“Wait. What?” I ask, my puzzled gaze bouncing between them.
“I’ll explain later,” Kai says, giving me a nudge. “Get in.”
Sawyer grabs me into a hug. “Stay safe.” He looks over my shoulder at both of us. “No heroics, Kai. There is still a hit on your head. Call Drew, and he’ll organize to get you out of the country safely.”
“I know what to do,” Kai shoots back.
I slip out of Sawyer’s embrace as the driver side door on the other Land Rover opens and closes, and Jackson appears, carrying a gun. He offers it to me. “I hope you won’t need this, but take it.”
I check the safety is on and slip it into the back waistband of my jeans. “Thanks. Be safe.” I fling my arms around his neck. “I don’t want anything to happen to either of you.”
“We’ll be fine. Just get our boy to safety and lie low.”
I move to extricate myself, but he pulls me in closer. He presses his mouth to my ear and whispers, “I’m so sorry about the babies.”
A messy ball of emotion lodges in my throat, and my stomach flips over as I nod. I can’t think about that now.
“We need to leave.” Kai pulls me back, steering me toward the car, and I hop in as I watch him hugging his friends. I slip the gun in the glove box, wiping my clammy hands down the front of my jeans, and praying like I’ve never prayed before.
If we’ve been compromised, it can only mean the bastard has located us and is on his way to kill my lover and drag me home. I don’t want to return to Rydeville, and I can’t lose Kai, so I hope we can pull off whatever plan he has in mind.
Tires squeal, sending plumes of dust and gravel in our wake as both cars head off in different directions. Kai drives across the field on the right-hand side of the property, and I grip the handrail as I’m bounced all over the place. But I don’t complain, and I don’t ask questions even though I’m full of them.
My eyes skim our surroundings in a continual loop, and I keep a close eye on the area behind us through the mirror as Kai maneuvers the car over uneven terrain. We drive across fields, the ground becoming bumpier the farther we go, until we come to a narrow dirt track. The brakes screech as Kai makes a sharp turn, and my stomach lurches to my toes. I grip the handrail tighter. Kai grasps my free hand, squeezing it briefly, and our eyes meet for a fleeting second. I squeeze his hand back, letting him know I’m okay.
We drive for a few miles until we arrive at a set of double gates. They are smaller than the main gates at the entrance to the property but made of the same sturdy wood, and there’s a keypad on this exit too. Kai punches in a code, easing the car out through the gates very carefully. We both strain forward, looking up and down the road, but there isn’t a sinner in sight.
Kai turns right, flooring it as we speed away from Kyler and Faye’s house.
It’s killing me not to ask about Drew, but Kai needs to keep his eyes on the road, and his wits about him. I won’t do anything to jeopardize our escape, so I save my questions for a later time.
We drive for hours, along back roads and side streets, avoiding the highways as much as possible, and I doze on and off.
I wake when the car jerks to a halt, squinting at the motel sign in the dim evening light. “Where are we?”
“Maine.” Kai unbuckles his belt and rubs the back of his neck. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I twist around, glancing out the rear window. “We weren’t followed?”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t spot anyone. The guys met a couple vehicles entering Mistbury as they were leaving, and they purposely snagged their attention.”
My heart rate speeds up, and my breath falters in my throat. “Are they—”
“They’re fine,” he rushes to reassure me, threading his fingers through mine. “Jackson has mad skills, and he got away from them. They’re safe.” He presses a kiss to my brow. “Check us in while I make a call.”
My eyes meet his. “I want to talk to my brother.”
He contemplates it for a minute before nodding. Removing his wallet, he hands me a wad of cash. “Register us in false names, and don’t give up any personal information.”
I glare at him. “I amnotan idiot. I know what to do.”
He presses a bruising kiss to my lips. “I know, babe. I just love winding you up.”
I stick my tongue out at him, and the ghost of a smile appears on his face. Removing his hoodie, he hands it to me. “Put that on and keep the hood up and your head down. Maintain a low profile. If you think anyone has spotted you, leave immediately.”
I do as I’m told, and adrenaline spikes at the inherent danger of the situation. He slaps my ass as I toddle off to the reception area, and I give him the finger.
I’m chuckling when I return to the car five minutes later with our room key. Kai is impatiently drumming his fingers off the steering wheel when I open his door. “What?”
