Page 32 of Hero's Heart

He put a finger over his lips to signal for her silence.

He tilted his head, listening and watching. Flashlight beams flickered in the darkness, their arcs slicing through the trees. Callum’s jaw tightened. The guards were too close. There was no time to run. They needed to hide.

“Over here,” he whispered, tugging her toward a massive oak tree. He pressed her back against the rough bark, stepping in front of her. His body shielded hers completely. She was small enough that his shoulders blocked her from view entirely.

Not that that was going to help her if bullets started flying.

Sloane’s hands clutched at his jacket, her fingers digging into the fabric. Her breathing was shallow, each exhale warm againsthis chest. He could feel her trembling, the fear rolling off her in waves.

“You’re okay,” he murmured as softly as possible, keeping his eyes on the approaching lights. “I’ve got you.”

The flashlight beams grew brighter and the voices clearer as their hunters spoke low to one another. Callum tensed, every muscle coiled and ready. If they were spotted, he’d have seconds to react. There were at least five of them to just him, but he would do his damnedest to keep them from taking Sloane—even separating and leading them off in a different direction if he had to.

He cupped his hand behind her neck, pushing her closer against his chest, hoping to block out any unwilling sound that might escape her. Her much smaller body was engulfed by his. Everything about this woman brought out the protector in him.

He held perfectly still as the men got closer, arms firm around Sloane’s trembling form. The lights passed by, too close for comfort, but the guards didn’t see them in their hiding spot and didn’t stop.

Even after their voices faded, swallowed by the rain and the forest, Callum waited, holding them still to make sure none of them doubled back and because it gave her a much-needed respite from their desperate escape.

Yeah, right.Thatwas the reason.

He finally stepped back slightly. “They’re gone. We need to keep going.”

She didn’t respond. When he looked down, he saw her eyes squeezed shut, her lips moving soundlessly. She was muttering something—a prayer, maybe, or a desperate attempt to ground herself.

“Sloane,” he said gently, touching her cheek. She flinched but didn’t pull away. “Hey. Look at me.”

Her eyes fluttered open, and he saw the panic in them, raw and unguarded. “I—I can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “They’re going to find us. They’re going to take me back. Nikola is going to?—”

“No on all counts,” he said, his tone firm. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks, mixing with the rain. “But?—”

Callum’s chest tightened. He didn’t know what she’d been through, but it was enough to leave her like this—broken, terrified, and convinced she’d never be safe again.

“We won’t let them get you,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Do you understand me? No one’s touching you. Not while I’m here.”

Her eyes searched his, as if trying to decide whether to believe him. After a long moment, she nodded.

“Good,” he said. He squeezed her shoulder gently. “Come on. We need to keep moving.”

The rain intensified as they climbed higher, the path growing steeper and more treacherous. Sloane stumbled frequently now, her body visibly shaking from cold and exhaustion. He took off his jacket and zipped it around her, but she barely responded. He kept a hand on her arm, steadying her whenever she faltered.

She was close to her breaking point. Everyone had one.

“Almost there,” he said, though he wasn’t sure wheretherewas. He just needed her to keep going.

But after a few more minutes, he realized he was truly going to have to find athere—Sloane couldn’t keep going. She needed rest, at least for a few hours.

Through the storm, he spotted a small cave nestled against the rocky hillside. It wasn’t much, but it would keep them dry and hidden for a few hours.

“Up here,” he said, guiding her toward it. “We’ll rest for a while.”

Sloane hesitated, her steps faltering. “I can’t…”

“Yes, you can,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “One more push, and then you can rest.”

She nodded weakly, letting him lead her up the slippery incline. But just as they reached the cave’s mouth, Callum’s instincts flared. He spun, catching movement out of the corner of his eye.

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