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“That’s who I was thinking of when I improvised.” Sadness wells in my chest when I think of Harlan, Vanessa, and Miles. Taking a chance, I ask, “Can I call the bar at some point? Just to let them know I’m okay.”

Rowan’s hand moves up my back, and he places his arm around my shoulders, giving me a sideways hug. “I’ll see what I can do, my light.”

I notice he calls me that sometimes, and even though I shouldn’t, I find myself liking it.

“Do you have a restroom we can use?” he asks the guy manning the cash register.

“If you buy something,” the man mutters.

We grab a few waters and cold drinks and settle for snacks because the food looks sketchy.

While Rowan pays, the guy shoves the key across the counter. “It’s around the left side of the building.”

“Thanks.” Taking the key, I glance up at Rowan, and when he nods, I hightail it out of the store.

Knowing he still needs to put in gas, I don’t rush, and wash my hands, arms, and face.

I can’t wait for the next time we stop at a motel. I’m going to use all the hot water on the longest shower known to mankind.

Once I’m done, I leave the restroom and head back to the front. As I come around the corner, I see Rowan by the pickup, busy filling the tank. I head to the store to return the key, but I only get halfway when Rowan’s head jerks in the direction of the road, and he snaps, “Run, Annie.”

The severe look on his face tells me there’s big trouble, and I drop the key and run toward him as fast as I can.

As Rowan opens the driver’s side for me and I get into the cab, two black SUVs come speeding into the gas station from the direction we’re heading.

His voice is grim and dangerous as he says, “If it looks like I’m going down, get out of here.” His eyes have already lost all life, and everything about him is downright predatory. “Do you understand?”

I nod quickly. “Yes.”

The next second, Rowan moves around the front of the truck, and I watch in absolute horror as five men pile out of the SUVs.

Those aren’t US marshals.

Shit.

The Bratva.

“Wolf,” one of the men drawls with a heavy accent. “I can’t believe my luck finding you out here in the middle of nowhere.” He lets out a dark chuckle, violence written all over his face. “Give up, brother. We are everywhere. You won’t make it past the border. Come quietly, and Grigori will take it easy on you.” He jerks his head at one of his friends. “Give me the burner phone.”

The other man ducks back into one of the SUVs and pulls a phone out of the vehicle. It looks like he makes a call, then he says, “Grigori wants to speak to you.”

Suddenly, the guy in the store shouts, “I have called the cops. Take your shit elsewhere!”

The man who’s been doing most of the talking lifts his gun and pulls the trigger. Bullets shatter the windows, and I watch in horror as the guy is slammed into the shelves behind the counter as they hit him.

Noooo!

Rowan slowly lifts his arm, holding his palm up to take the device like all of that didn’t just happen, but as the man gets close to him, he moves incredibly fast.

Grabbing the short barrel of the guy’s machine gun, he slams it up into the man’s face before securing him in a choke hold.

As the phone hits the ground, the other four start shooting, and a horrified scream tears loose from me.

Rowan uses the guy he disarmed as a shield, the man’s body jerking as the bullets hit, then Rowan returns fire, killing two out of the four.

As he lets go of the dead guy, his expression gives nothing away about what he’s feeling. He stands still, and when the remaining two men lunge at him, my hands fly up to cover my mouth.

Please don’t let him get hurt!