“Okay. Hold still.”
She clenched her jaw, her chest heaving against the steering column. The waves crashed in the distance, a few crows cawing overhead.
Zain disappeared behind her chair, every slight shift fisting her hands a bit tighter around the steering wheel.Muffled grunts drifted up to her, a sudden lurch drawing a hushed cry from deep in her chest.
The chassis rocked, threatening to tip them over. Teetering on that lip like a damn seesaw. Time drew out, everything slowing until she wasn’t sure if the grenade had detonated and this was what dying felt like. As if the entire world was moving so fast, it appeared frozen.
Her seat wiggled, an eerie scraping sound cutting through the other noises before Zain popped up, the grenade clasped in his hand. He gazed down at the shore, then tossed it, doing his best to cover her as it tumbled through the air, disappearing beneath the next big breaker.
Zain held on, his heart thundering against her chest, his breath panting across her neck. He finally eased back after what felt like forever, staring at the rocks before chuckling. “I wasn’t sure if the pin would hold, but…” He dropped a kiss on her mouth. “You, okay?”
“I think I’ll need some new pants, but otherwise…”
“That’s my?—”
Shots.
Booming through the air.
Kicking against the back of the RV — rocking it dangerously close to tipping over. Return fire sounded a moment later. Deeper. Only one pop for their three.
“Damn.” Zain shook his head. “Those assholes from the truck must be alive.”
Saylor gave him a shove. “I still can’t move. Go. Help Greer. I’m not going anywhere.”
Zain frowned. “If the RV was on solid ground, I’d chance it. But one false move…”
It’d go over.
He didn’t voice it, but she knew that’s what he meant.
“Everett.” Greer’s voice sounded from outside. “You need to get Saylor out of there. Now.”
Zain cursed under his breath. “What the hell does she think I’m doing in here?”
He carefully shifted over — yanked on her seat. It shimmied back as the RV creaked and groaned, far creepier than anything she’d ever heard on a ship. He kept working, slowly moving it as more shots rang out, the RV rocking, again, from the strain.
Saylor wiggled her ass, trying to move even an inch over, another dull roar echoing around them. She pulled harder, slicing a few lines across her ribs when a shadow passed over a moment before Foster’s chopper swooped down in front, side door open, Kash hanging on the edge. He started shooting, the muzzle fire flashing in the dull light, each report feeling as if it might shake the RV off the ledge.
Zain doubled his efforts, ignoring the way the vehicle slipped a few inches, the waves below looking more than a bit wild. He muttered a curse, then yanked, finally sliding the damn seat all the way back. It hit the stopper, jostling her against the seat before she fell forward, the seatbelt stopping her from continuing all the way to the rocks.
He lunged for her, bracing his arm across her chest. “I have to cut the seatbelt, but I promise I won’t let you fall.”
She nodded, gripping the arms, wondering if shecould bore her fingers into the fabric when Zain slid his knife beneath the belt, slicing it in one smooth flick.
She jerked against his arm, a startled yelp clawing free before he tugged her against his chest, his breath raking across her cheek.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, breathed him in. “You’re insane.”
He chuckled. “It’s something we have in common.” He eased her away. “You ready for the hard part?”
That had been the easy part?
She bit her bottom lip. Nodded. “Let me guess. The only way out is through the back.”
“Can’t fool you. We’ll need to go very slowly.” He paused. “Unless it starts to go, then, climb like there’s no tomorrow.”
Because there wouldn’t be.
