Page 50 of Extracted

“In the trees,” Dallas said, jerking her off the road.

The sound grew closer, and animals erupted in a cacophony of shrieks. Dallas’s bicep stiffened as he moved a handful of vines aside. This part of the jungle was thicker than where they’d exited.

“Here, let me go first.” Eli leaped in front of Gemma then held out his hand.

She placed her palm in his, and he guided her over the rocks and tree roots jutting up from the ground. He towed her into the cover of the foliage, and Gemma glanced behind her just as Dallas jumped inside, slicing branches out of his way.

Eli’s grip tightened and he spun her around, slamming her back against his chest. Her heart rate jumped. Panic skittered along her nerve endings. Something hard pressed against her side. “Don’t move,” Eli hissed.

Dallas stopped in his tracks. His apprehension became downright fury as he took in the situation. “What the fuck are you doing, Eli?” His cheeks were red and his chest was puffed. His free fist opened and closed at his side, and the other clutched the stick. He looked ready to impale Eli.

Gemma’s mouth went dry. There was no safe way out of the situation. Dallas stood a good eight feet from her. Any move he made to intercept Eli would result in a bullet ripping through her organs.

The vehicle thundered closer.

Eli’s chest was hot and sweaty against her shoulders. Every part of her ached to escape. Her senses evaluated Eli’s hold. The arm in front of her chest clung awkwardly to her—his injured arm. He’d taken it out of the sling.

“Go back to the road,” Eli said, his voice strong. “The vehicle’s for us.”

“The phone,” she hissed. Damn she’d been stupid. Who took a dead satellite phone on a flight over the jungle? He’d planned this from the moment he found them in the plane—or sooner.

“Shut up,” he barked at her. “I mean it.” He gestured at Dallas. “Back up to the road.”

Dallas’s body vibrated on the spot. “And if I don’t?”

“Then I’ll fucking kill her.”

“That’s exactly what your friends are going to do anyway,” Dallas spat. He took a step closer. “I don’t think you have the balls to hurt her. I’ll gut you like a fucking fish.”

Gemma squeezed her eyes tight. She had to do something. Had to think. If they didn’t get away from Eli before whoever he’d called arrived, they were screwed. They’d be too outnumbered to even fight.

She opened her eyes and looked at Dallas, and a wave of calm settled over her skin. His mouth was hooked in a sardonic grin. Satisfaction lit his eyes. He’d enjoy every minute of gutting Eli for daring to hurt her.

Eli’s hand trembled at her waist. “S-Stay back!”

A muscle jumped along the thick column of Dallas’s neck. “Not a fucking chance.”

Eli pivoted the gun away from her waist and aimed it at Dallas. It hovered in front of Gemma now.

“Back the fuck up!” Eli’s voice jumped. Dallas didn’t stop his steady advance.

She had to act now, while the gun wasn’t pointed at her. She threw her weight forward, bearing down on Eli’s injured arm.

“Argh!” he hollered, his body coiling with pain.

In a flash, Dallas snaked his hand around her arm and tugged her behind him. Then he grabbed Eli’s head and slammed him in the face with his knee once, twice.

Blood splattered the ground, and the gun fell from Eli’s fingers.

She dove for the weapon and snatched up the heavy metal while Dallas delivered one savage punch after another to Eli’s limp form.

“We have to go,” she cried. Grabbing his elbow, she pulled.

The loud vehicle’s engine cut out. The sudden relative silence made the insides of her throat swell with panic.

Dallas froze, and her eyes widened on him. If they moved, they could draw the newcomers right to them. Standing here, they were sitting ducks.

Footsteps crunched on the dirt road. Dallas’s fingers found her wrist and curled protectively around her skin.

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