Page 98 of Yours

“Ronan,” she whispered, her voice trembling with equal parts relief and fear.

I moved to her quickly, cutting the ropes that bound her wrists and pulling her into my arms.

“You’re safe now,” I murmured.

Her grip on me tightened, her body trembling as she clung to me. “I knew you’d come,” she said softly, her voice breaking.

“Always,” I said, pulling back just enough to meet her eyes. “But we’re not out of this yet. Can you walk?”

She nodded, her jaw set with determination. “Yes.”

“Good,” I said, motioning for Bradan to cover us. “Let’s move.”

The cabin was eerily quiet as we made our way back toward the north entrance, the rest of the team falling into step as we regrouped on the ground floor.

“Declan,” I said into the comm. “We have her. What’s the status outside?”

“All clear,” he replied. “No signs of reinforcements. You’re good to go.”

Relief flooded through me, but I didn’t let my guard down. Not yet. “Bradan, take point. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

We moved out of the cabin and a short while later, Declan’s voice crackled in my earpiece. “Boss, I take that back. You’ve got thirty seconds to clear the perimeter. The distraction’s burned out, and they’re starting to regroup.”

I nodded quickly, my pulse steady despite the tension clawing at my chest. “Keep us updated. If anything changes, I want to know before it happens.”

“Got it,” Declan said, the faint sound of his typing in the background.

Behind me, Seamus and the Murphys moved in calculated bursts, their presence a constant reassurance as they covered our exit. But the deeper we got into the woods, the heavier the air felt, like the calm before a storm.

“Ronan,” Leena whispered, her voice tight with fear. “Are we clear?”

“Not yet,” I said. “But we will be. Just stay close and keep moving.”

She nodded, her grip tightening on my arm.

We were nearly to the rendezvous point when Declan’s voice came through again, sharper this time. “Boss, we’ve got a problem. Heat signatures moving in from the south—at least a dozen. They’re on foot, closing fast.”

My jaw tightened, and I motioned for the team to halt, pulling Leena behind a thick tree trunk. “How far?”

“Five hundred meters,” Declan said. “They’re spread out, but they’re sweeping the area. You’ve got maybe two minutes before they reach you.”

“Shit. I see movement out there,” Bradan muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness.

Seamus’s voice came through the comm, calm, but edged with urgency. “We’ve got eyes on them from the perimeter. Looks like they figured out the diversion was a fake. What’s the play?”

I exhaled slowly, my mind racing. “We split. Bradan, Ada, you take Leena and half the team. Get her to the extraction point. Seamus, Kieran, and the rest stay with me. We’ll draw them off.”

Leena’s hand shot out, her fingers gripping my sleeve. “No,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’m not leaving you?—”

“You are,” I said firmly, cutting her off. “Bradan will keep you safe. I need to deal with this, and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you.”

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she nodded reluctantly, her grip loosening. “Okay,” she whispered.

“Ada,” I said. “Get her out of here. Now.”

“On it,” Ada said, moving quickly to take Leena’s arm. “Come on. Stay close.”

I watched them disappear into the shadows, my chest tightening with a mix of relief and dread.

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