Page 38 of Kyle (Gold Team #3)

“How much longer?” Emerson asked.

“Fifteen miles.”

I went back to looking out the window. The closer we got to the silo the more nervous I’d become. As time had gone by, I could see Emerson tightening her grip on the steering wheel in an effort to make her hands stop shaking.

After we’d exited the highway the road became a narrow two-lane street with tiny houses dotting the way. The area was certainly rural and the farther we drove the more I thought it was the perfect place for a missile silo. There was nothing around, sometimes not for miles, between the houses.

“You’re making a right up here at the stop sign.”

Emerson made the turn and I went back to staring out the window. When the car behind us caught my attention, I could feel the hair on the back of my neck start to tingle.

I picked up the burner out of the cupholder and dialed Garrett’s number, but I paused before I hit send.

“Emmy, no matter what you stay calm,” I told her.

“What? ”

“I think we’re being followed. The car behind us exited the freeway when we did, followed us down Route 12. Now it just made the same right we did. I could be wrong, but there doesn’t seem to be much around here.”

I tapped the call button and Garrett answered immediately. “Where are you?”

“Just turned onto Route 9 but I think we’re being followed. What do we do?”

“What kind of car?”

“Black Lexus. And just to say, I don’t see anyone who lives in this area driving a Lexus. This is more of a pickup kinda place.”

“Plate?”

“It’s too far behind us.”

“Alright. Just head to the silo.”

“But—”

“Trust me. Get to the silo. No matter what, do not stop until you get there.”

“The car’s speeding up.”

“Tell Emerson to speed up, too.”

“Drive faster, Emmy,” I told her.

With every inch the speedometer ticked up, my pulse did too. It was like they were magically connected, and the harder Emmy pressed the gas pedal, the harder my heart pounded.

“He’s getting closer,” I warned.

“Everything’s fine. I’m not hanging up, but I need to do something.”

“Hale Hill Road. You need to make a left up here,” I told Emmy.

“Then I have to slow down.”

She was going fifty-five, she’d definitely have to slow. Shit .

“Okay, just wait. Slam on the brakes, make the turn, then hit the gas again.”

“Are you crazy? He’ll rear-end us.”

I glanced over my shoulder, unfortunately getting a good look at Harry. I couldn’t see his lips because thankfully they were covered with tape, but I could see the creases around his eyes. Creases that told me the asshole was smiling.

He knew what was happening.

The Lexus was so close, Emerson was right—he would rear-end us if she slammed the brakes.

“Let him hit us. Just hold on to the wheel tight and brace.”

“I can’t—”

“Do it, Emmy!” I shouted. “Now. The turn is now.”

Emerson eased on the brakes before she hit them harder. We lurched forward, Emmy squealed, then she finally jerked the wheel to the left. She missed the road just barely and we were on the shoulder. Gravel sprayed as Emerson hit the gas and shot us forward.

“Oh, God,” she panted.

“Told you, you could do it. One more turn. First left. Same thing.”

“Yeah, right, okay.”

“When you get there,” Garrett came back on the line. “Drive past the silo pad.”

“What’s that?” Then to Emmy. “Any second.”

“You’ll know it when you see it. It’s a big, round concrete slab. Pass it, do not stop until you get to the outbuilding.”

“Now, Emerson!” I yelled.

There was no street sign, no mailbox. The break in the thick trees was the only indication there was a driveway.

This time, she didn’t hesitate. The Lexus slammed into us and Emmy turned too soon.

The car fishtailed, Emerson fought to keep control, and thankfully righted us before she slammed us into a very large tree trunk that had been in front of us.

I didn’t have time to think about how I wished we hadn’t buckled Harry up in the back. Listening to him bounce around and hit his head on the back windows would’ve been satisfying.

“They’re coming in hot.” I heard Garrett announce, not knowing who he was talking to. “Do not stop.” I knew that was for us.

“Don’t stop, Emmy. Straight past the concrete pad to the building in the back.”

“Oh my God. They’re gonna hit us again.”

She was not wrong and a second later, we jerked forward and Emmy gunned it, putting distance between the cars.

“I see it, Garrett. Stay straight, Emerson. You’re doing great.”

We flew by the silo pad and the world behind us exploded in a hail of gunfire. The sound so loud, so shocking, I ducked. And unfortunately, Emmy ducked, too.

“Brake!” I screamed as the building in front of us came into view.

“Goddamn—” The rest of Emerson’s statement was cut off by screeching tires.

I braced for impact and prayed this car had airbags, or we were dead.

Seriously dead.

The car slammed into the side of the building. Metal crunched and mangled around us as the car crashed through the tin and finally came to a stop.

“Holy fuck,” I breathed.

Emmy did it. We made it.

“You okay?” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

“Now what? ”

That was a good question, one I didn’t have an answer for. And sometime during the crash I’d lost the phone.

“I hear someone,” she whispered. “What now?”

“Now, we fight some more, Emmy.”

There was no way we’d made it this far only to be taken.

My door was thrown open at the same time Emerson’s was. And I wasn’t ready. I didn’t even have my seat belt off but I wasn’t giving up. Not now. Not when we were so close.

I blindly swung as a man dressed in black leaned into the car. His head jerked back on a grunt and I prepared to scratch his eyes out when his hands grabbed mine.

“Sweetheart! Stop, it’s me.”

I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I had to fight.

There was commotion to my left and an ear-piercing scream rang out, then someone was in my face.

“Anaya, sweetheart. Calm down.” I froze. Everything froze. Time. My lungs. My arms. Just everything. “There you go. Everything’s fine.”

No, everything was not fine. Everything that had happened in the last few days made me not fine. But the last few hours had wrecked me.

My body slumped.

The seat belt was undone, and suddenly I was out of the car and in Kyle’s arms. I glanced over the top of the car and much like me, Emmy was in Thad’s arms. Only, he had his mouth to her ear and his lips were moving. I couldn’t hear what he was saying but Emerson was nodding.

They came.

And just in time.

How stupid was I to think Emerson and I could take Harry Landry on the run and get away with it?

Declan passed us on his way to the car but he said nothing.

He didn’t have to, his eyes said it all.

His hard features and angry gait said the rest. Declan was going to lose his shit and Harry deserved every bit of ire.

He killed Jeremy. He bought and sold women.

He’d broken something in Monica that had turned her into a walking, talking, soulless human.

No, I would not feel any sorrow over Harry Landry.

“Anaya, sweetheart—”

The rest of Kyle’s words were cut off as the chopping of helicopter blades filled the air and I scrambled to get out of his arms.

Oh, God. What now?

“That’s just Zane.” His warm breath fanned over my neck as he spoke close to my ear.

I wanted to soak him up. His strength. His magnetism. His courage.

But I couldn’t.

And now it was time to face what’d I done.