Brad pulled out his pistol, but there were too many trees between him and Steven to give him a clean line of sight.
And he was only going to get one shot.
He charged ahead.
If Boyer was planning to kill Cara anyway, there was no longer any point in trying to mask his presence.
When his approach registered with the man, Steven glanced over his shoulder.
The instant he did, Cara executed a high kick that connected with the man’s hand. The one holding the pistol.
A shot rang through the quiet air, and Brad’s lungs shut down.
But Cara was still on her feet.
As Steven lunged for the gun lying on the ground a few feet away, Cara dived at his legs.
He twisted toward her. Tried to shake her off as they both fell to the ground.
She held tight.
And as they grappled, they inched closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.
Too close.
One wrong move, and they’d both plunge over the precipice.
Brad surged forward. “Steven—stop! This is over.”
No response.
Brad reached the crest of the trail and dashed for the gun lying near the duo.
“No!” The bellow came from Steven as he kicked free of Cara’s grasp, vaulted to his feet, and yanked her up in front of him. Clamping his arm under her chin, he pulled her back against him. “Stay away from my gun and put yours down or she goes over.”
Cara clutched at Steven’s arm, trying to pull free, but he held on tight, his eyes crazed. Desperate.
And desperate people didn’t think straight.
Brad stopped fifteen feet away, lowered his weapon, and tried to keep his voice calm. An almost impossible task when the woman who he was more and more certain represented his future was literally on the brink of death. “Let her go, Steven.”
“No.”
Stalemate.
Would negotiation work?
“Tell me what you want.”
“Nothing you can give me. Not now.” He eyed his gun again, resting on the ground halfway between them.
That pistol was not getting back into his hands.
Maybe he could coax him away from the edge of the cliff, remove the imminent danger, and then—
All at once, Cara lifted her arm and started banging the side of her fist against Steven’s face.
The blows were enough to cause him to loosen his grip, and she twisted again in his arms. Wrenched free and stumbled back, away from the cliff top.
