Part 46 (1/2)
”Sometimes it takes others to open our eyes for us,” Burke said.
”I certainly had blinders on. I not only prevented myself from living, but others as well.”
”You did what you believed necessary. One last rescue and it will no longer be necessary. Life changes.”
She smiled at him and placed her small, cool hand to his warm cheek. He felt so very good, so solid, and
so strong, and he belonged to her. The feeling overwhelmed her and she nearly s.h.i.+vered. She moved closer against him, not wanting to think of the last rescue, not wanting to believe that it could fail and that she could lose everything. Just as she had nearly lost him because she was too stubborn to see that there was more to life than only thinking of herself and revenge.
”I will be glad when it is over,” she said.
He hugged her close. ”I won't let anything happen to you.”
”I know, but there will be two days I will be a prisoner before the rescue can be attempted.”
”Remember what we discussed,” Burke said, gently pus.h.i.+ng a strand of dark hair away from her eye with
his finger. ”If you cannot locate Cullen within that time you will leave on your own.”
”So you have reminded me several times,” Storm said, stepping away from him.
”Which means you have no intention of following my orders.”
”This is my rescue plan, therefore my decisions rule,” she said firmly.
”Tanin warned that they might not wait to torture you. If that is so, you will have no chance to find Cullen,
you will be too busy suffering.”
Storm began to pace in front of him. They had gone over this repeatedly, and repeatedly Burke had
protested her remaining in the prison more than a few hours. It had taken much discussion among the men to convince him that wouldn't work. It was two days or nothing.
”It is rare that torture is immediate. It is much preferred that the prisoners be left in their cells for a few
days to grow fearful of what awaits them,” Storm said.
”You can't be sure of that,” Burke protested. ”Having the infamous Storm in their clutches might givethem itchy fingers and have them eager to begin torturing you immediately.””That's not likely, but it is a chance I must take.”
”I don't like it and I'm going to want to kill the man who dares make you suffer,” he snarled.
She stopped pacing and shook a finger at him. ”You are not to enter the prison. You will stick to our plan.”
”As long as you come out of the prison at the agreed-upon time. Otherwise I go in.”
”Don't make me worry about you,” she warned. The idea that he would endanger his life by charging into
a fortified fortress upset her beyond reason.
”You worry about me?” he asked incredulously and shook his head before reaching out and grabbing hold of her. ”How do you think I'm going to be able to keep hold of my sanity while you're in Weighton?
I'll constantly fear that you're suffering horrible torture while I sit by and do nothing. I don't know how I will do it.”
”Our plan is a good one and it will work if we all work together as agreed,” she said. She understood his
concern, for she would feel the same. She would find it impossible to sit idly by while Burke attempted
such a feat.
”It's easy for you to say. You're not the one waiting. You're the one doing something. I still wish there was another way.”
”We either go in and get your brother out or he dies,” Storm said, not meaning to sound harsh but
reminding him what he already knew. This was their only chance.
Burke wrapped her in his arms, and she knew by the way he held her he feared ever letting her go. His arms were strong around her, his muscles taut and his heartbeat fast.
”Two days and we set you up for capture,” he whispered in her ear. ”Those two days are mine.”
How she wanted that to be so.
”There is much to do before we leave-”
”The days will be busy enough, but the nights belong to us.” He squeezed her tightly. ”I will have it no