Page 101 of Honor ’N’ Duty

He could wake up at any moment. Every second counted.

She pried the gun from his hand, grabbed the radio from the chair, then set them both on the floor in front of the window. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder to verify he was still out cold, she set to work on the old window latch. She pushed with her fingertips, ignoring the pain as the edge of the rusty latch bit into her skin. Eventually, it snapped open with a squeak.

The metal handles at the bottom of the window were equally old and rusty. She put her fingers beneath the handles and tugged upward, straining until it felt as if her shoulders would pop. “C’mon, open!”

But her hands were sweating too much. Her fingers slipped off, and she cried out.

A moan had her turning her head to see Diego’s arm move.

“C’mon, c’mon!” She tugged again. The window started to move. She pulled it up as far as it would go, then went to the bed and picked Rosa up in her arms. “Wake up, sweetie. Wake up.”

Her lids fluttered. “Are we going home now?” she asked sleepily.

“Yes.” She glanced at Diego, who hadn’t moved again, then sat Rosa on the window ledge so her legs dangled outside. “We’re going for a walk in the woods first.” Carefully, she eased Rosa off the ledge, then lowered her by her arms to the ground and plopped her on her bottom.

Another moan came from behind her, and she whipped around. Diego slid his hand along the floor, holding it to his nose.

Oh no. Her pulse galloped.

Not wanting to leave it behind for Diego to call for help, she twisted the knob on the radio, turning it off before dropping it on the ground outside the window. She grabbed the gun, then slipped her legs over the windowsill, grimacing as the sharp ledge scraped against the backs of her thighs, tearing her capris. The second her feet hit the soft ground next to where Rosa sat, still looking somewhat dazed, Laia turned to see if Diego had figured out they were gone.

So far, so good.

Except Rosa was still too out of it to walk. Unable to carry the gun, the radio, and Rosa, she hurled the gun and the radio as far away from the cabin as possible.

“C’mon, baby. Let’s go.” A moment later, Rosa was in her arms, and she was trekking up the wooded incline behind the cabin.

A hundred feet or so later, sweat trickled down her temples. The slope had grown steeper to the point where she could barely take another step. Every muscle in her arms, shoulders, and legs screamed in protest. She set Rosa down, steadying her when she wobbled on her feet.

“Mommy, I’m tired,” she whined. “I want to take a nap.”

“Not yet, baby. We need to keep going.” She reached down, intending to pick Rosa up again, when shuffling sounds came from behind her.

Diego was charging up the hill behind them, close enough that she could see the blood from the damage she’d inflicted. His lips curled back, exposing his bloody teeth. If he caught up to them, there’d be no escaping his rage.

“Rosa, let’s go! Wake up!” She grabbed Rosa’s hand, knowing there was no way she could outrun Diego.

The shuffling sounds of him charging closer grew louder.

They wouldn’t stand a chance.

A low growl came from up ahead, then a large black blur shot past them. That bear?

“Smoke!” Rosa pointed.

Smoke crashed into Diego’s chest, sending the man flying backward and sliding down the slope on his back. The dog latched on to the man’s arm, issuing another low growl from his throat.

More sounds, this time from ahead of her. Jamie charged down the hill, a gun in his hand. Behind him were Deck and his Belgian Malinois, Thor.

Laia knelt, tucking Rosa into her embrace.

“You okay?” Deck said quietly, holding his finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

She nodded, trying to calm her racing heart and process the fact that Jamie and Deck were there, in the woods behind the cabin.

Kade hadn’t come alone.

Jamie dragged a struggling Diego to his feet, keeping his hand securely over the guy’s mouth.