The roar of the engines cut like thunder through the woods.
Colt’s jaw was locked, eyes cold and forward, scanning the trees like they might open up and hand her back to him.
She’d been here. His gut told him that. Her blood was on the forest floor — Reyes had found the drag marks.
He dismounted hard, boots crunching underfoot.
“Fan out!” he barked. “She was here. Someone took her back!”
The brothers scattered. Reyes stayed at his side.
Colt walked slow, methodical, his mind calculating every angle — but something in his chest pounded louder than logic.
He’d been late.
Too late.
They saw the broken branches, a shattered stick, dark stains soaked into the dirt. Blood. Hers.
And then… her scream.
He froze.
Just a ghost of it — not loud enough to follow — just an echo in his head.
