Page 89 of Hayden's Haven
“Two against ten aren’t odds we’ll win.”
“I was sure Vance had taken her. Never even conceived it was Drake, not even when Damien was so sure.”
Damien had been right. Hayden had a blind spot for Drake and now his Mila was paying the price. He had to get her out of here. Callen too.
“Does it matter at this point?” Callen asked. “Drake has her. Us. And Damien is days away from realizing Vance doesn’t have her. Even if he changes directions and runs at top speed, Damien won’t reach us in time.”
“The goal is getting Mila out.”
“Agreed,” Callen said.
With his hand, Hayden rubbed Mila’s bare leg, trying to keep her warm.
“Drake was surprised by what I’d said. When I lied.”
“Which part?” Callen asked.
“About having no reason to keep her around. When I said I had gotten what I wanted.”
“Did you?”
Hayden glared at him. “You’re lucky I’m holding her, or I’d slice you into pieces right now.”
Callen grinned. He knew what he was saying. Asshole.
“Drake seemed a bit off to me,” Hayden added
“Seemed as crazy as ever.”
“Not crazy. No, just. . .. I don’t know. Surprised. But Drake doesn’t get surprised easily. He gathers facts, analyzes, uses them to his advantage.”
“Like you.”
Hayden’s wolf growled. He never liked being compared to Drake, no matter how accurate the comparison might be. Hayden had spent the last eight years defending himself against those who only saw Drake when they looked at him. Even his Mila had been scared of him when they had first met because that was all she could see. Drake. White wolf. Not Hayden, the shifter inside. The shifter who wanted to take long walks with her among the pack, get to know them one on one, ask them what they needed and then find a way to solve any problems. It’s what he enjoyed most, but rarely got to do, because his pack didn’t want him near them. His presence made most of them nervous, so he stayed mostly with the guys.
Hayden leaned over to kiss Mila’s forehead. He’d gladly take Drake’s place and turn himself over to Agent Sloan as Drake intended, but not unless he could be sure Drake wouldn’t harm Mila, that he’d let her and Callen go. He had no reason to trust his brother right now. Never had.
“I have a plan, but you’re not going to like it,” Callen said.
“Anything that gets her out of here.”
“We set the cabin on fire.”
“I’m hoping you mean with us outside?”
“No.”
“They’re not going to fall for that and rush in here to save us. They’ll let us burn.”
“What would Drake do to them if anything happened to you right now?”
Drake would punish them, and given the look of this place, those guards knew what a punishment entailed. The rest of Callen’s plan called for rushing whoever entered. Once they made it out, they’d set Mila down. Fight. Circle back to take Mila and then run. It wouldn’t be as efficient or fast in their human form certainly, but it was the best chance they had at this point.
Hayden held her tighter. “I don’t want to leave her alone.”
“It will only be for a few minutes.”
“I can run,” Mila said.
