The man broke into sobs, and Seth wrapped his arms around him as he cried.
Relief and sorrow flowed through Mara as she watched. More shadows emerged and approached. Two of them surrounded Blake and Seth. Two others moved to the enclosure door.
There was a shuffle of bodies, and then Seth moved toward her. All the men were muscled and strong, but even in the shadows, she knew it was him.
Sure enough, he was beside her in a moment, and she was wrapped in his arms. “Mara.” Her name shuddered out of him, and she wished she could hug him back.
He kissed her hair and ran his hands over her. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, but I think there’s a bomb strapped to me.”
He swore creatively, and then Ford was there too with a flashlight. Ford hugged her quickly, while Seth pulled out a jackknife and started cutting the duct tape holding the item to her.
With a curse, Ford handed the light to someone else. She didn’t know who because she couldn’t focus on anything but Seth and Ford. On getting free.
Her body shook so hard, she worried Seth’s knife might not be able to cut the tape holding her in place.
“I’ve got you, Mara. Only a few seconds more.”
Then her limbs were free, and he wrapped himself around her. Ford wrapped them both in his arms.
For a long minute, they sat, all three of them trembling and holding on.
Ford ran his hand over her hair. “You were so damn smart, Sis. Brave and smart. I’m so damn proud of you and so glad you’re okay.”
Then he stood to give her and Seth some privacy. She wanted to thank her brother, wanted to hug him back. But that would have to wait because she couldn’t loosen her arms from around the man she loved. “I love you, Seth. I didn’t think I’d have a chance to tell you.”
He squeezed her hard enough; she thought she might imprint herself onto his chest. “I love you too, Mara. So much.”
Then he leaned back and cupped her face with his big hands. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “With everything I am.”
His lips brushed softly over hers. “You were incredible. Smart and intuitive. You reached him, touched a man who planned to kill you. Kill us both. You talked him out of it because you’re amazing. If I hadn’t already been completely in love with you, I’d have fallen right then, watching you use your empathy and kindness to help a man focused on vengeance.”
“He’s so sad.”
Seth’s lips brushed over her bruised ones again. “He is. But that’s better than angry. You helped him take the first step to healing, Mara.”
“I only followed your lead. I knew if I distracted him, you’d have a chance to fix everything because I knew you’d have a plan. Thank you for saving me.”
His arms banded around her again. “You saved yourself. As well as me and Blake. You’re incredible.”
A tremor ran through her as feeling returned to her limbs. Seth leaned back. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”
She shrugged. “Nothing worse than bangs and bruises. My arms and legs are tingling, and my shoulders hurt from having my hands behind my back for so long. I think he used chloroform to knock me out.”
Seth growled. “That’s more than enough. I want to kick his ass, but I also understand how gutted he was by Maki’s death.”
She managed a smile. “You’re such a good man, Seth.”
Ford dropped beside them again and pulled Mara into another hug. “So proud of you, Mara. So grateful you’re okay.”
Feeling her brother shaking in her arms had her emotions swamping her again. “I was so scared, but I knew you and Seth would save me. Thank you.”
He huffed out a shaky laugh. “Your man raced off after you before most of us even knew what was going on. You’ve got yourself a good one, Mara.”
“I know.”
He laughed and squeezed her tight before reaching out his hand to Seth. “Thanks, man. You’re now locked into the Evans family forever, whether you like it or not.”
