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She glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded once before returning her attention back to Pierce, wiping the blood from his mouth with the sleeve of her pristine robe. “I was scared, but I shouldn’t have involved you.”
“You didn’t ‘involve’ anyone. You asked for help when you needed it, and that’s okay.”
She stroked a hand over Pierce’s head in an almost motherly way. “You’re suffering because of me.”
Cal forced a smile. “Pierce and I are tough cookies. We’ll be okay. We’re here because want to help you.”
She shook her head. “It’s too late.”
“Too late for what?”
She didn’t answer, just continued silently wiping away the blood and sweat from Pierce’s face.
Okay. Maybe she’d be more responsive if he tried another tactic. “True, I know your aunts, Ellie and Alexis.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “The woman that was here with you is my aunt?”
“Yes. She’s been looking for you and your mom for a long time. So has Alexis.”
She finally settled Pierce back, so he wasn’t straining against the leather straps, then turned to face Cal. “I was told I don’t have any family left except—” she broke off and didn’t seem inclined to finish the thought.
“Except these nutjobs?” Cal finished for her, glancing around the grimy container. “They lied.”
True blinked, her pale eyes round in the dim light and so much like Ellie’s.
“They always lie,” she said with a sad kind of resignation. “But it doesn’t matter. It’s too late.”
“I don’t understand. Why is it too late?”
The morning chime sounded in the distance, and she inhaled sharply, hurrying back toward the door.
“True, wait!”
She paused but didn’t look back. “Don’t eat or drink what they give you today.”
And then she was gone.
chapter
twenty-three
“Of all the crazy, fucked up things this group has done, you and Cal joining a fucking cult takes the cake.” Ash fumed as he paced the command center at Redwood Coast Rescue. On a good day, his personality was like a storm cloud, but now he’d exploded into a thunderhead.
Ellie couldn’t blame him for his anger. What they’d done had been stupid and reckless, and it may cost Cal and Pierce their lives.
Cal.
Her throat closed up, and tears she couldn’t control spilled down her cheeks. She ripped her glasses off and pressed her hands to her eyes. She hated that she was crying. She wanted to be strong and capable like Alexis.
God, she wished her sister were here, but Alexis and Shane were off the grid for their honeymoon and wouldn’t return for a few more days. And even if Ellie could get a hold of them, she wouldn’t. After everything they’d been through, they deserved to enjoy their time together without more drama.
“Ash, enough.” Anna’s tone was reprimanding. She scowled at her brother as she finished brewing a mug of tea, then crossed the room to hand it to Ellie. “You’re not helping the situation.”
He rounded on her. “I told them to stay away from it and let me handle it.”
“Well, maybe you should’ve explained why you wanted them to stay away rather than just ordering them to do it,” Rose said lightly. She was lounging on one of the couches along the wall, stroking a hand over the big black German Shepherd beside her. Dante was so very much like Ash. He watched the action play out between the humans with intense, narrowed eyes as if deciding who he needed to bite next.
Ash pointed at his wife. “You stay out of this. I’m still pissed you told them about the commune.”
