Page 14 of Brave Horizons (Barrington Billionaires #19)

TOPEKA

She sat cross-legged on the cold concrete floor, her sandwich barely touched as she glanced around the tension-filled room.

Her wet pants were uncomfortable and clinging to her skin.

The warehouse, though more secure than the small house they’d abandoned, felt stifling with the storm raging outside.

The air was thick with unease, the sound of thunder a constant reminder of the precarious situation they were in.

Russ sat opposite her, his eyes darting between Alex and Topeka with a mixture of suspicion and concern.

He hadn’t said much since they arrived, but his body language spoke volumes.

He was leery of the relationship between her and Alex, and it showed.

She couldn’t exactly blame him. For months it had been only the two of them.

She and Russ working side by side in perilous danger for a common cause.

They let absolutely no one else in on what they were doing or why.

The circle had to be closed tight because the risk was too great.

Now there were others, and it was clear Alex had Topeka’s loyalty.

Alex, sitting beside Topeka, had his focus on Hillary, who paced back and forth, abundantly agitated. He remained alert, his body tense, ready to spring into action at any moment. Topeka sensed the worry radiating off him, his protective instincts in overdrive.

Hillary finally stopped pacing and turned to face them. She looked like a teacher who’d come back to class to find out her students had been rotten to the substitute.

“We didn’t have these hours to waste,” she said, her voice edged with urgency. “We needed to meet up with the new security team and the contact at the border. All of this goes to shit if we aren’t ready to go at the right time.”

Topeka felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “What do you mean? We’re safer here. The storm wasn’t something we took into consideration and isn’t anyone’s fault. You’re acting like we had some other choice.”

Hillary’s gaze was stern. “There are more people on our heels than you three realize. This isn’t just about the storm.

If we don’t meet the border contact on time, we’ll be stranded here.

It won’t be long before we’re either spotted by people who’ve seen you on the news or caught by the people who want you dead.

You have no idea what goes into getting you out of this country without being seen. ”

Russ leaned forward, his sandwich forgotten. No one seemed to have the stomach to eat at the moment. “How many people are we talking about, Hillary? You seem to know more than you’re saying, and I’m tired of being in the dark. I want to know what I’m dealing with.”

“You agreed when you came with us that you’d be willing to go where you were told and do what we asked in exchange for protection,” Hillary reminded him.

“The little stunt Topeka pulled with the phone while she was in Italy should have been enough to bounce you both out of this operation and leave you to deal with it on your own.”

Topeka suddenly realized where part of the tension was coming from and she needed to take ownership for that.

“You’re right,” she agreed. “What I did by bringing a phone with me was selfish, and I’m shocked they gave us another chance.

I was desperate to know if Russ was alive.

We’d been through hell for months. All we had was each other and I couldn’t keep going if I knew he’d been killed.

” She looked earnestly at Russ who seemed shocked by this revelation.

Whatever kind feelings that passed between them were shut down quickly by Hillary’s tone.

“The only reason you got that second chance is because of the size and danger associated with the racketeering and abuse of power. It’s pretty clear it will continue and more people will die if it’s not dismantled.

But I can assure you there isn’t going to be another opportunity for that type of misstep to happen without consequences. ”

Alex stood and tucked his hands into his pockets. “There isn’t going be another issue. Everything is going to be fine. We need to keep our heads and not panic.”

Russ seemed unsatisfied. “You didn’t answer my question. How close are they? Do they know we’re in the area? ”

Hillary took a deep breath, her eyes flickering with a hint of fear. “Closer than I’m comfortable with. Your father has a lot of connections, Topeka. And he’s desperate. If we miss this window, it could be catastrophic.”

Alex’s jaw tightened. “It would have helped to be briefed on that. We made the best decision we could with the information we had.”

Hillary’s eyes flashed with frustration. “Your job was done when you got her to that house. You didn’t need a briefing. I understand why we left, but the reality is we’ve lost precious time. Time we can’t afford to lose.”

“I’ve given my statement,” Russ said, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m not going to wait around. I made it all that time on my own. It’s easier that way.”

“No,” Topeka snapped. “You can’t take off. We finally got back in the same place. Alex has this under control. We’ll get back on track. Right, Hillary? There’s still time.”

Hillary sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “We need to be ready to move the moment the storm passes. I’ll try to get in contact with the security team and the border contact to adjust our plans, but it’s risky. We’re already cutting it close.”

Russ spoke again, his voice steady. “Fine. But this is not how I’m going to go out. It’s a lot harder to track one person. I can slip away. It’ll make it easier for all of you.”

“It’s not easier without you. I don’t want to do this alone,” Topeka pleaded. “You came to me with this. You told me we’d be in it together. I know we had no choice when things went down before but we have a choice now. We’re stronger together.”

When Russ didn’t answer, Alex spoke. “The radar looks clear in about thirty minutes. We’ll head back then. Everyone hang tight until then.”

The wind whipped in through the broken windows and cracking tree limbs sounded in the distance.

There was nothing left to be said between them.

Topeka felt a knot in her stomach that tightened as every flash of lightning grew closer.

When she was a little girl, storms terrified her.

The first sign of clouds rolling in would send her skin crawling and the tears gathering in her eyes.

There wasn’t a place she could hide that would make her feel comfortable.

Only her father could make her feel safe.

His hand holding hers. His words of comfort in her ears.

He could calm her when nothing else could.

Now, he was the storm and she only had herself for comfort. And that was hard to face.