Page 29

CHAPTER 28

AURORA

“Fuck!” Thomas roars.

Jaxson and I step through the doorway behind Thomas, and the scene inside is enough to sour anyone’s stomach. Hanging from a St. Andrew’s cross is a very malnourished girl with cuts and bruises all over her body. Her head hangs forward, chin resting on her chest. I can’t tell if she’s breathing since she is completely still.

I rush forward and stick my hand in front of her face, breathing a sigh of relief when I feel a puff of air leave her lips. My relief is short-lived when I tilt my head and gaze at her battered face.

“Omigod!” I holler. “Help me get her down. She’s alive.” A set of keys hang on the wall behind the cross. I point at them. “Keys!”

Thomas springs into action and yanks them off the wall. He unlocks the handcuffs at the girl’s ankles first. Jaxson moves to support her body, but Thomas hands him the keys instead. Jaxson gets the cuffs off of her, and Thomas cradles her body into his. I search the room and find a blanket to wrap around her.

I finally get a good look at the girl, and my heart sinks. “Lace,” I whisper.

“What?” Jaxson asks.

“It’s Lace,” I say louder. “I thought she was dead. All this time… I thought… I thought she was dead. She was here.”

Enough! You didn’t know, and everyone was looking for Dmitri. You found her, and she needs you to be strong.

Lace’s breaths come out shallow, and her skin is a sickly gray color. “She needs a hospital,” Thomas growls.

“Let’s go,” Jaxson says, grabbing my hand.

The others are just finishing the cleanup project as we enter the main room. Carver grins as we approach, but the grin is quickly replaced by a scowl. His forehead scrunches, and his eyes blaze with anger. “Who the hell is that?”

“Lace,” I say. “Hudson, help.”

Hudson jogs over to take Lace into his arms, but Thomas snaps at him. “I’ve got her! She needs a fucking hospital.” Hudson holds up his hands.

“Bennett and Carver, go get the vehicles,” Jaxson instructs. “Double time!”

“Roger that!” they both call over their shoulders.

Ten minutes later, the vehicles pull up outside the warehouse. Thomas doesn’t want to release Lace, but he can’t get inside holding her.

“Thomas, dammit!” I yell. “We don’t have time for this. Give her to Hudson, and get your ass inside. He’ll give her back to you once you’re settled.”

Thomas doesn’t speak but does listen to what I say. Once we’re all loaded up, Jaxson heads toward the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth. I raise my brow when he glances at me.

“Your dad has connections there,” he explains. “Fewer questions, and we can get her moved to Quantico more easily.”

I reach over and lace my fingers with his. “Hurry, Jaxson.”

The vehicle accelerates as we fly down the road. Thankfully, it's still early morning, so there isn’t any traffic on the roads for us to dodge. The ER bay comes into view, and Jaxson parks right next to an ambulance and lays on the horn. Multiple staff members come running.

I roll down the window. “We need a gurney!”

Two of the nurses turn around and run back inside, while the other nurse and a doctor approach the vehicle. I hop out and open the rear car door, and Thomas holds Lace tightly.

The nurse tries to reach for her, and Thomas snaps, “You can’t have her.”

“Thomas, you have to let them take her,” I say. He stares straight ahead as if he can’t hear me.

“Thomas, brother, hand her over!” Jaxson hollers from the front seat.

I rub his arm, trying to comfort him. “Let the doctors and nurses help her, Thomas,” I coax. “She’ll die if you don’t.”

He turns his head, and I see the torture in his eyes. His cheeks are wet with tears, yet he hasn’t made a sound. “We were too late.”

I know that pain.

“No, I think we found her in time,” I reassure him as Hudson comes around to the passenger side. “Give her to Hudson, and he’ll make sure she’s okay.”

Hudson nods. “I got her, brother.”

Thomas slides her into Hudson’s arms as if she is the most delicate piece of China. Hudson lifts Lace, places her on the gurney, and jogs with the nurses and doctors through the doors. Thomas shakes off his stupor and charges after them.

“I’m going to follow,” I tell Jaxson. “You go park, find Carver and Bennett, and meet me inside.”

“Okay,” he says.

I spot Hudson as I enter the bay. “What’s happening?”

He grips my elbow and leads me around the corner. Lowering his voice, he says, “She doesn’t have any family, right?” I shake my head. “I didn’t think so. The hospital doesn’t know that. I told them she was your sister. As far as anyone here knows, she’s Lace Parks. They shouldn’t be able to put it together that you’re General Parks’ daughter, so I think we’re safe there.”

Damn! At least someone’s using their fucking brain tonight. My dad can’t know what I’ve been up to, and there will be so many questions if he finds out I’m here right now.

“Shit,” I huff. “Good thinking.”

“I’ll have Jaxson fill your dad in,” Hudson says with a smirk. “He’ll just have to leave out some of the details.”

I laugh. “Better him than me. Where’s Thomas?”

“Right here.” Thomas appears out of thin air. “The doctors wouldn’t let me back with her.”

I pat his chest. “Lace is a fighter. She’ll be okay.”

“Sir, excuse me! You can’t bring him in here,” a nurse shouts from behind us.

I whirl around in time for Lykos to bump into my legs. Dropping to my knees, I wrap my arms around him. “He’s my service dog.”

The nurse places her hands on her hips. “He needs to be on a leash and have his vest on.”

“My apologies, ma’am.” Carver flashes a mega-watt smile at her. “Lykos here was so distraught being away from his owner, he got away from me. He should be calm now.” He waves the leash. “I’ll put it on.”

Jaxson and Bennett cough to hide their laughter.

The nurse flushes. “O-o-kay, see that you do.” She spins on her heel and returns to her station.

I hook Lykos’ leash to his collar so we won’t get kicked out and walk over to the waiting room before plopping down into the chair with Lykos at my feet. Jaxson and the rest of the guys sit next to me. Carver makes several coffee runs while we wait for news, but the mood is somber. Jaxson makes a call to my dad, but I’m too tired to focus on the conversation.

“I told your dad we finally got Oleg and Dmitri,” he whispers. “To say he was ecstatic would be an understatement. I think he was a little disappointed he wasn’t there, though. I told him I sent you a picture of the girl we found, and you immediately recognized her as Lace. I told him you drove down here to check on her.”

My brows furrow. “Where did he think I was all night if you guys were out killing Dmitri and Oleg? I told him I was hanging out with you.”

He grins. “I told him you passed out on my couch watching Netflix.”

I lean over and press my lips to his. “Thank you.”

“You never have to thank me, baby.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder, and I lay my head on his chest. “Try to rest.”

Holding Lace’s hand in mine, I listen to the beeping sounds of the machines. The smell of antiseptic and disinfectant invades my nostrils, bringing back memories of the times I spent in the hospital. Dad had her moved to Quantico so we’d be closer to him, and everyone could rest more comfortably. I had him take Lykos home so he wouldn’t be cooped up in the hospital with me all day and night because I refuse to leave Lace’s side. The last thing I want is for her to wake up scared and have no idea what’s going on.

Soft moans distract me from my inner thoughts. I gently squeeze Lace’s fingers, hoping this time she wakes up and it’s not another false alarm. A few moments later, I sag in relief when her eyelids flutter open.

Lace looks around in confusion before her face lights up with recognition. “A-A-Aurora,” she croaks.

“Don’t talk yet.” I lift a straw up to her lips. “Small sips,” I encourage. She drinks slowly. “You’ve been unconscious for two days.”

“Where am I?” Her voice sounds a little stronger.

“Quantico, at the hospital on base,” I explain. “I have somethi?—”

Knock. Knock.

Dr. Sheppard enters, followed by April, her nurse. “Oh good, you’re awake.” She saunters over to the side of the bed while April begins to take her vitals. “I’m Dr. Sheppard, and that’s April, your nurse for the day,” she introduces. “Do you know where you are?” Lace nods. “Do you mind if Aurora stays while we speak?”

“She can stay,” Lace replies.

“How old are you?” Dr. Sheppard asks.

“Eighteen,” she says shyly.

Dr. Sheppard lets out a breath of relief. “Good, I don’t have to alert child protective services.”

Dr. Sheppard goes over her injuries, which I already knew about from watching the nurses care for her. Lace has over two hundred lacerations, a broken wrist, and, like me, had to receive stitches to repair vaginal and anal tearing. A few tears slide down Lace’s cheeks, but she doesn’t make a sound. Dr. Sheppard asks if she has any questions.

“What happens next?” Lace asks quietly. Dr. Sheppard lifts her brow and glances in my direction.

“Next, you focus on healing, and when Dr. Sheppard says you’re well enough to be discharged, you’re coming home with me,” I announce, my tone leaving no room for argument.

“Okay,” she whispers.

Dr. Sheppard excuses herself to go check on other patients. Once she’s gone, Lace begins to shake uncontrollably. She breaks down sobbing, and like Willow did for me, I kick off my shoes, climb into the bed, and hold her in my arms.

“I got you,” I whisper. “You’re safe.”

“They’ll come for me a-a-again,” she hiccups. “You were already taken once. I can’t… I… Wait, how are you here?”

I explain how I was shipped off to Ukraine, and my dad sent his Alpha Special Ops team to locate me. “From what I understand, they were able to rescue quite a few victims who were sent overseas.”

“Wow,”’ she says in awe. “You’re so lucky to have a dad who cares about you.”

“I am,” I agree. “I’m so sorry, Lace. I had no idea you were alive. I would’ve looked harder, tried harder to get you back.”

“It’s not your fault,” she assures me. “I brought trouble to your doorstep. When I saw Oleg tase you, I felt so helpless. I never saw you after we got back to headquarters and only heard whispers that Dmitri had a new favorite pet.”

I shiver. “We never have to worry about him or Oleg again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s just say, they took a permanent vacation,” I say cryptically. “And where they went, there’s no return flights.”

Lace’s eyes bulge as she deciphers my meaning. “I hope they suffered.”

“They did, Lace,” I confirm.