Safe at Last (Slow Burn #3)

Beau called a halt, close to one of the entryways to the warehouse. He turned to Anna-Grace, leveling a hard stare that held no malice. Just determination and not wanting to wait a second longer than necessary.

“What do you know, Gracie?” he asked in a low voice. “Did you see where in the building they are? Their position? How many?”

Regretfully she shook her head. “There were so many thoughts, some stronger than others, but they all have the same intent.”

Ramie stepped forward, shrugging off Caleb’s hand. “They are in the far left corner from our current position. But there is a lot of clutter and debris on the floor, and though it won’t be difficult to get there, one sound and they’ll know they have company.”

“I need to be the first in,” Ari said in a harsh tone.

Anna-Grace easily picked up on the other woman’s thought patterns. They were loud, as though Ari were screaming into Anna-Grace’s head. Sorrow, guilt, regret emanated from Ari in waves, but also rage, hatred, the desire to serve justice for the women these men had hurt.

Ari felt great responsibility for what had happened to both Anna-Grace and Eliza. The force of Ari’s thoughts hurt Anna-Grace and made her ache to tell Ari she wasn’t at fault. To somehow offer comfort and solace for what was not Ari’s doing. But they didn’t have time. Eliza didn’t have time.

“Hell no, you aren’t going in first!” Beau snapped, his eyes flashing as he stared his wife down.

His fear was overwhelming, filling Anna-Grace’s mind until it shut out all else. Anna-Grace closed her eyes and narrowed her focus in an attempt to break free from the hold the people closest to her had on her mind and to extend outward and reconnect with the men preparing to murder Eliza.

When she reopened her eyes, she saw Ari turn her gaze, an aquamarine that held glints of gold, to her husband, those specks nearly glowing with ferocity.

“Yes, I do. Because once they know we’re here, they’ll kill Eliza. If I get close enough to her, I can erect a barrier around her so that she comes to no further harm while the rest of you take these assholes out.”

The group went silent. Anna-Grace knew that Ari had scored a point. How could they hold her back at the cost of Eliza’s life? But no one liked it. No one wanted any part of falling in behind the deceptively fragile-looking woman and allowing her to go directly into harm’s way.

Clearly it went against their grain to, in essence, hide behind a woman. To take cover and allow her to risk so much. They were warriors. Protectors. They led, never followed.

A small smile curved the corner of Ari’s mouth. “They can’t hurt me. Remember? Or have you forgotten what happened the last time they tried to take me on?”

Beau flinched, his eyes raw with remembered pain. And for the briefest of moments before Anna-Grace once more shut out the thought patterns around her, she picked up on the memory of Ari lying limply in Beau’s arms, soaked in blood and Beau begging her not to die.

A chill scuttled up Anna-Grace’s spine and she shivered at the image so clear in Beau’s mind. She didn’t blame him for his reluctance. Not when he’d come so very close to losing the woman he loved.

“I think that what most of us remember is you very nearly dying,” Beau said hoarsely.

“Just get on with it,” Dane said sharply.

Anna-Grace jumped, startled by how shaken Dane sounded. He was always so . . . not human? He reminded her of a robot, programmed not to feel. Just to act. But right now he was extremely pissed. His nostrils flared and he was sucking in deep breaths through his nose.

And Wade as well. Anna-Grace couldn’t ever remember Wade displaying any outward emotion and yet every cell in his body seemed to be rigid with impatience. He was clearly agitated and restless as though at any moment he’d barge through the doors, with or without the others.

Without waiting for Beau’s okay, Ari walked to the door but stood back a short distance so that she wasn’t touching anything. Even knowing of Ari’s gift, it still made Anna-Grace’s eyes widen when the locks and chains quietly lifted from their resting places and hovered in the air as though waiting for Ari’s next command. Then they simply floated effortlessly away and settled quietly onto the ground several yards from where the group stood.

Ari closed her eyes and the doors slowly and soundlessly opened, just enough so they could each fit through. She disappeared within, Beau nearly glued to her backside. Dane was hot on Beau’s heels and the others quickly followed. Anna-Grace was herded forward, she and Wade positioned between Isaac and Capshaw.

Sweat beaded and rolled down Anna-Grace’s back as she concentrated on stepping around all the debris on the floor. The closer they got to where Eliza was being held, the more overpowering the thoughts broadcasting from her tormentors sounded in Anna-Grace’s head.