before it came to a full stop, with Echo at his side. The dog gave a low, throaty whine.
“Okay, boy.” He crouched and pulled out Macy’s t-shirt. Echo nosed into the shirt and his tail started fiercely wagging. “Find Macy. Where’s Macy?”
Echo looked at him for a moment like he was crazy and Logan’s heart lurched, but then the big, dark dog whirled and raced down the block.
Logan jumped back into the jeep and Jaxon floored the vehicle after the dog. Echo turned down the alley behind the apartment building and stopped beneath a fire escape.
“Come!” Logan called and Echo jumped into the jeep.
Jaxon drove around to the front of the apartment building and Logan got out and opened the building’s door for Echo. The dog darted inside and scratched on the stairwell door. Logan opened it and Echo went up.
When the dog sniffed at the fifth-floor exit, Logan opened the door and Echo moved inside. The dog stopped and sniffing, he backtracked to the stairwell and continued upward with the jangle of dog tags and nails clicking on metal.
When they reached the seventh floor, Echo again paused and when Logan opened the door, the dog went inside.
This time though, Echo didn’t stop or backtrack. He charged down the hallway and took the corner.
Logan ran and rounded the corner to find Echo digging grooves in the door at the end of the hallway.
Logan pulled his gun and gently eased the door marked laundry open. His heart plummeted when he found the room empty.
Echo sniffed the floor and then trotted to the very end of the laundry room.
Sitting on his haunches, Echo’s whole body started wiggling.
“Heel,” Logan said, but the dog ignored him.
That was how he knew it was Macy. Macy was the only one who could get Echo to ignore his commands.
Swallowing around a lump in his throat, he stepped inside, Hayden and Brick at his flank. Reaching the end of the room, Logan looked into the small space between the washer and the wall.
The most beautiful pair of eyes in the world gazed back.
“He’s here,” Macy whispered into the phone.
“Thank you,” Logan whispered to Mac. “I found him.”
“Bring him by for dinner,” was all Mac said before ending the call.
The burner phone slipped from Macy’s bloody grip and toppled to the floor. Big, cornflower blue eyes looked tired.
“Oh, baby, what am I going to do with you?” he croaked through a suddenly tight throat.
Rather than answer him, Macy held out his arms.
Logan scooted Echo out of the way and reached for Macy. Macy clutched at him and Logan lifted the man out of the small space and into his arms.
He buried his face in Macy’s long, dark hair and drew in a deep breath.
“Keep me,” Macy sighed on a whisper.
“You sure?” he asked, drawing back to gaze down into Macy’s cornflower blue eyes.
“You asked, now you have to keep me,” Macy retorted cheekily.
Relief at the snarky comeback sent laughter boiling up, but then it died at the pain in Macy’s eyes.
“Let’s get you out of here.”
Macy nodded and wrapped slender arms around his neck.
“Guard,” he ordered Echo as he made his way out of the room. With that one word, guard, the dog watched for signs of perpetrators.
Both Hayden and Brick had guns drawn. It was a reminder that they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Echo stayed two steps ahead of him.
Jaxon appeared at the entrance to the stairwell, holding the door open.
“Hi.” Jaxon grinned at Macy.
“Hi.” Macy smiled back.
All his men were grinning at Macy snug in his arms.
“You look good there.” Jaxon waved at Macy in his arms.
Logan squinted and Jaxon laughed.
“Don’t I?” Macy gave a cheeky grin and waggled his fingers at his men.
“Get going,” he groused at his team, but couldn’t stop his smile from growing or the warmth filling his chest.
“First stop, the hospital.”
Macy
“Ouch!” He jumped beneath the gentle repositioning of his arm.
Standing protectively over him, Logan scowled at the young doctor checking his wound and, in another instant, Logan took his hand.
He loved the attention and protectiveness, but the man was treating him like spun glass.
“You’re hovering.” He squinted up at Logan.
“Am I?” Logan frowned absently, watching every move the doctor made.
Chewing the inside of his lip, he tugged his hand away. “Don’t let my small stature fool you.” It was a gentle reminder.
Logan’s head whipped up and he blinked as if coming out of a fog. Then very slightly, the corner of Logan’s mouth twitched.
“I’m sorry.”
“You constantly underestimate me.” He sniffed, not