Page 98 of Her Mercenary

A breath of relief escaped me.

“Wait.” I jerked out of his hold and spun around.

Maisie’s eyes were ablaze with hope.

“The children,” I whispered to him. “Their names are Maisie and Marcus. We have to—”

“They’re next. We’re taking out one at a time until all the victims are saved.”

I inhaled, an uncontrollable smile spreading over my face as I ran to her cage. “You’re next,” I said, beaming with joy.

She jumped up and looped her fingers through mine.

“You’re next.” Tears filled my eyes.

Maisie slapped her hands over her mouth in excited disbelief and began sobbing uncontrollably.

“Thank you,” she choked out as Lucas grabbed my hand and pulled me away. “Thank you.”

Smiling, I kept my gaze on hers until the door closed behind me.

48

SAM

Lucas and I crept through the lodge, my hand in his, my wrists still bound. I could hear the guards in the other room, laughing, talking.

I was so nervous, I thought I might have a heart attack.

Finally, we slipped out the back door.

“Run,” Lucas hissed over his shoulder, his voice almost inaudible over the pounding rain.

We took off quickly, sprinting through the rain to a black four-door Nissan parked between two palm trees.

The sky was beginning to lighten in a bleak, stormy dawn. I guessed it was four or five in the morning.

When Lucas yanked open the back door, I threw myself inside. The faint smell of cigarette smoke lingered with a tropical-scented air freshener. The seat was shiny, clean, the carpets freshly vacuumed, and I got the impression it was a rental car.

“Get down,” he said, slipping into the driver’s seat.

I squeezed myself into the rear floorboard as Lucas settled behind the steering wheel. I didn’t dare speak.

The engine hummed to life. Holding my breath, I listened to the click of the gears shifting, the grind of the wheels, the squeak of the wipers.

I didn’t release my breath until we pulled out of the driveway and onto the narrow dirt road.

The wind howled against the car. Pops of lightning flickered around the upholstery like a sickening strobe light.

Finally, Lucas spoke. “You okay?”

“Yes,” I whispered, though unsure why.

“Good.” He tossed me a bag from the front seat. “A change of clothes are in there, plus food and water.”

I pulled the bag onto the floorboard, ripping it open as quickly as I could considering my bindings.

“Deodorant, and some makeup too,” he said.