Page 53 of Craving Sin (Touch of Evil 13)

Time seemed to compress and expand simultaneously.

She was acutely aware of each individual heartbeat pounding in her chest, each labored breath as the air grew thick with particles. The sound was overwhelming, a continuous roar punctuated by sharp cracks as boulders collided violently with the trees outside the entrance.

She finally managed to push herself all the way through the narrow gap, though she couldn’t avoid stumbling over something in the darkness. Unfortunately, she had dragged the bulky bag behind her, leaving her no cushion to soften her fall. The impact was jarring as she tumbled onto the hard, unyielding, cold floor of the cave.

Suddenly, there was a deafening silence.

Two thoughts registered in Brook’s mind—the mountain had come crashing down around them, and Jacob was exactly where he wanted to be.

26

Brooklyn Sloane

June 2025

Wednesday — 3:32 pm

Darkness.

Complete and absolute.

It pressed against her skin like a living thing.

The explosion still reverberated through Brook’s body, though the actual sound had long since died away. She remained perfectly still, her muscles locked in place. As the seconds ticked by, she began to pick up the others' ragged breathing.

She took stock of her own body. Her right palm throbbed. Probably a cut, but not too deep. Same with her cheek. Her left shoulder ached from when she had hit the ground.

Otherwise, intact.

Functional.

She began cataloging the details of their current situation. Victor, Jacob, and Russell were trapped inside the ice cave with her. The temperature had already dropped sharply in the short time since the silence had taken over. She had a good idea of what would happen to them if they couldn’t find another way out.

It was doubtful the team of agents in the surrounding area had been able to seek cover in time.

Her memory of the moments before the explosion flashed before her. Jacob's expression hadn't registered surprise or fear. If anything, the corner of his mouth had twitched upward in that familiar, terrible way.

He had known.

Of course, he had known.

This had been his contingency plan all along. His way of ensuring they couldn't hike back down the mountain. They were exactly where Jacob wanted them to be—trapped, dependent, and vulnerable.

“That was fun, wasn't it?” Jacob's voice sliced through the darkness. It was his light laugh that finally had her shifting into a sitting position.

“Jesus Christ.” Russell’s strained voice came from somewhere to her right. “Brook? Victor? You two alright?”

“Fine.” Victor’s tone was edged with fury. There was some slight movement to her left. “You move another fucking inch, and I swear to God that I’ll shoot you right here, right now.”

Jacob chuckled loud enough that the irritating sound bounced off the cave’s walls.

“Fine here, too.” Brook deliberately ignored Jacob's taunt. “Give me a minute.”

With her uninjured hand, she managed to grab the thick nylon material of the bag. She located the zipper by touch. Once the bag was open, she identified the objects and items by shape and texture. She eventually found the headlamp.

Brook carefully removed it and turned it on. Light slashed through the darkness, momentarily blinding her. Brook squinted as she raised it to adjust the strap around her head.

As her vision adapted, the first thing she noticed was that the explosion had sealed their entry point. Jagged stalactites of ice hung from the ceiling like frozen daggers. The cave extended back farther than her light could reach. Unfortunately, she and Victor had already examined the tunnels. There wasn’t a way out close by.

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