Page 83 of Rami

August’s hand dropped to Rami’s shoulder. “Actually, I did. Lucky for you.”

Rami glanced behind him and snorted. But his anxiety abated. Wayne hadn’t gotten off a shot at all. Instead, he’d been hit twice. “What are you talking about? I shot him.”

“Nah, you were too slow. That was my bullet that entered his useless brain. Pretty sure you got him in the leg.” Humor laced August’s voice.

Rami shook off his friend’s hand and the jab at his aim. “You’re such a dick. Call for help, will ya? She’s got a concussion.”

“Already called,” Toth interjected.

Ivy tried to sit but winced.

Rami held her tightly to keep her reclined. “Go slow, babe. Just rest a minute.”

Her hand found his, small and cold. He wrapped her fingers in his hold and brought her knuckles to his lips. “I thought I lost you.” The words shook.

After she’d been taken, he’d been gutted. The only thing that had kept him going was his desperation to find her. Now that she was in his arms, he could barely name all the emotions he felt—relief, gratitude, hate for the bastards who’d taken her.

Her other hand went to his jaw. She stroked his stubble. “I thought I’d never see you again. They were going to—” Her voice broke and tears coursed down her cheeks. “To make a video and send it to you. Then Wayne—”

“Shhh.” He cradled her face and brought his lips to her forehead. “You’re safe now.”

Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. His gut twisted. A sob broke from her lips and her arms wrapped around his neck. He dipped his face into her hair and cradled her. Her body fit his like a glove, and although he’d held her only a handful of times, he couldn’t fathom never holding her again.

He pulled away and then pressed his mouth to hers. As much as he wanted to deepen the kiss, he didn’t. Not when she was hurt. Not when she needed safety. He kissed her gently one more time then swept his thumb across her cheek to catch one of her tears.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone for one second. This whole thing never would have happened—”

“Rami,” she whispered. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“It was.” He kept the bite out of his tone, but dammit, the intensity of his mistake would burn inside him forever. “I promise to always protect you, okay? And my reasons are purely selfish because I can’t imagine a moment without you in my life.”

She wet her lips, and her eyes shined with knowing. “I—”

He touched her lips with his thumb, needing to release the inferno of words inside him. “I love you, Ivy. You don’t have to say it back. You don’t have to even acknowledge it, but—”

A sharp cry came from her parted lips. “I love you, too.”

His heart cracked open. All the pent-up pain and suffering he’d carried for so long would never completely go away, but opening his heart, letting Ivy in and letting his feelings for her break through... it would be healing in its purest form.

Her hand caught his face, and a bright smile made her eyes dance. “You saved me again. My dark angel.”

He chuckled, puckering his brow. “Your what?”

“My dark angel,” she said with pride. “That’s the first thing I thought when I laid eyes on you in the back of the van after you rescued me. I think even then I knew you were special... that you were mine.”

He didn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. “Love at first sight,” he confirmed. “Never would’ve thought that shit existed, but here we are.”

She let out a light laugh then cringed, her eyes crinkling with discomfort. Still, she smiled. “Here we are.”

“Think you can sit?”

She nodded. He helped her shift slowly into a sitting position, leaning her weight against his shoulder.

She sucked in a breath and clasped his forearm. “Oh my god! Fernando. He’s back at the campsite. He’s going to get away.”

Rami looked at Toth. His friend gave a nod, pulled his phone from his pocket, and paced away. If they were lucky, Toth could circle around and get to Fernando before he escaped.

Sirens sounded in the distance. The rest-stop incident was now a saving grace—emergency vehicles were close. If they could stop Fernando and get an ambulance for Ivy, he’d be grateful.

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