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I feel overwhelmed and defeated, but I know deep down that I just need some time to regroup, gather my thoughts, and figure out a way to move forward.
My emotions are swirling. There’s a storm of anger, frustration, and sadness. The sadness that rooted inside my soul the moment Archer went missing. He’s alive, and that’s what should matter.
I tell myself it’s okay. Things will work out. They always do. I just have to be strong, find a way to accept this reality, and make the best of it.
ChapterThirty-Two
Finnegan
After I mentionedthat Teddy might join us soon, Piper excuses herself. Derek helps her to her room. I stay on the patio, staring at the fire and drinking a glass of scotch.
When Derek returns, he gives me a long stare.“You lied to her,” he says, his voice low and accusatory.
My temper rises, and I hold the glass tight. So tight it might even break. “I didn’t,” I snap back defensively.
He scoffs and waves his phone at me. “I got the same text as you,” he says, emphasizing each word. “Our people believe Teddy might be at the Zs’ hideout in New Mexico. You know what that means.” His voice suddenly booms through the night like thunder.
“We don’t know if she’s even in there,” I argue, desperation edging my voice. “Maybe if we move fast enough, nothing bad will happen to her.”
Derek looks at me as if saying,you poor naïve fucker. “Do you really believe that?”
I swallow hard and admit, “I’m hoping.”
His expression darkens. “Hope won’t save her now. We know what these men can do to their prisoners, and I’ve seen it all too often—can hear the screams for help still echoing in my mind.” He shakes his head. “You, of all people, know what happens there.”
And I do. I watched the Zs doing it so many times. I witnessed the pleading screams for help, the grunts of pain—the sickly smells of blood. Sometimes the prisoners never get out of there alive, and if they do, they’re too broken to survive.
“We can’t just march in and snatch her away,” he says, pacing the room. His eyebrows furrow as he tries to come up with a plan. “It’s not that simple to just break into the estate.”
“I know,” I grumble. “But I couldn’t tell Piper that we have to wait. More so when we know what might be happening to her friend. Can you imagine how she’ll react?”
“It would crush her,” he whispers. “So, what is the plan?”
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “We can start to strategize as our team sends us the information. Seth won’t be able to do anything for the next two weeks. Wren told me she’ll check on him daily, and the nurses will be with him twenty-four-seven.”
He rolls his eyes in response at the mention of Wren. He’s not a fan. Thankfully, he doesn’t say anything about it.
“So, what are your thoughts about the extraction? This is something you know best.”
When I met Derek, I knew he had been a SEAL, but I had no idea the extent of his skill. Once he recruited some of the men who were part of his platoon, I learned about him being a part of Team Six—the most elite special operations team in the U.S. military.He was trained to perform the most complex, classified, and dangerous operations. He’s good at what he does, and I trust his input.
“We can’t just recklessly storm in there with guns blazing without a fully worked-out plan,” Derek says. “Once we make the first strike—in their territory—we’re declaring war. We need to be prepared for the battles to come.”
“The longer she stays there—” I stop and take a swig of my drink. How do I even finish that sentence?
I watch as Derek’s expression darkens. “It’s already too late. You know it.”
“I know,” I mutter helplessly. “And what am I supposed to say to Piper? That I fucked up?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing for now. We can figure that out later. Piper matters, but she doesn’t need to know more than she can handle. We have to focus on the ultimate goal. If we don’t put a stop to the Zs now, next time, they might take Piper away from us.”
Rage boils within me as the reminder that Ricardo Zamudio almost took Piper from us. I grit my teeth so hard my jaw aches. My hatred for him multiplied when he almost succeeded. And now that I know the news of Teddy will hurt her… I want to burn him alive.
“You’re overthinking,” Derek says. “I’m sure Teddy is already broken. Being patient and waiting a few more days while we plan will result in a better outcome than trying to get her now and losing our chance.”
I know he’s right, but it feels like I’m letting Piper down, and I hate that. She might think I’m a sadist who enjoys seeing her in this house, hurt and sad. I loathe it. On the contrary, I would do anything to see her happy. Even send her away from here. Since learning her identity, I’ve acted with her best interests in mind, but so far, it has done little to help her.
Derek hesitates before he speaks. His eyes linger on mine for a few seconds too long. “Are you sure you don’t want to head back to Heartwood Lake?”
