Page 123 of Tracked
“So why wasn’t she out there with the rest of the group? And I didn’t see Brielle, either.”
“They probably keep the new arrivals, the ones going throughinitiation, separated from the rest of the women. They’d want to make sure they’re adequately indoctrinated before letting them absorb into the larger group.”
My stomach turned again, and I almost gagged. “So how do we get to her?” I forced the question out.
Calder panned again on the image, brow furrowing in thought. Hearing the crinkle of the empty protein bar wrapper in my fist, he immediately set his phone to the side and took the garbage from my hand and stuffed it into his pack.
“It’s too risky to get to her where she’s staying. Even if I could map out a path, without observing the patrol of the guards to know for sure where they are going to be, it’s not ... ideal.”
“Calder—”
“The men are armed, Lara,” he interrupted, his eyes darkening. “Not all of them. I saw three at the gathering with weapons. I’m assuming they rotate between security and—” He caught himself. Not that it mattered.
“Between security and the women,” I finished thickly.
Calder grimaced but nodded.
“So what is your plan?” I asked, my voice hardly more than a sound, the answer screaming through my bones.
“I want to wait until they bring her to Eden’s cabin. Then she’ll be separated and alone while the rest of them are at the morning meditation.”
My breath seesawed in and out of my lungs. He had good rationale for his plan, but I hated the idea that the safest place to rescue Rachel from was the middle of the lions’ den.
“It’s the only time the rest of them, including security, are in one place. They’ll bring her to his cabin and head to the lawn. His cabin is more secluded than the rest, so it should be straightforward to slip in and get her. Even if Eden only talks for fifteen minutes, that should be plenty of time,” he said, and his jaw flexed so hard, it was a miracle it didn’t crack.
The fire popped, and Calder straightened and went to tend to the flame, but even then, his shoulders didn’t relax.
“What is it?” I rose and went to him. When I placed my hand on his arm, his muscles quaked. “What are you worried about?”
Chin lowered, Calder looked at me, his expression taut. “You.”
“What? I’ll be fine,” I lied through my teeth; I couldn’t make that kind of promise, no matter how much I wanted to. “I’ll do whatever you tell me, but if it’s as easy as you say—”
“I’m not worried about you getting in, Lara. I’m worried about what happens once you’re there.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You saw them, Lara. None of those women are being held against their will. There are more of them than guards. They weren’t handcuffed or under duress—”
“No, they were brainwashed,” I countered, prickly. “And probably drugged.”
“And I want you to be prepared that Rachel might be, too.” His words were harsh, but they needed to be. Like alcohol on an open wound, the idea burned into my brain. I knew I was saving her, but what if she didn’t?What if I went into that cabin tomorrow and instead met a woman who didn’t want to leave?
I tensed. I’d considered a lot of things in the last twenty-four hours, but somehow I hadn’t considered this. That when we found her, she might not want to be rescued.
I echoed a sentiment we’d shared before. “I’ll do whatever I have to to keep her safe ... even if she hates me for it.”
I hadn’t realized my chin had drifted down until his fingers came to rest underneath it. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Me, too.” My head angled, searching for his mouth. For his steadiness and his savagery. For the way that, for those brief moments when we were together, it was only my own desires at the front of my mind, and it was with a man who made me feel safe enough to be taken care of.
But instead of kissing me, Calder let out a deep groan and drew back. “You should get some sleep,” he said gruffly, turning back to the fire. “I’m going to wait and make sure the fire goes out.”
My feet refused. And my body.And my heart.
“Calder.” He turned, and I saw it again—that guilt he’d mentioned but hadn’t explained.“What did you mean when you said Rachel wasn’t the only guilty one in your relationship?”
He jerked like I’d struck a nerve, and I knew exactly what that looked like.
