“Sounds good.”
“Thanks, Travis. See you soon.” Giana hangs up the phone. She’s holding in her nervous energy. That says something about the strength she exudes.
I look in my rearview mirror. The white four-door sedan has gotten closer to us, swerving to try and get around us. When they do that, I slow down and move a different way. It pisses the driver off more each time. I take my foot off the gas this time. I want this to end, and knowing Travis, he’s only a few minutes away. His and Raelynn’s place isn’t too far from here. The driver takes that time to speed up, goes around me. I slam my foot on the break as the car gets in front of me and slows down.
“Looks like Travis will be here in the nick of time.” Giana points out his red and blue lights flashing in the distance.
“I’m not so sure it’ll do any good.” When the driver slammed on the brakes, it made the car fishtail. I skid my own vehicle to a stop, unbuckle my seatbelt.
“What are you doing? No fucking way. You are not getting out of this vehicle, Drake Martinez. If you go, I’m going with you.” Damn, do I love this woman. My hand cups the nape of her neck, and I kiss her quickly before saying, “Stay here. Travis is already behind us. I’ll give you my spare gun, you know how to use it, but I think this will be over in the next few minutes, and she’ll be in handcuffs and in prison for a fuck of a long time.” I always keep a few guns handy—one is in the glove box, another is in the center console, which is the one I’m taking out now. It’s smaller and easier for her to use. The last one is strapped underneath my seat, and I still have one in my holster behind my back.
“If you don’t come back to me in one piece, I will be so upset with you.” Tears are shimmering in her eyes.
“I will, angel. I’m not getting hurt, and I’m damn sure not leaving you, not for all I’m worth.”
“Okay.” With that, I hand her the gun, then step out of the Tahoe.
Travis is already at the side, his hand on the holster his gun is in. My hand is wrapped around my Glock, pointed at the ground.
He nods his head, and we steadily approach the car. We see the vehicle rock back and forth. We’re both apprehensive. These mountains are a thing of beauty, but being on the edge of a deep cliff, it’s not where I want to be.
“Come on out, where we can see you,” Travis states. He has his gun raised and at the ready.
I keep mine by my side. We both watch as she guns the vehicle. It rocks, getting stuck on a rock. We’re getting closer to her vehicle while still keeping a safe distance. You never know if she has some type of weapon. I can see inside her car from where we are, and I have no idea what happened to this woman. It wasn’t long ago that she was working, had her shit together, and once told me about going back to school to further her education. She was a work colleague. Even when Bridger made jokes about it being more, it was never that way. It was strictly platonic, if that.
Now, though, she looks like she’s strung out, skinny as all get out, her hair a matted mess, and clearly unstable. Bekah looks nothing like the lab technician she once was.
“You can’t make me!” she yells, not getting out of the car, but rocking her body back and forth while throwing her car in reverse and slamming on the gas.
Travis and I have no idea what she’s doing, but her car lurches backward, her reverse lights are on, and she’s heavy on the gas pedal. My only thoughts are of getting back to Giana to get her out of the vehicle. There’s no way I want her pinned beneath the side of the mountain and Bekah’s car.
I turn around and run, my only thoughts being for my angel when I hear the tires squeal.
Giana throws open the driver’s side door, running into my arms.
“Fuck, angel, we gotta move. She’s coming right towards us.” Giana doesn’t move though. Her legs are wrapped around my hips. I’m not looking forward. Instead, I head for Travis’s vehicle knowing he can keep himself safe.
“Drake, listen to me. We’re okay.” She cups my cheeks. I finally make it to the squad car, pulling in gulps of air.
It’s then that I turn around. The car that was once in reverse and barreling towards Giana is gone. It takes another glance to see Travis’s form standing by the ledge and flames licking up from over the edge.