At work, she managed to get to her office before anyone stopped to talk to her. She shut the door and slumped into her seat, staring blankly at the computer and stacks of paper. She had hours of work to do before noon, but none of it seemed to be of any importance, not with Merc in trouble.
She braced her arms on the desk and cradled her head. He was a fucking saint. If he couldn’t deal with whatever it was he had going on, what the hell did she think she was going to be able to do?
Maybe she should go to Sam, tell him about the dreams she’d been having. He could probably figure out a way to help Merc.
Then again, who would ever take action when the intel she had came from dreams? Damn, she was sounding crazier and crazier.
She was still fighting with herself when her boss knocked on her door and popped his head in. One look at her and he stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him.
“Um—Ash? You okay?”
Ash sniffled and shook her head. “I’ve gotten some bad news about a friend.”
“That’s awful. Why are you still here? Go see her.”
Her. Her boss assumed her friend was female. Naturally. Ash never talked about her dates with her work friends. “I can’t. I just took on the extra accounts—“
“You have leave. This is what it’s for. Use it. Get out of here.”
“I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Use your leave, then check in to let me know your status. Don’t worry about work. It will all be here when you get back.”
Ash drew a shaky breath, then nodded. “Okay.”
Her boss nodded at her, giving her a firm look. “Okay.”
When he left, she did the minimal steps she had to in order to leave the accounts open for him to take over. Then she grabbed her purse, shut off her lights, and left.
She wondered if she’d ever be back.
The earliest flight Ash could catch to Medellín was a redeye that left late that night. With the boom in tourism that the village miracles had spawned, there were dozens of short-term rentals listed on several vacation sites. Unfortunately, all of them were booked. The closest place she could stay was Medellín, which wasn’t good enough. She’d rent a Jeep and sleep in it if she had to.
Every once in a while, a twinge of sanity slipped through her manic need to get back to Valle de Lágrimas. Her mind spun through all she was leaving—her home, job, car, friends, life…all for what? A man she surely could not help. And if he needed help, then Sam and his friends should be the ones doing it—they were far more capable than she, and they should know what he was up against.
As soon as that flash of lucidity speared her mind, it was gone.
Right or wrong, foolish though it may be, she was driven to see this through. She’d connected with Merc on an emotional level. Maybe what he was going through wasn’t a professional issue that his friends could help with, but a personal one, something she could support him through.
If he let her.
Did his friends know the truth of what had happened to him in that death trench? She wasn’t an expert in emotional or psychological issues. What if she got there and found she couldn’t help him after all?
It didn’t matter. She was doing this. She would do the best she could.
A text from Summer popped up on Ash’s phone as she was about to board the last flight that would take her from Miami to Medellín.
Where are you? I’ve been calling, Summer wrote.
Sorry. Had my phone off. Ash didn’t tell her more than that.
Can we meet for lunch? Kiera’s got a couple hours free.
No can do. I’m about to board a flight to Medellín.
What? Why?
Because it’s something I have to do.
But why? Because I told you Merc was back in Colombia?
It’s just something I feel compelled to do.
Compelled? Ash—stop. Come back home. You have to resist that compulsion.
I can’t. I can’t explain it. I have to do this.
You have no idea what you’re up against. Please, believe me. Please come back.
I have to go. Love you. Tell Kiera I love her too.
Ash turned her phone off. Summer wanted her to ignore her every instinct and just turn around and go home.
It would be easier to stop breathing.
When she disembarked from the plane, she followed her fellow passengers to customs, then exited the airport. It was morning again—the longest forty-eight-hour day she’d had since her last trip.
A man came toward her, tall, wavy black hair. She knew him—he was guy she’d met at the fort. Lautaro. Sam’s friend.
Ash shook her head and turned away from him before he could greet her. “You’re not talking me out of this.”
Lautaro fell in step with her. “Of course not. One can never fight compulsions.”
Ash stopped and gaped at him. “Summer told you.”
He gave her a little smile. “Actually, it came from Sam.”
“I’m going to Valle de Lágrimas.”
“Yes, you are. And I’m going to drive you out there.”
Ash narrowed her eyes as she studied his face.
He laughed as if her glare tickled. “All is well. Merc is fine. And you will be safe.”
For the first time since her last round of nightmares, Ash pulled an easy breath. If Merc was fine, why had she felt compelled to rush out to him?
“That is an interesting question—one we would all like the answer to.”
Wait—had she said that out loud? She sighed again and looked away. She was exhausted, stressed, and confused, for sure. She needed to get her head straight.
Lautaro took her arm and guided her over to the parking lot where he’d left his Land Rover. He opened the passenger-side door.
Ash hesitated before getting in. “Wait. I wasn’t able to reserve a room. I called everywhere. There were none available. I think I need to—“
“It is taken care of. I secured the room you used last time you were here.”
“Oh.”
“May I see your phone?” He held his hand out. When she gave it to him, he entered his contact info. “When you’re ready to go home, call me. I’ll come get you.”
“Thank you.” Ash got in his car and looked out the window. Why were they helping her?
“Sam loves Summer. Summer loves you.” Lautaro looked over at her. “We take care of our own.”
What did that mean? There seemed nothing suggestive in his tone. Wait. He’d once again answered a question she hadn’t yet spoken.
He grinned and turned his attention to the road.
“I know this sounds like a bad question to ask at this point, but is Merc in Valle de Lágrimas?”
“That is his base of operations.”
Geez. What did that mean? Ash didn’t ask. She didn’t really want to know.
“Why are you here, Ashlyn?”
Ash folded herself in her seat, knees up, arms crossed over her shins. She leaned a little sideways as she looked at Sam’s friend. He seemed one of those guys you could just tell anything to. “For some reason I can’t explain, I’ve been panicked about Merc. I know he has no interest in me. I’m not a stalker. I just wanted to…set eyes on him again. And I want to try to understand what happened here. It’s haunted me ever since my first visit. Nothing’s been the same.”