their relationship. I’ll explain it later. He has no reason to hurt you. Pretty sure he only harms the people he’s hired to kill.”
She let out a burst of laughter. There was no humor in it. “He said he was used to dragging bodies around.”
“Christ. I’ll fucking kill him.”
“No. No. He did help me. I think I owe him my life.”
More silence. “I do not like owing that fucker something. But yeah, you’re right.”
Shivers racked her body. Fear was still flowing through her body. A small whimper escaped her lips. She was so cold. And scared.
Thunder roared and she let out a cry. Oh God. Just wonderful. It was growing even colder. There was a storm coming.
“Betsy? Betsy, you still there?”
“It…I…shit.”
“Betsy? What’s wrong? Tell me right the fuck now.” His voice was wild. He was on the edge.
“I’m all right. I’m okay. It’s just…I’m not used to the outdoors. And it’s dark. And cold. And I just heard thunder and it’s starting to rain.”
“Yeah, it’s pouring down here. It’s all right, brown eyes. I’m on my way. All you have to do is stay safe until I get there.”
“Maybe I should walk out towards the road. It will be safer there, right?”
“Just stay where you are. I’ll tell you when we’re close. Stone is driving my truck, Spike and Reyes are in his truck behind me. They all wanted to come, but Sunny’s in no condition to be moving around. And I needed Razor and Jason to stay with Royal and Baron. Don’t trust them not to sneak out after me.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something they’d do.”
“The safest thing is to stay where you are. Right now, you’re safe. All right?”
“All right,” she whispered.
“Brown eyes, I’m about thirty minutes away. You can do this. When I get there, I’m going to hold onto you and I’m not letting you go for a long time. You’re going to get sick of me, because Daddy isn’t letting you out of his sight for at least the next twenty years.”
She let out a small sob. “I must be suffering from shock because that actually sounds good. Ink?”
“Yeah, Brown eyes.”
“I lo—”
“Nope,” he interrupted her.
“Nope?” She didn’t understand. Was he rejecting her declaration of love?
“No, you are not telling me that for the first time over the phone, Elizabeth Victoria,” he said sternly. “You tried it before when you thought you were going to die. You are going to tell me in person. I’m coming, Betsy.”
This time, the tears slipped free, dripping down her cheeks. “I know. I know you are.”
“So you do your job, brown eyes. I’ll do mine. Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she agreed.
“I’m nearly there. Hold on.”
Ink’s truck bounced along the worn track. The road had disappeared about five minutes ago, turning into this track. Stone was driving so he could concentrate on talking to Betsy. Behind them, Spike drove his truck.
“All right, brown eyes, I’m nearly there. Keep an eye out for my lights.”
“I’m ready.” Her voice was growing faint and it worried him. A couple of times he’d been certain she’d fallen off to sleep. She’d told him she’d just closed her eyes. He was worried about her injuries. And the fact that she was out in the cold when she was still ill.
“I…I see lights.”
Stone parked the truck and Ink jumped out. “Betsy!”
Where was she? Then he saw her. She stumbled out from the shadows. She was moving slowly, painfully. Her arm was hanging at her side.
But she was there. She was alive.
Relief flooded him and he strode forward. He hesitated before he grabbed her. She slumped against him.
He caught her up, even as she let out a cry of pain.
“Brown eyes. Jesus. Fuck. Jesus.” He couldn’t get any other words past his lips. He leaned down and brushed his lips over her head. Then he drew her carefully back, supporting her with his hands on her hips. “Brown eyes…” his voice cracked. Fuck.
“I’m all right,” she said. “Now that you’re here, I’m all right.”
Reyes walked forward and wrapped a jacket around her. “Let’s get her out of here. I’ve called Hack, told him to meet us at your place. Figured she’d feel most comfortable there. But we can go to the compound if you’d rather.”
“I want to go home,” she whispered.
“Guys that took her are dead,” Ink explained, gently swinging her up into his arms and starting towards the truck. It was pouring down now. He needed to get her dry. He set her in the backseat. She reached for him