Page 16

A truck hitting the car and pushing them over the mountain.
She snapped open her eyelids and her lungs sucked in a sharp breath of air, her body forcing her into survival mode, fight-or-flight instantly switched on.
Toth’s face filled her vision. His features were washed in shadows, his mouth set in a grim line. An angry gash above his eyebrow leaked blood. The reddish-black liquid mixed with the dirt smeared on his forehead and cheeks. His dress shirt was ripped across his bicep, and his hair was rumpled.
Angst seized Savannah’s stomach, and she bolted into a sitting position. The woods around her spun like a carousel. Vomit rose in her esophagus. Toth’s rough grip eased her flat on her back again. Her heart pounded with the speed of a racehorse, and the screeching noise inside her ears had been replaced with the sound of hyperactive blood pumping through her veins.
Toth’s vehicle caught her eye and terror saturated her insides. The SUV was upside down, its windows smashed, one of its lights flashing sporadically. Two tires lay on the ground nearby.
He must have pulled her from the vehicle. How far had they fallen?
“Jesus. You probably have a concussion. Just lie still, okay? I need to check you out.”
She let her cheek rest on the forest floor. The earth cooled her skin, grounding her, which helped to slow the adrenaline that wanted to take her on a high-speed chase.
Toth’s hands ran over her thighs, knees, and ankles. He traveled back up her legs slowly, his touch careful and deliberate. He gently eased her onto her side and made his way up her back to her neck.
“Do you have any pain?” he asked.
She snorted. “What do you think?”
He placed his palm firmly on her shoulder. The contact forced her to focus on his anchoring gaze. The walls of her throat thickened and tears burned behind her eyes.
No, no, no. Don’t be a wimp.
“Cut the shit. Where are you hurt?” Toth’s aggressive words were softened by his concerned tone. None of which helped stop the urge to ugly-cry.
She swallowed. “Nothing serious. I remember being jerked against the seatbelt. My neck and hips are sore. Head’s pounding and I feel nauseated. Other than that...” She swept her gaze to the mountain behind him. “Better than expected.”
He grunted and pushed her hair away from her face. A penlight clicked on. She winced as the beam struck her eyes. “Ouch.” The pain in her head and her nausea intensified, but she’d hang on to her cookies if it killed her.
He flicked the light into one eye, then to the side, then back. He repeated the action on the other eye then turned off the light. She released a moan of relief.
“I think you’ve got a concussion. We need to get moving. They’ll come make sure the job’s finished. Can you sit up?”
The idea of moving made her want to curl into a ball. Maybe just letting them come and kill her would be better.
God, I must have really hit my head.
As welcoming as permanent sleep sounded, she knew the assholes who’d sent them over a mountain wouldn’t end her life peacefully. Oh no. They’d make her suffer, and given the way she felt right now, that wouldn’t take a whole heck of a lot of effort on their part. Just sitting upright would be torture enough.
“Yeah.” She didn’t dare nod for fear her head would spin like a vortex and send her back into a dream state.
Toth pocketed the penlight, brought his hands to her biceps, and helped her scoot into a sitting position. The world tilted on its axis and searing pain spread through her skull. A weak cry leaked from her lips. For a flicker of a moment, fear struck her. Could she be seriously hurt? Have a brain injury? Shit.
Toth cursed and pulled her head to his chest. “Just breathe.”
She closed her eyes and focused on her senses. The ground was firm and hard beneath her. Toth’s shirt was soft on her cheek. His body heat surrounded her, a sharp contrast to the cool dirt soaking through her dress. His cologne—or maybe it was just the scent of his skin—wafted to her nostrils. Basil and pepper. The thick smell mixed with the strong odor of the pine trees made her relax a fraction.
“There you go. Take another breath.”
“Maybe you should just leave me,” she said on a light chuckle. “I’m deadweight.”
He chortled. “Not a chance.”
“Oh yeah. I guess my father would have your head.”
Toth shifted away but moved his hands to her shoulders. “I’m going to carry you. We need to get as far away from here as we can. Can you sit a sec while I get our bags?”