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“I’ll keep you safe. No matter what.”
He dropped into a light sleep, but the vibration of his cellphone woke him. His internal body clock told him they’d only been in bed for an hour or so.
He grabbed the phone off the nightstand.Fuck. Someone had triggered the exterior cameras. On the screen, he saw two shadowy figures converging on the house in the darkness.
Fuck.
His mind focused instantly. He shook Hollis awake.
“What?” she mumbled sleepily.
“You need to get dressed.”
Since they’d come to this cottage, he’d made her leave clothes and shoes out ready in case they needed to make a quick escape.
At his words, she shook sleep off fast. “They’re here?”
“Someone’s here. Get dressed, stay down, and be ready to move.”
Sawyer quickly pulled his own clothes on, then opened the bedroom door. He let out a quiet whistle of a bird.
He saw Park move on the couch. Then his friend whistled back.
Sawyer grabbed his weapon and his small go bag packed with essentials. He pulled the backpack on.
Now, he needed to neutralize the threat and get Hollis to safety.
There was a sudden bang at the back of the house.
What the hell?He swiveled.
Park appeared. “They’ve set the house on fire.”
Hell. “They’re trying to flush us out.”
They’d be waiting at the exits for them, guns in hand. He hadn’t seen the third of Stankovic’s team, but he’d be out there.
It didn’t matter, because Sawyer was ready for them.
“Come on.”
The three of them moved together, with Hollis safely tucked between Sawyer and Park. He knew she was afraid, but she followed his orders without hesitation.
Keeping low, they headed for the hallway.
“Down,” Park said suddenly.
They dropped, and a flashlight beam shone through the windows. That was just like Park, sensing something just before it happened.
Sawyer watched the beam crisscross the room, but he was more focused on the crackle of flames at the back of the cottage.
They were caught in between them.
“Crawl.” He tugged Hollis with him. They crawled down the hall and reached the tiny laundry room. Inside, Sawyer flicked the mat on the floor back. There was a trapdoor set into the floor that led to the crawlspace under the cottage.
Suddenly, gunfire sprayed the living room and glass shattered. Hollis muffled a scream.
“Guess they got sick of waiting,” Park said.