His face went oddly blank, and then he uttered the words I was hoping for. “Then let’s go.”
Bill’s scowl covered his entire face when we came out and moved toward the car. I pretended I didn’t see it and ducked into the back seat.
It was surprising when Jason followed, slipping into the seat beside me, as if his boss were our chauffeur. Bill’s aggravated gaze caught mine in the rearview mirror, but I broke it off and pressed my lips together.
We’d barely pulled away before Jason leaned toward the driver’s seat. “What did the log say?”
Bill didn’t get a chance to answer him because his phone rang. He tapped the screen and lifted the phone to his ear. “Hey. Thanks for calling me back. Did you?—”
Whatever the person on the other side had to say, it was urgent. The car was quiet as he drove and listened, and although I could hear a voice on the phone, I couldn’t make out the words.
Could Jason? He grew more tense with every second, and one of his knees bounced nervously, but when I flashed him a questioning look, he didn’t explain.
Bill’s phone call was still going when we pulled into the parking lot of what seemed to be a high school football stadium. A black helicopter was perched in the center of the field with its rotors still spinning, the choppy thumps amplified by the empty metal stands.
It stole my breath that it was here because of me.
There was no directive from Bill, but it was obvious he wanted us to follow him. He shut off the car, climbed out of the driver’s seat, and headed toward the fence surrounding the track without looking back. His conversation was too serious to spare us any attention.
I pushed open my door, got out, and wrapped my arms around myself. The sweater I wore was thick, but the cold air easily cut through it, and my hair was still wet. My teeth immediately began to chatter as I strode toward the helicopter.
“Wait.”
Jason’s voice was hesitant, putting me off balance as I turned to look back. He wore a conflicted expression, and before I couldopen my mouth to ask what was wrong, he captured my lips with his.
His boss had his back turned, but it was stunning he was willing to risk this. To not only disregard the rules, but to flaunt it so publicly, and at this moment. But his kiss was its own flash grenade, voiding everything else out.
But it ended so quickly, it was jarring. I was dizzy in its aftermath, swaying on my feet. What the hell? Jason pumped more confusion into me when he grabbed my hand, laced our fingers together, and pulled me toward the open space in the fence.
By the time we reached Bill, he was on the track and his call had ended. He peered at our linked hands, shook his head, and then motioned to the waiting helicopter.
“Go on, get in,” he shouted.
We scurried across the grass, both of our heads down to avoid the spinning blades, even though we probably had plenty of clearance. My still-damp hair whipped around in the current, smacking me in the face, blinding me. The door was open, and he helped me into the cabin, but he didn’t step up to climb in. His feet stayed on the grass as he pulled me close so he could speak into my ear.
“You do whatever they tell you, you hear me? Stay hidden and you stay alive.” Even over the powerful engine, I could hear every ounce of his desperation. “I’ll find you when it’s over, I promise.”
Dread prickled down my spine. “What?”
“I can’t go with you.”
21
JASON
It killedme to say it. It had nearly killed me when I’d made the decision back in the motel. Shit, there was nowhere else I wanted to be but with her, but I kept my feet rooted to the ground.
As long as Frey was loose, she’d never be safe.
So the first thing I’d do after the helicopter carried her away was fucking find him, and I couldn’t do that if I wasn’t a marshal.
That was, of course, assuming she didn’t kill me first.
“What?” Her haunting eyes filled with rage. “Get in the helicopter, Jason. Stay with me.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll see you soon.”
I turned and walked away from her feeling like something had broken inside me. Hopefully, when this was all over, she’d understand and forgive me.
