“She also trusted us to understand the warning and figure out a way to get to her,” Buck said. Ghost glanced over slowly, and Buck looked terrified behind the wheel right now—focused, brutal, relentless. But underneath it, Ghost saw the hope in Buck’s eyes. They knew that Wren was still fighting and still trying to protect them, even while being trapped. Ghost knew that he was so gone for that woman; it was pathetic, and he could tell that Buck felt the same way.
The truck finally stopped beneath a dense cluster of pines overlooking the depot. Both men moved instantly. Ghost followed Buck through waist-deep snow toward the ridge overlook, and the second the warehouse came into view, Ghost understood why Wren had sounded scared. The place was lit up like a damn military compound with floodlights, armed patrols, and guard towers. Trucks were being loaded with women by the eastern bays.
“Jesus,” Ghost muttered.
Buck crouched beside him in the snow, eyes scanning every inch of the compound. “Western side is over there,” he said, pointing. Ghost followed his gaze and saw the hidden drainage corridor that sat half-buried beneath drifting snow near the rear wall, exactly where Leah predicted it would be. It was their way in, but something felt wrong.
Ghost narrowed his eyes. There were too many guards near the loading bays and too much activity up front, like they wanted attention focused there. Then he saw it—movement near the western side.
Ghost grabbed Buck’s arm instantly. “There.” Buck went completely still as a figure slipped briefly from behind stacked crates near the rear warehouse wall before ducking back into the darkness. The person had a small frame and dark hair. Buck’s entire body locked tight beside him.
“Wren,” Buck breathed. Even from this distance, Ghost recognized the way she moved. Hope exploded through Ghost’s chest.
“She found the tunnel,” he said. Buck was already moving before the words finished leaving his mouth.
Ghost grabbed him hard enough to stop him from charging straight downhill. “Easy.”
Buck looked ready to commit homicide. “She’s trying to escape,” he growled. “We need to help her.”
“Exactly.” Ghost pointed toward the patrol route circling the western wall. “Which means if you go full caveman right now, they’ll spot her.” Buck’s breathing roughened violently.
Ghost tightened his grip on his arm. “Trust her.” Buck froze because deep down, he knew Wren wasn’t helpless. She was smart, capable, and currently trying to survive.
Ghost lowered his voice. “We move with her.” Buck stared toward the warehouse again and nodded back at Ghost. Together, they started down the ridge through the storm towardthe drainage tunnel and toward Wren. They were ready to fight a war, and Ghost knew with terrifying certainty that the second Buck got his hands on Eli Mercer, there wouldn’t be enough left of the bastard to bury.
Wren
The zip tie finally snapped, and the tiny plastic strip broke with a faint crack that sounded louder than a gunshot in Wren’s ears. For one terrifying second, she froze as she waited and listened for any sign that her captors had heard her escape attempts. She almost breathed a sigh of relief when nobody shouted. Nobody even seemed to notice, and relief nearly made her dizzy. Slowly, carefully, she pulled her hands free behind her back and rubbed feeling into her wrists.
Step one was complete. Now came the impossible part—actually escaping. The warehouse remained busy around her. Men loaded crates into trucks near the eastern loading bays while others patrolled the perimeter. The blizzard outside had intensified, snow rattling against metal walls and broken windows. The hidden exit the young woman had shown her sat along the western wall was so close, and yet impossibly far.
Wren shifted quietly inside the cage, noting that the lock remained intact. That part wasn't ideal, but she'd spent the last hour watching, learning, and waiting. Plus, one of the guards happened to be incredibly stupid. Every time he walked past her cage, he clipped a ring of keys to the outside bars while he smoked—which was a huge mistake.
Wren looked toward the nearest patrol route and noticed three guards. One was upstairs, one by the vehicles, and the other one was heading in her direction now. Perfect. The man approached, carrying a coffee cup and a cigarette, completely oblivious. Wren immediately slumped against the side of the cage with her head down and her eyes closed, playing unconscious.
The guard snorted when he saw her. "About time." His boots stopped directly outside the bars of her cage, and the cigarette smell grew stronger. Then came the metallic jingle of his keys. He put them exactly where she'd hoped he would. Wren waited and counted silently. One, two, three. The guard turned away, and she knew that this was her chance. Her hand shot through the bars, and her fingers closed around the keyring as she yanked it inside her cage. The guard spun immediately, but it was too late. Wren pulled the keys inside the cage just as his eyes widened.
"What the—" he whispered to himself.
She threw the entire ring directly at his face. The metal keys slammed into his nose hard enough to make him stumble backward, swearing. Wren was already moving, her heart pounding, and her hands shaking as she tried to fit the right key into the lock. The third key fit, and the door opened with a click. The cage door swung open, but there was no time to celebrate her freedom. The guard recovered fast—too fast.
"Bitch,” he shouted. She bolted from her cage as the warehouse exploded into chaos instantly. Somebody hit an alarm, and the sound screamed through the building. Wren sprinted toward the western wall as hard as she could. Crates blurred past her, and men yelled from behind her. A gunshot cracked somewhere nearby, and she ducked instinctively. Splinters exploded from a wooden pallet just inches from her head.
"Oh God,” she breathed. Adrenaline surged harder, forcing her to run, just run. The hidden door appeared ahead exactly where the young woman had indicated. It was half concealed behind hanging tarps, and hope exploded inside her chest. But it was short-lived as someone grabbed her, tangling his hand painfully in her hair. Wren screamed as the force jerked her backward hard enough to nearly knock her off her feet. She twisted violently and drove her elbow backward as hard as possible, hearing a crushing sound followed by the man’s curse. His grip loosened, and Wren stomped on his foot and broke free.
She kept telling herself to just keep moving as she ran for the door. All she had to do was just reach the door. She stumbled through the hanging tarps and slammed into the freezing wind outside. The storm immediately swallowed her whole as snow blasted across her face. Visibility dropped to almost nothing, but she was out of the warehouse—actually out, and that was all that mattered.
"Wren!" The shout echoed behind her, and she knew that it was Eli. Fear shot through her, and she ran harder. The ground sloped sharply downward toward what looked like a drainage ditch buried beneath drifting snow. It was exactly where the maps showed them to be.
A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, and Wren screamed and spun, ready to fight. Ready to kill if she had to. Icy blue eyes met hers—Buck. For one impossible second, neither of them moved. The storm howled around them, and snow covered his shoulders as his chest heaved, and the look on his face nearly broke her. It was relief—pure, overwhelming relief.
"Wren,” he breathed. The roughness in his voice shattered something inside her.
"Buck,” she whispered. She didn't even realize she was crying until he pulled her against his chest. She felt safe for the firsttime in days. Buck wrapped both arms around her like he never intended to let go again. His face was buried in her hair.
"Jesus Christ," he breathed. Wren clung to him just as tightly, because he came—of course he came. A second later, another pair of arms wrapped around both of them—Ghost.
"You stubborn little thing," Ghost muttered roughly. Wren laughed and cried at the same time. Ghost's forehead touched hers. "We got you,” he promised. For the first time since waking up in that cage, she believed that she was safe.
