Page 27

CHAPTER 27

Ethan’s truck rolled to a stop just outside the dock and left the vehicle idling as he scanned the darkened area ahead. The salty tang of the ocean filled the air, thick and humid. The distant crash of waves was a steady reminder of the water’s deadly pull. The orangish glow of overhead lights cast long, jagged shadows across the warehouse and the dock, stretching toward a sleek black car parked near the entrance.

Ethan’s grip tightened on the wheel. They had her. They had Brooklyn.

Cooper leaned forward from the passenger seat, his gaze locked onto the vehicle. "That’s Leilani’s car. She’s here."

Nova, sitting in the backseat, exhaled sharply. "Then Brooklyn is too."

A muscle in Ethan’s jaw ticked. "We move now. Cooper, you and Nova take the left side of the dock. I’ll go down the far end." He turned to Mojo, the dog already alert beside him, ears pricked forward. "Stay close, buddy."

Cooper nodded. "We’ll cover you."

They moved in sync; each step deliberate and silent. Ethan’s boots barely made a sound as he slipped through the shadows, his breath slow and steady like it was on every mission, despite the adrenaline roaring through his veins. The dock stretched out before him. The scent of gasoline and saltwater mingled in the air, thick and heavy. The faint hum of a boat engine idling nearby spiked his sense of urgency.

Then he heard it.

A scream. High, desperate.

Brooklyn.

No time to lose, Ethan broke into a sprint, Mojo kept pace beside him, his low growl barely audible over the rush of blood pounding in Ethan’s ears. The scene ahead came into focus in an instant—two men, thick with muscle, dragging Brooklyn toward the edge of the dock where a boat waited, its motor rumbling, ready to disappear into the dark abyss of the ocean.

She was fighting wildly. Her body twisted and kicked; her screams cut through the night like a blade. One of the men tried to pin her arms, but she jerked her elbow up, catching him beneath the chin. The other wrenched her back, and she gasped, the sound laced with fury and fear.

Ethan raised his gun. "Let her go!"

The men snapped their heads toward him. Brooklyn took advantage of the distraction, twisting violently and breaking one arm free. Without hesitation, she drove her elbow into the throat of the man closest to her. He choked, stumbling back, his hands flying to his neck. Mojo launched his body toward the man and wrapped his sharp teeth around the man’s forearm. He shrieked in pain.

“Mojo, release!” Ethan shouted. As soon as the dog let the guy go and backed away, Ethan took the shot.

The man crumpled instantly, his body hitting the dock with a dull thud. Brooklyn staggered and crashed to the dock as the second man reached for her again. Before Ethan could fire, Mojo lunged forward, his powerful body airborne as he slammed into the man’s chest. They tumbled to the ground, the man’s startled yell cut off as the dog’s snarling teeth snapped inches from his throat.

Ethan closed the distance, gun still trained on the attacker. "Don’t move."

The man’s wild eyes darted between Ethan and the dog pinning him down. His breath came in ragged bursts, his hands trembling in the air. Brooklyn scrambled away, her chest heaving, eyes wide with shock and relief.

Cooper appeared from the side, gun raised, his gaze sweeping the dock. "You good?"

"Yeah." Ethan didn’t lower his weapon. "Where’s Leilani?"

Nova came through the warehouse entrance, pushing Leilani, whose wrists were cuffed behind her back. The place was swarmed with cops who’d rushed in as backup.

Ethan’s gut unknotted at the sight of the woman in cuffs.

But then Brooklyn was in his arms.

She threw herself against him, clutching the front of his vest, her entire body trembling. Ethan wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, grounding her. Her breath hitched against his chest, her fingers digging into his back as if afraid to let go.

"You’re safe," he murmured against her hair. "I’ve got you."

She nodded against him, but when she pulled back, her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "I thought—" Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard, shaking her head. "I thought that was it."

Ethan cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing over her cheekbones. "I would never let that happen."

She let out a shaky breath, nodding. "I know."

The tension in his chest eased. “Nova has Leilani. This is all over.”

Brooklyn just nodded as she held on to Ethan as if her life depended on it, for which he was eternally grateful because he was equally sure that his own life depended on her.