His to Take (Wicked Lovers #9)(96)
Author: Shayla Black

What she really needed was to leave.

“There’s nothing else to see in this house. I have to go.”

“I’m with you. I’ve got you.”

He led her to the yard, out to the blessedly fresh air. Standing in the yard, he cupped her face in his hands as the sun dipped lower toward the horizon. The golden rays made the olive planes of his face glow like rich bronze. The concern in his hazel eyes nearly brought her to her knees.

“I won’t push you anymore if you can’t do it,” he murmured. “Tell me what you want.”

“I’ll be fine.” She had to be. “Let’s finish this.”

He nodded. “Did your dad utilize the barn for any reason?”

“Like research?” She shook her head. “My mother cleaned it out so we could play there, but we kind of thought it was creepy. It was falling down even then, so we didn’t use it much.”

“So he didn’t research in there?”

“Never. I can count on one hand the number of times I remember anyone even going in there.”

He nodded grimly. “I need to look inside, just make sure there isn’t some obvious place Viktor could have hidden his research. Granted, someone else should have found it by now if it were that simple, but I’ll try anyway. Do you want to stay here or come with me?”

Bailey didn’t want to be alone, but Joaquin needed to take advantage of the waning daylight. The remnants of her brother’s fort, wedged between the two trees, tugged at her. She should check there while she still had sunlight. No idea when her father would have had time to stash something in this area that day. The timeline jumbled in her head a bit. She didn’t remember her father being outside until McKeevy had shown up and dragged him out.

“Go ahead. I’m sure both the feds and LOSS have turned every inch of this whole farm upside down, but I’ll try checking over here.” She thumbed in the direction of the makeshift playhouse.

Joaquin looked reluctant to leave her, but he finally nodded. “Yell if you need anything.”

She appreciated him more than she could express. “Thanks.”

As he strode away to the barn behind the house, Bailey turned and blew out a deep breath before inching her way to the trees. Most of the metal pieces that her brother had tried to lean together or tape into something resembling fort walls were gone. Some had scattered across the yard. Some were nowhere to be seen.

She knelt between the trees, recalling that fateful day. Her father had sent her outside with the instructions to hide quietly, sing her song in her head, and stay out here. She remembered asking if they were playing a game. His smile had been strained as he’d nodded and answered that it was a very serious game. Could she be a big girl and play along?

She’d nodded happily, wishing her mom would have made more pancakes, not stew, for dinner. Then . . .

Bailey lowered herself to the ground and braced her back against the larger of the two trees, gathering her knees to her chest, as she’d done that afternoon. She closed her eyes and tried to remember anything else her father might have said to her. Anywhere he might have gone or hidden his research. Would it have been boxes of paper? Something smaller, electronic maybe? She really had no idea. She also had no memory of anything except her father kissing her, telling her that he loved her, then heading grimly into the house.

What she remembered next made her gasp. She choked, unable to breathe. Her thoughts raced. Her heart roared.

Bailey drew in a huge, jagged breath and screamed.

Chapter Fourteen

JOAQUIN heard the bloodcurdling cry from the side of the little farm. He pulled his SIG from the small of his back, clicked off the safety, then bolted to Bailey’s side, panic charging through his veins.

He found her alone, curled up against a tree, trying to make herself as small as possible. She’d closed her eyes and opened her mouth wide. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes and her body shook as if jolted by an electric shock.

Falling to his knees, he scooped her up into his arms and pulled her against him. “What is it? Tell me.”

She shoved at him and scrambled to her feet. “Get me out of here.” Across the yard she spotted his SUV and ran for it. “I need to go!”

He chased her down and lifted her against his chest. “Talk to me. Did someone show up just now? Startle you? Threaten you?”

“No.”

So she battled her memory, not a flesh-and-blood foe—at least for the moment.

“Good. We have to lock up the house, then we’ll go. Take a deep breath.” As he opened the passenger door, he sank into the seat and cradled her against him. “I won’t leave your side until you’re relaxed. Just breathe.”