Page 60 of Second Chance Serenity

So good.

“We can make it to the tree line,” he says. “But we need to move as fast as we can, not run in a straight line, and no matter what, we cannot look back.”

“Okay.”

“If they start shooting, you drop me and go, understand?”

“No. I’m not leaving without you.”

“Reyna.”

“No.” Tears blur my vision once more, and I wipe them away. “We’re going to make it to the tree line,” I say. “And we’re going to make it home.”

He smiles, but I see the exhaustion on his face. “We will.” Michael’s hand snakes around the back of my neck and he pulls me in, resting my forehead against his. “God, please be with us. Please guide us out of here and to safety. Amen.”

“Amen,” I repeat, the lump in my throat growing. I wrap his arm back around my shoulders and we stand together, remaining hidden behind the crate.

“Get in here!” a man roars somewhere behind us. “They’re out!”

“Go,” Michael urges, and we rush out into the blistering sun.

CHAPTER 19

Michael

Keeping my eyes focused on the tree line, I try to push through the pain and the fatigue. I’ve been in combat zones less stressful than this, but I know the only reason I feel that way is because I’m here with Reyna.

Not trained soldiers.

Not my fellow Rangers.

The woman I love.

“Into the trees!” I urge. Thankfully, I don’t think they’ve seen us yet, and with any luck, it’ll stay that way. We slip through the trees, nearly losing our footing as we leave dry ground and descend into a swamp.

The water sloshes around us, and I frantically scan for cover, for anywhere we can hide until the immediate threat passes. We need the water to settle before they reach the edge, otherwise, they’ll follow us, and I know there will be no escaping.

Thankfully, just to the right, there’s a thick cascade of brush. “There,” I whisper, gesturing toward it. She nods, sweat beading on her brow as she struggles to move through the water that is up to my waist and well above hers.

We slip behind the brush and stop moving as we both turn our full attention to the tree line. Something brushes past my leg beneath the water, and I close my eyes for a moment, breathing slowly and trying to steady my nerves.

Please do not be an alligator.

Don’t let us escape bullets to end up in the belly of a predator.

“Can you see them?” a man calls out. “They in there?”

“Nah, it’s too thick. Ugh, smells terrible, too.”

I keep my gaze focused ahead, and Reyna remains completely silent in my arms.

“If they are in there, they aren’t gonna survive long in that pit,” one of the men says. “If the gators don’t get ‘em, the man will bleed out.”

“Boss isn’t going to like the uncertainty.”

“Then let’s go wait on the other side. They’ll either make it out or they won’t. Personally, I’m betting on them getting eaten by gators. But I’m not going in there. We don’t get paid enough for that.”

I wait until I see the second man slip back out of the trees before I risk looking over at Reyna. Her face is red and slick with sweat, and she has a wound bandaged on her forehead, but otherwise, she looks okay.

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