Page 76 of Shielded Hearts

This was it. The next stage of the plan. Aspen and Willow were supposed to go outside onto the wide deck and put themselves in the open. To show Gideon that they were here, alone.

In slow steps, they sauntered out. Willow moved to her side again. “Think he’s out there?” She murmured so quietly that it might be the wind blowing through the fall leaves.

“Yes,” she breathed back.

Long seconds passed…and nothing happened.

She caught Willow glancing down at the time on her phone. Then she looked up and held Aspen’s stare as if to tell her that they had to stay a bit longer in order to stick to the schedule.

Time ticked by with so much slowness, she felt like she was caught in a time warp.

“Think it’s been long enough?” she whispered as she stepped up to the railing.

“Let’s give it another minute.”

Her heart throbbed in her throat. Fear swamped her insides, knotting her up.

She started to count the seconds in her head. Then, as one, they turned away from the door and went inside.

She continued talking about the features of the cabin as well as its proximity to entertainment. Only a couple times did her voice wobble. Willow nodded and smiled encouragingly, pretending that she was excited about the property, but underneath every word, she offered sisterly support.

They walked around the kitchen, checking everything out even though Aspen knew it was rare that a billionaire on vacation would cook for themselves.

Her frayed nerves crackled like live wires, zapping in her chest until it was hard to breathe. Had Gideon fallen for the bait, or was this a wasted gamble?

She moved to the kitchen counter, her fingers curling on the cool granite. Looking out the window into the fading light of day, Aspen said a silent prayer for Colt, for Willow and their brothers.They were all risking their lives to end this nightmare for her tonight.

The silence pressed in on her, unnerving and thick.

It was too quiet. Too still.

Something was coming. Something big, like a storm about to break.

Chapter Seventeen

In Colt’s earpiece the crackle of static shattered the silence of the darkened property. He didn’t so much as blink as Carson’s voice filled his ear.

“Anyone have eyes on him?”

“Negative,” came Gray’s reply. “I drove the lake road twice. There’s no sign of an abandoned vehicle. Clean as a whistle.”

“Nothing has moved on the lake side of the property either.” Colt didn’t like this. It wasn’t likely that Gideon had just given up. Beneath his calm exterior, frustration simmered.

Jaw clenching, he scanned the trees between his position on the dock and the back of the cabin. A good hour before, Aspen and Willow had appeared on the deck. They’d walked up to the railing and stood in the open for long enough that Gideon would be guaranteed to spot them if he were in the area. Carson was just feet away, prepared to take a bullet in his body armor for them.

“Maybe the plan didn’t work—he didn’t get the message or something.” Gray’s suggestion had Colt grinding his molars.

“I don’t think so. He’s been on Aspen’s trail since she came to Wyoming. Maybe before, and we just didn’t know it. He’s waiting for the perfect opportunity.” He lowered his eyes to the rifle scope to get a better view of the cabin. “Where are you, you son of a bitch?” he muttered.

“I’ll do another perimeter search now,” Carson said.

The lake was a smooth mirror under the moonlight. The wind had died down, leaving a shimmering reflection like a sheetof glass. Tall evergreens soared into the sky all around them, casting long shadows on the landscape.

His cabin stood proud on the slope. The warm light glowed through the windows, cutting into the darkness that seemed to beat with evil intention.

He never was one for using his imagination. Colt’s brain didn’t work that way. But he wasn’t often wrong when it came to his instincts. Gideon was here.

As he scanned the bedroom window, his gut clenched. His gaze darted between the cabin and the gentle slope of the land leading to the shore. Small tufts of foliage grew along the edge of the water. Were they big enough for a man to hide behind? Probably.

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