We were able to penetrate the warehouse pretty easily. They were cocky, and I used that weakness. We cuffed the three guys on the outside, and only Christopher was with Mark. Once I breached the door, Mandi took the first shot and hit Christopher in the shoulder. Mark went unconscious as soon as their bodies collided, so I pray Christopher’s bullet missed.

“Is he okay?” Jackson is frantic as he rushes towards us. “No! Is he?” Jackson can’t even say the words. He steps forward and gets a glimpse of his body. “Please tell me . . . he’s—”

“He’s breathing, but he won’t wake up. We have to move him and get cleared out before the next part of the plan happens.”

“You think you’ll get away with this? You’re done.” Christopher yells from his position tied to the chair.

“Shut up!” I glare at him. Everything in me wants to kill him, but I’d much rather he suffers for his sins. Killing him would be a gift.

He chuckles. “I trained you better than this. Your father was an idiot, and so are you. You think you have this all figured out?” He laughs again. “I have friends everywhere. Friends who you think are on your side, but you’re a puppet, and I hold the strings.”

I walk forward and slam my fist across his mouth. “I said, shut up!”

He spits blood at my feet, but of course, he won’t stop. “You’ll end up six feet under.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “You couldn’t find me before. You’re weak, and I have what you want. What you’ll never understand is that I win.” I rear back and punch him once more. I want to make him look half as bad as Mark. My foot lifts and I slam it into his stomach. The force of my kick throws the chair off balance, and he lands on his back. I step forward and press my boot to the side of his face. I use my weight to smash his face against the concrete.

“Your boyfriend told us all we needed to know.”

I lean down and punch him again. “That’s not even a piece of what I want to do to you!” Jackson’s arms wrap around my middle, and he drags me back.

“Stop, Charlie. We have to get Mark out of here.” He reminds me why I can’t beat the shit out of Christopher.

“Lucky for you,” I sneer in his direction.

Jackson grabs Mark’s arm and hoists him over his shoulder. As soon as he takes a step, Mark sucks in a deep, ragged breath, and one green eye flashes open. The other is swollen shut.

“No more!” Mark screams. “Fucking kill me! I can’t take it. I won’t tell you anything, so just kill me!” he continues as he slams his eyes closed.

Jackson lowers him to the floor, careful not to jostle him. I rush to his side and barely place my hands on his cheeks. “Mark, look at me. It’s Charlie. I need you to open your eyes.” I apply slight pressure and force his eyes on mine. “You’re going to be okay. But we have to get somewhere safe before the rest of the team figures this out. Our backup is coming, but I need you to move quickly.” His eyes well with moisture.

“You died,” he mumbles.

“She’s an illusion, Mark. Your mind is playing games with you,” Christopher’s voice rings from behind. This time, I don’t have to punch him. Jackson takes the butt of his gun and slams it into his head. He slumps forward, unconscious.

I can’t even imagine the things Mark believes are true. “No, babe. I’m here. I found you. Just us, Mark. It’s just us.”

My words seem to calm him. He stares at me and then his lip turns upward what little it can. “Took you long enough.” Mark coughs and looks at Jackson. “Always knew she’d save me. Good to see you.”

“No, brother. It’s good to see you. I’m going to carry you out.”

He throws Jackson’s hand off him. “Fuck you. I’ll walk, just help me stand.”

At least he didn’t lose any of his attitude. He struggles to stand, but his legs fail him. “He’s too weak,” I say to Jackson.

“You’re not carrying me!” Mark grumbles as he tries again. “I’m walking out of this shithole on my own two feet.”

Jackson throws one arm around his shoulder and holds onto his hip. I get on his other side and put his arm around my shoulder. We move into the hall. Frank and Erik keep cover. They all nod as we pass, ensuring nothing comes at us from out of nowhere. It’s so different when you work hand in hand with these guys. Like a well-oiled machine. They’re anticipatory, smart, calculating, and alert—unlike times I’ve worked with other agents.

Pain exudes from my side as we round the corner. I stumble a little but Jackson catches Mark.

Aaron rushes forward and takes my place. “You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, please get him to the car.”

Concern paints Jackson’s face as I place my hand over my armpit. “Charlie?”

“Go. Mandi will handle the rest,” I urge Jackson. “I’ll be right there.”

Mark, however, won’t move. “What’s wrong?”

“Please don’t fight me. I need to give Mandi some instructions, and then we’re going to spend some time together.”

This plan is far from over. But right now, my biggest concern is Mark. Jackson knows why I need to get the hell out of dodge, and I need to move Mark quickly. We can’t let anyone see me. Mandi and I have our team coming, but we had to move before the scheduled time. Christopher was going to kill him. “Charlie,” Mark rasps. “I knew you loved me.”

I fight the urge to give him some snide comment, but right now, time isn’t on our side. There’s no way Asher was keeping him here with only three others. And sure as hell not these three stooges.

Jackson laughs. “Come on, Twilight. Let’s get you in the car.”

Mandi rushes to my side as I prop myself against the wall.

“Let me look,” she says. She seems to know what I just figured out. I’ve been shot. She pulls my vest off and reveals a pool of blood.

“Oh, God.” I start to feel it all now. The tissue burns where the bullet tore through. “How did I not notice this?”

“You know how,” she says. “You were worried about him. Your adrenaline was on high, but you’re lucky. It’s only a flesh wound. You, and everything, will be okay, but I have to stitch you up before you lose too much blood.”

“Mandi,” I say. I’m suddenly anxious.

“I know.”

“I have to tell him. He has to know before anything.”

“Let’s get you two out of here.” She tapes the bandage to my skin after packing it to help slow the bleeding. “Keep pressure on it. I’ll drive, get you closed up, and then we’ll handle the rest.”

Mandi is the only other person who knows—I’m pregnant.

“I’m sorry I failed him,” I say to Jackson as I climb in the back seat with Mark. I needed to speak the words to his friend. I had no choice. If they smoked me out sooner, it would’ve been the end of all of us. I was so close to having the information we’ve been searching for, but when I discovered they took Mark, everything shifted.

Jackson’s hand rests on my arm. “You did what any of us would do. He’ll understand.”