“We’re not doing this.” I put out a hand and motion for her. “Let’s go.”
“No.” She turns her back on me and starts up again, clearly no longer surprised by the fact that I’ve followed her.
“No?” I raise a brow and plant a foot on a rock, heaving myself up to her in one haul.
“I’m not leaving until I find the teeth,” she says between pants without looking at me.
I stop. Teeth? What teeth?Marshal’s? Is she delusional? “You can’t be serious,” I say.
She glances at me over her shoulder, face pale but determined. “If they find his teeth, then that’s as good as a body. But if I find the teeth first—”
I grab her arm. Not hard, but enough to make her stumble to a stop—even though I’m mildly offended that she would think I would miss something like that.
“Do I look like a fucking idiot?” I hiss as she gapes down at my fingers around her skin. “I grabbed the teeth, Kira. First thing I did once the fire was out. I’m not new at this.”
She jerks away from me. “Oh? You grabbed them? While they were nice and hot, you sifted through the ashes and grabbed them? Because I don’t remember that.”
She’s spun up, more frantic than I’ve ever seen her. Something must have happened. But she’s chewing out the wrong person. I would never leave behind evidence that could get her in trouble. Even that first night, when she was supposed to be nothing more than a loose end to clean up, something in me wanted to protect her.
“Well, you wouldn’t remember that, would you?” I snap. “Seeing as how you were passed out, like you’re about to be if you don’t calm down.”
“I’mfine,” she grinds out.
“Likefuck,” I mirror her.
She really thinks she can do this. Like the laws of biology don’t apply to her. It’s insane. It’s reckless. And it’s so goddamnherthat I want to kiss her. That tenacity gets me hard. But this is not the place to fuck her. Woods? Fine. Crime scene? No.
Her mouth opens—probably to throw something venomous—but it doesn’t come out. Instead, her face goes blank, and her eyes stop focusing on me. The line between her brows melts, and like a switch, something has flipped… off.
“Kira?”
Her legs buckle, and I swoop to catch her before she can hit the ground. She’s limp in my arms, and her head lolls against my chest.
Fuck.Fuck.
“Kira. Kira, open your eyes!” I bark, giving her a little shake. “Now, buttercup.”
Nothing.
I press my knuckles to her cheek, frowning. She’s cold but damp. How can she be cold and sweating at the same damn time? I don’t know if it’s her heart or dehydration or stress or all of it combined, but I don’t fucking like it.
“Come on,” I say, pushing back some of the hair that’s stuck to her forehead. “You’re fine. Tell me again how fine you are.” I search her face for movement, for some annoyance at my request. But there is none.
Fuck. She’s not fine.
I shift fast, one arm under her legs, one around her back, and then I’m hauling her down the bluff. My feet slide on gravel. My shoulder hits a tree. My ankle rolls. But I don’t stop.
“Stay with me, baby. Come on,” I mutter, breath heaving. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.” I spare a glance at her face. Her eyes are still closed, and my chest tightens like I’m about to have my own heart attack.
I didn’t actually think she’d pass out. She’s stubborn as hell. I’ve watched her fight it off twice before and almost win. But this time wasn’t like drifting off—it was like she wasn’t in control. Like she’s not actually invincible. A fact that I hate.
I keep my eyes on the terrain as I speed up.
I make it back to the car, rip the door open, and lower her into the passenger seat like she’s made of glass—which is a feat considering my muscles are shaking and my breath is ragged. Her head slips down, and her chin rests against her collarbone without resistance as I buckle her in.
“Goddamn it,” I growl as I slam the door.
I don’t bother with my own seat belt as I get in the driver’s side and instead floor the gas so hard the tires squeal.
