Zara just stared at her.
“I’m sorry, but he’s not capable of it. I studied that man from his birth, and I know him better than he knows himself. He’s not capable of intimacy. Sure, he’ll try to lull you into thinking you have his heart, but really, what do you know about him?” Madison asked, her tone reasonable and knowing. “Where was he born?”
“I don’t know,” Zara admitted.
“Where is the boy’s home?” Madison asked.
Zara eyed the door.
“What’s his favorite color, his favorite food, or his favorite movie?” Madison persisted.
Zara calculated the reach in her legs. If she kicked Cobb in the groin, and if he doubled over, could she knee him in the face hard enough to knock him out? It didn’t seem likely. The tracking software in her phone had to be working, and Ryker should arrive soon, hopefully. “Where’s Greg?” she whispered.
Madison sighed. “Greg is no longer your concern. Has Ryker had any contact with the Gray brothers?”
“Who?” Zara asked.
“Ryker has genetic links to others, and I wondered if those links, ones I trained well, followed his bread crumbs like I did, but apparently not.”
The door opened, and the soldier from before came into view. Todd. He eyed Madison and stepped inside, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed. “What have we discovered?”
Cobb rolled his eyes. “Nothing yet. I don’t need you here for this.”
Zara glanced at the three. “Isn’t this cozy? Do you guys have threesomes or just go one-on-one with the good doctor here when she’s in the mood? Does she make you draw straws?”
Todd snarled while Cobb leaned in casually and flicked her lips.
She gasped, and pain radiated through her mouth. Tears tried to prick the back of her eyes again, and she battled them away. That really hurt.
“Do you like pain?” Madison asked, her brows drawing down. “A little bit?”
Zara didn’t bother to answer the psychopath.
“Continue questioning her,” Todd ordered. “It’s okay to draw blood and leave scars. It won’t matter in the long run.”
Zara’s lungs seized. Her body was chilled from terror alone, much less the cold.
Cobb crouched down so they were face-to-face. “How are Denver and Heath?”
She eyed him, wanting nothing more than to kick him hard. But she couldn’t knock him out, and he’d surely retaliate. She needed to stay conscious to fight when the time came. “I think they’re fine,” she said. “I’ve met them only once.”
Madison huffed. “That’s what I was afraid of. Ryker didn’t bother to let you get to know them.” She pushed off the chair and headed for the door. “Gentlemen, do what you want with her. She’s of no use to me, because she doesn’t matter to Ryker.” She shoved out into the swirling storm. “See you tomorrow.”
The door clanged shut behind her.
Cobb stood and smiled. “Well. I guess we should get started, then.”
Todd stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Before you destroy her, I’d like to ask a few questions.”
Cobb sighed. “You have an hour, and then I get her the rest of the night.”
Pinpricks exploded across Zara’s skin. She tried to breathe evenly and not start screaming. She had to get out of there.
Todd nodded. “Fair enough. Be back in an hour.”
Cobb opened the door. “I’ll just go chat with Isobel. Have fun.” He disappeared into the storm.
Todd uncrossed his arms. “Unlike that bastard, I don’t find any pleasure in harming women. However, I have no problem doing so to get answers. Let’s get started.”
Chapter
38
Ryker rushed through the storm, impressed with how well Matt and Jory kept up. In fact, neither was breathing heavily. Whatever genetics had gone into them had been superb. For so long he’d wondered how he, Heath, and Denver were beyond the norm, and now he knew. Genetic engineering at its finest.
The men ran beside him, all calm, all focused. Inside, he tried to control himself, but he couldn’t get the idea out of his head of Zara in danger. She was soft and sweet, and she had no clue how to deal with the darker side of humanity.
If she’d let him, he’d continue protecting her for the rest of his life.
But at the moment, he had no idea what was happening to her. What if they were torturing her, hurting her? His gut felt too full, and his shoulders shook. Desperation and terror threatened to choke him.
Denver held up a hand, and the group stopped running. He grasped a phone from his pocket and read the screen. Slowly, his chin lowered.
“What?” Ryker asked.
Denver looked at him, his eyes hardening. “My contacts checked in. Sheriff Cobb boarded a plane for this location earlier this week. He’s here, Ryker.”
The words slammed into Ryker’s chest with the force of an anvil. “Here?” he whispered, his voice breaking.
Denver slowly nodded.