Safe at Last (Slow Burn #3)

“Do not do anything to distract her,” Caleb hissed out quietly. “Do not touch her or speak to her. It won’t be easy, particularly if it’s bad for Eliza, but everyone has to keep their cool or Ramie suffers more.”


A chill ran down Anna-Grace’s spine. It was one thing to imagine the horrors Eliza might be facing. Anna-Grace had gotten a glimpse of something she didn’t quite understand. All she’d known was that Eliza was suffering. But it was a thought, or rather a fantasy held by the man. One not yet performed, so there was no way of knowing if what she had glimpsed would even become reality.

It was another matter entirely to see in real time precisely what was happening to Eliza—and Ramie—and know that it was real. Not hypothetical.

Ramie let out a strangled gasp. Both hands went to her face and she struggled violently. She staggered and would have fallen had Caleb not caught her and eased her gently to the floor.

She lay on her back and it was evident she wasn’t breathing. She struggled wildly, making choking, gurgling sounds. Anna-Grace froze in place as dread took over her entire body. It was eerily reminiscent of the image she’d picked up from the man’s mind. Eliza had a cloth over her face. A wet cloth. What did it mean?

“Goddamn it,” Caleb swore viciously. “Breath, goddamn it. Breathe Ramie!”

Just when it seemed Ramie would succumb and pass out, she suddenly sucked in a huge gasping breath. Her entire body heaved as if she were starved for oxygen.

“Go fuck yourself,” Ramie said hoarsely, her voice odd sounding. She sounded almost like . . . Eliza. As though she were Eliza in this moment and transmitting to everyone present precisely what Eliza was experiencing, feeling, hearing and saying.

No sooner had the words escape her lips than she began struggling again and making those awful choking sounds, her hands raking at her face until Caleb defied his own order and held her hands back to prevent her from harming herself.

Her body writhed. Her chest arched upward and tears streaked from the sides of her eyes, disappearing into her hair.

“What the fuck is happening to Eliza?” Beau whispered, his rage terrible to look at.

“I can’t tell you much,” Anna-Grace said quietly. “But earlier today, when we were in the clinic, I picked up on the thoughts of the other man who was in the waiting room.”

For a moment, everyone’s attention focused solidly on her, their expressions intent. It made her uncomfortable, but she pushed past it because Eliza needed their help before it was too late.

“He hated Eliza. He was focused entirely on her. And his thoughts were not good ones. They were full of violence. And through his mind, I saw Eliza, lying on the floor as Ramie is now, but she had a cloth over her face. A wet cloth. And she struggled to breathe. I don’t know what that means but it seems to match with what Ramie is currently experiencing.”

“They’re fucking waterboarding a woman?” Wade roared.

His reaction startled Anna-Grace and her gaze quickly swept to him. He was bristling with fury, his jaw set in a hard line, his eyes as cold as ice. His hands clenched and unclenched into fists at his sides. For a man who was always in control, he appeared to be on the very verge of losing it right now.

“Jesus,” Isaac muttered. “Fuck!”

“Ramie. Ramie!” Caleb said more forcefully. “Come back to me, baby. I need you to come back and tell us where to find Eliza.”

He gently stroked her hair, his expression worried and furious all at the same time.

From the moment Anna-Grace had explained what she’d seen, the entire room vibrated with terrible anger. And fear. For Eliza. There was a heightened sense of urgency. Everyone was tense and ready to explode into action.

It took several more long moments before Caleb was able to get through to Ramie and pull her from the grasp of Eliza’s nightmare. Slowly her eyes focused on Caleb and then sorrow swamped her entire face, and the tears came faster than before.

“We have to go now,” Ramie said hoarsely.

Even as she spoke, she shoved away from Caleb and scrambled to her feet.

Beau’s face froze into an implacable expression even as he held his hands out.

“Tell us where, Ramie. We’ll get her, but you, Ari and Gracie are staying here where it’s safe.”

The three women exchanged quick looks, once again confirming their solidarity. Then Ramie’s chin came up.

“We aren’t staying here or anywhere else,” she said calmly. “We’re going to get Eliza. She needs us, and we aren’t going to let her down.”





THIRTY