Page 87 of Ground Zero

Maverick was giving her an out, a chance to walk away and save herself.

“Sheridan—”

“I know what I’m risking.” She took a turn harder than necessary, emotion making her aggressive. “My career’s already gone. Cook will have my badge by nightfall. But that’s not what this is about anymore.”

“What is it about?”

She felt him watching her, waiting. The truth sat heavy on her tongue.

The truth that somewhere between that tackle on the beach and this moment, she’d started caring about Maverick in ways that had nothing to do with the case. That the thought of him dying made her chest tight with panic.

That she was falling for him, and it didn’t make any sense at all.

But this wasn’t the time. Not when they were running for their lives, not when hundreds of people were depending on them to stop an attack.

“It’s about doing what’s right,” she said instead. “It’s about stopping Sigma and clearing your name.”

“Is that all?”

She gripped the steering wheel tighter. “That has to be all. At least for now.”

“For now,” he repeated.

Sheridan heard the understanding in his voice. He felt it too, this impossible thing growing between them.

Another turn, another empty road.

They were two fugitives on a fairly remote island trying to stop a terrorist attack that no one else seemed to believe was coming.

“We need help,” she admitted. “Real help. Someone with resources, authority.”

“Someone who believes us.”

“Yeah.” She glanced at him again, saw him fighting to stay conscious as his body warmed up. “Any ideas?”

Sheridan hoped he had some since she was fresh out of escape plans.

CHAPTER 48

Maverick’s mind raced.

He and Sheridan needed a way to get to Norfolk fast, without using roads that would be crawling with law enforcement. Every ferry, every bridge, every tunnel would have checkpoints.

Then it hit him.

He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the number he’d saved months ago.

Tom Reynolds—the friend whose fishing cottage they’d used when this all started. Tom who’d said Maverick could use his place anytime while he was traveling.

The phone rang twice before Tom’s gravelly voice answered. “Hello?”

“Tom, it’s Maverick Adams.”

A pause. “Mav? What’s going on?”

Maverick took a breath. “Tom, I need a favor. A huge one.”

“What kind of favor?”