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She buried herself in his embrace, clinging to him like she never wanted to let go. Brock held her, struck stupid by all he was hearing.
He didn’t know what to tell her. He had no idea how what she was saying could possibly be true.
But it was.
She was alive.
After many long years—decade after decade of blaming himself for her death—Cori
Je
Her heart was still pounding hard in her chest, her pulse still racing with adrenaline and a profound sense of accomplishment—of relief, that the ordeal for these nearly twenty helpless women was finally ended. She guided her last charge around the slain Minions in the parlor and led her outside to the veranda. Dusk was gathering now, washing over the crowded yard in placid shades of blue.
Je
But it was the sight of Brock that made her freeze in place where she stood.
Her feet simply stopped moving, her heart cracking open as she saw him locked in a tender embrace with a petite, dark-haired female.
Je
Cori
By some miracle of fate, Brock’s past love had been returned to him. Je
As much as it tore at her own heart to witness it, she couldn’t help but be moved by their tender reunion.
And she couldn’t bear to interrupt it, no matter how desperately she yearned to be the one in his sheltering arms at that moment.
Steeling herself, she took a quiet step off the porch and headed past them to continue the evacuation of the other freed captives.
CHAPTER
Thirty-two
Brock glanced up and saw Je
She was safe.
Thank God.
His heart leapt in his chest, jolting with such relief to see her, he thought it might burst out of his rib cage.
“Je
She pivoted slowly toward him and the relief he’d felt a moment ago drained into his heels. Her face was stricken and pale. The front of her coat was torn in places and stained a garish, deep scarlet.
“Oh, Jesus.” He broke away from Cori
Her face pinched a bit as she shook her head and drew away from him. “I’m okay. The blood isn’t mine. One of the Minions came at me in the cellar. I shot him.”
Brock hissed, racked with worry even though she was standing in front of him now, assuring him that she wasn’t harmed. “When I heard something had gone wrong here—” His voice choked off on a dark curse. “Je
She shook her head, her hazel eyes seeming sad but steady. “I’m fine.”
“And Cori
Je
“You do?” He stared at her, confused now.
“One of the new sketches Claire Reichen had provided,” she explained. “I only saw it as we arrived here, but I recognized Cori
“I can’t believe it,” he murmured, still stu
Je
Emotion swamped him, his respect for her immeasurable in that moment.
As was his love for her.
“Do you realize what you’ve accomplished here?” he asked her, reaching out to smooth his fingers along her blood-splattered cheek. “My God, Je
He kissed her and pulled her against him, ready to tell her right there and then how grateful he was to have her in his life. He wanted to shout his love for her, but the depth of his feelings had devoured his voice.
Then all too soon, Je
Niko awkwardly cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, man, but we need to get moving. The Rover is almost full, and Rio’s called the compound for a couple more vehicles to pick up the rest of the females. Chase and Hunter are already en route with additional transport.”
Brock nodded. “They’re going to need shelter somewhere.”
“Andreas and Claire have offered to open their house in Newport for all of the captives,” Renata replied. “Rio’s going to drive the other SUV down there now.”
“Right,” Niko added. “Kade and I will stay here with Renata and Alex to clean up the scene and wait for Chase and Hunter to arrive with an extra vehicle for the remaining women and one for our return to the compound.”
“We need someone to drive the Rover to Newport,” Renata said.
Brock was ready to volunteer, but he could hardly stand the thought of being taken away from Je
Torn, he glanced at her.
“Go on,” she said softly.
He wanted to drag her into his arms and never let her go again. “Will you be all right until I get back?”
“Yes. I’m going to be fine, Brock.” Her smile was somehow sorrowful. Her hands trembled as she reached out to take light hold of his. She kissed him, a fleeting graze of her lips across his. “You don’t have to worry about me now. Do what you need to do.”
“We have to get rolling,” Niko pressed. “This place needs to be cleared before any curious humans start sniffing around.”
Brock reluctantly agreed, stepping back from Je
He turned and strode toward the waiting Rover. As he got behind the wheel and started backing out to follow Rio in the other vehicle, part of him couldn’t help feeling as though the chaste kiss Je
It took Je