Page 31 of Reclaimed (Hostage Rescue Team)

“Welcome.” She took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “Okay. Now get me to that meeting.” She was anxious to get started.

Nathan took her carryon bag and laced his fingers through hers. “Everybody’s waiting to get down to business.”

“Understandable. I just hope I can help. Any new developments while I was on my way over here?”

“Unfortunately no,” he said. “Blackwell’s going out of his mind.”

“I can imagine,” she murmured, feeling awful for him, but more for Summer.

At the hotel Maya left them to go to her own room and Taya went with Nathan up to the eighth floor. “Tuck’s rooming with Blackwell now, so you can stay with me,” he said as they stepped off the elevator. “It’s not usual procedure and I may get called out at a moment’s notice, but I thought it would be easier on you this way.”

She nudged his hip. “And it had nothing whatsoever to do with you wanting me in your bed at night,” she teased.

A grin quirked his lips. “Well, not gonna lie, it’s a definite perk…”

She took five minutes to freshen up. When she came out of the bathroom he was waiting for her by the door. “They’re waiting downstairs,” he said, and framed her face in his hands. “You sure you’re up to this?” he asked, searching her eyes.

The concern in his eyes warmed her to her toes. “I’m sure. But thanks for caring.” She lifted up and kissed him. “Let’s do this.”

She walked past him out into the hall, and came to an abrupt halt when she saw Adam sitting there against the wall. He rose at once, his piercing blue gaze locked on her.

His haggard appearance shocked her. She’d never seen him like this, all disheveled and drawn.

He looked exhausted, his expression pinched with strain and he had dark circles beneath his eyes. “Adam, hi,” she said softly, hating that he was hurting like this. Nathan stepped up behind her, put a comforting hand on her waist.

“Hi.” Adam stuffed his hands in his pockets and she wanted to hug him but stayed put. “I just wanted to come by before the briefing to personally thank you for coming here. I know it couldn’t have been easy. I really appreciate it.”

She shook her head, overcome with the need to reassure him, make it all okay. But the only way she could do that is if they found Summer in time. The demons Taya faced here were only psychological and emotional—mere memories of what she’d endured. The ones Summer faced were far more immediate and dangerous.

Maybe even lethal. Theyhadto find her, soon.

“Don’t thank me for that.” Taya had no evidence to base it on, but her gut feeling was that Summer’s captor didn’t plan to sell her or gift her to another fighter. No, she was worried that Summer’s fate would be much, much worse if they didn’t find and free her before it was too late. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help find Summer,” she told him.

Adam nodded, and the grief and worry in his eyes made her heart ache. His fear was warranted though. From the little Celida and Maya had told her about the ATB member who’d kidnapped Summer, Taya knew the odds of finding her alive were small. Because from the sounds of it, Tarek Hadad was even more brutal and sadistic than Qureshi had been.

And that meant they had no time to lose.

****

Two years ago

All the lights were off again and it was barely past suppertime. Adam knew exactly what that meant and his heart sank like a rock.

He sighed and turned off his truck’s engine, then sat there in the garage as the engine pinged and cooled. He didn’t want to go in there because he knew what he’d find and he was so fucking exhausted right now he didn’t know if he had the strength to deal with it.

The miscarriage had hit Summer hard. Really hard.

He understood that she’d needed time to grieve afterward. He even understood why she resented him for not being there when it had happened.

But he barely recognized his wife these days. Sometimes she couldn’t get out of bed at all, which was totally unlike her. And sometimes she wound up leaving work early and came home to lock herself in their bedroom.

He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, telling himself to suck it up. She was hurting, dropping fast into a mental and emotional tailspin he couldn’t protect her from. He couldn’t go back in time and undo what was done and he wanted to help her. It was just that he didn’t know how anymore.

Feeling like he had a two-thousand-pound weight on his shoulders, he headed upstairs to their room. As he suspected, she was in there, the door closed. At least this time she hadn’t locked it. It drove him nuts when she shut him out, made him frantic to reach her, dosomethingto make it all better. Or at least stop her from pulling out of his reach.

He eased the door open to find her sleeping, curled away from him on her side of the bed. His heart squeezed. He hated seeing her so sad, so lifeless. She’d always been so strong, so vibrant.

Careful not to wake her, he stripped and slid in behind her, carefully curling his body around hers.

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