Page 378 of Dark Love

Later, you can let your mind process what almost happened, but now it’s all about the task at hand. I surveil the area and wait for Payne’s cue to pull her, or them, up depending on her condition.

Graveyards don’t bother me. I’ve hidden a body or two in them when other options weren’t available. But this place is eerie. In any other situation, a person would just see the lush grass, tall trees surrounding us, and the mountain in the distance and think how beautiful it is here.

“Pull us up!” Payne gives the rope a single tug, which we chose as a code for no issues down here.

Not that we expected any, but you never know how someone who has been confined and tortured is going to react.

“Next time we go out, you’re getting a salad.” The woman with him has to be pretty light.

“Complain. Complain. Complain. You know you’re just going to add another weight onto the bar.”

“Can’t add many more without it bending.” Hand over hand, I hoist them out of the bleakness into the light. The request for the blanket makes sense when a shirtless Payne comes into view.

Maybe an exception can be made to the rule. Killing the filth that hurt this woman would be too kind.

“That’s what you keep saying.”

Payne locks the rope, so they won’t drop back, and I tie off my end.

Slowly, so as not to startle her, I reach out. “I’m going to wrap my arms around you and lift you out of the harness.”

“Go slow. Her back is sore.” There’s a hard note in Payne’s soft voice.

“Noted.”

“Can’t Payne do it?” She tries to back away but doesn’t get anywhere.

“Imogene, this is my best friend, Vex. I’ve known him since we were kids. He won’t hurt you.” Payne’s voice stays low and calm. “He’s the one that threw youhis watch.”

She touches the gold band that’s too big for her wrist. It’s almost big enough to fit on her neck, as emaciated as she is.

“Please let me help you.” Sometimes manners can help get through to a person.

Imogene turns to look at Payne.

He nods with a reassuring smile.

“Okay.”

Gently, I lift her…skin and bones…there’s nothing to her but skin and bones.

Emotion tries to bubble up.

There’s no time to feel anything now. I take one deep breath and push them away. I try to set Imogene on her feet, but she wobbles and almost collapses.

Payne practically hops out of the hole and unhooks himself.

With a burst of energy that shouldn’t be possible, Imogene shoves herself away from me and stumbles over to him. She wraps her arms around him as he lifts her into his arms.

Payne hates to be touched. He’s laid total strangers on the floor for accidentally knocking into him, yet he’s holding this woman like he never wants to let go.

This doesn’t bode well. Not well at all. “She needs to drink.” I pull a bottle of water out of the bag and hand it to her.

Imogene greedily pours the water down her throat.

“Slowly. Drink slowly or you’ll—”

All the water comes back up. Thanks to Payne’s quick reflexes, it lands on the grass instead of her.

---