Page 7 of Love Me Dangerous

Jesse’s going to be okay. He’s going to get out.

The lake surface breaks, but the person who comes up isn’t Jesse. Sickening dread pools in my stomach.

I scream for my brother as my rescuer heaves a giant breath and dives.

Chapter Three

ZACH

The girl’sscream goes silent as I slip beneath the freezing water. When I reach the Jeep, it’s rolled harder onto its side, and the brother—Jesse—is still trapped.

I reach through the window and grab him under the arms. Am I too late? I wrestle him out and drag his body to the surface.

When I break through, gasping, two EMTs are splashing toward me. Behind them, the steep bank is dotted with people, all of them staring. On the road, the swinging red lights from an ambulance flash in the bright sunshine.

The medics reach me, and we carry Jesse to the shore. They lay him down and get to work. I stand there dripping wet and winded, helpless.

Jesse coughs, his whole body jerking like he’s been shocked.

I crumble to my knees with relief—he’s alive. The ground is muddy and rough, biting through my jeans. But the pain shocks me back to my purpose, which doesn’t include sticking around.

Before the attention can turn on me, I slip through the line of bystanders, all watching Jesse vomit into the weeds. Another ambulance unit arrives, sirens wailing. Shit. The cops won’t be far behind.

Then I remember my pack still in the horse trailer. As I climb the steep bank, my wet shoes squelching, I pray the trailer is still here.

Everything I own is in that pack. It’s my survival.

Please, please, please.

Flashing lights from the south are approaching fast. I climb over the mangled guardrail to the smooth concrete, breathing hard. The bright sun’s reflection off the cars makes it hard to get my bearings. I weave through them, squinting against the glare. Then, a low nicker carries on the breeze. It’s the big quarter horse—the boss. I break into a trot, following the sound through the labyrinth. The trailer is pulled to the far side of the road. I heave a sigh of relief.

But as I reach the back end, the driver is waiting for me, a serious expression on his face. “Looking for this?” He nods at my backpack propped against the side of his truck.

Police and fire engine sirens blare. They’re closing in.

I could grab my pack and try to run, but the chances of me getting very far are next to zero.

“You got drugs in here?” He gives my pack a nudge with the toe of his boot.

A shudder vibrates down my spine. “No, sir.”

His jaw flexes, like he’s thinking this over, then he grabs my pack and jerks his chin toward the cab. “Get in.”

Over the row of cars now starting to move, a barrel-chested man in uniform steps out of a silver SUV, his keen gaze sweeping the scene. Before he spots me, I slip to the opposite side of the trailer and hurry to the cab.

The man makes no comment as I climb in, still dripping wet. My pack is behind the seat, snug between a large duffel and the driver’s side door.

I have no idea what the driver wants in exchange for ferrying me out of this mess, but he’s guarding my pack like he knows I won’t leave without it.

He’s right.

I grit my teeth.

I don’t regret going after the young woman and her brother, but it was a reckless move. Dangerous. If my name gets out, it won’t be long before Kristov or one of his goons picks up my trail, and in one singlestroke, all the hard-earned distance I’ve managed to put between us will vanish. I won’t be able to outrun him a second time.

The man starts the truck, and we ease back onto the freeway, leaving the accident scene behind. The ambulance carrying Jesse is miles ahead now, the flashing lights washing out in the bright sunlight.

The medics got him breathing again. He’s going to be okay. And the girl, too. She’s all right. The way she fought me trying to get to her brother… I shake my head. Would she have died trying to save him?

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