With seconds to spare, I lift the trap door. Holding the rails, I half climb, half fall back into the underground space. Lewis and the guards remain tied up in the small room to my right. No doubt Dolly will notice I’m missing but it can’t be helped.
Fuck. The tunnel lit by my mobile phone, I limp forward until I reach a fork. One branch goes up the hill under the jail cells. The other way is unknown. Tossing a mental coin, I duck deep into the shadows with my weapon gripped in my sweaty hand, then wait.
“I know you’re down here, Wulf,” sing-songs DeClaire near the trapdoor. “You try anything, I'll kill her.”
As blood drips down my leg, I fight off light-headedness. Their distant footsteps grow louder. When her flashlight dances on the wall before me, I sink further into the mine, aiming into the darkness.
Gwen, babe, be strong.I count twenty seconds, curse, double back, then follow their echoing footfalls down a different shaft I must've missed.
In a matter of minutes, the mine walls become clear. At the top of the fifty-degree incline, I crack open a steel door and squint at the sunlight.
Using my wife as her shield, the spook moves toward a Ford sedan parked on the side of the road. There is no clear shot, so I consider my options. I could disable the tires, leaving them stranded, but DeClaire’s promise rings in my ears.
Make a move, and Gwen dies.
I can’t risk it. Instead, I snap an image of the blue Escort with New York plates. As it pulls away, my cell vibrates.
For a moment, I stare at the 5G symbol flickering back to life. Hoping I’m not hallucinating, I bring the phone to my ear. “Wulf here.”
“Where are you?” Scott Hunter, the most experienced on my FBI team, wastes no time with pleasantries.
Finally, the break I’ve been waiting for. “I’ll explain everything. First, I need a drone on this vehicle heading south on an access road near my coordinates. Sending you the image now.”
My hands shake as I hit transmit. Unable to stand, my ass drops to the ground. Fuck. I can’t pass out. Gwen needs me.
“The survivalists’ camp is built on an old mine.” As my brain fog thickens, it becomes harder to focus on the conversation.
“Copy that. Your Patten pals filled us in.”
Holy shit, how could I have forgotten? Guilt assuages me. “How is Slate’s wife?”
“Baby girl. A bit premature, but everyone’s doing fine.” His assurances send wind whooshing out my lungs.
“Anyone hurt?” I should’ve specifiedon our team. I could give two shits about those who tried to kill us.
Hunt, however, understands. “All are safe except for you and Gwen.”
The world spins as I hold onto consciousness. “Right. The spook. She took my wife at gunpoint.”
“I hate to tell you, boss. There is no such person as Dolly DeClaire.”
At first, I don’t think I heard him correctly. No doubt, blood loss is messing with my brain. “Elaborate.”
“She’s not in any of our databases. We’re still trying to figure out who the hell she works for.”
“Come pick me up. I’ll need adrenaline, an IV, staples for my gunshot wound… Before you ask, no, I don’t want an ambulance. Oh yeah, one more thing. Lewis stole an EMP weapon. Do whatever it takes to find its location.” Praying I didn’t forget anything, I close my eyes and drift into oblivion.
Chapter 27
“Some girls are full of heartache and poetry, and those are the kind of girls who try to save wolves instead of running away from them.” — Nikita Gill
Gwen
We’ve been apart for only a weekend, but when he kisses me, it feels like years. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“Likewise.” A naked Axel rolls on top of me. While the centers of his gray eyes widen, his cock rubs over my core.
Need blossoming between my legs, I arch up. Liquid squishes from my center as I drag him to my mouth. Our tongues tangle equally until he wins the duel. In and out, he thrusts his tongue in a preview of the second act. I suck on his next plunge. A masculine groan emits from deep within his chest. The sound sends darts of desire to my nipples and clit.
