Page 26 of Tormented Hearts
The thought struck her hard.
She didn’t feel this comfortable in Boston. Hadn’t in longer than she wanted to admit. Her parents’ house had gone hollow since her father passed, all that square footage and not one room that felt like it wanted her in it.
Her mother kept herself busy with her clubs, her committees, her lunches with women who’d known each other thirty years and still talked mostly about books and vacations. Sinead visited when she had to and left as soon as she could, and neither of them ever said out loud how strange the silence had gotten.
Here, on the patio of the Black Heart Therapy Lodge, coffee warm in her hands, she felt more settled than she had in that house in years.
“So,” Hawk said, pulling her back to the here and now. “The terrain.”
He opened a map on his phone and traced the route with one finger. “It’s about thirteen miles in, and the elevation climbs the whole way. No trails past the first three miles, so we’re winging it from there. Ridge trail’s exposed in a few stretches—no cover if anyone’s watching from a distance, so we’ll want to move through those sections fast.”
“How fast is fast?”
“Faster than comfortable.” He tapped a spot on the map. “This saddle here’s the worst of it. Loose rock, steep drop on one side. After that it eases up some, but we’re still gaining the whole way to the coordinates.”
“What do we need to carry?”
“We go as light as we can manage and still be safe. Water’s the priority—there’s no reliable source once we’re past this creek crossing, so we’re carrying enough for two days minimum. Food, first aid, the usual. I’ll carry the heavier gear. I’ll also carry a weapon, even though I know you’re skilled enough with one.”
She shot him a look.
He went on, “You’ll want good boots and layers. The temperature swings hard once we’re up in elevation, especially at night.”
He sat back and studied her like she was part of the gear to be hauled up the mountain. “Still want to go?”
She straightened. “Positive.”
He searched her eyes for a beat longer and then pocketed his phone. “We gather supplies today. Rest for the night. Then we move.”
She held on to the words after he said them, turning them over like a countdown she wasn’t ready to start.
One more night at this ranch, this strange, unexpected retreat from reality.
One more night before they hit the mountain, before they found the answers. Before whatever came after them found them.
She wasn’t sure which she wanted more—to reach the end of her father’s trail, or to never let this strange, shaky feeling go.
Chapter Six
By dawn, Hawk had it all set to go. Packs, food, water purification. Enough cold-weather gear for himself and a few items for Sinead too in case she hadn’t brought any in her designer luggage.
He checked the first-aid supplies twice and made sure he had enough rope to rappel, though he hoped it didn’t come to that.
He also had a tent and enough dehydrated food packs to keep them alive in the wilderness for days if the terrain or weather—or worse—turned against them.
In the dining hall over breakfast, Hawk studied the satellite image while Sinead picked apart a slice of toasted raisin bread.
The hall was empty at this time of day, and he used the quiet to go over their route again.
It looked ugly but manageable. Steep in places and thick with trees. A ravine cut through the side. Still, if they set a decent pace and didn’t take many breaks, they could reach the coordinates in two days, max. By the time they returned, Colson and his team might have found the mercenaries’ vehicle and the team would have more of a lead on the men after Sinead.
He traced a path with one finger.
“That looks like a difficult hike.” She leaned over the phone, flooding his nose with the fresh, bright scent of citrus. It had to be her shampoo. Or body wash. Whatever it was…it smelled good.
And made him want to get closer.
He straightened. “I warned you it’s rough terrain. It isn’t too late to change your mind and stay here on the ranch. The place is a fortress. You’ll be safe here.”
