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The snow glitters beneath the early morning sun as it starts to creep over the horizon. Wispy fingers of pink and orange turn to blue over the tops of trees.

I take a deep breath before blowing it out, my breath coming out in a white puff.

Royce looks over at me. “You need to look as natural as possible, Gia.”

I roll my eyes and sneer at him, and he starts laughing while turning to buckle the car seat into the car. “Was that good enough for you?”

“Anyone whose ever met you is going to believe that you’re pissed off with me, so probably.”

“Well, maybe you are annoying me. You weren’t an optimist when we first met.” I open the trunk of the car, stuffing the first suitcase in. “I want the Royce who hated the world to be back here with me.”

He slides the playpen in front of the back seat on the floor. “He left the day he found out he had a daughter and a woman who is worth surviving for.”

The corner of my mouth twitches. “And now you’re a romantic?”

“Baby, I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”

Snorting, I shove the last suitcase into the trunk before slamming it shut and walking over to him. “That had to be the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said to me, and I don’t think I’ll survive if you ever say anything like that again.”

“You’re going to die from the cheese?”

“A brutal and horrible death.”

He smirks and loops his arms around my waist, pulling me close, his lips ghosting over mine. “I’ll get something nice engraved on your headstone.”

“No. You’re going to have my ashes put in a little box that you’re going to carry around with you every single day, and if you ever think of moving on from me, I’m going to come back and haunt your ass.”

“Sounds perfect to me.” His breath is warm against my ear as he hugs me closer. “There weren’t any cars watching us last night, and Skylar has made it to the safe house, but I think there’s a car watching us now.”

I pull away to look at him, heart seizing in my chest. “Well then, I guess we should get going before the others arrive.”

He nods and walks me around to the passenger side of the car, holding open the door and waiting for me to get in. “We’re going to lead them north a little bit before we lose them and turn back. I want them to think that we’re heading deeper into Canada.”

“Sounds good.”

Royce closes the door and rounds the front of the car, getting in beside me and starting the engine.

I crank the heat and put on some music, hoping it’s enough to drown out the worry that keeps coursing through my veins.

Though I doubt it will be, it’s better than nothing.

Royce reaches over and takes my hand in his as the car backs down the driveway and out onto the road. “Pretend to check on Bianca. There’s a gun I hid for you in the car seat.”

I unbuckle myself and get to my knees on the passenger seat, leaning between the two and reaching beneath the blanket.

Taking the gun and the magazine, I check them both over, keeping it hidden from sight as a sleek black car pulls onto the road behind us.

After inserting the magazine into the gun, I turn back around, buckling up once more. “Do you think we’re going to need it?”

“I would be surprised if we didn’t.”

My mouth is as dry as the desert as I nod and unzip my jacket while flakes of snow start to fall. “How long do you think until they try to get close?”

The car rumbles as he speeds up, glancing to the mirror. “They’re going faster too. It looks like they’re only going to match pace with us for now, instead of trying to catch up.”

“Noah wants to see where we’re going first, then.” I bite the inside of my cheek, stomach tying itself into a tight knot, the rest of my body tensing.

“I think you should get comfortable. If they’re just going to be following us, it’s going to be awhile until I can lose them. I have to wait until we get to a town.”