“Then you’ll get your sweet ass in that back seat and cool down. But leave the door open so I can see you.”
Having a door open while blasting the AC seems like the most wasteful thing ever. But as a drip of sweat breaks free from my hairline, I decide to indulge us both.
CHAPTER 103
Hans
“The pilot just called to let me know they’ll be touching down in ten,” Cain’s rough voice tells me through the phone. “Some dumb fuck stalled out on the runway, delaying their takeoff, but he made up some of the time in the air.”
“That’s not a problem,” I tell him. “I know this was all pretty last minute.”
“Usually is with you.” His chuckle sounds rarely used.
“Can’t argue.” After hanging up, I slide my phone back into my pocket.
Ten to land, five to taxi here, another ten to unload and gear up. We should be on the road in under thirty.
I cross the floor to update the guys and glance over to the SUV where Cassandra is sitting.
As promised, the back door facing the hangar is open, and she’s leaning against the far door with her legs stretched out in front of her across the rear bench seat. She’s finished her candy and is doing something on her phone. Probably reading through her favorite recipe sites.
Determined to give this update and then go sit with her, I’m just turning my head away from my girl when the door behind her suddenly opens, and she’s dragged back out of the vehicle.
CHAPTER 104
Cassie
My stomach drops as I start to fall without warning.
I let go of my phone and throw my arms wide, trying to catch myself, but rough hands grip my armpits and harshly drag me backward.
My elbow hits the door frame, and my heel catches on the running board.
Panic flares alongside confusion, and I haven’t even had time to scream.
But as I’m forcefully hauled away, I look through the open back seat of the SUV and see Hans sprinting toward me.
Understanding finally hits, and that’s when I start to scream.
CHAPTER 105
Hans
Cassandra’s screams echo around the hangar, and I try to run faster.
No, no, no.
Men are shouting behind me, and I can hear their footsteps as they chase after me.
She can’t— They can’t take her.
They can’t have her.
My lungs are screaming after ten steps.
I need to move faster.
I break out of the hangar.
I can see her. I can still see her.
She’s kicking and screaming and reaching behind her to claw at the face of the giant man carrying her.
The man carrying her.
I memorize his features.
I can’t let him take her.
My gun is in my hand, but I can’t shoot. I can’t risk hitting her. If I aimed for him and accidentally killed her instead… I would immediately turn the gun on myself.
“Cassandra!” I shout, letting her know I’m coming.
He’s only ten yards ahead of me.
I can get there.
But then I see it. The plane rolling toward us. And the stairs being tossed open.
“No!” I bellow out my dread.
Someone steps into view on the plane at the top of the stairs and raises a gun.
The shots are loud, but I don’t stop running.
I can’t stop chasing her.
“Hans!” she screams.
Cassandra screams my name.
I’m closer.
“Cassandra!”
I’m getting closer.
And then a bullet rips through my thigh, and I fall.
My hands catch the pavement, and I roll. But I’m not quick enough. Because when I climb back to my feet and lift my head, Cassandra is being hauled up the stairs.
“No!”
She disappears into the plane.
I stumble on my first step, then shove the pain to the back of my mind and run.
“Cassandra!” This time my voice breaks.
My Cassandra.
The plane takes a ninety-degree turn onto one of the crossways, moving from the outside lane toward the runway.
It’s getting farther away.
It’s going to take off.
Someone pulls the stairs closed from inside the plane, but I can’t shoot at them.
I won’t be able to disable a plane at this distance with a handgun, and I can’t chance damaging the hull. Can’t chance doing something that would only cause it to falter midflight or crash during its landing. Not with my Butterfly aboard.
Footsteps surround me. The hit to my leg slows me enough for the other men to catch up.
“Don’t shoot,” I try to yell, but I choke on the words.
“Do not shoot!” Dom shouts from beside me.
The plane makes another ninety-degree turn, and it starts to pick up speed.
From this angle, we’re looking straight at the windows on the side of the plane. I’m still running. I can’t stop.
When I see Cassandra through the window, my heart seizes.
She shoves the man trying to hold her and lunges to the window.
Her hands press against the pane, and her eyes lock with mine.
And when I read my name on her lips, my soul splinters.
And when I watch a hand reach for her, see the glint of the syringe aimed for her neck, when I see it roughly pushed into her skin, the world around me turns red.
CHAPTER 106
Cassie
My palms slap against the window.
I have to see him.
I have to let him see me.
And there he is.
My protector.
My man.
Running across the tarmac. Blood streaming from his leg. And agony covering his face.
“Hans!” I cry his name as my heart breaks for him.
I want to tell him not to worry.
I want to tell him that I trust him.
I want to tell him that this won’t be like before.
That no matter what happens, I don’t blame him.
I don’t regret knowing him.
Something sharp bites into my neck.
I’ll never regret loving him.
CHAPTER 107
Hans
The plane lifts into the air.
My steps waver as I lift my head to watch it rise.
Cassandra is on that plane.
My heart is on that fucking plane.
I stagger to a stop and bellow my rage at the sky.
Not again.
Not fucking again.
I can’t do this again.
A hand grips my arm. “We’ll get her back.” Dom steps in front of me. “Hans, we will get her back.” He shoves me back toward the hangar. “Let’s go.”
I don’t want to look away from the plane fading into the distance.
I don’t want to, but I do.
Because it’s time to do the hard things.
It’s time to become the ghost assassin my enemies whisper about.
We’re still climbing through our takeoff when Karmine answers on the first ring. “Was it a bust?”
“I need the army.” My voice scrapes out of my throat.
“What happened?” Karmine switches to full alert.
“Marcoux has Cassandra.”
She hisses a curse. “Send me the coordinates.”
I watch the dot on my screen. “It looks like they’re going to Phoenix. They’re on a plane ahead of us.”
“She have a tracker on her?”
“Subdermal,” I tell her so she knows it’s not a phone that can be found and switched off. “Just last night.”
She knows what that means too. That the site of the injection will be visible.