Chapter 19 #2
“Hey!” I heard the man call. My feet slipped in the mud, and branches clawed at me as I made my way as fast as I could around them all the while I prayed, he wouldn’t hear me.
As I got close, I jammed my jacket under my vest then pulled my knife from my belt.
I began to inch closer behind the guy. The last thing I needed was for him to sense I was there and fire his weapon.
“What are you gonna’ do, big guy?” Nicole yelled and jumped back and forth on her feet as if deciding which way to run. I knew she could see me and wanted to keep his attention on her. The guy laughed at her then swung his gun around his back as if she didn’t pose a threat.
“You think you can get away from me?” He laughed again then suddenly lunged forward.
She dodged him, but he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her to the ground.
In that moment, I dove at the guy and tackled him.
He was fast and managed to get in a few punches.
I swung my legs around his neck and got him in a headlock.
He continued to punch and kick, but I felt nothing thanks to adrenaline and the fact that my jacket was stuffed between him and his fists and helped cushion the blows.
I used all my might and continued to squeeze, and he fought me hard for another few minutes, then he finally relaxed, and I let him roll to the side.
I got to my feet and immediately looked for Nicole.
She lay on the ground, not moving. Shit!
“Nicole,” I forced myself to be calm as I bent and felt her pulse.
He must have knocked the wind out of her, and she’d fainted.
Normally, if it was one of the guys, I’d slap them to draw them back to the land of the living, but I couldn’t bring myself to be rough with her.
Instead, I pressed my thumb down on the side of her hip, which I knew would bring her a dull pain that would increase with each second.
When she suddenly jolted awake, I covered her mouth and released my hold.
When I removed my hand, she pulled her chin in and rubbed where I’d hurt her.
“Ouch!” She looked angrily at me as I pulled her to her feet, then she dipped to the side as vertigo came over her, and I pulled her into me and hugged her.
“Let me give the orders next time,” I warned.
She nodded then huffed a small sob. “There isn’t much farther to go, so hang in there with me, okay?
You’re doing great.” She didn’t answer, and when I handed her my jacket, she didn’t take it.
I took her face in my hands and studied her.
I could see she was struggling and wondered if that trick she’d pulled back there had drained her.
I forced her arms through the sleeves and wrapped the jacket around her small body.
“We’re going to be okay. We’re almost through this.
No more playing the hero, you hear?” I grinned at her in hopes she’d show some of that spunk she had.
“Okay, let’s get out of here.” I was happy to see her nod and tucked her behind me again.
We moved in unison again. A few times we stopped to let her catch a breath or when we came across more soldiers.
They were everywhere. Bruno had activated his entire army to hunt for her, and navigating through such difficult terrain was taking a toll on Nicole.
At least the rain had stopped. I knew this place was going to be next to impossible to escape, and it was why my stomach sank when I knew she was being held here.
Bruno had the place locked down hard. The only reason we’d made it this far was because his focus had been on the arrival of his mother.
That, and they weren’t expecting me to be so close by.
I glanced at the compass on my watch to make sure I kept on course.
I picked up the pace and stopped when I finally saw the dirt road.
I knew they’d have men watching, so we stayed in the tree line.
I got out my binoculars and scanned along the rough woodland road for Chili’s truck.
I spotted it just out of sight in the trees.
“I have visual on you.” I kept my voice low and crisp into the radio. “We’ll be at your nine. Start moving now, but slow.”
“Copy that.” I watched him pull out of the trees then reach back and open the door behind him.
I lowered the binoculars then turned to meet Nicole’s pale face.
Her jaw bounced and her lips were blue with cold.
She was near exhaustion. “Chili’s not far away with the truck.
” She nodded and looked around as if she could spot it.
“He’s our ride out of here. We’ll go a little farther staying in these trees, then you see that clearing up there?
” I pointed. “We just need to get across that to the road. I don’t see any soldiers, but they’re around. ”
“Okay,” she said and nodded again.
“I’m going to go first, then once I get across, if it’s safe, and Chili’s close, I’ll wave you over. I’ll cover you, but you need to run straight to the truck as fast as you can. Do you understand me?” She nodded. “I need to hear you say it.”
“I do.”
“Good.” I turned and hurried her along then stopped next to a tree. I saw the truck slowly approaching. “Okay, are you ready?”
“Yes.” Her head bobbed.
I raced across the clearing, hoping to draw any fire. I stopped on the other side and looked back at Nicole. My heart lurched, and all the wind went out of me.
Rio, Esmeralda’s right-hand man, stood with Nicole in his arms and a knife to her neck.
“No.” The word dropped from my mouth as the realization hit hard that I might not be able to save her from this. Who knew fear could feel this heavy?
I walked slowly back across the clearing until I was just a few feet from them. I heard the truck stop behind me.
“Well, isn’t this perfect?” He chuckled.
“Rio,” I used his name to show I knew exactly who he was, “do you know who I am?”
He stared at me and tilted his head. I could see him try to connect the dots.
“Think,” I said as I stepped closer, and he stepped backward. “I’m Blackstone. I’m the one you guys want, not her. Take me and let her go with Chili.”
“Why do I know you?” He was so close to saying it. I knew it was a risk to potentially out myself to Nicole as Eric Noah, but at that moment, I knew I would rather have her alive and know it than face the death that was only moments away.
“I’ll tell you when you give me the girl.
” I reached towards him as I made eye contact with Nicole.
She looked done. Worse, she looked resigned.
“Nic,” I used her nickname in hopes I could get through to her, “Chase needs you to keep your head on straight.” She blinked, and I saw a tear leak down her cheek. Good.
“Don’t come any closer.” Rio shifted his hold on her, and I knew I needed to let him know who I was. I changed my accent to reflect Eric’s and went with a saying I hoped he’d recognize. I had used it before when portraying my alter ego. “In a world of illusions, you stay alive by being honest—”
His eyes widened. “You stay alive by being one step ahead of the liars.” I locked eyes with him and gave him a small tilt of the head.
“Holy shit, you’re—” Bang! I shot him straight in the shoulder before he could say it.
His grip on Nicole went slack. I lunged forward and caught her then scooped her up and raced for the truck.
I tossed her in the back seat and jumped in next to her.
“Go! Go! Go!” I shouted at Chili, and he took off so hard we flew backward.
I wished I’d killed Rio, and I should have, but she had seen the dark side of me back there. When I flipped between two head spaces. Killing as Paul was one thing, but killing as Eric Noah was something I never wanted her to witness.
I reached over and buckled Nicole’s seatbelt.
The way she reached for my hand made me breathe a sigh of relief that she hadn’t understood what had happened back there.
I pulled out my handgun and scanned through the back window for company.
I was sure the gunshot would have them running like cockroaches toward the sound.
The engine screamed as we bounced around, and I wondered how Chili could even follow the old road.
We took a good beating from branches and shrubs that had overgrown it.
Nicole leaned forward, covered her head, and stayed down.
Whether she realized it or not, her training was still there protecting her.
We swung out onto the main road, and things grew quiet.
There wasn’t a car in sight. It concerned me that there wasn’t even a roadblock or anyone waiting for us.
“Clear.” I squinted as I looked around, then finally took a deep breath. Nicole was still huddled over. “Hey,” I touched her arm, and she yelped. “It’s me.” She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself and leaned her head back. Her eyes were closed.
Chili caught my attention in the mirror, and I shrugged. She was beyond exhausted, and I let her be.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here, Chili,” I huffed.
“Happy to oblige. Glad you didn’t die back there.” His eyes crinkled in the mirror when I nodded.
After we made it through the border and on US soil, Chili pulled over and parked around the back of a diner. “I’ll give you some time with…” he nodded at Nicole, “and I’ll order something warm to go. I’ll be back.” He flipped up the collar on his jacket and headed out into the rainy evening.
Nicole had opened her eyes and sat up when the truck stopped. The day’s events were very much the elephant in the room, and I wondered how to navigate it.
“You want to talk about it?”
“No,” she said softly.
“Do you want to eat?”
“No.”
I cleared my throat. “What can I do to help?”
She leaned forward and put a hand over her mouth.
“Let me help you.” I felt so helpless.
She leaned back and took a few short breaths then turned toward me.
“You want to help?” I nodded. “Help me get this,” she rubbed her chest, “feeling of pent-up panic out of me.” I went by instinct and grabbed her waist and lifted her onto my lap before she could say anything then slammed my lips to hers.
I forced my tongue inside her mouth and kissed her until she squeaked for air.
When I released her, she didn’t waste any time pulling up her dress, then I had my belt undone and my button and fly down, ready for her.
She put both hands on my shoulders, and I lifted us to free my now aching erection. Her icy hand wrapped around the base of me as she eased herself down onto my tip. My head flopped back with how great it felt. She was tight, warm, and velvety-soft. She hovered there, and I looked up at her.
“Thank you,” her lips brushed against mine, “for saving me back there.” She slid me inside a little farther. “If you hadn’t come, that monster would have been inside me.” The fear in her voice told me that moment back there scared her. How can it not?
I threaded my fingers through her hair and touched my forehead to hers. “No one is going to be inside you but me.” I thrust upward from the bottom until I hit my base. “You’re mine, Nicole, and I’m not letting you go.” I thrust into her again to drive my point home. “Ever.”
She moaned into my neck, and I felt even more deliriously protective. “Yours,” she panted and kissed my neck, and I felt my need to take all I could from this woman. “Paul.” My head spun at the mention of my name. “Paul, I need more.”
I couldn’t think straight. I needed more too.
I flipped her around, so her knees were on the seat, and she faced the back window.
I folded myself over her and took her from behind.
I silently thanked the powers that be for building such a large truck.
I reached around and laced my fingers through hers as I pumped against her.
“Yes!” she screamed with a deep gasp. “It’s so good.”
I moved my lips to her ear. “I don’t want to be anywhere but here,” I confessed while my hips moved in a steady rhythm, “deep inside you. I can’t get enough.
” I pulled a hand from hers to reach down and touch just above where we were joined and felt her fall apart beneath me.
She shook and moaned as she released, and all thoughts left my head as I followed her into oblivion.
We both panted as I withdrew from her and turned her around. Our chests heaved against each as I fought to regain some sort of logical thought. The windows were steamed up, and I rubbed a spot clean to see nothing but smeared lights as the rain ran down the glass.
I felt her relax against me then tense for a moment, and it made me wonder if she was thinking back over what we’d been through. She reached for something.
“What is it?”
“Something I stole from Esmeralda’s purse.” She leaned back and arched herself up a little, and I moved over so she could get at it. She struggled a bit then pulled something from inside her dress.
“What is it?” I took the small plastic bag from her and saw it contained some paper.
“I don’t know, but I’m hoping it’ll be something useful.”
I opened it and looked inside. “Holy shit.”