Page 153 of Into the Woods

We approached the side door of the hotel, and I was surprised when Maddie opened it.

“What the fuck are you doing down here?” Ryan growled, glaring at her.

Maddie didn’t even flinch. She tossed back her long swath of pale blonde hair and returned his look. “Letting your ass inside. Ash is watching the monitors.”

Ryan looked pissed as he rubbed his forehead.

“Hey, Mads,” I said.

She brightened and moved to hug me, but Ryan cut her off.

“Reunion inside where we’re safer,” he told her, but his tone was gentle.

Maddie gave me a small smile and nodded at Ryan before turning and leading the way to the service elevator.

Taking the keycard from her, Ryan swiped it over the panel and ushered her, then us, inside before joining us. Maddie hit the button for our floor, and Ryan pulled her into his arms as we started to ascend.

“You okay, Bex?” she asked me, her head against Ryan’s chest.

“Not really,” I admitted, my chin resting on Court’s shoulder as the elevator chimed and the door slid open. We headed down the hall toward the hotel room we’d stayed in before.

Using another keycard, Maddie opened the door and held it as we all went inside.

I tapped Court’s shoulder, feeling like a toddler who was done being carried around. He let me slide down his body, and then Maddie was all over me.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” she demanded, squeezing me hard.

“Sorry,” I whispered, clinging to her.

“Where are we at?” Ryan demanded. He tore off his Kevlar vest and tossed it aside. Court did the same, the sharp sound of the ripping velcro almost too loud.

Ash spun in his chair, looking exhausted. He tugged off a headset and set it aside to gesture at the TV. A local Parisian news station was muted, but the camera was showing the scene at the warehouse from behind a police barricade.

It cut to shots of men and women in cuffs being escorted into police wagons, victims wrapped in blankets with their faces blurred, and back to an aerial shot of the dock, still smoldering.

“Jesus,” I whispered, stepping around Maddie and going to stand in front of the TV.

“It’s gonna be a long night,” Ash mused, scrubbing his hands over his face. His bright green eyes were alert but weary. “They saved twenty-six people.” He looked at me. “Including your cousin.”

Maddie gripped my hand.

“Eric?” I demanded, needing to know what happened to the asshole.

“In custody,” Ash confirmed. “Apparently unconscious, but in police custody nonetheless.”

“General Woods?” His name tasted bitter in my mouth.

Ash smirked. “Also confirmed as in custody, but not unconscious.”

“Should’ve hit the bastard harder,” Ryan said.

“Or shot him,” Court added with a glower.

I shook my head, my gaze on Ash. “What happens next?”

“Well, we’re looking at a bureaucratic nightmare,” Ash admitted. “Everyone’s trying to figure out what the fuck happened tonight while simultaneously trying to take credit. The news is crediting Paris PD at the moment, but someone’s going to have to make a statement.”

Ryan sat down on the edge of an armchair. “And our guys are ready for that?” Maddie crossed the floor and climbed onto his lap, snuggling against him. Ryan held her like she was a living, breathing teddy bear he could use for security.

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