Page 55 of Ash Storm

Ash

Ash held back a groan as he leaned down to pick up the forest green backpacks Dark and the team had hidden there for them. He quickly put on the black and green camouflage T-shirt and the earpiece.

“Thank God,” Dark said, as soon as his ear piece was in. “You sure took your sweet time.”

“You missed us?” Griffin asked hoarsely.

“We have Reka, but Afsan took Chloe,” Ash said. Bile burned in his throat. He’d been so close. If Gezi hadn’t stopped him … He sighed. Gezi wouldn’t be bothering anyone ever again, but that was little consolation. Chloe had slipped between his fingers.

“We’ve engaged in a distraction and have also contacted Turkish police, who are on their way. That should keep them busy for a while,” Rogue said. “Head two miles Southwest, until you come across an old mill. Slate will meet you there.”

Ash smiled through the pain in his knee and his ribs.

Fuck, but it’s good to hear their voices.

He slid on the night vision goggles, then looked at Reka. For the first time since he’d met her, her shoulders sagged. Her eyes were downcast, as if she couldn’t bear to look at him. And he knew he’d let her down. He’d broken his promise to get her and Chloe out of here.

There would be time to apologize later.

For now, he had to get her moving again. Whatever distraction the team had come up with was clearly working. Otherwise, Afsan’s men would have been over the wall within moments. But they didn’t know how long that would work for, and Afsan didn’t look like the kind of man who liked losing his toys. At some point, he would be sending men after them.

He dug into the backpack for an energy bar. It was a dense, tasteless, caloric brick, but it would help her to keep going. He was pretty sure she’d had very little to eat in the time she’d been Afsan’s captive.

“Here,” he said. “You’re going to need your strength.”

When she made no move to grab the power bar, he peeled a corner open for her and brought it up to her lips. “Please eat,” he said. She took a small bite, then another, more urgent one.

“Slowly,” he cautioned. He knew her stomach would rebel after so long without food, and the last thing he wanted was for her to throw up.

After she’d had a few bites, he pocketed the remainder of the energy bar and offered her some water. She seemed to be recovering from whatever drug they’d given her earlier, but water would help eradicate it from her system.

Her delicate throat moved up and down as she swallowed. He tried hard not to stare. It wasn’t right to be so attracted to her, but it wasn’t like he could help himself.

To distract himself, he looked down at her feet.

At her bare feet.

Fuck, they hadn’t thought of bringing shoes for her.

He dug in the backpack for a clean pair of socks. They wouldn’t do much to protect her feet, but it was something, at least. He kneeled carefully in front of her, ignoring the pain in his ribs. His knee twinged in protest. Shit, he needed to lie down and ice that—and pray that was all that would be needed. He rolled the socks carefully onto her feet, trying not to stare at her slender ankles.

Instants later, she shivered. He would have missed it, except he was watching her so closely. That … dress … she was wearing wasn’t made for running.

Shit. He should have given her the T-shirt, instead of putting it on.

“I can’t take your T-shirt,” she said, her eyes hooded.

“Please put it on.”

She looked like she was going to argue some more.

“We won’t get anywhere with you shivering like this.”

Finally, she nodded, slipping it on over the dress. On her, it looked almost like a nightgown.

“Thank you,” she said.

Griffin offered her the extra set of night vision goggles. “Put these on,” he said.

“Thank you. I’m Reka.”

Griffin nodded tightly. “Griffin,” he said, shouldering his own pack and walking away from them. He was being strangely morose, even for him. Ash determined to ask him about it as soon as they were far enough from here.

Ash showed Reka how to turn the goggles on. “You might feel a bit disoriented at first, but it will pass.”

“Ready? We’re going to have to run now.”

“Run? In the dark?” Reka asked breathlessly.

Ash took Reka’s hand in his and pulled her away, moving as silently as possible.