Phew, this safe topic, I can discuss. “Yeah, they stay near their mom for almost a year.”
His eyes twinkle as if he has some kind of x-ray vision able to see under all my layers of clothes. “It will be a while until we can learn if the habitats of predators or smaller mammals have been disturbed. So, I’ll definitely need to return in the spring.”
For a moment, I had forgotten. The grant is a ruse. The minute he’s done counting, he’ll be gone, leaving me to lick my invisible wounds.
“Ready to go, babe?” He brushes a kiss across my lips and places a hand at my lower back before walking me to his vehicle.
Inside, he turns the key. When the engine gurgles but refuses to start, he scratches his beard. “That’s weird. It was working fine a second ago.”
Shivering, I shrug. “It’s below zero. You probably have water in the fuel line. Let’s take my car. There’s a lot of great chefs on the mountain. On the way we can stop for dry gas.”
Hunt blocks the wind while I open my door, then quickly slips into the passenger seat. As I merge onto the highway, I steal a glance at his handsome, silent face. He probably expects some snarky comment about ignoring me, but I keep quiet. We agreed that if we got together, it would be strictly casual. Perhaps he’s not as into me as I thought.
With more important things to discuss, I clear my throat. “So, how’s my brother?”
Hunt shifts in his seat, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “It’s not what you think. A lot of farmers mentioned Kade spends time in the woods. I figured he might have some insight.”
Pure unadulterated bullcrap. “So, you didn’t talk about me?”
“Not exactly.” He scratches his jaw. “He did mention not to hurt you—in the politest way possible.”
“Right. And?” Catching my furious glare, his eyes soften. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to call him out.
His voice lowers. “He mentioned your hospital stay, but only so I’d understand. He cares about you.”
“It wasn’t his story to tell, dammit.”So long friend-with-benefits.Thanks a lot, Kade.
Halfway up the mountain, a loud pop echoes from under my Kia—not a sound any engine or muffler should make.
“Slow down. Pull over.” Fingers wrapped around the emergency brake, Hunt remains unnervingly calm.
My pulse spikes as I ease my foot off the accelerator and press on the pedal to the left. It sinks to the floor.
“Oh shit. No brakes.”
Chapter 14
Hunt
Thank God the brakes failed driving uphill, not after she dropped me off. At least the steep incline will slow us down.
As she white-knuckles the wheel, I bend forward to switch off the ignition, hoping to kill the engine. For a second, nothing happens. Then, a sharp crack erupts under the dash, followed by a sizzle. The control panel dark, the SUV lurches as if yanked by an invisible chain.
Possessed, it comes to a dead stop.
A beat of eerie silence passes without incident, before we begin to roll backward.
“Hunt! Oh God. I’ve lost power steering.” Kelly swivels in her seat, panic flashing over her face while she struggles to stay on the road. If she backs us into a truck climbing the mountain, we’ll be counting our sins at the pearly gates.
When blinding headlights flare in the rearview mirror, my stomach bottoms out. I yank instinctively on the wheel. We bounce across the asphalt. As my back teeth clunk together, we swerve into the opposite lane, missing a Greyhound bus by mere inches.
Not done fishtailing, metal shrieks as we collide with a guardrail.
Goodbye, bumper.
The best news? Although we’re rolling the wrong way, at least we’re moving with the traffic. Intending to throw the transmission into neutral, I grab the stick shift, but it won’t budge. The person who sabotaged her electronics knew exactly what they were doing.
I assess the situation. Steel barriers line both sides of the highway. To hit them again would put us in a deadly tailspin.
