Page 54 of Extracted

She rolled her lips together. “Yeah, and both of us don’t need to die. I’m the one they want.”

He snorted and sucked back more water. Screwing on the cap, he shifted so his foot was back on the gas pedal. “Who said I plan on dying?”

She rolled her eyes. “No one really plans on it, Einstein.”

He started the engine. “I won’t force you to do anything, Gemma. But either way, I’m in this with you. My face is just as wanted as yours. We’re stronger together.”

She rubbed her thumb over the pads of her fingers and tears stung her eyes. He wasn’t wrong. But if something happened to him, she’d never forgive herself.

“Think about it, will ya?” He pulled onto the road, and she leaned back in her seat.

Her chest burned with unspent tears. She needed a bed and she needed to be alone. The deep desire to curl into a ball and cry nearly took over, but she’d do no such thing. Not until she had her own space, away from Dallas. She wouldn’t become a shriveling mess at his feet.

Too much had happened in the last couple of days. It’d been nonstop since the explosion. Running for her life and trying to keep one foot in front of the other while not falling stupidly head-over-heels for a guy she couldn’t be with. A guy who wanted more than sex once a year but also didn’t want a relationship. Because his illegal career was too important.

A pulsating throb spread across her forehead. If they didn’t get out of here soon, she’d lose her mind. A glance at the bright sun through the narrow break in the trees over the road showed that it was late afternoon. Where were the guys they were supposed to meet? Had they passed them? She settled back in her seat and closed her eyes. Maybe she’d wake up when—

“There they are.” Dallas’s sharp, hesitant words made her jerk her gaze to the road.

She sat forward and clutched his forearm. The vehicle, a large black suburban, swerved and parked on an angle across the slim road—blocking them from passing. The doors opened and three men with assault rifles stepped out, and one more remained in the front passenger seat.

Terror paralyzed Gemma. Part of her screamed to run and dive into the jungle, the other part kept her planted to the seat. She gulped as they stormed toward the vehicle.

Dallas’s hand moved across the assault rifle he’d swiped from the leader he’d shot. “Stay put,” he barked.

All the feeling left her face as Dallas leapt out the open door.

CHAPTER 15

Apprehension vibrated up and down Dallas’s body as he approached the men from the large SUV. Two guys fell back, standing closer to the vehicle, guns across their chests, while the driver approached him.

“You must be Dallas.” The man spoke English without a hint of an accent. As Dallas got closer, he took in the man’s light-brown hair and green eyes. “Carson,” he said, holding out his hand.

Dallas glanced at the man’s palm then shook it. “You know Cole?”

His mouth twitched. “Who?”

Dallas suppressed a grin. He must know Cole really well if he pretended he didn’t exist.

Carson gestured behind Dallas, who turned to see Gemma approaching. He’d told her to stay in the damn car, but there didn’t seem to be a threat. She folded her arms across her chest, her elbow bumping his.

“You’re the bomber?” Carson asked. “The woman everyone is after?”

Her face paled several shades. “No, I’m not. There’s been a mistake.”

Dallas nodded. “Silas’s men have been after her since the bombing. We need to get out of the country.”

“Well.” Carson extended a hand out to his side. “That’s why I’m here. But you both need to know that her face and name are all over the news. There’s a checkpoint about twenty minutes ahead, and another one a few hours down the road, where we cross into Ecuador. You’ll need to stay hidden in the back of the SUV,” he said, nodding at the vehicle. “If they want to search, we’ll need to offer a bribe.”

“I’ve got a thousand US on me,” Dallas said softly.

Carson shrugged. “That should do. Grab your bags.”

Gemma strode beside him as they walked to the jeep. “Do you think we can trust them? All of them?”

He handed over her backpack and grimaced. “Fuck if I know. But we really don’t have a choice.”

“What about our next step?” Her voice was small, repeating the echo of his thoughts.

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