“None of the above, sir. The building was unlocked when we got here, the surveillance equipment was moved to the mountain lab months ago and the prisoners were just gone.”
“Copy.” Milliner shook his head, his disgust unmistakable.
“What should we do with the bodies, sir?”
The question had likely been meant for Milliner, but Roberto reasserted what was left of his authority. “Bury them a good distance from the building and continue the search. I’m on my way.”
Without argument, Milliner ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. “Sounds like someone was watching at the Clubhouse after all.”
Roberto ignored the defiance in Milliner’s statement and shook off his shock. “You two clean up this mess and I’ll go see if I can figure out exactly what happened.”
* * * * *
Devon sat before a roaring fire bundled in a down quilt and still she shivered. Ian had flown her to a tiny, rustic cabin high in the mountains. Judging from the relatively short duration of their flight, she was pretty sure they were still in Colorado. More than that she didn’t know or care. She needed to think, to make plans and changes, and that would have been impossible with her mother and brother hovering about. The pain and worry in their eyes had been more than she could take. How could she possibly allay their fears while her own emotions were still so painful?
Ian understood. She’d instinctively known she could count on him. He was protective by nature, a true champion. And that was exactly what she needed right now. He’d stand between her and the world, holding everyone at bay while she licked her wounds.
“Here.” He handed her a steaming mug of coffee as he sat down beside her, long legs folded in front of him. He’d put on a shirt and built the fire before he went outside and started the generator. His cheeks looked windburned from their recent flight and he smelled like clean mountain air and Therian male.
She took the mug and pressed her hands against the enameled surface, soaking up the heat. Then she inhaled, trying to drown out his evocative scent with the coffee’s rich aroma. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
He stared into the fire, which allowed her to study his profile. His features were strong and balanced, classically handsome, unless he scowled. Then he just looked mean. But she wasn’t afraid of him, had never been afraid of him. She’d felt fascination, infatuation and respect, but never fear.
“I know my mother is going to be pissed and I know she’s important to you. So I want you to know I understand what this is costing you. I’m truly grateful.”
“You need some space right now. I get it.” He turned his head and looked at her, the gold barely visible in his bright blue eyes. His wavy blond hair was wild about his face, making him look slightly savage. “But I won’t let you hide up here forever. You’re going to have to face them eventually.”
“I know.” She took a sip of coffee as she debated how much to tell him. He was obviously willing to help and there was no doubt she could trust him. Still, she wasn’t sure where all that led or how much she was ready to share. She glanced toward the small enclosure tucked in the far corner of the room. “Is that a bathroom? I’d love to take a shower.”
“Running water’s not a problem, but the tankless water heater is sort of hit and miss. Let me make sure it kicked on before you get undressed.” He pushed to his feet and headed for the bathroom.
She dropped her gaze to her coffee then took another sip. She felt…nothing. Her emotions had been raging since her rescue. Was it too much to hope that they’d just blown themselves out? She’d released all her pent-up feelings and now she could get back to normal. Only problem was she’d been angry and frightened so long, she couldn’t remember how normal felt.
Ian emerged from the bathroom and shook his head. “Better give it a little while longer. The water’s still running cold.” He ambled back to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. The machine hissed and sputtered then released a stream of dark brown liquid into the waiting mug.
“Tell me about Kyle’s mate,” she suggested. It felt odd to realize life had continued while she’d been locked away. She’d often imagined her family and friends frantically searching for her. Apparently she hadn’t been nearly as much of a priority as she’d thought. She shook away the selfish thought. For a good part of her captivity, her family had thought she was punishing Kyle for expecting her to marry Lokesh. “How did the match happen so quickly? I’ve been gone less than a month.”