Behind Audrey, Spyros gripped her hair. “Wouldn’t want you to run, now would we?” The yank on her head pulled her backward a step.

As her hopes died, despair emptied her mind.

Flattened against the wall beside the front door, Gabe waited.

Bound hand and foot, the terrified sentry had recited his “Copter is coming in now” nicely. Caz’s knife pricking his eyelid had proved an adequate incentive for cooperation.

Bull had knocked the guy out, tossed the body around the side of the cabin, and took up position there.

Caz was stationed at the other corner.

Knox and Gabe stood on either side of the door.

Overhead, the helicopter started to descend. The tree branches whipped in the turbulence stirred up by the helicopter blades.

The door opened. Gabe tensed.

Baumer came out, hand over his eyes as he looked at the helicopter.

C’mon, Spyros. Be next. Keep the bastards inside.

Fate wasn’t listening. The buzz-cut blond walked out and frowned.

As the two thugs followed, Buzzcut scowled. “Look for Jones. He must be taking a piss.”

Laughing the two separated.

Gabe stiffened. They’d see him and Knox any—

Audrey stepped out. Spyros came right behind her, left fist in her hair, knife carelessly to one side.

Now. Gabe punched Spyros’s forearm, paralyzing the nerves, deadening his grip on Audrey’s hair. “Take her!”

Even as Knox yanked Audrey away, Spyros tried to stab her.

Gabe lunged and knocked him against the doorframe.

Braced by the wall, Spyros twisted, catching Gabe’s coat with his left hand and stabbing with the knife in the right. Barely slowed by Gabe’s raingear, the sharp blade punched into Gabe’s side.

Fiery pain burst along his ribs as the blade scraped the bone. Jesus. With a furious downward block, Gabe knocked the knife into the dirt, then head-butted Spyros. The asshole’s grip on his coat loosened.

Gabe ripped free.

Firing broke out across the clearing.

“Gamóto!” Spewing Greek curses, Spyros staggered forward and yanked out his pistol.

Hell. Powering from his legs, Gabe slammed a right hook into the man’s jaw.

Spyros dropped, landing on his side.

Drawing his pistol, Gabe snap kicked him in the head, knocking him out. A flick of his foot sent Spyros’s handgun under the cabin.

Good. A quick check showed one thug motionless on the ground and another dead with a knife in his chest.

Ignoring everything, Baumer was running toward the helicopter.

Near the fire pit, Buzzcut spotted Gabe and charged, snapping off shots.

A bullet whizzed past. Gabe dodged sideways, aimed—

“Noooo!” Directly between Gabe and the man, Audrey jumped up from behind the woodpile.

Fuck!

Pistol out, she fired at Buzzcut. Missed. Kept firing.

Staggering back, the bastard shot at her. Shot her. She dropped.

No. God, no!

Target now clear, Gabe shot the bastard between the eyes, turned.

With a roar of fury, Spyros tackled him from the side.