threatened me, but it was mostly just a big game to him. He was going to rape me, but then one of his men thought someone was coming and would find us. They drugged me again and brought me here. Where are we?” she asked. “A harbor, but where?”

“Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.”

“What happened to Ivan? After we got here, he left me with his men to be loaded on the ship.”

“I’ll explain later,” Gray murmured. “Let’s get you out of these chains first,” he said, removing a set of lock-picking tools from his gear along with a K-Bar knife. “Are you sure that you’re really okay?”

“I am now that you’re here.”

“Then let’s get you home,” he said, gently massaging her wrists before cutting free the zip ties. She was handcuffed as well, the metal rings attached to the chain on the wall. He’d have to pick the lock to remove her chain and handcuffs, but all that mattered was that she was okay.

Voices came from the front of the container, and then Gray’s teammates were rushing back as well, helping him to free Lena. “Shit. Let’s get you out of those,” Sam said, quickly working to pick the lock on the handcuffs. Ford had an emergency reflective blanket to wrap her in as well as several bottles of water, and Luke carried the medic bag, seemingly surprised she was standing there in one piece.

“There we go,” Sam said, releasing her wrists from the cuffs. He tossed them to the ground, the metal clinking on the floor.

Lena practically fell into Gray’s arms now that she was free from the wall, and then he was kissing her, holding her, loving her. “I thought I lost you,” he whispered almost desperately, the feeling of her body against him pure heaven. “I should’ve gone with you yesterday to get the food. I shouldn’t have let you go alone.”

“He never would’ve given up,” Lena said. She suddenly stiffened in his embrace. “Ivan’s expecting the money he demanded. He’ll come after me again. He’s not going to let this go.”

“He’s dead,” Ford said quietly.

“He’s dead?” she asked Gray in disbelief. Ford handed him the reflective blanket, and Gray began wrapping it around her shoulders. It did little to stop her trembling.

Gray nodded. “Ivan Rogers is dead. Boone took him out.”

“Who’s Boone?

“Long story. I’ll explain it all to you later. Let’s get you out of here and onto the helo. We’re catching a ride to the hospital.” The other men began to move to the front of the shipping container, holding flashlights to help guide Gray and Lena’s way.

“Wait!” she said, reaching out to grab hold of Gray’s arms. “What’s going to happen now?”

“We’ll fly to the ER and get you checked out. Probably have a hell of a story to tell the Feds. I’m sure they’ll keep you overnight at the hospital, but I’ll stay with you,” he said, searching her worried gaze. “You won’t be alone.”

“But what about us?”

He quirked his brow.

“You were protecting me. Now Ivan’s gone. What’s going to happen to us now?”

Gray’s gaze softened, taking in the achingly beautiful woman before him. She’d been through hell, and he’d reassure her as much as she needed. “You’re it for me, Lena. The one. I’m not giving you up just because you don’t need my protection anymore. You saved me, too, from my own demons. I’m yours as long as you’ll have me.”

---