Beyond Oblivion (The Maddox Brothers)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Camille

The movie ended with laughter lingering in the air, but by the time we parted ways—even with tired smiles and quiet goodnights—the unease in my gut had settled in, creeping through me like the chill of the desert night air.

Trenton and I withdrew to our room, the soft glow of the bedside lamp stretching long shadows across the adobe walls, highlighting their uneven texture. The room was quiet except for the faint creak of the wooden floorboards beneath our feet and the occasional click of the ceiling fan chain against its base. The scent of the desert, dry and earthy, drifted from the open window and lingered faintly in the air, mingling with the fresh laundry smell from the blankets Liis had folded neatly at the foot of the bed sometime between dinner and the movie.

Trenton moved to the chair in the corner, tossing his boots aside, while I hovered near the dresser, attempting to regulate the unexpected but growing dread tightening in my chest.

“That scene when the ship runs out of gas,” he said, “it gets me every time.”

I nodded, managing a small laugh as I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. He didn’t seem to notice the strain in my voice—on the contrary, he seemed to be in the best mood he’d been in for weeks. I didn’t want to ruin it. Instead, I forced my best impression of the wife he used to know, the version of me that existed before the night that changed everything.

As he turned to grab his toothbrush, I felt another pang of unease. The more mundane things we accomplished, the worse it became. I hesitated before pulling my shirt over my head, the idea of standing there in just my underwear suddenly unbearable. It had felt like too long since Trenton hadn’t been at the bar or elsewhere during my nightly routine. I moved toward the bathroom instead, clutching my pajamas, but caught the recognition and then the flicker of hurt that crossed his face before he quickly masked it.

“You don’t have to do that,” he said.

I paused, not looking back. “Do what?”

“Act like I’m some stranger who shouldn’t see you undress,” he muttered, the frustration clear even in his restraint.

“I…” I began but stopped myself. My first instinct was to return fire, but Jim’s words echoed in my ears. The tension between us was too fragile, like a taut thread ready to snap. Instead, I just whispered, “I’m not trying to make you feel that way,” and slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

I leaned against the door for a moment, the soft sounds of him moving around the room outside making my space feel even smaller. When the noise finally stopped, I realized he’d left me to finish getting ready on my own.

I showered quickly, the hot water doing little to ease the guilt burning in my chest. Steam hung in the air as I hurried through my nightly routine, brushing my teeth with more force than necessary and barely glancing at my reflection in the mirror. By the time I was halfway through flossing, the faint creak of floorboards outside signaled Trenton’s return to the room.

I paused, listening to the soft rustle of fabric and the muted thud of something—probably his wallet or phone—being dropped onto the nightstand. Part of me wanted to stay in the bathroom a little longer, to let the privacy of the small, foggy space shield me from whatever was waiting beyond the door. Instead, I took a deep breath, finished slathering moisturizer on my face, and reached for the handle.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Please don’t take it personally. It’s just… you haven’t been home much, and then we had the worst fight probably ever. I don’t know why it feels so strange, and I’m sorry if it hurts your feelings.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry you feel weird about it now. I’m sorry about everything.”

“Well… that’s why we’re here, right? To get back to where we were.”

He hesitated. “If we can’t, are you going to leave me?”

“I told you before we left. We’re not going back until we’re us again. There isn’t anything for me beyond you. Just… oblivion. There is no other option but for us to fix it.”

He offered a small smile. “I just enjoyed tonight so much, and I let myself believe it was going to be just that easy. It’s not your fault.”

“It can be—that easy. Maybe just not the first night.”

Trenton nodded, then passed me with his things in hand. The door clicked as he disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water following seconds later. I leaned back in the corner chair, his boots next to my feet.

A soft knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor in the quiet room, but I hesitated, my hand hovering just above the armrest. The knock hadn’t been loud—barely more than a gentle tap—but it stirred a flash of unwanted memories. Madison barging into my bedroom, her voice filled with mockery as she reveled in breaching our security.

“Liis?” I called.

“Can we talk to you for a second?” she said through the door.

I walked across the room, each step measured as I reached for the handle. Easing the door open just a crack was enough to see Liis standing there with Thomas beside her, both framed by the dim hallway light. They exchanged glances, something unspoken passing between them.

I gripped the edge of the door. “Everything all right?”

Thomas tried to peek behind me. “He’s in the shower?”

“Yes?”

“Can you come outside and talk?” Liis asked.

I followed them to the patio, hugging myself against the cold desert air while I waited for one of them to begin.

“We wanted to wait until we could speak to you alone,” Liis said. “What we need to tell you is… complicated.”

“Complicated how?” I pressed, my stomach already tightening.

Thomas shoved his hands in the pockets of his gray sweatpants. “As in, we’ve had multiple discussions—”

“And arguments,” Liis interjected.

“And arguments,” Thomas conceded, “whether we should share this information, but in the end we decided,” he looked to her for confirmation, “that it’s the right thing to do. The people who were helping Madison—they weren’t just random criminals.”

My mouth went dry, and for a moment, all I could do was blink at him. “What does that mean?”

Thomas’s expression was unreadable. He wasn’t my brother-in-law in that moment. No, the man standing in front of me was Agent Maddox. “She didn’t know who she was working with, at least not at first. They used her to get to us. To hurt us through our family.”

“But you know who they are?”

He nodded.

I couldn’t process it. The pieces refused to fit together in my mind. It didn’t make sense. “ Madison? ” I managed, though the word barely made it past the lump in my throat.

Liis took over. “We’ve been investigating this group for years. They’re involved in a wide range of criminal activity and colluding with someone you may be familiar with. Benny Carlisi.”

I blinked. I knew who Benny was, but only via what Trenton had told me from what he’d learned from Travis. It was the way I’d connected Abby and Liis to the secret.

“Benny Carlisi is dead,” Thomas said. “And this group has a guarantee from the Carlisi family that a significant portion of his business will be exchanged for retaliation.”

“Who… who killed him?” I asked. “You?”

Liis folded her arms over her baby belly. “What you need to know is that Trent was mistaken for someone they’ve targeted for retaliation. They saw an opening with Madison when they caught her tailing you as often as they were. When she was taken to that facility, they used the opportunity to connect with her. She was an easy target—angry, desperate, and willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted. She had already done most of the legwork, gathering intel they needed, your schedules, frequented spots, vehicles, phone numbers, addresses. They manipulated her, kept her at arm’s length, and their plan was to exploit her without exposing themselves.”

“Why bring Madison with them?”

“To keep her close, keep her quiet, and for some groups, their word is a matter of honor. They’d clearly promised her something,” Thomas explained.

I swallowed. “You’re saying professional criminals came into my home and tried to kill me.”

Thomas hesitated, his jaw tightening before he spoke. “There’s more. We brought you here because we had confirmation that they’d sent more members to hit the shop. A drive-by. In retaliation for the men in your home being detained. We intercepted the intel before they could act on it.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Hazel,” I said, turning for the door to get my phone. “Beck and Sylvie!”

“Wait, Camille,” Thomas said, grabbing me by the arm.

“What about Dad?” I demanded, shrugging away from his grip.

“We’re on it. They’ve already been apprehended.”

“When is this over, Thomas?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. “At what point do they stop coming for us? Our family and friends?”

“We’re working on it,” Liis said. “We know this latest bust has forced them to back off and regroup. The good news is that Madison is back at the facility, in a secure wing, and she’ll be facing charges soon. Her parents are selling their home, so once she serves her time, she’ll be on the west coast, far, far away.”

“She is the least of our problems!” I said, immediately getting shushed by Thomas.

Liis held up her hands. “Camille… you have to trust us. We’re trusting you to encourage Trenton to still stay alert while keeping the details to yourself.”

I nodded, fighting the urge to lash out at them both. I looked up at the sky and the millions of stars blinking above us.

Thomas’s phone chirped. He looked down, and then to Liis. “It’s Val. She’s texted you several times.”

“Shit,” Liis said. “It’s in the bathroom, I think.”

She rushed into the adobe, leaving Thomas and me outside alone. My shivering must have become noticeable, because he took off his robe and put it around my shoulders. “We had to get you out of there. After everything you’ve been through, I couldn’t let you… I couldn’t let them…” He rubbed the back of his neck, then seemed to suddenly notice me again.

“Jesus, you’re freezing,” he said, rubbing my arms with his hands.

“We should just tell Trent,” I said.

“Tell me what?” Trenton asked from the open doorway.

I turned, and after seeing the look on his face and recognizing what it meant, I took a step back from Thomas’s hands.

“Trent,” Thomas warned, holding one hand out toward his brother and putting a hand on my shoulder.

“Let me guess,” Trenton said. “It’s not what it looks like? I get out of the shower and hear voices through the open fucking window, then I come out here and see you and my wife having some kind of secret conversation alone, her draped in your robe and your goddamn hands on her. Tell me, Tommy, what is it?”

“Trent,” I said, taking a step toward him.

He pointed to me, then to Thomas. “Start talking, Tommy… or I swear to God… I swear to God, man…”

“Val’s all set,” Liis said, walking out holding up her phone. “Oh, hey, Trent. We were just out here talking about the plan tomorrow. Thomas wanted to surprise you, but one of our favorite restaurants is about ninety minutes away, and it’s going to be hard to not explain…” she trailed off, her eyes dancing between us.

She was playing it off. She’d known exactly what she was walking into. I knew she was lying, and yet I was still convinced.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

Trenton blinked, then he rubbed the top of his head. “Oh, shit,” he swallowed hard as if he was about to vomit. “I did it again. Fuck, fuck, fuck …”

“It’s okay,” I said, walking toward him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… I’m sorry,” he said, unraveling after every word.

I cupped his face and shook my head. “It’s fine. It did look suspicious. No one blames you.”

Trenton’s eyes bounced from me to his brother, to Liis, and then his gaze met mine. He was spiraling, and by the looks of it, on the verge of a panic attack.

“Come on,” I said. “Come with me.”

“What can we do?” Thomas asked.

“Nothing, I’ve got it,” I said, guiding Trenton back to our room.

Once the door shut, he leaned back against it and then slid to the floor, his knees to his chest, his hands covering his face even as he struggled, his breaths coming in sharp, uneven gasps. Gently, I rested my hands on his, hoping he’d feel the reassurance I so desperately needed him to.

“Trent,” I said softly, leaning closer so my voice could cut through the storm raging in both his mind and body. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Do you hear me? Nothing. This isn’t on you.” His head shook as tears streaked down his face, his entire body trembling, but I didn’t move away. “Look at me,” I whispered, fighting to keep my voice calm. “It was an innocent mistake. Anyone would’ve thought what you did. Just breathe with me. Slow and easy, one breath at a time.” His hands began to relax under mine, his breathing beginning to slow as my words reached him.

“Good. That’s good,” I said. He looked up at me and I gave him a smile, nodding. “Deep breaths. That’s it.”

“Whoa,” he said, still focused on his breathing. “What was that?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“I just,” he began, letting out a shaky exhale, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’d just, um,” he faltered, his eyes glistening as he stared past me, lost somewhere between shame and regret. “I’d promised myself earlier that I’d apologize to you on this trip for what I said about you and Tommy. And then I go outside, and I see that, and—I don’t know—I just saw red. It took everything in me not to grab the closest thing I could use as a weapon and murder him, Cami. I thought he was taking you from me.” His voice cracked, his words tumbling out faster now, his breaths uneven. “And when Liis came out…” His words broke off entirely, the tears spilling over, carving their way down his face. “I realized how bad I’d fucked up. I’d done it again, and I panicked. I just knew you were gonna leave me for good this time. For accusing you of what everyone else always has. Because I was,” he paused, his lips trembling so hard it was a wonder he could even speak. “I’ve always been the one who believed you. I’m supposed to trust you. And, I haven’t. I haven’t been good to you. So, he could. He could take you from me and I just lost it, I…” His head ducked, his expression crumbling, his voice breaking as he whispered, “I’m so fucking sorry.”

I held him to me, fighting my own tears. “I love you. You’re the only man I want, the only one I’ll ever want. Don’t you know that?” I kissed his head and put my thumb under his chin, raising his gaze to meet mine. “When we get home, we’re going to find someone to talk to. Because what we’ve been through? It’s too much, baby. It’s too much.”

He nodded and then buried his face in my chest. “I’m sorry for being such a pussy,” he said, laughing once.

I scoffed. “I’d rather you lose your shit over the thought of losing me than be indifferent like you have been.”

He looked up at me with wet, red-rimmed eyes. “I can be an idiot, and God knows I’m a total fuck up, Cami, but I know without a doubt that I’d die without you.”

I put my hands on each side of his face and grinned. “Then you’re going to live forever, Trenton Maddox.”

We held each other for a long time, neither of us speaking, the silence heavy but not unwelcome. His breaths, shaky at first, began to even out against my shoulder, and I felt the tension in his body begin to fade. My fingers ran absentmindedly over his back, and he clung to me like I was the only thing keeping his head above water.

When we both relaxed enough to move to the bed, I stood, taking his hand and gently guiding him over. He followed without protest, his eyes weary but calm. I pulled back the covers and waited as he climbed in, then slid in beside him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, shielding my husband from whatever darkness still lingered in his mind. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, and we held on to each other, our breathing syncing in the quiet. It might’ve been an hour or more, but eventually, exhaustion won out, and we both drifted into a fragile but much-needed sleep.

***

The sun was barely above the horizon, but its pale light still felt harsh against our groggy eyes, an uncomfortable reminder of how little sleep we’d managed the night before. The scent of coffee and maple syrup lured me to the table, and I stopped short at the sight of it. The breakfast spread was nothing short of extravagant, with stacks of pancakes, crispy bacon, bowls of fruit —enough to cater to a small department meeting rather than the four people seated around it. Thomas and Liis were clearly working overtime to turn this trip into their version of a royal bed and breakfast. It was almost too much, feeling more like an apology for the mess they’d brought to our doorstep than a bid for the best host award.

Trenton was across from me, his face still shiny and flushed from his morning shower, and the soft clink of silverware against ceramic plates filled the air. Thomas and Liis chatted lightly, their conversation weaving between a recap of last night’s movie and plans for the day. I sipped from my cup, letting the warmth of the dark liquid within it chase away the fatigue still plaguing me.

“What do you think?” Thomas asked.

“It’s a lot,” I said, “and beautiful and yummy. Thank you.”

Thomas cleared his throat, setting his fork down and leaning back in his chair. “About last night,” he began. He seemed uncharacteristically nervous. “I owe all of you an apology. And I’m also sorry for what I’m about to say, but I think it’s time we have the uncomfortable conversation we’ve all been avoiding until now.”

“Thomas,” I interjected, but Trenton put his hand on mine.

“No, you’re right. We should, and we all need to do it with unfiltered honesty,” Trenton said.

Thomas shifted in his seat. “It’s hard to explain how—although my previous relationship with Camille does make all of this seemingly complicated—our history results in feelings deeper than how a brother-in-law would feel about his brother’s wife. But they’re not romantic. And sometimes, when it all comes to the surface, when our loyalties are questioned or jealousy arises, it’s comforting to talk to Camille about it, because she’s the only person who truly understands that, while it’s more than what others in the same family dynamic may feel, it’s not at all what it was before.”

My chest tightened, but Trenton was right. It was time. “I’m going to add that the way I feel is more like the way I’d feel about a much older brother-in-law, someone who’s been with, say, an older sister my entire life, so there is more familiarity. And at the same time, there is always a conflict of guilt because of the reality of our previous relationship, always the second-guessing that I don’t do anything that might signal my feelings go beyond that, because they don’t.”

Liis hesitated, her fork hovering over her plate before she set it aside. “It’s not easy to talk about,” she admitted, glancing at Thomas, then at me. “I’ve been holding on to resentment—not just for your history, but for the way it made me feel. I know it’s irrational, but it’s been hard to shake. I’ve worried if there are still lingering romantic feelings, despite you both proving over the years that there’s not.”

“Not me,” Trenton said. “I knew the day I found out Tommy was her guy in California that it was behind you both. Everyone else not being able to move on was what got to me, and it wasn’t until I questioned the state of my own marriage did it even become a thought.”

Liis’s face softened, her lips pressing together for a moment before she spoke. “For my part, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice genuine. “For the way I’ve treated you. I’ve been unfair.”

Trenton sighed. “I was an ass last night. Jealous and defensive when I didn’t need to be, jumping to conclusions. I’m sorry, too.”

I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, but Thomas beat me to it. “Liis had just stepped inside. Only an idiot wouldn’t have questioned the situation, Trenton. I think I can speak for everyone when I say no one blames you.”

“I could’ve handled it better,” Trenton muttered. “I scared myself. I immediately fell into a blind rage; I’ve never felt that kind of anger.”

“You’ve been through a lot; emotions have been high. That’s not who you are, and we all know it. You need to tell yourself that, too,” I said.

Liis relaxed. “So, we’re all in agreement? We can move forward with a clean slate? The dynamic here has been confirmed.”

We all nodded, smiling with relief.

Thomas gave a small, wry smile, lifting his coffee mug. “Well, here’s to progress. Better late than never.”

The remaining conversation eased into a lighter tone, with Thomas weaving in his stories about the surrounding area, his voice animated as he recounted old legends of hidden caves, restless spirits, and a local innkeeper who supposedly buried treasure somewhere in a gorge miles outside Chinle. Liis occasionally chimed in, adding tidbits she’d picked up from her own research, and even Trenton cracked a smile when Thomas described an absurd tale of a goat that supposedly led a lost hiker to safety.

After breakfast, Trenton and I set out for a hike on our own that Thomas had recommended.

“It’s not the easiest trail,” he’d warned with a half-smile. “But the views are worth it.”

That should have been my first red flag, but Trenton had seemed excited, and I wasn’t about to back out.

The trail was every bit as difficult as Thomas had suggested. Narrow paths wound along steep cliffs, the ground uneven and rocky beneath our boots. By the time we reached the summit, my legs were burning, and I was covered hair to toe in a thin layer of sand. But Thomas was right—the view was stunning. The desert stretched out endlessly, golden and red, with jagged cliffs and mesas standing like ancient guardians.

“Worth it?” Trenton asked, a playful grin on his face as he held out the water.

I nodded, taking the bottle and gulping it down. “Barely,” I teased, though the truth was, moments like this made the sweat and sore muscles feel insignificant.

As I stood there beside Trenton, the wind tugging at my hair, I felt small. The endless horizon drew attention to the confines of our problems. He hadn’t said much since we started the climb, but I could feel the building tension radiating from him. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, almost swallowed by the wind.

“We used to be so good at this,” he said, staring straight ahead. “At us. At knowing what the other needed without even saying it.”

I swallowed hard, my hands fidgeting with the hanging straps of my backpack, knowing it was time for another uncomfortable but necessary conversation. “I know. But I also know we can get back there. We ignored it, almost for too long, hoping things would get better on their own. When they didn’t, at least for me, resentment was easier than the pain.”

He turned to me then, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find the woman he married. “I don’t want to lose us, Camille. I can’t lose us. I want to fix it, but it feels like we’re buried under everything—Madison, secrets, the baby…”

His voice broke on the last word, and my heart clenched. I reached for his hand, needing to feel the warmth of him, to remind myself that there was still hope. “We don’t have to fix it all at once,” I said softly. “We can start with one thing at a time. But we have to actively work for it. Both of us.”

He nodded, his grip on my hand tightening. “I need your help. I just… I don’t know how to let go of the things that hurt. I keep replaying everything over and over in my mind. Madison’s betrayal. Thomas and Travis and the secrets I’m not part of. Losing our baby. It’s like I’m stuck in this loop, and I don’t know how to get out.”

“I feel it, too,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I feel the pressure of it all, and sometimes it’s so heavy I can’t breathe. But I also know that if we don’t find a way to move past it, if we don’t say these things out loud because we’re scared it’ll topple our marriage over the edge, it’ll be a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“More like tragedy.” His gaze dropped to the ground, and for a moment, I thought I’d said too much. But then he nodded again, slower this time. “You’re right. We need to speak our fears out loud—not to give them power, but to lay them bare and see what we’re really fighting against: the outcome we’re both so damn scared of. I think I just needed to remember that flaws and all, you still want me. I’ve had constant intrusive thoughts that I don’t deserve you after all this, when up until now, I’ve been a damn good husband.”

“You have been,” I said. “You still are.”

“Even if I fuck up? Even if I fall short?”

“Especially then. We only fuck up when we’re trying.”

He sighed. “That’s just it, though. Somewhere along the way, the shame of it, it made me stop trying to prove to you I’m all in, even though that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

“You’re here, aren’t you? You haven’t stopped trying.”

We found a patch of shade beneath a lone tree and sank to the ground, the cool earth beneath us a welcome contrast to the scorching desert sun. Sitting there, side by side, felt easier than it had in months.

“Let’s take a year,” I said after a moment, breaking the silence. “No talk of trying again for another baby. No pressure. Let’s just focus on us—on getting back to the couple we were before all of this.”

He looked at me then, something raw and vulnerable in his expression. “A year,” he agreed. “We owe ourselves that. Madison’s no longer a threat, and we can focus on being happy again. That sounds pretty damn perfect to me.”

When we returned to the house, we took a long shower together, the first time we’d been under the same stream of water in over two months, washing away the hurt, dust, and exhaustion. No sex, just pure intimacy, his hands washing suds over every inch my skin, his lips pressing against all his favorite spots on my body. The cool water was a relief, and by the time I stepped out, my body felt lighter. Trenton was already dressed in a plain gray T-shirt and well-worn jeans, his boots scuffed from countless miles, and he flashed me a smile as I passed, the kind that felt unspoken but said everything—comfort, reassurance, and a quiet promise that we were finally back on track.

Thomas and Liis were waiting for us in the kitchen, Thomas leaning against the counter with his arms crossed while Liis tapped something on her phone. “We want to take you to our favorite place in the great metropolis of Gallup, New Mexico, for lunch,” she said, glancing up. “It’s a long drive, but I promise, it’s worth it.”

Thomas smiled. “Earl’s Restaurant. The name might not tickle your dick, but their traditional Navajo dishes are so good they’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about flavor.”

“Let’s do it,” Trenton said, watching his brother grab his wallet, phone, and the keys to the SUV.

The drive started off easily, the open desert stretching endlessly on either side of the road. Thomas drove, his hands relaxed on the wheel, wearing a simple navy T-shirt and khaki shorts that made him look more tourist than federal agent. Liis sat in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the horizon, dressed in a white, lightweight button-up shirt rolled at the sleeves and pregnancy-friendly skinny black jeans, practical but still effortlessly put together. Trenton and I were in the back, his arm draped casually over my shoulder as we talked about nothing in particular.

“I feel underdressed,” I mentioned, mostly to myself.

“You look beautiful,” Trenton said in my ear, kissing my cheek. I looked down at the fitted olive-green tank top I’d paired with slim-fit black joggers, the kind that hugged my legs just enough to feel a little feminine while still practical for the day ahead. My hiking sneakers were still a bit dusty from our morning walk. “This?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “I’m dressed more for boot camp than a dainty lunch at a bistro.”

“Exactly,” he said with a grin. “Beautiful and badass.”

Forty-five minutes down the highway, Liis shifted in her seat, her eyes narrowing at the side mirror.

“Trent, you see that gorge running just off the highway?” Thomas asked. “That old geezer’s treasure is buried there. When I retire, I’m going to find it.”

“Cool story, bro,” Trenton said. “I always thought you were the level-headed one, but you’re bat shit crazy.”

Thomas laughed until Liis tapped the window once with her fingernail. “We’ve got company.”

I froze, my heart leaping into my throat.

“What?” Trenton asked, straightening up, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Like we’re being followed ? Who would be following us out here?”

Thomas didn’t flinch. “Yeah, I’ve been tracking him since the city limits,” he said simply, his gaze steady on the road ahead. “He’s not exactly subtle.”

“You knew?” Trenton’s voice climbed, the edge of panic creeping in. “And you didn’t think to mention it?”

“I was waiting to see what they’d do,” Thomas replied evenly, his calm demeanor both reassuring and unsettling.

I glanced back. The vehicle following us was also a black SUV, unremarkable except for the tint on the windows just dark enough to make it impossible to see the driver. It kept its distance, trailing just far enough behind us to avoid suspicion. The steady pace, never overtaking or falling too far behind, sent a chill through me. It wasn’t some random car on the road—it was deliberate, calculated, and I was irritated with myself for not noticing before.

Liis turned slightly, her hand resting on the door handle. “They’re closing in. We need to make a move before they do.”

“Patience is a virtue, my love,” Thomas said. “Don’t worry, I’m on it.”

“What the hell is going on?” Trenton demanded. After a beat, he spoke again. “Oh. I get it. This is the secret, right? You and Liis picking up that we’re being tailed like it’s a regular Tuesday, you coming to hear what Kostas had to say at Dad’s. Kostas’s background in security. You’re all like… Avengers, I guess?”

Thomas looked at him in the rearview mirror and grinned. “Something like that.”

“Travis, too?” Trenton asked.

“Yes, but it all ends today,” Thomas said. “From here on out, we all go back to our normal lives.”

“Fuck me,” Trenton said, bewildered. “You, too?” he asked, turning to me.

I shook my head. “No. Definitely not me. I’m the nerdy cab driver in this story who stumbled into all this.”

He nodded, relaxing back into his seat. “Thank God for that.”

“This stays between us,” Thomas said, stern. “No need to give Dad a heart attack. He promised Mom.”

“Ah, okay,” he said, relieved something made sense. “Wait. So, you’re not actually in advertising?”

“No more questions,” Liis said.

“Got it,” Trenton said, seemingly satisfied.

The car behind us sped up, pulling alongside our SUV. Moments later, their window cracked, and bullets ricocheted off our hood. My heart raced as Thomas suddenly veered into the chasing vehicle, nearly knocking it off the road, the car jolting as we hit the other SUV and then uneven terrain. Thomas continued into a field of rock and sand, dodging cacti as the other vehicle followed, dust kicking up in a thick cloud around us. Trenton grabbed my hand, squeezing it as the car bounced violently.

“Tommy,” he warned, using his other hand to push against the headliner above him.

“They’re not going to back off,” Liis said, her voice clipped as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Cami, unbuckle. We’re getting out.”

I’d barely had time to put my feet on the ground when Thomas sped away with my husband, Thomas drawing the assailants away from us with gunfire.

Liis sighed, pulling her sidearm, seemingly from out of thin air. “They took the bait.”

“The bait ? Trenton is bait? ”

Thomas fired again, his aim precise, and the other car swerved slightly. But they didn’t stop, instead ramming into Thomas, the impact jolting the car hard to the side. I screamed as the sand settled just enough that the proximity of the gorge came into view.

“They’re too close!”

Liis groaned, holding her stomach as she leaned over, knees bent.

“Oh, shit. Oh, no,” I said, putting my hand on her back. I glanced over my shoulder, hearing gunfire again.

Liis stood and aimed her sidearm, taking several seconds to aim. She fired once and must’ve hit her target. The SUV wavered, but not before slamming into Thomas and Trenton one final time. The force sent the SUV skidding toward the edge in a cloud of dust and sand.

“Jump!” Liis yelled, her voice sharp and urgent over the chaos. The moment the word left her lips, a violent tremor tore through her body, her breath catching mid-command. She doubled over, one hand clutching her belly as the other gripped my shirt.

I barely had time to react before she let out a shaky exhale, her face contorted, her body locked in place as another wave of pain hit.

“Oh, God,” I breathed, dropping beside her, slipping an arm around her shoulders as she leaned forward. “Please, not now.”

Liis squeezed her eyes shut; jaw tight as she fought through it. Her fingers dug into the fabric of my sleeve, her grip like iron. “I’ve felt them sporadically for a week. They’ll go away.”

“Are you sure?”

A violent crash jolted my focus from my laboring sister-in-law, and I looked up to search beyond the dust cloud for the SUV, seeing Thomas and Trenton’s shadows. They were still inside, the wheels teetering off the edge.

I screamed as I stood. “No!”

The other car had slammed into a massive boulder head-on, the force of the impact crumpling its front end like a discarded can. Flames had already engulfed the engine, the fire spreading rapidly as black smoke twisted and billowed into the sky. Two men clawed their way out of the wreckage. The first stumbled out screaming, his entire body engulfed in flames. The fire consumed him in seconds, and he collapsed to the ground, his cries silenced as the inferno overtook him.

The second man followed, coughing and swatting desperately at his arm, where flames licked at his sleeve. He managed to extinguish it, his chest heaving as he fought for air. Then his eyes locked on me. There was something terrifying in his expression—wild and enraged. Staggering toward me, his steps were uneven, his movements sluggish but determined, as if I were the only thing keeping him upright.

Panic surged through me. “Liis? What do we do?”

She held up her gun, shaking as another contraction rolled through her in an unforgiving vise. Gritting her teeth, she flicked off the safety with her thumb, then pulled back the slide with a sharp, practiced motion, chambering a round. The gun was ready to fire by the time she pressed it into my palm.

I swallowed hard, the cold metal unfamiliar in my grasp. My breath hitched as I looked at her, wide-eyed.

“What do I do?” I asked, barely able to keep the tremor out of my voice.

Liis growled through the pain. “Shoot him!”

The man was closing in, his face twisted in pain and fury, each step labored but relentless. My heart pounded so loudly it nearly drowned out everything else.

“Camille, shoot him!” Liis yelled.

With trembling hands, I raised the weapon, my arms shaking under its weight. I could feel every second stretch out as I squeezed the trigger. The gunshot cracked through the air, the recoil jarring me as the force snapped through my arms.

The man continued toward us, the stray bullet kicking up a burst of sand where it struck, the grainy plume rising for a moment before the desert swallowed the silence whole.

“I missed!” I cried, panicking. “He’s still coming at us!”

Liis clutched her belly, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps as she fought to force the words out through the pain gripping her from the inside out, “Keep shooting until he’s not!”

I squeezed the trigger a second time, and then a third.

Liis gritted her teeth, bracing as she looked up at me. “Feet shoulder-width apart,” she panted. “Steady grip. Exhale as you squeeze the trigger—don’t jerk it.” Another contraction hit, but she forced herself to finish. “Aim for center mass. Don’t hesitate.”

A bullet tore into him, jerking his body back as a dark bloom spread across his shirt. His arms flinched up as if trying to catch himself, but his legs buckled, and he crumpled to the ground, eyes wide with shock before the life drained out of them.

My hands still shook, the gun slipping from my grasp as adrenaline coursed through my veins, making it impossible to catch a full breath. Each inhale felt shallow and unsteady, as if my body was locked in overdrive, refusing to let me settle or think clearly.

Liis reached out with a trembling but steady hand. She pried the weapon from my fingers, flipped the safety on with practiced ease, and slid it back into the holster strapped beneath her shirt. A sharp breath caught in her throat as another wave of pain rolled through her, but she forced her shoulders back and gave me a firm nod. “You’re okay,” she muttered, though I wasn’t sure if she meant me or herself.

She shifted onto her back, focusing on taking slow, controlled breaths.

“Liis,” I whispered, shaking her gently.

“If I rest, it goes away. Just… give me a minute.”

“They don’t have a minute!” I said, looking toward the gorge. My stomach dropped as I glanced toward the edge. The SUV was gone.

“Trent!” I stood again and screamed, my voice feeling as if it had torn from my throat.

I waited a few seconds, and then a faint voice cut through the distance.

I staggered toward the sound. Images of what I might find as I looked down past the cliff flipped like channels in my mind’s eye—Trenton crushed under metal, his face unrecognizable, or Thomas lying lifeless on the ground below.

The voice grew louder, but still just barely audible over the chaotic mix of flames crackling and debris shifting, seeming to fill the spaces between. My legs felt weak as I stepped over and around the boulders that crowded the edge. They threatened to give out beneath me, but I pushed forward. I had to know. I had to see. When I reached the edge, my breath caught.

Trenton was clinging to a tree root, his face pale and strained, his other hand tightly around Thomas’s wrist, who was dangling below him. The car had already fallen, barely recognizable in the twisted wreckage far below.

“Cami,” Trenton gasped, his voice desperate. “My hand is slipping!”

“Hold on.” I fell to my stomach, reaching out for him. “I’ve got you.” My voice cracked as I grabbed his wrist.

“Thomas?” I called down to him. “There’s a protruding rock at your two o’clock where you can grab to pull yourself up to me. Do you see it?”

Thomas shook his head. “You can’t counter our weight, Cami. We’ll pull you right over the edge.”

I turned to look over my shoulder, positioning myself so that I could wrap my legs around a small boulder, hooking my ankles together for stability and yanking a few times just to make sure. “I’m okay. I’m countering with one of these rocks.”

“You’re… what do you mean?” he said.

“Just climb, damn it!” I growled.

Thomas reached up and grabbed hold of the jagged rock, his face contorted in pain as he pulled himself closer. A low growl escaped him with the effort, making it clear he was injured badly. His movements were stiff, deliberate, but I couldn’t tell where the worst of the damage was. Blood streaked his arm, dirt smeared across his face, he kept climbing, inch by agonizing inch.

When Thomas was close enough, I extended my free hand toward him. My underarms burned with the effort, the sharp edge digging into my skin as both my shoulder joints strained to their limit, supporting two grown men suspended in midair. I bit back a cry as my sockets stretched and my ankles cut into the rock, gritting my teeth as I held on, the thought of one or both of them slipping from my grasp too horrifying to consider. The ache in my arms blurred into desperation, every nerve in my body focused on holding on just long enough to somehow pull them both to safety.

“Liis?” Thomas asked. “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“I think… I think she’s in labor. She’s about twenty yards back.”

“Shit,” Thomas said, looking for a way to the top.

Trenton looked at me and then his brother. “She can’t pull us both up. I’m not sure she can lift even one.”

“Shut your face, Maddox,” I shot back, grunting as I shifted my body to counter their weight. “I can, and I will. I just need to think.”

Thomas tried to use his other hand to hoist himself up, but slipped, falling. The motion yanked on my arm, and I cried out in pain.

“Fuck,” Thomas hissed. “I’m sorry,” he said, finding his footing. “I’m sorry.”

“Liis?” I screamed over my shoulder. “Liis!”

“Is she okay?” Thomas asked, breathing hard while he clung to the steep wall of the gorge.

“I see her,” I said, licking my dry lips. “She’s okay.”

“Okay,” he said, looking at the cliff side in front of him. “Let’s think.”

“Think quickly,” I said, straining.

The root Trenton held on to made a ripping sound and pulled away from the rock a few inches, jolting us both.

“Shit!” he said, looking down. His eyes darted back up to me. “Don’t look, baby. If I fall… I don’t want you to see it. Look away.”

Tears burned my eyes. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Thomas looked at his brother and then up at me, his expression calm despite the terror in his eyes. “Camille,” he said softly. “Let me go and use your other hand to pull Trenton up.”

“Fuck that!” Trenton yelled.

“No!” I said, shaking my head quickly. I could feel streams cutting through the dust on my cheeks. “We can figure this out. Liis just needs to rest and then she can help. Just… hold on for a little longer.”

“She can’t,” Thomas said. “If she’s in premature labor—”

The root ripped again.

“Tell Liis…” Thomas began.

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare,” Trenton pleaded. “You let go and I’m right behind you, brother.”

Thomas looked down. “There’s a ledge. With any luck, I can slow myself down and land on it.”

“Yeah, and break every bone in your body,” Trenton said.

“I’m not looking forward to it, trust me.”

The root ripped again, and Trenton reached for my wrist just as it pulled away from the rock.

My chest shivered as I sobbed through closed lips, my eyes dancing between Trenton and Thomas. Trenton was sweating, and he was slowly sliding from my grip.

“It’s okay, baby doll,” Trenton said, managing a small grin, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him. “It’s not your fault… it’s not your fault,” he repeated. He looked down, breathing through his pursed lips, then back at me. “I love you,” he said, slipping further. “Close your eyes for me, okay? Close your eyes.”

I sobbed, my hands trembling as I tightened my grip with one hand. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

And then I let him go.