Page 23 of Hero's Heart

He tried to have some patience and sympathy for what she’d been through, but right now, they needed to get the fuck out of there.

“Just move.” She wasn’t letting go of his arm, so he used it to propel her along.

The tunnel walls were cold and damp, the air heavy with the smell of earth and mildew. Callum led the way, his flashlight casting a narrow beam of light ahead as they moved in single file. Theo and Bear stayed behind, weapons ready to cover their retreat. Marissa clung to Callum’s jacket like a lifeline, while Sloane kept pace silently, demanding nothing.

Thank God. If both of them had been like Marissa, he might have had to knock them unconscious to get them out.

Gunfire echoed behind them, loud and jarring in the narrow space, followed by the chaotic shouts of men.

“We’ve got to get them going faster, Callum.” Theo’s voice echoed in his ear as the man laid down suppressing fire. Theflash of his muzzle briefly illuminated the tunnel, casting jagged shadows against the walls.

“Move faster,” he told the women.

“I’m moving!” Marissa shrieked, her voice grating in the enclosed space.

“Jesus, could she be any louder?” Theo muttered. “She might as well send an engraved invitation to our location.”

Knocking her unconscious wasn’t completely out of the question. Callum could hear the rapid approach of boots slapping against the stone floor. The Kozaks’ men weren’t far behind, and they were gaining.

Theo stopped abruptly, twisting to fire a controlled burst into the darkness. A man screamed, his body hitting the ground with a thud.

But it was the sounds coming from the other direction that concerned Callum. “Shit. They’re going to cut us off if we don’t move faster.”

The tunnel narrowed farther, forcing them to crouch as they moved. The sound of footsteps grew louder, closer. The men chasing them weren’t just armed—they were angry, and they weren’t about to let their payday slip away without a fight.

Theo snarled a curse as he spun and fired again, hitting another target. The body collapsed, tripping the man behind him. But more still came.

Bear turned, aiming down the tunnel, his face grim. “They’re closing in.”

Callum swore under his breath and shoved Marissa forward. “Go! Get to the end of the tunnel and wait for us there. Theo, lead the way.”

“I’m not leaving without you!” Marissa shrieked, her fingers digging into Callum’s arm.

“You’ll do what I say, or I will knock the shit out of you right now and drag you out,” Callum growled, his patience fraying. “Go!”

Marissa stumbled forward reluctantly, her face twisted in a mix of fear and indignation. Sloane stepped past her, giving Callum a brief nod before hurrying ahead.

Callum turned back to Bear, who was still holding his ground. “We need to slow them down.”

“It’s gonna get loud,” Bear said.

“No stopping that now. Use everything you’ve got.”

They both moved quickly, firing and using the brief reprieve to put distance between themselves and their pursuers. As they moved past the intersection of a second tunnel, Callum turned to lay down fire there. But damned if this tunnel didn’t seem endless, the darkness stretching ahead like a gaping maw.

Another round of gunfire erupted around them, the ricochet of bullets sparking off the stone walls. Callum felt the rush of air as a round zipped past his head, too close for comfort.

Callum dropped to one knee, aiming steadily as he picked off two more men in quick succession.

It gave them the break they needed. Ahead, the faint glow of moonlight signaled the tunnel’s end.

“We’re almost there.” Theo’s voice echoed in his ear, followed by, “Lady, if you want to live, let go of me.”

Jesus. Callum had no doubt he was talking to Marissa. What a fucking piece of work. “Knock her out if you have to.”

That wouldn’t be optimal. Theo couldn’t protect the women and carry an unconscious dumbass.

“Roger. My pleasure.”

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