Page 102 of Taken By the Convicts
“I’m glad you took me from Hawke,” she said as she broke the kiss.
Ivan leaned his head against her. “I don’t want to think about that man getting near you.”
She shifted and kissed his cheek. “We should get going. Reece is waiting outside alone.”
“He can handle himself,” Ivan said, patting the bed in the isolation ward.
She lifted a brow. “I snuck you in. I don’t want to get the guards mad for breaking protocol.”
“You’re right,” he said, his voice all serious again. “I need them on your side.”
They moved through the corridor like mice in a field. Ivan’s ability to evade the guards impressed her. They weren’t on any particular schedule in the med-center or at least none that she’d noticed. But Ivan knew exactly when to stop, move, and which doorway or crevice provided the best place to avoid being seen.
“How many times have you been in the med-center since you’ve been on Veenith?” she whispered as they neared the door leading outside.
“Including today, eight.”
“And how many times were for injuries?”
“Excluding today, seven.”
“Non-self-inflicted injuries,” she clarified.
“Still seven.”
“Not self-inflicted and not-intentionally provoked for the purpose of getting in here.”
He smiled. “Zero.”
Oookay, then.
The moment they exited and spotted Reece, Melina knew something was wrong. Her gentle giant was pacing, agitated. He shoved a note at Ivan to read. Melina caught a glimpse of a lot of words, too many for the note to be from Reece.
Ivan read the note and then shoved it in his pocket. “Take her home, Crusher.”
“What does it say?” Melina asked.
“Hawke has Jayce.”
Melina’s stomach twisted. “He wants me, doesn’t he?”
“Which is why Crusher’s taking you back to the bunker. Then he’ll meet me.” Ivan cupped her cheek. Bright blue eyes filled with determination caught her. He would get Jayce back, she had no question about that.
Or rather, he intended to try. He and Crusher. . . just the two of them against two dozen or so men that Hawke controlled.
“He’ll kill you. Both of you. Jayce too.”
“I’m not that easy to kill, remember? Plus, Crusher’s damn good with a rifle.”
“Hawke has too many men, Ivan. You barely got me away from him. And that was because Reece had a sonic rifle at the time. How are you going to get that gun without Jayce?”
“We’ll figure something else.” Ivan glanced at Reece, who signed, pointing at her and the med-center. “Change of plan, little bird. You’re going back inside the med-center. I don’t know if Jayce gave you access to leave the bunker yet. If something happens to us, I don’t want you trapped down there.”
“It’s too risky, Ivan. Trade me for Jayce.”
“No.”
There was no debate, no explanation, merely a simplenothat Ivan would stand behind no matter what argument she offered.
