Knock, knock.
Both heads whipped around at the sound of someone banging on the door.
“Hello? Tina? Are you home?”
“What the hell is Joan doing here this early?” Talia grumbled.
“Babe, it’s almost ten.”
Talia shot straight up, dislodging Hunter. “What? I never sleep past six.”
“We were busy.”
“Tina?”
“Just a moment, Joan. I will be right there.” Talia searched for her clothes, not finding them in the area. She grabbed Hunter’s t-shirt and pulled it on. It smelled like him and she inhaled as she threaded her arms in the sleeves. Hunter stood, unembarrassed at his nudity…and he shouldn't be. He was perfectly made. Still, Joan didn’t need to see his fine physique. Talia shoved him and he stumbled. “Go. Shower. You do not need to give Joan a peep show. Her heart might not take it.”
Hunter chuckled as he sauntered to the bathroom, giving her a cheeky smile before disappearing inside. She raced to the front door and opened it. “Hello, Joan. How are you this morning?”
Joan eyed her state of dress and her cheeks reddened. “I’m so sorry, Tina. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“You didn’t,” she lied. “Come in.”
Joan noted the closed door where the shower was running and then turned with a smile. “The Lightkeeper asked me to help you get acclimated. I thought we’d figure out what you would like to do to contribute to the community.”
Talia couldn’t tell if Joan was reprimanding her or not. As her role of Tina, she was a spoiled heiress who never lifted a finger to do manual labor. She couldn’t cook, do laundry or grow flowers. As Talia…sadly, it was pretty much the same. She didn’t have domestic skills. She possessed a strong work ethic. She could teach a class on breaking down a weapon and cleaning it, or how to incapacitate a man twice her size without breaking a nail, but she didn’t think Joan would consider those acceptable skills. “I will shower and then meet you outside in twenty minutes. Is that okay?”
“Sure. I’ll just be tending the flowers along the path. Come find me.”
“Great.” After Joan left, Talia scrounged for clean clothes. If she had to spend the morning with Joan, she wouldn’t be able to meet with Tilly. She hoped it didn’t upset the girl. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her. They hadn’t talked about meeting again, but Talia hoped that it would become a daily ritual.
Hunter emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. He wore a pair of unzipped jeans and nothing else. The muscles of his biceps flexed as he scrubbed a towel through his hair. Talia almost forgot her promise to meet Joan.
“What did she want?”
“Uh.” Focus, Talia. She forced her gaze from his chiseled abs to his handsome face. “What was the question?”
Hunter chuckled. “Joan.”
Talia shook her head. “Joan. Right. She said Elijah wants her to help me figure out how to contribute.”
“You could teach a course on bringing pasty-faced scumbags to their knees.”
Talia smiled. “I thought the same thing.” They stood there, staring at each other and she wondered if her smile was as dopey as his. She ordered her feet to move. She didn’t do feelings. She had almost gotten past Hunter when his hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her to him and kissed her. When they broke apart, she was dizzy. How he managed to totally discombobulate her, she didn’t know.
She managed to make it to the bathroom and shower. She wondered how many condoms Hunter had brought with him. What would they do if he ran out? She didn’t have any with her. She was on the pill, but she never had unprotected sex. They couldn’t put in a request at the store since Elijah had encouraged them to have a baby. The only logical thing to do would be to stop having sex. Her body protested at the thought, but she needed to get her focus back on track.
#
Talia spent most of the day with Joan and as she suspected, she was qualified for nothing. Joan decided she would take Talia under her wing and teach her how to tend to the flowers. There were so many, Joan told her, that she had trouble keeping up.
She and Hunter wore their comm devices, so she kept up with his day. He walked the compound with Elijah, going over any security risks. Her eyes perked up when he mentioned that Clint and Rob were helping cut down a tree by the amphitheater that was at a risk for falling over and possibly injuring someone.
While Joan was digging up a Hosta that had died, Talia told her that she was going to go weed one of the flower beds down the path. When she was out of sight, she informed Hunter that she was approaching the target.
After a quick search of the surrounding area, Talia knocked on Margaret’s door. When there was no answer, she called out, “Margaret? It is Tina McKay. I just wanted to see if there was anything you needed.”
She held her breath, waiting for a response. She wasn’t positive Margaret was even inside, but she’d rarely ventured out in the time she and Hunter had been in the compound. Her breath caught when the door opened.
“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling up to visitors,” Margaret said, not meeting her gaze.
Talia wasn’t easily deterred. “I will not stay long. I have been worried about you.”
Margaret reluctantly stepped aside. Talia took advantage before she could change her mind, sliding in the door.
Margaret closed the door and shuffled to the kitchenette. She wore an orange robe that engulfed her thin frame. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
Margaret nodded and took a seat at the table. Talia noted how neat and tidy the cabin was, not an item out of place. She wondered it Margaret liked things clean or if it was Rob who demanded it.
She studied the woman again and she made an instant decision. The strain on Margaret’s face was not the result of illness. It was depression. Helplessness. Maybe even hopelessness. “Margaret, your parents are worried about you.”
Margaret’s head jerked to Talia and her eyes widened. “What did you say?”
Talia grasped her hand, shocked to feel how cold it was. “Your parents love and miss you. They want you to come home.”
Margaret’s eyes welled. “My parents? How do you know?”
“Because they sent me here to bring you home.”
Margaret burst into tears, and not little whimpers, but deep, gut-wrenching sobs. Talia wasn’t sure what to do. She scooted her chair over and awkwardly patted her on the back. She hoped the noise didn’t bring others over to investigate.
When it sounded like the sobs were dying down, she rubbed Margaret’s back. “Do you want to leave?”
Margaret nodded and wiped her face with a tissue. “Yes, I do.”
Talia stood. “My husband and I are prepared to get you out. We just needed you to say the word. We can leave tonight.”
Margaret shook her head, the waterworks starting again. “You don’t understand. I can’t leave.”
Talia crouched down in front of her. “Is it Rob? Is he keeping you from leaving?” The man was a bottom feeder and Margaret could do so much better than him.
“No, it’s not Rob.”
“Then we can get you out.”
“No, you can’t,” Margaret croaked, her voice clogged with tears. “I can’t leave. They have my baby.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Talia’s mouth dropped open. “You have a baby?” In her ear she heard Hunter mirror her surprise. “She has a baby?”
Tears dripped down Margaret’s cheeks. “A boy. Robby.”
“How old is Robby?”
“Two months yesterday.”
“Why is he not with you?”
“They won’t let me have him.” She dabbed at the tears with a tissue. “I told Rob I wanted to leave when I found out I was pregnant. He swept me off my feet and before I knew it, we were here, in this place, totally cut off from everyone. I wanted to see my parents. I wanted them to help raise my baby. Rob went ballistic and then he got Elijah invo
lved. I was taken care of during the pregnancy, but I had no freedom. Then once Robby arrived, I barely had a chance to hold him before they whisked him away. Elijah said that he would be cared for, and he has been, but I can only see him once a week.”
Talia jumped to her feet, outraged. “Margaret, he is your son. He should be with you.”
“I know,” she whispered, looking defeated.
“We will get him out, too.”
“Don’t you see? I don’t know where they keep him. I have no idea where to find him. I’ve looked everywhere I could think of but he’s nowhere to be found.”
Bells started ringing in Talia’s head and she sat down hard. Tilly told her she played with dolls, but they required attention all the time. You had to feed them and change them. Could she have been talking about live babies?
“Is Robby the only one or are there other infants?”
“I’m not sure. There could be others by now. Several of the women are pregnant. I’ve been too sick to leave the cabin.”
“What is wrong?”
“Depression, mostly. I’ve lost the will to get out of bed.”
“If we could get Robby, would you want to leave?”
Margaret’s hands covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she nodded. “Yes,” she whispered. “I want out. I want my baby and I want out. Now.”
“Listen to me, Margaret, you cannot tell anyone. It is important that no one finds out why Henry and I are here. We will get you and your son out safely and you will be reunited with your parents, but you must not breathe a word of this to anyone. Okay?”
Margaret nodded in agreement, hope shining in her eyes. “I’ll do anything.”
The door slammed against the wall. Talia jumped to her feet and spun around.
“What the hell’s going on here?” Rob demanded. “What are you doing to my wife?”
#
“Henry, good catch with the tree,” Elijah praised. “It could’ve been a disaster if it fell while services were going on.”
Hunter had spotted a large oak that looked like it’d been struck with lightning about to topple over. He wondered if it was from one of Elijah’s freak show tests gone awry. It wouldn’t take much more than a strong wind to bring it down. They were waiting for Clint and Rob to arrive with chain saws.
“Other than the tree, have you found any other problems so far?”
“There are a couple of places where we can tighten things up, but you’ve got it covered for the most part.”
“Good, good,” Elijah said. “I want to make sure the flock is protected from the dark forces out to get us.”
Dark forces again? It was all Hunter could do to not roll his eyes and shout to give it a rest. Elijah needed a new line…this one was getting old fast.
“How is Tina adjusting to life in the compound?”
“Very well. She’s made friends with several of the women and they’re helping her figure out how she can contribute. Joan is with her today. Being a trust-fund baby, she’s never had to cook or clean for herself.”
Elijah chuckled. “Yes, I can imagine. Speaking of trust funds…when is it that Tina will inherit hers?”
“In a few weeks. We’ll have to make a trip to the lawyer’s office soon. There will be papers to sign and forms to fill out.”
“You don’t anticipate any problems, do you?” Hunter could practically see the dollar signs rolling in Elijah’s eyes like the windows of a nickel slot machine.
“No. The money’s Tina’s free and clear to do as she wishes. Her family can’t touch it or stop her from accessing the funds.”
“Good, good. Tell me, Henry, how are you adjusting?”
“Great. Except for the incident with Rob, everyone has been welcoming. You’ve built a great place here.”
“Thank you. I like it.”
Hunter could feel Elijah studying him, so he turned with a raised brow.
“Henry, you come from an action-filled background. We’re peaceful and calm here. Do you see yourself getting bored from the lack of excitement?”
“Not at all. As long as I have my wife by my side, my life’s complete.”
“Yes, I can understand that.”
He just bet he could. Perv. If Elijah thought he’d ever get a glimpse of Talia naked, Hunter would tell him it’d be over his dead body.
Once Rob and Clint arrived, Elijah begged off and disappeared. Figures when there was manual labor to be done, he runs. Thankfully, four other men showed up to help with clean-up. The men made quick work of the tree, bringing it down with little damage, except to one bench seat. Hunter was so involved fixing the break, he didn’t realize Rob was gone until he heard the ruckus through the earpiece.
“What the hell’s going on here?”
He jumped to his feet. “I need to take care of something,” he told Clint, leaving the other men to finish the job. Talia could handle herself, but he was headed there anyway.
#
Rob stalked into the cabin with a murderous gleam. “What did you say to make my wife cry? Someone said it sounded like a beached whale blubbering away in here.”
Talia’s lip curled. He wanted a confrontation? She’d be happy to give it to him. She flexed her fingers, ready for battle. He no doubt used the beached whale comment as a slam to Margaret’s former physique. The man was a bully and a blowhard and she couldn’t wait to teach him a lesson.
Talia, I’m on my way. Don’t do anything stupid.
“No.”
“Huh?” Rob asked.
Her comment was meant for Hunter. She hoped he heard and understood. He didn’t need to burst in and cause a bigger scene. She could handle one egotistical bastard with no problem.
Margaret hurried in front of her and faced her husband. “She didn’t make me cry, Rob. She uh, heard me and tried to comfort me. I’m just feeling hormonal, that’s all. That time of the month.”
“Get out of my way.”
Rob shoved Margaret aside and she stumbled to her hands and knees. Talia helped her stand and then faced Rob, her voice deadly calm. “You just made a fatal mistake.”
“Yeah?” Rob stalked closer and raked his gaze up and down her body. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“This.” Talia unleashed a barrage of moves that Rob had no defense against. She had him on the floor and unconscious in seconds.
Margaret gasped. “What did you do to him?”
“Nothing permanent, unfortunately,” she mumbled. She wasn’t about to share her Mossad training tips. She would like nothing better than to incapacitate the bully permanently. She pulled the tiny vial from her necklace and pricked Rob with the needle. The dose was insubstantial, but it would wipe his short-term memory. It really was a shame he wouldn’t remember he’d gotten his ass kicked by a girl.
“Are you sure you couldn’t hit him a few more times, you know, rough him up. Make him hurt.”
As much as she would love to carry out Margaret’s wishes, if she left marks on his body, he’d know someone had done it to him. They were close to completing their mission. Once they found Robby, they could spirit both out of here. She couldn’t afford a confrontation altering their plans.
“Unfortunately, I cannot.” She wanted to be out of here when Rob woke up, and she had to head Hunter off. “I need to go, Margaret, but I will talk to you again soon. Remember, do not say a word.”
“What about Rob? Margaret fretted. “What do I do when he wakes up? Will he come after us?”
“He will not remember what happened. You tell him that he tripped and hit his head. You should find Clint or another member of the flock to be here when Rob wakes up.”
“I’ll find Phillip. He’s a doctor. He delivered Robby.”
“That is perfect.” With one last look at Rob, Talia grabbed Margaret’s hand and squeezed. “Stay strong.”
“I will now.” A smile lit up her face. It was the first time Talia had seen her happy.
She met Hunter outside the door. They stayed
out of sight, watching while Margaret hurried off to find Phillip. Rob was just starting to stir when she returned with the doctor. After making sure he wasn’t going to wake up swinging, they quietly slipped away.
#
Hunter waited until they were inside their cabin before he pulled Talia to him and hugged her tight.
“Hunter, I am fine,” she said against his chest, obviously picking up on his intensity.
He ran his hands down her back. “When I heard Rob burst inside, my blood ran cold.” She opened her mouth, but he stopped her with a finger to her lips. “Yes, I know you can take care of yourself.” She nodded and rested against him again. “Still, the guy can be dangerous.”
She scoffed. “Please, he is a bunny rabbit compared to some of the people I’ve faced.”
He didn’t even want to think of the monsters she’d confronted in her Mossad days. If he did, he’d have nightmares for weeks.
“When he shoved Margaret, I saw red. I incapacitated him and then gave him the dose of the knockout drug.”
“Too bad he won’t remember getting his ass kicked by a girl.”
Talia leaned back and smiled. “I thought the same thing.” Her grin faded. “You heard everything? She wants out, but they are holding her baby hostage. And Hunter that’s not all. “I think Tilly helps to take care of the babies.”
“Tilly? Why do you think that?”
“Because of something she told me the other day. She said she plays with dolls, but they are demanding and have to be watched at all times, and you have to feed them and change them.”
“The hidden tunnel,” Hunter surmised. “The other door…the one she came from when we were in the garage. That must be where they keep the babies.”
“I need to talk to her again. Try to pry more details from her.”
Total Surrender (COBRA Securities Book 11) Page 18
