“Get out of the way!” Jamie yelled, and the biker, still wide-eyed from his near-death collision, hustled past. Foot on the gas, Jamie revved the van back into action, chasing after the Charger. “You okay?”
Nic straightened in the seat, checking his wrists and appendages. “Yeah, thanks.”
Eyes still on the road, Jamie shot him a sideways grin. “Didn’t think Cam would appreciate it overly much if I killed you.”
“And I’m not going to appreciate it overly much if something happens to him and I’m in this van with you,” Nic replied as he buckled his seat belt. “No offense.”
Jamie chuckled. “None taken.”
“What do you need me to do so we can get back there?”
“If I get close enough, can you shoot out the tires?”
Yeah, he could. The Navy had trained him well, as an attorney and a sniper. He withdrew his Beretta and disengaged the safety. “Get me in spotting distance, and I’ll nail him.”
Grin wicked, Jamie kicked the van into another gear, gaining on the red taillights ahead of them. When the Charger hung a left a street ahead, Jamie took the next left, a block early. Sliding and correcting, he flew down the empty side street. Unbuckling and getting into position, Nic wound his left arm through the seat belt, securing himself, then levered the top half of his body out the window, ready to take aim when they emptied back out into the cross street, right on the Charger’s tail.
Drawbridge lifting up ahead, the chase was on, the Charger racing to make it over the bridge before the two halves split. Nic lifted his firing arm, trying to get a clean shot, but the Charger’s swerving motion was making it impossible. “I’m gonna need you to swing left to get a clean shot.”
“We’re gonna lose them if you don’t hit it.”
“I’ll hit it. Do it now!”
Hand over hand, Jamie wrenched the wheel, sending the van into a left-drifting skid. Nic aimed and fired twice, hitting each back tire. The Charger lurched, slowing as it climbed the rising bridge, but even as its tires shredded, it continued racing ahead on metal rims.
“Fuck!” Jamie corrected the van to give chase, but they’d lost too much ground. “He’s got run-flats on there.”
“What are those?”
“Racing tires. Can drive on the rims.”
Jamie followed him up the bridge but braked at the edge, saving them from going over. From his seat on the windowsill, Nic watched the Charger clear the widening gap and land on the other side, leaving a shower of sparks in its wake.
“Dominic!”
He whipped around, staring toward the back of the van. Cautiously believing what his ears had told him. Then throwing caution to the wind when the call came again.
“Dominic, Jamie, can you hear me?”
Sparks erupted inside Nic, relief brighter than metal on asphalt.
Seventeen
“Price!” Jamie grabbed hold of Nic’s biceps, yanking him back. “Wait until I put the van in park!”
Nic wrenched his arm loose, and as soon as they pulled to a stop in the lot across the street from the smoldering garage, he shoved the van door open and charged across the street. Traffic had been blocked in either direction, clearing a path for EMS. And for Nic to make his way directly over to the group of assembled law enforcement officers, a certain dark-haired, dark-eyed agent among them.
Nic knew Cam was okay. He’d reported in with him as Jamie had hung a U-turn at the bridge and aimed them back toward South End, but the conversation had been too brief, others on scene waiting for Cam’s orders. Now at the scene himself, Nic needed to see Cam with his own eyes, touch him with his own hands, and kiss him with his own lips.
Registering his approach, Cam broke from the group and waited for him to close the distance. Nic held his gaze as he stalked past him, making the demand to follow clear. They circled around the back of an ambulance, finding a quiet spot among the chaos on the other side.
“You get checked out by the EMTs?” Nic asked.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Nic glanced left and right—no one in sight—then rounded on Cam. “Good, then I can do this.” He grabbed the lapels of the jacket Cam had replaced the vest with and yanked Cam forward, kissing him hard. Desperate for the connection that had almost been severed again. While he’d been stuck in another fucking van.
He made his argument with his hands diving into Cam’s matted hair, with his lips and tongue pleading his case by kiss, and with his body straining against Cam’s, reaching out with a need he didn’t bother to hide. No more being sidelined when it came to this man. Fuck that shit.
