16. Chapter 16

That tiny red dot existed for a fraction of a second, but her entire body relaxed. Behemoth was there. He could see her. They could all hear her. She was as safe as she could be, given where she was.

They’d trusted her, and now it was time to do her job.

She looked around the open living room, but its modern furnishings didn’t seem to hide anything. She knew from experience that Matthew’s office was down the hall. Barbara had retreated to the kitchen and was searching the cabinets, for what Gaelynn neither knew nor cared.

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

She half expected Barbara to say she’d have to go with her, but the older woman just grunted.

Gaelynn made her way down the hall, then opened and closed the bathroom door without entering. She hadn’t put her shoes back on for a reason. She was able to pad the rest of the way to the office door, the thick carpet underfoot hiding her movement.

She’d have to be quick.

She wiggled the mouse to wake the computer on the desk, and then carefully opened each drawer. Matthew was a neat freak. Everything was perfectly organized and labeled. She didn’t see anything that said criminal activities, but she had hope.

Before moving to the filing cabinet, she scanned the computer screen. Almost devoid of any icons so she clicked on the folder system. Much like his drawers, his computer was meticulously organized.

She opened a folder labeled B.F. Inside were copies of shipping manifestos and a log with detailed notes on meetings he’d had with The Level. Knowing they could hear her, she whispered, “Yahtze.”

This seemed… too easy.

She closed the folders, made sure everything was where she’d found it and stepped into the hall—right in to Elliot’s sneering face.

He clucked his tongue at her. “Matthew was convinced you were good. Said you’d get tired of being on the run and come home where you belonged. I knew different. I tried to tell him you’d never come back. You’d never give up your Gucci purses and fancy shoes.”

Her heart rabbited in her chest, and static filled her ears. She was frozen. She thought it would have happened when she walked through the gates.

She’d expected to be thrown back into the fear and helplessness she’d felt just by entering the space. The relief that coursed through her body when it didn’t happen was short-lived.

She felt all those things and more now. Fear saturated her muscles. She curled in on herself, her head and eyes dropped to the floor; a pointless attempt at making herself small.

Elliot grabbed her bicep and squeezed until a whimper of pain escaped her lips.

“Time to tell the boss I told him so.”

He tugged her down the hall, and she tried to keep up so she didn’t fall. She knew he would just drag her. She caught a handful of fabric in her free hand, lifting it so she didn’t trip on the hem.

They rounded the corner into the living area, and Barbara sneered at her. She thought she heard her say, “Knew you were trouble,” but Elliot shoved her into the elevator and the doors shut with a soft swoosh.

She knew where they were going, but still flinched when he hit the B button and the elevator dropped.

Elliot pulled her close and stuck his nose on her neck. She leaned as far from him as she could, but with her body shut down, there was no fight in her.

She whimpered as his tongue traced up her neck.

“He’s going to give you to me, you know. When he realizes you’ve always been a whore. Always strutting around here, acting like you’re better than the rest of us. I don’t know why he thinks you have a magical pussy, but as soon as he’s done with you, I get to live out all the fantasies I’ve had since you first showed up.” He sucked in a breath at her ear. “Oh, the fun we’ll have together.”

She jerked her arm, but it was a feeble attempt to get away, and he just laughed.

He stepped out into the pit, and she struggled in earnest then. She planted her feet and threw her weight backward, trying with everything in her to keep him from pulling her forward into the dark.

The crack of his palm on her face sent her head sideways, pain flaring in her cheek and eye.

“None of that now. Come along like a good little girl.”

Rage, pure and white hot, flooded her. It wasn’t hers. Her body was still cowering, her eyes darting into the corners, looking for an escape she knew wasn’t there. Behemoth. He was furious.

They would have lost sight of her. There were no windows, just cold concrete. They’d painted the walls, the ceiling, and the floor black, like the space needed help being pure darkness.

Elliot flipped a switch and the lone light bulb in the center of the space struggled to life. It was an old compact fluorescent and she knew they kept it because the flickering added to the unsettled feeling.

The basement was unfurnished, nothing on the walls or floor. The light didn’t reach the corners. A few support columns dotted the space, but even they were painted black.

Elliot dragged her to a far column and shoved her down. Metal clicked around her wrist and she stared dumbly at the handcuff that tied her to the structure. She let her arm fall, shock preventing her from even testing the restraint.

“That will hold you until he’s done upstairs. I’ll leave you to think about your sins. Who knows? Maybe you can convince him you’re still worth saving.”

“Hold, Behemoth.”

Zeus’s voice was in his ear but it sounded far away beneath the blood pounding in his veins.

That bastard had hit her. He knew the sound of someone being struck, and the small whimper she’d tried to hide cut him to the quick.

“Ghost is almost in position. Behemoth, do you copy?”

Fear flooded his system. Hers, not his. He tried to clear it. Tried to calm himself, but all he could feel was rage.

Fur sprouted along his forearms and he jerked his hands away from his weapon before his claws pulled the trigger. He stood, his chest heaving with the effort of keeping his feet rooted where they were.

He threw his head back and roared.

“Damn it. River?”

“Right here, boss.”

“Get up there. If he can’t rein it in you’ll have to tranq him.”

“Shit. On my way.”

His fists clenched and flexed at his sides. He managed to bite out, “No,” on the comms.

Zeus bit right back. “If you can’t stand down, then yes. There are civilians in there. How many are innocent, we don’t know, but we can’t tear through them with abandon.”

His hindbrain knew it was true. Gaelynn had said there were others trapped by circumstance and brainwashing. Innocents who didn’t deserve to die because one man put his hands on his mate.

The thought sent fur rippling down his back.

Okay, maybe River coming with the tranq wasn’t a bad idea. He would never forgive himself if he killed innocents. He had to get himself under control. He needed to be among the extraction team. He couldn’t sit outside the gates and wait for them to bring her to him.

He let his head fall forward on his neck and took several deep breaths. His heart rate slowed enough for him to hear clearly.

Gaelynn’s voice, thready and soft, came through the comm. “It’s dark down here. So dark.” She laughed but there was no mirth in it. “They painted everything black. They’re so dramatic.”

The sound of a handcuff scraping concrete silenced with a jerk. “Who’s there?”

He heard fabric rustle and could picture her looking around.

“Hello?”

He heard a noise, so quiet it almost didn’t register.

“I’m Gaelynn—Jane. I was here a long time ago. What’s your name?”

There was a whisper, but it was more like a breeze blowing past the tiny microphone than a voice.

“It’s nice to meet you, Alexandra.”

She wasn’t alone. As selfish as it might be to be thankful there was someone else trapped in there with Gaelynn, she wasn’t alone.

“Hey there, big guy. How are you doing?” River’s voice brought his head up and around.

“Fine.”

“Okay. Good. Let’s keep it that way, hmm? I’m not fond of the idea of tranq’ing an angry grizzly.”

He let his lips twitch. “I’m not fond of the idea of being tranq’ed.”

They nodded at each other.

“River, status.”

Behemoth knew Zeus had a plan. He’d have an alternate for every step of the plan that went wrong. They’d foreseen her being taken to the pit. This changed nothing.

“He’s keeping his shit together, boss.”

He could almost hear Zeus growl on the other end. He swore River called him boss because it needled him. The back and forth between them provided a needed distraction.

“Good. Bee, I know you’re itching to get in there but we have to be smart about this. We follow the plan, with one detail change. Wasp, you’re now overlook. Behemoth, you’ll take Wasp’s place on exfil. Everyone copy?”

Everyone replied in a wave, and Behemoth tracked their voices to the places he knew they hid.

Another five minutes ticked by as they moved into position to take out Matthew and get Gaelynn out of there. The wait was agonizing, but Gaelynn’s voice in his ear made it somewhat tolerable. She was calm now, speaking to the other woman in the pit. Asking her questions and telling her they were going to get out of there.

He knew she was talking to keep herself centered as much as to bolster the woman named Alexandra. It didn’t sound like she knew her from before. As he checked his gear and weapons, he wondered how she came to be trapped in the cult’s basement.

A harsh bark of laughter silenced the women. “Go ahead and give each other false hope.”

He recognized Barbara’s voice.

“Neither one of you are getting out of here intact.” She cackled like a movie version wicked witch.

Behemoth felt Gaelynn’s anxiety spike again. Hold on, just a few more minutes. Where the hell was Ghost and what was taking him so long?

Barbara’s exclaimed, “What?” ended in a crack. He really hoped she wasn’t innocent, because unless he was very mistaken, Ghost had just snapped her neck.

“Jackpot.”

On Ghost’s signal, the rest of the team moved in, following River. They entered the compound single file through the front gate. Only one guard stood there, and River choked him unconscious. All the other members were in the central square, standing silently like robots as they waited for the leader to speak.

They met no more resistance on the way to Matthew’s building. Elliot startled as they entered the hallway which housed the elevator.

“What the fuck? This is private property! You can’t be here.” He pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants. “Intruders!”

River stepped to the side. “This one’s yours by rights, Bee.”

Behemoth wanted to eviscerate him. Rip open his gut and let him die slowly and painfully on the floor. The urge warred with the need to get to his mate. The latter won out. Elliot never got a shot off before Behemoth’s claw tore through his throat.

Matthews paranoia ordered the sealing off of the only staircase long ago, but Zeus had a copy of the original blueprints. Ghost had unsealed the stairwell and entered the pit on the opposite side from where they now stepped off the elevator.

In three swift strides, Behemoth stood in front of Gaelynn. Ghost had already cut her free of the handcuff. He scooped her into his arms and took a moment to shove his nose deep in her hair and inhale.

“Hey, little rabbit. Ready to go home?”

She trembled and clung to him with both arms and legs. She buried her face in his neck and nodded.

He wanted to go back and kill Elliot again.

The air warmed and sound echoed a bit, letting Gaelynn know they’d entered an enclosed space. Behemoth’s muscles moved beneath her as he climbed stairs.

As soon as his arms closed around her, the knowledge she was safe and protected wrapped her in a warm cocoon. She squeezed tight, trying to eliminate all space between them.

“I’ve got you,” he crooned in her ear, the low rumble relaxing her a fraction more.

Without moving, she asked, “Alexandra?” She hated how meek she sounded. Getting her confidence back was a problem for later. When they were beyond the walls of the compound. When Matthew and Elliot were dead, and could never get her again.

“Wasp has her.”

“Proof?”

She felt him nod.

“Ghost copied the hard drive after you confirmed it was there.”

Her muscles unclenched another tiny degree.

She burrowed closer when they left the relative safety of the stairwell. She could hear Matthew preaching as his followers droned appropriate responses at designated pauses.

Behemoth didn’t stop. He carried her away from the voices. She didn’t look until he got into an SUV and settled her on his lap. “We’re outside. Can you look at me, little rabbit?”

She let him peel her arms away from his neck and push her back. He stared at her face, the mask of rage she saw and felt in stark contrast to the gentle finger he ran down her cheek.

“He’s dead.”

Her eyes flew to his. “Elliot?”

He nodded. “Barbara too.”

She swallowed and nodded. “Good.”

He ran his fingers through her hair, and she leaned back into him. She felt a tug and realized he’d removed the tiny microphone.

A minute later Ghost barreled in to the front seat, grinning like the Cheshire cat. He held up a thumb drive. “Idiot had it all laid out, organized neatly and everything, just like you said, Gaelynn.”

His face fell as he looked at her. “You okay?”

Some non-verbal communication happened between him and Behemoth over her head. Ghost’s face shuttered and he gave a small nod before turning in his seat and watching for the others.

It wasn’t long before they joined them. Her head limp on Bee’s chest, she watched Wasp lead a small woman to another SUV. Gaelynn winced. There were scratches and bruises covering most of Alexandra’s body, along with dried blood sticking a flimsy dress to her torso.

Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it down.

Ghost’s voice was soft from the front seat. “You saved that woman. I don’t think she would’ve lasted down there much longer.”

She didn’t feel like a savior. She felt like a coward. All the self-defense moves Behemoth had taught her, and when it mattered, she froze like a deer in headlights. She let Elliot drag her into the pit and cuff her to a concrete column. If not for Supe Sec, she would have faced the same fate as Alexandra.

Lost in beating herself up, she didn’t notice Zeus slide behind the wheel. It wasn’t until the engine started and they rolled away that she sat up. “Matthew?”

Zeus’s eyes flicked to hers in the rear-view mirror. “River dispensed justice in your stead.”

Gaelynn shuddered at the unbidden image of Matthew with missing eyes and fingers. Even though the idea grossed her out, the reality of him being gone for good sank deep into her bones.

She relaxed into Behemoth’s powerful arms, letting him take her full weight. “Thank you for coming for me.”

His chest rumbled beneath her ear. “I will always come for you.”

The heat of her mate surrounding her, and the drone of the road under the SUVs tires sang a lullaby she couldn’t resist.

A vehicle door slammed and startled her awake. She tensed in Behemoth’s lap, but he smoothed her hair down her back and shushed in her ear. “We’re home.”

“Home?” Her brain took a minute to catch up to her eyes as they looked at his sprawling cabin in the woods.

“It’s yours for however long you want it.”

She caught the caution in his tone. He was still trying not to push, and she loved him more for it.

“What if I want it… forever?”

He slid them both out of the vehicle and his long legs ate the distance to the door. He didn’t stop, just barreled through and kept going all the way to his bedroom. He set her gently on the bed, like she was made of glass.

Maybe she was fragile then. She knew it would take time, and a good deal of therapy, to sort through what happened at the compound. Both that day, and the time she’d been trapped there before.

It hit her that she had time now. Time to find and see a therapist, time to enjoy her friends, her job, her mate.

He crouched in front of her, letting her process the whirl of thoughts. She blinked at him and then smiled.

“I have time.”

He nodded. “We have time for whatever you need. Whatever you want. I will give you the moon if you ask.”

She tilted her head and twisted her lips. “I don’t think I want the moon. But I think I might like a grizzly bear as a snuggle buddy.”

He chuckled. “Done.”

She sobered. “Will you…” she looked away to gather her courage, then steeled her spine. He’d just told her he’d give her the moon. Surely this request would be easy? “Would you shift and let me sleep with you? As a bear?”

“Would that make you feel safer tonight?”

She nodded. “I think so, yes.” She still couldn’t look him in the eye, so when the bed dipped dangerously low behind her and a wall of fur brushed her back, she gasped. She waited for him to settle, curled on his side toward her, his legs spread out of the way.

She curled up against his belly, his fur soft and warm against her cheek, her fingers dug deep into his side.

Love suffused both sides of their bond, and she slept.

Gaelynn, still in the ugly dress from the compound, walked down the hall with mussed up hair and sleepy eyes. Trailing behind her like a lovesick puppy was a massive grizzly.

Ghost stared at them, open-mouthed, his coffee mug halfway to his lips.

She covered a yawn with her hand and muttered, “Coffee.”

“Just made a fresh pot.” He pointed at the coffee maker from his perch on top of the counter.

She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured while the grizzly harrumphed and plopped on his haunches.

After a few sips and noises of appreciation, she reached out with a finger and booped the grizzly’s nose, complete with the sound effect.

The grizzly sneezed.

She laughed and ruffled the fur between his ears.

“Right. You two are sweet enough to cause cavities, but my job here is done. I’m headed into the office.” He swung his gaze to the bear. “Zeus says to take the rest of the week off.”

Gaelynn grinned, wanting nothing more than seven whole days to explore her mate.

At the door, he paused to look back. “Almost forgot. Titan says to expect company sometime today. I guess Virginia is freaking out and wants to lay eyes on you to make sure you’re okay.”

“Is Cate coming too?”

She watched every muscle in Ghost’s body lock. He schooled his features into a careless smile. “I don’t think so. She’s auditing some company.”

Gaelynn’s eyebrows drew together. She was about to ask questions, but he put the door between them.

She made a mental note to ask Virginia if she’d heard from Cate.

“I thought he’d never leave.” Behemoth’s warm hands slid up her back and he kissed her neck.

She turned in his arms and pulled his lips to hers. “Mmm. It was glorious sleeping with the grizzly last night, but I think now I want to sleep with the man.”

He grinned and swooped her into his arms. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t spill my coffee!” She laughed as he took the mug and put it on the counter before spinning them both around and setting her on the island counter. “I don’t want my coffee to get cold.” She giggled as he ran his nose up her neck.

“I slept next to you all night, breathing in your warmth, and you greeted me this morning smelling of arousal. I promise, I’ll be right behind you when you come.” He growled in her ear. “And I do own a microwave.”

She sighed happily and soon, all thoughts of the temperature of her coffee were forgotten.