Gracie.
Nate’s heart stopped.
She was yelling back, her words muffled behind the thick walls. Nate didn’t need to hear them to know she was pissed. He smiled.
Hearing her yell meant she was still alive. The fact that there was still a bite to her tone meant Gracie’s strong spirit hadn’t been broken.
That’s my girl.
“Get her under control and let’s go!”
Yavuz’ words were clear that time, confirming one of their three targets was in that room. His elation was short-lived, however, when he heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Gracie crying out.
Motherfucker.Knowing she’d just been hit nearly undid him. He started to take a step forward, but somehow, his training forced its way through.
Nate wanted nothing more than to storm into that room, take out Yavuz and anyone else standing between him and Gracie. But he had to keep his head clear.
They didn’t know exactly what they’d be walking into and he refused to do anything that would put Gracie—or Matt—at an even greater risk.
Holding his gun in his right hand, Nate made a motion with his left. The pain from his bullet wound was beginning to flare up again, but he ignored it. With his fingers, he silently told Matt to take the other side of the doorway.
Locked and loaded, both men raised their guns and waited.
* * *
Gracie picked herself up off the floor. Raising a hand to her cheek, her fingertips met the hot, tender flesh where Achim had just backhanded her.
Still a bit stunned from the blow, she tried to make sense of what was happening.
One minute, she’d been lying there, chained to the bed. The next, Yavuz and Achim were storming into the room with Adrian Walker hot on their tails.
The conversation that took place just moments ago had given her more hope than she’d felt in days…
“How the fuck did they find us?” Yavuz yelled.
“No idea, but unless you want to spend the rest of your life in an American prison, we need to get our asses out of here. Now.”
“Shut the door,” Yavuz ordered Walker.
“Did you not hear what I just said? We have to leave.”
“I heard what you said,” Yavuz spit back, nodding to Achim to unlock the metal clasp around her wrists.
A confused look crossed over Walker’s face. “Forget the woman. Leave her here and let’s go.”
It was the first and only time Gracie had agreed with the man.
“No. She comes with us.”
Achim continued to release her. The men were so busy panicking and trying to figure out what to do next, they’d completely underestimated her will to survive.
The second Gracie’s wrists were free, she’d grabbed one of the chains a few inches from the bracelet and swung it at Achim’s head. It hit with surprising force, knocking the man off his feet and onto the mattress beside her.
Gracie then tried to run for the door, but Walker was in the way.
She hadn’t exactly thought the plan through all the way, but it wasn’t like she’d had a lot of time. Walker had grabbed her around the waist and spun her around so his arms could pull her back tightly against his chest.
Gracie kicked and yelled, praying whoever had come would hear her and bust the door down. Instead of a white knight, she got white-hot pain when Yavuz ordered Achim to get her under control. The asshole was more than happy to oblige.
