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“She’s fucking crazy,” one of the men out of my sight mutters. A proud smile spreads across my face at the sight of Sarah literally bringing Ryan to his knees.

“Yeah, she is.”

Ryan’s hackles raise but quickly fall when Sarah presses the knife into his skin. “Say something else. I. Dare. You.”

I’m as hard as granite. This fucking woman is amazing beyond words.

Ryan’s jaw flexes. Luckily for him, he remains silent.

“Good boy,” Sarah praises. Her voice oozes condescension. She returns the knife to its spot at her waist and spins around, giving Ryan her back. A clear message that she doesn’t see him as a threat.

“Get up,” I bark. His eyes meet mine, flaring for a second before he masks it with indifference.

“Sir.” He rises to his feet.

Fisting his shirt tightly, I tug him closer. “Breathe or look in her direction again, and I’ll cut off your balls, and have her wear them as earrings.”

His Adam’s apple bobs with a tight swallow. Then he nods. “Yessir.”

“Get the fuck out of my sight.” I shove him back, causing him to stumble. He straightens his shirt and walks away.

The surrounding men continue to stand and stare silently. What the fuck are you standing around for?!” I shout, holding my arms out in question. “Load up and let’s go!”

A few minutes later, we’re heading toward our first location.

* * *

“Okay, this is how it’s going to go.” I face the men, barely making out their faces in the dark. “Don’t kill anyone whose face is not in these photos.” I pass them around and they take in the targets, nodding.

“The goal is to go in swiftly and wipe out as many of these disgusting fucks as possible.”

After setting up the parameter and making sure any potential exits are guarded, I take inventory of my weapons.

Sarah stands to my left. “Ready for this?” I ask, holstering my pistol.

She nods. Her pupils are blown, making her irises damn near navy blue. “I’ve been ready for this since they took her.”

I smirk and capture her chin between my forefinger and thumb. “I’m right behind you.”

Sarah has put a lot of distance between us since Paige was taken. I’ve allowed it due to the circumstances. But I only have so much patience, and it’s wearing thin.

She tugs her face out of my grip and takes a step back. “Just stay out of my way and we’ll be fine.”

I open my mouth to reply but am interrupted.

“Everyone is in position, sir.”

I nod without moving my gaze away from Sarah’s. She watches me with an expression I can’t decipher.

“Let’s do this.”

We walk side –by side toward the door we’re going to be entering.

“Alright. Watch your six and stay alive,” I say into the comms.

“Roger that.”

“You got it, boss.”

“Let’s get these fuckers.”

I smile at the replies that come through, then motion for the first wave of soldiers to advance.

The doors to the home burst open, bouncing off the internal wall.

“Go! Go! Go!”

Sarah moves with trained precision, sweeping the area with her weapon raised. Something gives her pause for a split second, and then she’s off, sprinting down the steps.

Bullets rain from all directions. Shouts and the thuds of bodies meeting the ground fill my ears.

“Sarah!” I scream, but of course the infuriating woman ignores me. “Fuck.”

The first man to step into my line of fire gets a bullet between the eyes before he has a chance to raise his gun. The back of his head is blown out, sending brain matter flying.

When I reach the bottom of the steps, I nearly crash into Sarah, who stands frozen in place. The scent of smoke burns my senses. “Someone lit the place on fire!” I shout through the comms.

“We need to go.” I wrap a hand around Sarah’s bicep and tug. She’s staring at the flames that begin crawling from behind a closed door. Her eyes are blank, distant.

“Sarah!” I shout, jostling her to get her attention.

When she comes to, she sucks in a breath. Panic mars her face. “Hey. Hey. I’m right here,” I say. Her head snaps in my direction, eyes wide with fear.

“I need to get them out,” she mumbles. “They’re going to die.”

“Who is going to die?” I ask but it’s like she doesn’t hear me.

“We have to save them!” she screams, jerking her arm, attempting to pull away from me.

The shouts in the comms come and go as the team gets out of the building. “What are you doing?! We need to leave!”

Sarah manages to break free, and she takes off down the hallway, toward the flames. I follow, yelling for her to stop so we can escape. Smoke rises to the ceiling, darkening my vision as it sears my retinas.

Pounding echoes through the space and I blindly follow the sound.

“Xander! Colson! Tommy! Ronny!” Sarah cries. Her fists slam against a closed door.

Who the fuck?

“NO!” She shrieks when I wrap my arm around her body and haul her away. She thrashes against my hold, clawing at my skin. “LET ME GO! THEY’RE DYING!”

My heart cracks at the agony in the voice.

“We can’t stay here, Sarah.”

She fights the entire way out of the building. I’m coughing uncontrollably by the time we make it outside.

“Please! Please let me save them!” The fight is slowly leaving her as the fatigue begins to set in.

I cup her face between my hands, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Whoever was in there is gone, mo réalta. ”

“No. No, I can still help them. They need me.” Her tormented gaze cuts into my soul. I don’t know who she’s talking about. I don’t know any of the people she named inside.

There is so much you don’t know about this woman. She won’t let you in.

This isn’t about me. This is about her.

Tears roll down her cheeks, staining the thin layer of soot that covers her face.

“Boss, we need to leave. PD is on the way.”

“Shit.” My jaw flexes. I rarely fail a mission. This was supposed to be simple and quick. I made the mistake of not letting our law enforcement contacts know we were doing this. There is no way to confirm if those who are headed this way are allies.

“Baby, we need to go.” I hope she can hear the apology in my voice.

“Rhys.” Her lip quivers.

Crackling wood pulls my attention to the structure that is steadily, but quickly, becoming engulfed in flames.

Remorse builds and I almost give in to her plea. Almost talk myself into staying behind and finding whoever she’s wanting to save.

“Baby… I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widen. She presses her palms against my chest, pushing me away. “No. No, please. They’re in there, I know it!”

I toss her over my shoulder. She pounds and pounds my back, screaming to let her go.

“I will never forgive you for this! You’re letting them die!”

Doing my best not to let her words hit their mark, I keep striding toward the closest SUV. When I set her on the leather seat, she beats on my chest. Her sobs twist my heart painfully like an embedded dagger.

Her fight leaves as soon as I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest. She slumps against me, letting out a cry that will haunt me for the rest of my existence.

* * *

She’s avoided me for days.

She all but plasters herself against the wall if we’re in the same room. I thought her avoidance before was bad. That was nothing compared to this.

I haven’t been able to get her to tell me what happened during that mission. What set her off, or who she thought was there. She ignores me or shuts down any conversation before it can even start.

Sitting at the kitchen counter, I mindlessly doom scroll. I plan to corner Sarah and get her to tell me what I can do. Even if it’s just to fuck off.

A self-deprecating smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.

That’s what this woman has turned me into. A man who will beg for the slightest acknowledgment. She can spew venomous words, and I’d soak them up through my damn pores.

The door to the guest bedroom opens. Despite how much I hate it, I don’t fight her about sleeping in there.

I need all the points I can get if she’s going to open up to me in any capacity.

Her bare feet pad lightly on the tile flooring. I set my phone aside then turn to face her. We stare at one another, neither of us making a move to break the silence spanning between us.

She is the first to tear her eyes away. Making quick work, she pours herself a bowl of cereal, then strides toward the dining table.

I blow out a breath and rise from my seat.