Page 122 of Her Wolf

But, surprisingly, he didn’t try and stop Milo. He hovered like a concerned parent, but didn’t interfere.

Perhaps he knew what would happen if he did.

Perhaps Milo would turn on him instead.

Milo got in another three punches before Neo was knocked unconscious. Then he released him and stepped away, breathing heavily as he watched the limp body slide to the dirt.

Kane glanced up at everyone’s faces, each painting a different story.

The woman had her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and brimming with tears. Bailey had a grim set to his jaw, but whether that was because he hoped Milo had kept punching or not was a mystery.

Lars looked a touch more pale than usual, but also relieved. Especially when he reached out and touched tentative fingers to Milo’s bicep.

“He’s no use to us if he’s dead,” Lars said, just loud enough for Kane to hear. “Remember that.”

Milo shrugged off Lars’s touch with a growl, and scanned everyone’s faces as if wondering where in the hell they’d come from. It was as if a fog had cleared; Milo blinked a few times, the snarl slowly fading from his face.

“We have to search this place,” Milo said. “This whole fucking property.”

“How big—” Lars began, but Milo simply raised his voice.

“If it takes us all fucking day.”

Kane glanced down at his watch. “Only about an hour and a half left on this day,” he said, directing his voice to Milo. “Moonlight helps, of course, but we might miss something.”

Furious blue eyes darted to him, but then Milo looked down.

Logic prevailed, of course. He knew they’d get nowhere in the dark.

“I can’t just—” Milo began, before cutting off. Lars grabbed his shoulder, squeezing his trapezius as a faint, twisted smile touched his mouth.

“We’re doing the best we can, Milo.”

He thought the burly guy would shrug away that touch, but instead Milo reached up and laid his hand over Lars’s. They didn’t look at each other, instead both staring at the unconscious Neo as if he somehow held the answer to their questions.

Which, apparently, he did.

Milo stormed inside the farmhouse, and came out with a bucket of water. He poured it over the Mexican’s head, prodded him with his boot, and then went to fetch another.

The second roused the man enough for him to start spluttering while the last pint of water splashed over his face.

He kicked out, crying out as he manouvered himself into a sit against the SUV’s grille.

“Fuck!”

“Wakey, wakey, Neo.” Lars stepped closer, putting his hands on his knees as he bent down to bring his face eye level with the coughing Neo. “It’s time you started cooperating.”

“Fuck you!” Neo snapped. He used his bounds hands to swipe water from his face, and then pointed at Lars. “I’m not telling you a—”

Lars grabbed that finger and twisted.

Kane heard the bone breaking from where he stood with his arms resting on the porch’s railing. He took another deep drag of his cigarette, and turned to watch the woman clump up the porch steps.

He held out a hand, raising his voice over Neo’s agonized scream. “Kane,” he said.

The woman took a second to look at him, and then blinked slowly. “Ana.” She shook his hand with as much strength as a wet fish before turning wide eyes back to Neo’s interrogation.

“Where did your friend take her?” Lars asked slowly.

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