Isaac lost it. He slammed his fist into the wall, sheetrock shattering as a sizeable hole formed where his hand struck.
“Isaac, stop.” Eliza’s soothing voice sounded close to him, but he didn’t want to be soothed. He’d just had his fucking heart ripped out of his chest. Nothing was going to ease his pain or the tearing sense of betrayal that was like a knife to his chest.
But it was Ramie’s words he latched on to, turning to her the moment she spoke.
“I can find her, Isaac,” she said in her soft way, with eyes too old for her face. Eyes haunted by the grisly murders of the vicious predators she’d been victim to and played an instrumental part in bringing to justice.
“Ramie, no!” Caleb’s pained protest sounded. “Baby, please don’t do this to yourself, for God’s sake. You have no idea what you’d be walking into.”
Despite the brief hope that had beat in his chest when Ramie had first spoken, Isaac didn’t want her risking herself for a woman who’d betrayed them all.
“Caleb, if she left on her own, then what could I personally experience that would be so horrible?” Ramie asked, with the mild exasperation in her voice that often accompanied her responses to her husband’s concerns. “But at least I’ll know where she is, if she’s safe and why she left,” she said, directing the last at Isaac as if knowing all too well that he wanted answers.
Oh hell yes he wanted to know why, god damn it.
“I want to know even if he doesn’t,” Shadow said, irritation evident in his tone. “Not only do I owe her, but I don’t believe for one fucking moment that she played any of us. If she left, then she had a damn good reason in her mind to leave. I’d like to know what it is before we play fucking judge and jury on a woman we don’t have any business judging until we have all the facts.”
Knight shifted from his position in the doorway. “I agree. Not for a second do I believe she was playing us. We need to figure out what the hell scared her so badly that she ran, and we need to do it now. Where does the escape hatch lead to? For all we know, that’s where she could be now while we stand around wasting time.”
Isaac blinked, mentally kicking his own ass. While he was wallowing in fear, grief and disbelief, his teammates were demonstrating more faith in Jenna than he was. What kind of a fuck-up did that make him? It was his own damn fault she’d managed to sneak out of bed in the first place. She should never have been able to so much as get out of his sight.
Dane spoke as Isaac started moving toward the hatch. “The tunnel leads through a section of dense forestation and then into an opening about half a mile from the house. Shadow, you’re with me. We’ll check the tunnel and see if there’s any sign she went that way. The rest of you fan out and cover every possible escape route.”
His face softened slightly as he looked in Ramie’s direction. “A decision needs to be made quickly. The choice should be Ramie’s alone, and it’s worth saying, if we’d wrapped the ladies in cotton in the past like we keep trying to do now, Lizzie wouldn’t be with us today.”
There was grim acceptance on the faces of everyone gathered as Dane’s words settled over them. Caleb turned away, resignation clearly etched on his features, but pain and fear haunted his eyes. Beau and Zack exchanged uncomfortable glances, knowing Dane was right. Without the girls, Lizzie would have died in that fucking warehouse where she’d been tortured by the men who’d made Ari’s and Gracie’s lives a living hell. Isaac knew the sacrifice Ramie was making, and he hated it, but what other choice did they have? Would he ever forbid Jenna from using her gift to save a single one of his teammates—his family? Even knowing what it did to her? No. He wouldn’t, and now he understood Caleb’s terror and his fierce protectiveness toward Ramie much more than he had before.
“Zack and I will take the east exit,” Beau said, glancing at his wife, his stare a silent command for her to remain without argument. Ari rolled her eyes while Gracie followed suit when she received the same pointed look from Zack.
“You stay too, Tori,” Caleb said in a gentler tone to his younger sister.
Ari and Gracie immediately flanked Tori, each wrapping an arm around her slim waist, sending a silent message to Caleb and Beau that they would take care of the men’s younger sister. Caleb sent them both grateful looks before he turned back to his wife, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly, as if he already knew that she would do what she must to find Jenna.
Everyone quickly headed out in their search, leaving Isaac alone with Ramie, Caleb, Ari, Gracie and Tori.
Isaac waited, chest tight and heart hammering, as he watched the silent interaction between husband and wife. Then his attention focused solely on Ramie, knowing how selflessly she’d offered her talents time and time again, but also knowing the tension it caused between her and Caleb. She was watching her husband, determination in every line of her body, while understanding and love for Caleb’s concern clearly shone in her eyes.
“Caleb, I can do this. I’ll be okay. I can’t live with knowing I didn’t help Jenna. I have to do this and I need you to understand,” Ramie whispered.
Caleb drew in a deep breath, but he looked at his wife with so much love and worry that it made Isaac’s chest ache. He watched Ramie with every single emotion that Isaac was feeling for Jenna.
“I know you do, baby. I know.”
There was a hint of helpless frustration in Caleb’s voice even as he conceded that Ramie had no choice.
“But if anything goes wrong, anything at all, I’m pulling the plug immediately,” he said with steely determination. “I won’t risk you. Don’t ever ask me to risk losing you. I won’t even hesitate.”
He sent Isaac a look of apology, though his words were directed at Ramie, and Isaac got it. He did. He had no right to ask another man to risk his wife’s life for the woman Isaac loved, no matter how badly he feared Caleb’s interference and Ramie being unable to locate Jenna.
“Do you want us to step away?” Ari asked, nodding toward Gracie and Tori as well.
“No.”
The response came simultaneously from Caleb and Ramie.
“Just the usual instructions,” Ramie said wanly. “Don’t interfere and remain quiet. Listen to everything I say and for any useful information.”
Left unsaid was that if it was bad, Ramie not only would have little recollection of specific details, but she would be completely incapacitated. She could even die, and that was what scared Caleb to death every time she called upon her talents.
The women moved toward Isaac, their intention not lost on him. Gracie looped her arm through his while Ari wrapped her arm around his waist in a hug.