Into the Lair (Falcon Mercenary Group #2)(72)

“Because she thought we’d f**ked her over first,” Ian bit out. “She had to have overheard our conversation outside the other day and misunderstood.”

“What was to misunderstand?” Eli asked. “You were using her. Or did I miss something here?”

“We were protecting her.” Grief was thick in Braden’s voice. “We would have never let Esteban get to her. That wasn’t the plan. That was never the plan.”

“How long?” Ian demanded. “How long since the avalanche? How long has she been out there in the cold?”

Eli flashed him a look of sympathy. “Three hours. She couldn’t survive that long.”

Braden shot up from the bed. “Where’s the locator?”

Ian looked up, his brow creased.

“The tracking device,” Braden said impatiently. “I had Marcus put one back in when he stitched her up. It should show up on the locator.”

“Braden, man, it’s been three hours,” Tits said.

“I don’t care,” he roared. “Even if she’s dead, I’m not leaving her out there to rot. She deserves better than that. She’s always been left behind. This time she won’t be.”

Ian stood, his mind numb. He moved jerkily, like an automaton with no clear direction. His gaze scoured the room in search of the locator. He staggered to the two bags by the window and ripped into them. Everything was soggy from the melted snow. God, let the locator still work.

He yanked it out and hit the power button. Nothing happened.

“Goddamn it!” He hit the button again.

“Let me have it,” Braden demanded as he strode over. “I can take it apart and dry it out. It might work again.”

“Jonah will have another,” Eli said.

“We don’t have six hours to wait for them to come rescue us,” Ian seethed. “If we can get a bead on her location, you can shift and get out of here.”

Eli and Tits exchanged uneasy glances which only enraged Ian further. They’d already given her up for dead.

He tossed the unit up to Braden. Braden snatched one of the lights from the dresser and went back over to the bed.

While he worked feverishly, Ian paced, his gaze going to the blocked window.

“Have you tried digging out? Have you shifted and gone above to see what we’re facing here? Have you tried digging down from the outside?”

Eli put a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “The cabin is covered, Ian. We need more than one man with a shovel. Jonah’s on his way with back-up. We’ll get out, I swear.”

“Yeah, but will we be in time?”

Eli shook his head. “You have to know, Ian. The chances of her surviving…they aren’t good.”

Ian closed his eyes. “Why did you give her up for me?”

“You know the answer to that,” Eli said patiently. “If you think about it, you’ll know I didn’t have any other choice. I had a wounded man and two more out of commission. There was no way I could stave off all of Esteban’s men alone. Katie led them away. Don’t take away from her sacrifice.”

“I just don’t understand why she did it.” Ian dropped his head as grief and anger surged over him. “She told me…one of the last things she said was that she wasn’t expendable. That her life mattered. So why then did she suddenly decide she gave a damn about the fact that Braden and I were sitting ducks here?”

“I can’t answer that,” Eli said quietly. “But I bet you can if you look deep enough. It was probably for the same reason you’re considering digging out of here with your bare hands. She’s more to you than a job, Ian. And I’d say you were more to her than just someone her brother sent to save her ass.”

Anguish, harsh, so heavy that his knees buckled, hit him. He turned, his hands flying to his face in an attempt to make the reality go away.

He sagged, and Eli caught him. They both fell and their knees hit the floor with a jolt. Eli caught the back of Ian’s neck as Ian’s forehead hit Eli’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, man,” Eli said. “I know how I’d feel if someone told me Tyana was out there. I wouldn’t accept it either. But it wouldn’t change a damn thing.”

Ian’s breaths roared from his lungs like fire. Each inhalation hurt, hit him with such savagery. He hadn’t kept her safe. He’d failed her just like everyone else in her life. And too late, he realized he wanted to be different. He wanted to be the one she could trust. Love. Rely on.

“Don’t you f**king give up,” Braden snarled.

Ian’s head came up, and he saw Braden staring at him, answering grief simmering in his eyes. They glittered with moisture, and his entire mouth twitched. His jaw jumped and spasmed, and Ian realized how hard he was hanging on to his control.

Slowly, he stood, using Eli for leverage. He walked over to the bed where his brother was piecing together the locator.

“I won’t give up,” he vowed as he locked gazes with Braden. “I won’t give up until we find her. Even if it’s just to recover her body and bring her home. She deserves that much.”

Braden nodded and held out his hand. Ian grasped it. A current of power passed between the two men. In that moment, Ian knew that Braden had fallen as hard and fast for Katie as he had. And now neither of them would have a chance to take care of her—to love her—the way they both wanted.