“Radicals,” I said, then tried to relax my already clenching fists. “They abducted her to Coastal, where they experimented on her and ended up mutilating her.”
“Mutilation?” Sean echoed, disbelief coloring his voice.
I nodded gravely. “They ruined her arm, and she’s been…struggling.”
Caden stiffened as he shifted to a more focused intensity. “Struggling how? Did she lose movement?”
“No,” I said quickly. “More emotionally speaking. She still has nightmares. Often.”
Caden’s jaw tightened, his usually cold features flickering with something unmistakable—recognition. “I can see how that might be even worse.”
I swallowed hard, as the memory made my throat tighten. “They also sedated her.”
Sean and Caden’s faces contorted in outrage, their voices rising in unison. “What?”
I nodded slowly, the weight of everything I was admitting to them settling heavily on my shoulders. “Yeah. I was lucky to find her alive.”
Sean placed a reassuring hand on my arm. “What can we do to help?”
I clenched my teeth. “I want to find the bastard who organized the attack. Emma took out his men, but the one who mutilated her arm, Logan Stark, is still out there somewhere.”
Caden’s brows pinched together. “I don’t recognize the name.”
“He claimed to be the First Offensive of Area 4?—”
Sean cut me off with a snort. “There’s no First Offensive of Area 4. Those smaller Australian Collectives mostly consist of Healers or other typesin tune with nature.”
Damn it. Exactly like I thought.
“What does he look like?” Caden’s tone was detached, methodical.
I shook my head. “No idea. Emma tried to describe him to me, but all she could come up with was ‘tall, dark, and handsome.’ What kind of description is that?”
Caden smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Sounds more like a villain from a B-level novel than the asshole who dared to touch what’s yours.”
“Have you gathered any intel?” Sean asked, worry still etched in his features.
I sighed deeply. “I went back to the Coastal building where they held her, looking for any clue which could lead us to them, but there was nothing. Even the bodies had disappeared. Whoever this Logan guy is, he knows how to cover his tracks.”
“So what do you want us to do?” Sean asked. His tone was resolute, like whatever I’d ask from him, he’d do.
I leaned my elbows on my knees, looking at the two men seated in front of me. “You guys have moles and undercover people inside the Radicals’ camps,” I said. “Make them ask around. See if they can find anything about Logan.”
Sean glanced at Caden, who was already nodding in agreement. “We could ask Emile to keep his eyes and ears open for this Logan fella.”
Caden’s face lit up with a grim smile. “We’ll chase him down. A Radical like that is a threat to us all, and it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a good hunt.”
I couldn’t help but notice how Caden’s enthusiasm was almost creepy. I used to think I was the most lethal Offensive out there, but Caden Colt sure had a way of making me rethink that.
Without warning, the door of the study suddenly swung open, and a beautiful redhead strutted into the room. She gave me and Sean a quick nod, and then promptly shoved hertongue down Caden’s throat. I blinked, caught off guard by the blatant PDA. When I glanced over at Sean, he looked completely unbothered, like this was just another Tuesday for him.
Caden barely acknowledged us as he stood up, brushing off his suit like nothing had happened. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have other business to take care of.”
We watched as the two of them strolled out of the room without so much as a backward glance.
“She his girlfriend?” I asked, nodding toward the door.
Sean shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “One of his regulars.”
