Page 48 of SEAL's Secret

“I’ll check the office first. If it’s not there, I probably left it in the bedroom.”

“That’s more like it,” he said, seeming slightly jumpy again. “Damn it,” he cursed, feeling his pockets. “Where are my cigarettes?” Finally finding his lighter and a pack, he lit one up, breathing a sigh of relief. He must’ve smoked on the drive over, she realized. That’s why he’d smelled more strongly.

She tucked away that information in the back of her mind. He had a gun and a cigarette lighter. She had no weapon and didn’t think she could wrestle the gun away from him. Is she had to, she could light something on fire, trapping him to make her escape. But how would she get the lighter away from him?

The idea of burning down a home she’d listed was a touch mad, but at this point, she was desperate and almost out of options.

Harris shoved her along, and Layton moved quickly down the hallway. As she went into the home office, she pretended to look around. “It must be in the bedroom.”

He was watching her, assessing. “Ladies first,” he sneered.

Trembling, she slid past him and slowly walked down the hall. If he trapped her in the bedroom, she didn’t think she’d get out of here alive. He’d realize there was no bag and then probably rape and kill her. “Oh! I think I left it in the garage,” she suddenly said, stopping. “I was carrying a bunch of things and had to set it down.”

Harris stopped behind her, suddenly shoving the gun into her spine. “You better not be playing me, Ms. O’Connell.” It was slightly weird how he kept addressing her that way. Not that they were necessarily on a first-name basis, but he seemed to enjoybossing her around. “Move!” he said, and she quickly turned around, hurrying toward the kitchen. When she reached the door to the garage, he suddenly pressed closer, his body trapping her there against the solid wood. One hand fisted her hair, yanking her head back, and he pressed the gun to her temple as she softly cried out. “This is your last chance. I’m done wasting my time.”

“Oh—okay. I’m sure it’s in here,” she assured him. Tears filled her eyes, and she tried to think of a plan, an opportunity to escape. Her hands shaking, she turned the doorknob. Harris eased up his grip, moving with her as the door opened. There were no windows inside the garage, and she was thankful she remembered the general layout.

Harris slightly loosened his grip as she took a step down, and then she suddenly flipped on the lights and pressed the buttons to open all the garage doors. The noise was slightly jarring in the silence of the house, and he seemed surprised for a beat, loosening his hold. Layton screamed as rage coursed through her, and she elbowed him hard in the chest before running.

He was cursing as he nearly fell down the steps, and she screamed as he took a shot, the mirror on the vehicle parked inside shattering. “Come back here!” he roared, but she ducked around the large SUV, making a run for the trees. She heard him crashing into something behind her in his haste, but Layton didn’t look back. He shot at her two more times, and she cried out, falling to the ground.

Her leg stung, blood gushing out, and she desperately tried to stand up as he ran toward her.

***

Hudson’s hands clenched the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles were white. The property was an hour away, and he’d sped along the highway toward the home, not caring how many laws he was breaking. His only priority was to get to his girl.

“We’re almost there,” Aaron said beside him, his gaze scanning the road. “Ten minutes out.”

Wyatt and Austin were in the vehicle behind them, and Sawyer and Ryan were not too far back in a third SUV. While Hudson had stopped to get weapons, he wasn’t sure if his teammates were armed. No matter. The six of them were deadly without the use of firearms, and they had the advantage of surprise. Tony Harris had no idea they were coming.

Aaron’s phone buzzed, and he lifted it to his ear. “Yeah? I’ll let him know. Roger that.”

“Let me know what?”

“Traffic cams picked up the plate. Harris was headed north. Looks like there’s a damn good chance he’s exactly where we think he is.”

Hudson grunted, adrenaline coursing through him. He knew Harris had taken Layton to the secluded property. He’d bet his life on it. The guy had found her through her own website. Tracked her to the open house. He had a perfect list of possibilities of where to take her from her own listings.

“I’m sure he’s there. It’s private. Secluded. And she has access to it.”

The minutes ticked by longer than he wanted. “Turn left,” Aaron said abruptly. “This is the road.”

Hudson slowed down, taking the turn carefully. As much as he wanted to come roaring in there, tires squealing and weapon drawn, they didn’t know what type of situation they’d be walkinginto. Were the homeowners there possibly being held hostage? Did Harris have accomplices they were unaware of?

Wyatt’s vehicle was right behind his, and Hudson slowed to a stop before they reached the address. There weren’t any other homes around, and Hudson hated how isolated the place was knowing that Layton was here.

The men climbed out of their vehicles, briefly conferring, before they began hustling toward the house. Wyatt and Austin were going to head around back. Aaron would provide cover. And Hudson? He’d go in through the damn front door. Sawyer and Ryan were minutes away to provide additional backup.

Hudson took a deep breath, readying to move as his heart thundered, when suddenly it sounded like garage doors were opening. “Someone’s trying to leave,” Wyatt said urgently.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. “No!” Hudson yelled, running toward the home. It was hidden behind the trees, and he couldn’t see what was happening. Layton didn’t own a gun, and that meant—

Something shattered in the garage, and he surged forward, leaping over some bushes as he ran up the driveway. His teammates were at his side, Wyatt yelling out orders. Hudson didn’t even hear what he said. As he drew his weapon, he saw a blonde woman fleeing from the garage, screaming in fear. Layton.

He wanted to call out to her but didn’t want to distract her from her escape. He was both so close and yet too far away to help her. Tony Harris stumbled from the garage, nearly tripping on something he’d knocked over. He raised his gun, taking two more shots, and Hudson’s heart stopped as Layton fell to the ground. Blood pooled on her leg, bright red against her skin. Shewas trying to stand up, still trying to get away, and Harris was closing in on her.

Hudson lifted his weapon, firing in a steady stream to hit Harris as he ran toward Layton.

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