I tried to organize my scattered thoughts. “Julian Oliver. He runs a militia compound and has a base around here—dozens of armed men, military-grade weapons. He’s been selling to international buyers. Russians, Japanese, others I couldn’t identify.”
Beckett nodded. “Yeah, Coop has been waiting to meet him for a while. He’s been undercover over six weeks now.”
“Oliver was having a big sale. The buyers came for something he called theGathering.”
“Sounds ominous,” Lark said grimly.
“And they have a hunt. It’s part of Oliver’s entertainment for his buyers.” My voice came out flat, detached. Easier that way. “He picks a woman every year. Gives her a head start, then releases the men to track her down. Whoever catches her firstgets to keep her for twenty-four hours and enjoy the…spoilsof winning.”
Silence filled the vehicle.
Lark finally made a soft sound of horror. “And you were this year’s…”
“Prey. Yes.” The word tasted like ash.
“How did you get mixed up in all this?” Lark asked gently.
“Wrong place, wrong time a few days ago. I’m a photographer. I was taking pictures at a barn that turned out to be one of Oliver’s storage facilities. His men grabbed me.” I swallowed hard. “Coop…claimed me as his to keep me alive. But we knew each other before. We dated six years ago.”
Beckett’s gaze sharpened in the mirror. Something knowing crossed his face. “Six years ago? So you’re the one.”
I didn’t know what that meant. Didn’t have the energy to ask.
Lark turned more fully in her seat to face me. “We’re taking you to Garnet Bend. You’ll be safe there until Coop gets back.”
Until Coop gets back.
“Coop…” I couldn’t help myself. The words spilled out, raw and desperate. “He was fighting Oliver back there. What if Oliver has figured out he’s undercover? What if?—”
Beckett cut me off, his voice firm but not unkind. “If Oliver knew Coop was undercover, they wouldn’t be doing hand-to-hand combat, Coop would have a bullet in his head.”
“But what if?—”
“He’ll make it.” Beckett’s voice left no room for argument. It wasn’t false comfort. It was the absolute faith of one soldier in another. “Coop’s one of the best operators I’ve ever worked with. If anyone can get out of a situation, it’s him.”
I wanted to believe him. Ihadto believe him.
But I kept seeing that image. Coop and Oliver locked in combat as I drove away. The not-knowing might kill me.
I slumped back against the seat, the adrenaline finally crashing. My body felt like it belonged to someone else—heavy and distant and completely wrung out. I’d been running on fear and desperation for hours, and now that the immediate danger had passed, I had nothing left.
I was out. I was alive. I’d fought and run and made it.
But Coop was still back there.
And until I knew he was safe, I wouldn’t be able to breathe.
Chapter 20
Coop
Oliver’s fist connected with my jaw while I was watching the black SUV disappear down the road. Lucky shot—caught me distracted, sent a spray of blood across the gravel.
But Mia was in that vehicle. She was getting away.
Oliver had seen it too. We’d both watched her burst from the tree line—muddy, bloody, desperate—and throw herself into the vehicle that had no business being on that road. Bishop had been closest, had actually started running toward her, but the SUV was already accelerating before he’d made it halfway.
Now Oliver stood with his fists raised, breathing hard, those pale eyes blazing with cold fury. His tactical jacket was torn at the shoulder, mud streaking the dark fabric. The civilized mask had slipped, showing the predator underneath.
