Pierce glared. “This isn’t the time for you to get stubborn.”
“I think it’s the perfect time.”
“What is the problem?” Clara called across the twenty feet separating them. “If you are not going to kiss and say your tearful goodbyes, then I would like to shoot him now. I have been waiting for days.”
“Not yet,” Brea pleaded.
Clara’s face went cold. “Kiss him and leave.”
She had to come up with some excuse…
“I have no way to do that. I don’t know where I am. I have no car…” Brea gave Clara a shrug. “I’m sure he has keys in his pocket. Can I get them?”
“Hurry up.”
“What are you doing?” he growled.
“Saving your ass.” Brea breathed heavily and caught his gaze. “Where are your keys?”
“Front right pocket.”
Brea rounded his body and, with shaking hands, withdrew the fob, then shot him a desperate glance. “Keep her talking. Buy yourself two minutes and I think I can get us forever.”
“I won’t risk you.”
The baby chose that moment to kick, and she rounded the pole with tears in her eyes and pressed her belly against his hand. “Do you feel that?”
A moment later, the baby kicked again. Pierce’s eyes widened. He stared at her with wonder. “That’s our son.”
“Yes. He’s worth fighting for. I don’t want to live without you. I love you. We need you.”
She pressed herself against his side again and stood on her tiptoes as he leaned down to kiss her, then drink the tears from her cheeks.
“I love you,” he whispered.
But that didn’t mean he’d changed his mind.
“Help me to help us. Please. Don’t give up.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Brea felt his subtle nod. Then he whispered against her temple, “Glock behind my seat. No safety. A lot of recoil.”
“I won’t let you down,” she promised.
“You never could.”
“That’s enough!” Clara screamed. “You have the keys. Walk away and don’t stop. If you do, you’ll be next.”
Even though she and Pierce had a plan, she was loath to leave him. What if Clara refused to be drawn into conversation? What if, the second Brea ran for the Jeep, the crazy woman pulled the trigger? What if she made it back in time…but missed? She’d only get one chance to save Pierce. Clara wouldn’t be stupid enough to allow her a second.
Brea stood on her tiptoes and kissed Pierce for what she prayed wouldn’t be the final time. “No matter what, I love you. I didn’t know who I was or what I was supposed to do with my life until I met you.”
“Same, pretty girl,” he whispered. “Do your best, and if it doesn’t work—”
“Shh. I’ll make it work. You taught me to be strong and stand up for what I want. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Brea pressed her lips to his, then cuddled to him as close as she could, feeling the quick but steady beat of his heart. Then she raised her head, stepped away, and set off to save her man.
“Are you finally leaving?” Clara snapped.
Brea held up Pierce’s keys with a nod. “I’ll be gone in two minutes.”
“Good riddance.” As she walked away, Clara went on. “Look, Walker. Your woman is leaving you to die. You will depart this earth knowing you are nothing to her.” The woman laughed. “No one deserves it more.”
As soon as Brea left the circle of the light, she ran. Her pulse throbbed and adrenaline ripped fire through her veins. She wasn’t exactly sure where Pierce had parked his Jeep, but it couldn’t be far, probably near the road.
Dragging her phone from her pocket, she turned on the flashlight. The Jeep sat dark and silent a few feet away. Brea dashed to it, yanking the back door open and fumbling around in the pocket behind the driver’s seat.
Her fingers found the cool metal of the Glock, and she wrenched it free. Then she darted back for the repair shop, crouched and on her tiptoes. Brea hadn’t heard anything that sounded like a gunshot yet, and she counted her blessings, even as she counted the seconds. Pierce was clever enough to keep her talking…but Clara craved blood now.
When Brea reached the edge of the light, she found Pierce standing taut with his arms around the wide pole, wrists still cuffed. Clara hissed something in his ear. He merely shook his head once, but didn’t acknowledge her in any other way. If he knew Brea was back to save him, she saw no indication of that.
Clara stomped her feet, her face red with fury. “You killed him! Say you’re sorry.”
Pierce pressed his lips together mutely, refusing to say a word.
The woman shoved the gun against his head. “Say you’re sorry. Now!”
“You want me to lie?”
Brea’s eyes widened. Was he crazy?
With trembling hands, she raised the gun and aimed at Clara, then she hesitated. She’d only had a few weeks’ practice with a firearm. She’d never shot this gun. Fear coursed through her veins. Her hands shook. What if she missed? What if she hit Pierce instead?
Clara screeched in rage. The sound gave Brea goose bumps. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, nearly drowning out everything else.
“Say. You are. Sorry,” the woman demanded. “Or I will kill you where you stand.”
“You’re going to anyway.”
“I hate you!” Her voice got higher; her hand shook more erratically. “You killed my only brother. The only person who loved me and took care of me.”
Her finger curled around the trigger. Pierce didn’t respond at all.
Clara bared her teeth. “I want you to die.”
She meant that.
Brea’s heart leapt to her throat. She’d never thought she could willfully kill anyone, no matter the circumstance. The good girl in her who loved family, God, and all His living things had never imagined that she would intentionally snuff out anyone. But in that moment, she realized she fucking would. Yes, she might hit Pierce, but if she didn’t try, he would die. It was that simple.
She swallowed, sent a quick prayer up, then aimed. Her
