Page 70 of Protected Hearts

“NowI’mgoing to be hunted!” Drummond screeched at William. “This is your fault! I need to get out of here—now!”

She ran over to the pilot, who appeared next to the plane as if he were an actor waiting to step onstage at his cue. She barreled up to the man, who stood his ground with self-assured ease.

“I need to get on that plane. Right now.” Drummond’s voice carried clear across the space as crystal clear as if she’d shouted into Shiloh’s ear.

He shook his head. “The crew’s almost finished the inspection, and I think it will pass. But now we can’t get clearance.”

“Why the hell not?” she demanded.

“Fog delay.”

“It wasn’t foggy ten minutes ago.”

“It rolls in fast off the mountains.” He shifted his gaze from Drummond to Shiloh.

Her stomach pitched and heaved. That pilot was definitely on her side. Oaks’s reach was long. These were his people, and Shiloh was under his protection. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.

She just hoped he would hurry up.

* * * * *

The roar of the SUV tires on the tarmac filled the vehicle as Carson sped the distance from the road to the hangar. Oaks’s jaw ached from clenching it hard enough to crack his molars. His hands were fisted on his knees, and he had to pry his fingers open to reach for the door handle.

“They’re inside. That SUV matches the description of the one on the diner cam.”

Carson tossed him a look. “You take point. I’ve got your six.”

Colt would be right behind, and the authorities were already surrounding the place, rolling up silently so they could blast in and take down the people who had Shiloh.

“I almost wish we were alone so I could break his neck and watch the light leave his goddamn eyes.” His growl was punctuated by him cocking his weapon. With the cold steel in his grip, he prepared to leap out of the vehicle the second it stopped.

Carson jammed his boot down on the brake pedal. Tires screeched, and Oaks was out the door, sprinting to the entrance.

His lungs seized up, making breathing a strain. It had been a while since he experienced that sensation, a common one for him during his first skirmishes. During BUD/s training, he got in trouble more than once for holding his breath, and he almost didn’t make it through. But dammit, he was a SEAL, and he knew how to handle anything.

He focused on the door and kicked it in. It slammed off the inner wall with a clang and he burst inside, weapon at the ready.

A bullet whizzed past his ear. He threw himself to the side, his knee taking most of the impact on the concrete floor.

A grunt from behind made him jerk around. “Carson!”

“Missed me by a fucking hair. Literally. Go, bro. I got you.”

He scrambled to his feet. Shots exploded around him, but he threw a wild look around. “Shiloh!”

A muffled cry sounded from his left. He saw her on the floor with William’s hands around her throat. Her head slammed off the concrete, and she let out another strangled cry.

The world slowed. Oaks held his breath on purpose this time as he took aim and squeezed off the shot. William screamedand flew backward. Blood spurted from the hit he took in the shoulder.

In a blink, Oaks was on Shiloh, throwing his body over hers as a shield against the crazy bitch who was firing shots and hitting nothing.

“It’s okay, honey. I got you. I got you.” He hooked an arm around her back and lifted her against him as he dragged her several feet away to safety. “Talk to me, Shiloh. Can you breathe?”

He didn’t want to think about the things he’d seen in battle happening to the woman he loved with every throb of his heart.

“I’m…okay!” She sucked in a deep breath and let it out with a shudder.

He picked her up and ran to the wall, shoving her behind a big metal plane part that could act as a shield for the time being.

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