Page 53 of Ethan's Command

Mojo let out a low whine before barking sharply, his tail stiff as he sniffed the thin blanket tossed carelessly on the cot. Tucker circled the room once more before both dogs turned sharply toward the back door, their noses to the ground. A deep growl rumbled from Mojo’s throat. Relief created a thin thread of hope in Ethan. The dogs had caught the scent.

Mojo lunged for the door, his powerful body shoving it open. The rainforest beyond was dense, an inky labyrinth of towering ferns and twisted roots. The dampness clung to Ethan’s skin, the scent of moss, decaying wood, and rain-soaked leaves cloying in his nostrils. The canopy overhead blocked any ambient starlight, casting eerie shadows that shifted with the wind.

“Go, Mojo,” Ethan ordered urgently.

Mojo shot forward, Tucker right behind him, their paws barely making a sound as they navigated the uneven ground. Ethan and Bellamy stayed in a close formation, scanning the trees for any movement, their hands never straying far from their weapons. Brooklyn kept pace with them, but Ethan remained worried. It was so dark and he was afraid if she took her eyes off him, she could get lost in the darkness.

The rainforest swallowed them, branches clawing at their clothes, roots threatening to trip them at every step. Sweat dripped down Ethan’s back as they pushed deeper into the jungle, the dogs darting ahead, weaving through the foliage. Minutes stretched, each one a suffocating eternity in the rush to find Liam.

After what felt like forever, Mojo let out a loud, insistent bark.

Ethan tried to stop her, but Brooklyn sprinted forward. She broke through the foliage and stumbled into a small clearing. A strangled cry wrenched out of her throat.

Liam lay curled against the base of a thick tree, his small frame unmoving. His wrists were bound in front of him, his face smudged with dirt, but he was alive. Mojo whined and pressed his nose against the boy’s cheek before licking his face.

Liam stirred, letting out a weak, disoriented moan.

Brooklyn fell to her knees beside him, gathering him in her arms and pressing her forehead against his as sobs wracked her body.

“Oh, Liam,” she whispered, holding him tightly. “We found you. We found you.”

Ethan crouched beside them, his hand on her back, sensitive to the trembles wracking her frame. Relief crashed over him in waves, but he didn’t let his guard down. Not yet.

Ethan tapped his earbud. “We got him,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.

“Thank Christ,” Rusty commented.

Cooper added, “I second that.”

Brooklyn pulled back slightly, brushing Liam’s hair from his face. “You’re safe now, baby,” she whispered. “You’re safe.”

CHAPTER 22

Brooklyn struggledto keep her eyes open as she watched Jackson and Liam play a video game. They were sprawled on the hospital bed, trash-talking each other with the kind of playful banter only the male of the species could manage. The sound of their laughter was the best thing she had heard in days, a balm to soothe the exhaustion pressing heavily on her.

She stood from the chair, rolling her stiff shoulders. "I’m going in search of some coffee. Can I get you guys anything?"

"No thanks," Liam called out, grunting as he twisted the controller in his hands. Resilience. Kids were the best at bouncing back. Her brother looked exhausted but happy. He met her gaze and mouthedthank youyet again. He’d been thanking her since he landed and arrived at the hospital.

She smiled in response before stepping into the hallway. Her limbs were leaden. She didn’t need coffee; she needed sleep. She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a text to her brother. She was going to go home and crawl in bed. It had been a long week and she’d been running on adrenaline for the vast majority of it.

Taking the elevator to the ground floor, Brooklyn headed out of the hospital. She was standing on the curb before she realizedthat she didn’t have her car. She’d arrived at the hospital in the ambulance with Liam. “Shit.” She could call Ethan. She knew he’d come get her, but she really wasn’t ready to see him at the moment.

She owed him an explanation for not confronting him about their first night together. If this were a romance novel, she’d call the heroine who did this ‘too stupid to live,’ but being on this side of it, she realized it was all well and good to say everything could be solved with a conversation, but the reality was different. In real life, that conversation would have been so excruciatingly humiliating for her, considering she still felt like a moron for not knowing her ex had been cheating on her.

Nope, she wasn’t ready to eat humble pie just yet. She was going to need a hell of a lot of sleep and possibly a few drinks before she was willing to go down that road.

She pulled up one of the ride-share apps on her phone when she heard a voice calling her name. Looking up, she smiled. Leilani was walking toward her. “I’m so glad I ran into you,” she said giving Brooklyn a hug. “Keoni made me promise to check on Liam. He’s still stuck at home, and he can be quite demanding.”

Brooklyn nodded. “Teenage boys are no joke. Liam’s doing fine though, thanks for asking. He’s upstairs playing video games with his father.”

Leilani chuckled. “Why am I not surprised? Where are you headed?”

“Going home,” Brooklyn said. “I could use a shower and some serious sleep.”

“I bet you could. What a horrible experience for you. Do you want a lift?”

“Are you sure?” Brooklyn responded. “I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way.” She really didn’t want to inconvenience Leilani, but a ride home would be magical.

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