“We’re trying to get back to our vehicles,” Knox explained, tense at Quinn’s side.He quickly explained where they’d left them.“We had to exit them to retrieve the package—Quinn.”
Sloane’s eyes ran over Quinn, a hint of sympathy in them.“Unless you’ve got a team ready to roll down the street and personally escort you out of here, drawing more attention from the mob, it’s best to wait until morning.The unrest will die down in a few hours,” she said.“People will eventually scatter and go back to their own homes and routines.We can leave before sunrise, getting you back to your vehicles or rendezvous point.I’ll show you the safest path out of the city.”
Quinn jumped as gunshots sounded in the distance.
“That’s why it’s best you remain here,” Sloane said, noting her reaction.
“Well fuck,” Xaden said.“There go my plans tonight.”
“Ignore him,” Gage advised, still standing at Sloane’s side and looking at her with pure male interest.Her gaze flicked toward him, clearly not intimidated in the least by Gage or the others.Cooper began asking a few questions, when Quinn suddenly swayed on her feet.
“Shit,” Knox muttered, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his muscled frame.
“Take her to the extra bedroom,” Sloane directed, pointing down the hall.“There’s an attached bathroom.She needs to rest.These guys can help me get some food rustled up for everyone, and then we’ll hunker down for the night.”
The others continued talking, formulating a plan, but Quinn let Knox guide her down the dimly lit hallway, away from the rest of the team.
“Are you all right?”he asked in a low voice.“This wasn’t exactly the rescue we’d planned.”
“I’m okay, just tired,” she told him.“And overwhelmed.”
“You’ve been through a hell of an ordeal,” Knox said, his voice gentle.“We’ll get you changed.Cleaned up.Whatever you need.And I want to hear what happened.You have no idea how damn worried I was about you.”
Chapter 18
––––––––
KNOX FELT QUINN TREMBLINGbeside him as he guided her toward Sloane’s extra room, and he wanted to rip apart the bastards that had hurt her.Had she been assaulted?Raped?He had no idea.Yes, she was holding on at the moment—barely.He could tell she was exhausted, her face pale, with dark circles underneath her eyes.Had she been eating?Sleeping?
He doubted she’d had any of her basic needs met.
Glancing down at her, he noted that despite her ordeal, she was still the prettiest damn thing he’d ever seen.Knox had been on a hell of a lot of missions during the course of his career.They’d rescued hostages.Taken out HVTs.Literally stopped terrorist attacks moments before they’d happened.Despite it all, he’d never felt so relieved as when they’d spotted Quinn in the busy square.Her face had been pale, her eyes panicked.And when she’d looked at him?
Something had swelled in his chest.
Nothing and no one would ever hurt her again.
