How could Nico have done it again? Cullen’s gut clenched with outrage.
Kit pulled Tot closer.
Nico extended a palm. “You know there’s no more chances. Toss Annette’s stuff to me, whatever it is. Now. I’m done with this.”
Behind them, a fissure opened between them and the river, belching noxious gasses. The lava rose inside, hissing steam and surrounding Nico in a vaporous corona. He shot a terrified look behind him. “Hurry up!”
“You’re not gonna drive out of here after what you’ve done,” Cullen snarled.
“What I’ve done? I’m only looking out for myself, and I’ve lost my brother in the process.” His face twisted. “Hewas the only one I could trust on this whole lousy planet. We’ve had each other’s backs since we were kids.”
Cullen shrugged. “You didn’t work very hard to save him.”
Nico’s mouth trembled. “I didn’t understand what happened. You took off so fast and I followed, figured Simon was passed out or something and I’d get back to him after, but ...” He shook his head. “He’s dead because of you two.”
“It was an eruption of carbon dioxide from under the lake,” Kit said. “We didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Nico cocked his head. “Doesn’t matter. You got involved where you had no business.”
“We didn’t—”she started.
Nico fired three rounds in quick succession, the bullets plowing the ground in front of them. Kit cried out. The baby wailed.
Cullen’s jaw clenched tight, and he jerked Kit and Tot behind him. “Wise up, man. We’re on an exploding mountain in case you haven’t noticed. The ground is literally going to swallow us up. There’s no point in wasting lead by shooting anyone.”
“It’d be a way to honor my brother’s memory.” Nico swiped an arm over his sweating brow and gestured to Kit with the gun. “Open the back of my SUV. Take a look inside.”
“Kit...” Cullen warned, but Nico swiveled the gun to him and Tot.
“Shut up,” Nico said. “She’ll do what I tell her.”
His muscles were wire taut as Kit walked to the vehicle, opened the rear hatch, and looked in. “A rolled-up mat, so...” Then she stopped and peered closer, her expression sick with horror. “It’s Annette.”
No.His heart dropped.NotAnnette.
“Simon caught her just after the landslide. She was practically dead anyway. When he pressed, she told him the proof against me was with the baby stuff in the duffel. I know she was telling the truth because she thought it would save her life.” He shrugged. “Turns out, she was wrong. You two have it. And you’re going to give it to me now.”
Cullen’s brain spun. There had to be a way out. Something.
Nico’s finger tightened on the trigger, his face paling. “The proof, now. You can give it to me or I can cut you down and take it off your dead bodies.”
Kit looked at Cullen, and he nodded. She unzipped her jacket and tossed Nico the plastic packet. He caught it with his free hand. “Finally. Just one more thing you’re going to do for me before you die.” He used the gun to point to Cullen. “Get Annette. Dump her in the ravine.”
Cullen’s stomach clenched, roiling in protest. He shook his head. “Not doing that.”
Nico cocked his head, walked to Kit, and aimed the weapon at her forehead. “Yes, you are. You’re the reason Simon’s dead, so now you’ll do his work.”
Sweat burned his eyes, and his breathing grew shallow. Nico would shoot them all as soon as Cullen followed directions. He’d failed. He was going to lose Kit and Tot. The thought of watching them die, knowing he could have, should have made other, safer choices, squeezed the breath from his lungs. His gaze welded to Kit’s.
Her mouth trembled, but she raised her chin. Tot wriggled in her arms, and Kit rocked her, soothing and comforting her though tears trickled down her own cheeks. She would offer what she could to the child until there was nothing left to give. Tot had survived so much, and so had Kit. Two strong women in different-sized packages. What if he could find a way out of this?
Determination slammed through him like a landslide, knocking away the defeat. He’d been forgiven for what he’d allowed to happen to Daniela, and he’d even begun to forgive himself, inch by inch. He could meet his Lord resting in that truth. But he would see to it that Kit and Tot did not have their lives cut short by this pathetic excuse for a man.
He locked on her.Be ready.
Her eyes narrowed. Message received. Her throat convulsed as she swallowed. So beautiful in her courage.
He faced Nico, giving voice to his disgust. “Why should I cooperate? You have no reason to keep us alive.”
