Olivia didn’t want to go through all of that again, but Jake was right. He needed to be one hundred percent focused on what he was doing. If he got killed because he was worried about her, she’d never be able to live with herself.
Ignoring her fear, she took the gun from his hand. Between her dad and Mikey, she’d learned at a fairly early age the proper way to handle and respect a weapon.
“Safety?”
Relief filled his eyes, and his muscles relaxed. “Here. It’s on. Just flip this down. The mag is full, and there’s already one in the chamber, so it’s ready to shoot. I’m going to climb up this way and check things out. If you see anyone who isn’t me, do not hesitate to pull that trigger. Got it?”
“Okay.” Her confirmation came out a lot shakier than she liked.
“Just make sure you don’t shoot me,” Jake added with a wink.
Lightning fast, he wrapped his free hand around the base of her neck and kissed her forehead. He was gone before she could react.
Forcing long, slow breaths into her lungs, Olivia stood still, listening for any sign that Jake was in danger. It was impressive how silently he moved.
He was up there, somewhere behind the tree, yet the only thing she heard was the occasional chirp or click from bugs and other critters she had no desire to get to know.
The longer she waited, the more nervous she got. For just a moment, Olivia considered going up there to check on him, but given the way she’d reacted when he snuck up on her last time, she was afraid she’d accidentally shoot him. The fear of that happening kept her where she stood. Frozen...again.
Other, unwelcomed memories swirled. Horrifying images kept popping into her brain, and the fear clawing its way through her body felt as fresh as the day it all happened.
No! Not this time.
Olivia blinked the images away. She had to stay alert and focused, and stop thinking of all the things she couldn’t change. Things she didn’t try to stop.
Damn it, Bradshaw, this isn’t helping Jake! And he was what mattered, now. He was all that mattered, and she refused to let him down, too.
A few minutes passed before she heard someone walking close by. She glanced around, but couldn’t see any movement.
After putting the gun in her left hand, Olivia wiped the sweaty palm of her right one onto Jake’s boxers. Then, just like Pops and Mikey had taught her, she took her stance and pointed the weapon toward the direction of the sound.
Keeping her finger off the trigger, Olivia held her breath as the footfalls became more prominent. Her heart felt like a jackhammer, pounding against the inner walls of her chest.
This was it.
If she saw anyone other than Jake, she’d be forced to shoot. Could she do it? Could she take a life when she’d vowed years ago to do all she could to save them?
Yes. The answer came instantly and without question. She would kill in a heartbeat, if it meant saving Jake.
A dark figure stepped around the base of the tree, and Olivia’s trigger finger twitched a millisecond before she saw Jake’s face.
He still had his gun in his hand but holstered it as he walked toward her, which meant there was no immediate threat.
She sighed loudly, her shoulders sagging with relief. Her hand shook as she flipped the safety back on and lowered her weapon, the solace she felt from knowing he was all right mixed with the stream of other emotions. As her internal fight to regain control continued, Olivia did her best to school her expression, praying Jake couldn’t see just how completely messed up she’d become.
****
“We’re clear.” Jake secured the snap on his holster. “It was just an animal. I saw a few small tracks in the dirt close by, but none were human.”
Olivia gave him what looked like a forced smile. “Good. That’s good,” she answered too quickly.
Jake swung his legs over one of the large roots. Hating the fear in her eyes, he asked, “You okay?”
Moving toward her, he zeroed in on the way she kept shifting her weight from foot to foot. As he got closer, he noticed her entire body was shaking as she fought for control.
Swearing under his breath, he closed the distance between them. In a series of swift moves, he took the gun from her hand, checked the safety, and secured it in his tactical thigh holster. Then, he pulled her into his arms.
“I’m sorry I left you alone.”
Jake had thought it was the right decision, but fuck-all if he even knew what that was anymore.
Olivia hugged him back at first, but then abruptly pushed against his chest and backed away. “I’m fine.”
Jake frowned, the move and her sharp tone taking him completely off guard. He could practically see the wall she was putting up between them, and damn if that didn’t hurt.
He tried not to take it personally. Olivia had seen and experienced things no person should ever have to, and her emotions were probably all over the fucking map. Rightfully so, but still—
“You sure you’re okay? Because you seem kind of—”
“Just let it go, Jake,” she snapped, before adding a quiet, “Please.” The pain in her eyes was impossible to miss.
Ah, baby. She was hurting, and Jake wished like hell there was something he could do to make it better for her. Maybe there was.
“Look, Liv. I know it’s not easy, but I really think talking about what happened to you and your friends would help.”
She lifted her stubborn chin and looked him straight in the eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Damn it, she needed to. Easier said than done, though. Jake got it. Didn’t like it, but he got it.
Changing the subject, he said, “I know we’ve only
