Page 83

His answer comes without any hesitation. “Yes. It’s the perfect place for us to start our future together.”

Because I desperately need something good to cling to, I memorize what he just told me so I can recall it in the difficult days still ahead of us.

Chapter 24

Rowan

After we cross the border, headlights cutting through the dark to our right side draw my attention.

Noticing the speed the vehicle is moving at, my muscles lock into place, and I switch from high alert to ready.

Bratva.

I glance at Annie, and needing her to be prepared, I say, “We’re about to cross paths with the Bratva. Now that we’re over the border, things are going to get more and more intense as we make our final run toward Colombia. After that, we’ll be free of the Bratva.”

Her eyes widen, and she sits up straighter.

“There’s a car coming from the right. There’s nowhere for us to hide.” I give her the main details. “There will probably be a shootout, so if I say get down, I want you to move into the footwell. Get the bags out right now and place them between you and the door.”

With zero hesitation, she carries out the order, her lips parted as air bursts fast over them. “What can I do to help?”

So cute.

“Just react as fast as you possibly can to any instruction I give you. A second is the difference between life and death.”

“Okay.”

Her entire body tenses up, and she nervously nudges the glasses higher up on her nose as she watches the approaching car with bated breath.

When I can finally make out the type of vehicle coming our way, I say, “It’s just one Jeep. They would need space for their supplies out here in the desert.” I tell her everything I notice. “At most four men, but probably three. Even if they’re highly trained, I can take them out in seconds. You’ve seen me do it before. Trust me to keep you safe.”

Her head whips toward me. “I trust you, Rowan. Against all odds.”

Annie’s words sink into my soul, igniting a ferocious urge to eliminate the threat so I can bask in the fact that I didn’t lose her trust.

“Keep looking at me,” I order as I see the Jeep coming right for her side of the truck. Our eyes touch for a couple of seconds, then I say, “I love you.”

Yanking hard on the steering wheel so the truck will skid, the Jeep narrowly misses the tailgate, and dust kicks up into the air all around us.

I get a glimpse of the three men, two rolling down their windows and readying their weapons to open fire.

“Down, Annie!”

She scrambles into the footwell, her scared gaze locked on me.

The first bullet hits the back of the truck as the Jeep jerks sharply, coming up beside us, then they slam against the side of the truck, metal scraping loudly in the night.

I yank the wheel just enough so our front bumpers clip each other. For a second, nothing happens, then their tires lose grip. The Jeep fishtails, skids sideways, and rolls onto its side, the headlights shining beams through a violent cloud of dust.

Instantly, I slam on the brakes, the truck sliding across the sand before stopping at an angle.

My gaze flicks to Annie, who’s breathless but okay.

It’s the only thing that matters.

As the Bratva soldiers begin to haul themselves out through the windows, guns in their hands, I throw my door open and lunge out of the cab.

One falls off the Jeep and hits the ground, his eyes locking on me.