Page 57 of Out of Sight

“Christ, Will, why are you naked?”

They really seemed to get along, like best friends or even brothers.

“I’m in love with you.”

I believed him.

After the way he always took such good care of me, thought of me and my well-being before himself, opened himself up to me about his past, never shying away from the bad things, owning up to everything he was responsible for… Ibelieved him.

It had to all be a coincidence. Will wasn’t a criminal. Sure, he’d done some shady things, but the Will he became—the Will that I knew him as—only did what he had to in order to survive.

The Will I knew wouldn’t lie to me. He wouldn’t do something to put me in danger. He would do anything he could to make sure I was safe.

Will—if he made it away from Antonio safely—would find me.

I stopped in my tracks. He was smart, strong, resourceful, and damnably determined. He loved me. He would be looking for me to make sure I was safe.

There was a possibility he was dead already, but my heart didn’t believe that. It knew that there was no way Will could die before I had a chance to tell him I loved him, too.

I had to stay where I was and give him a chance to catch up to me. I looked around my surroundings, seeing a huge boulder off the side of my makeshift trail. I could wait there for him.

My knees creaked in relief as I shifted my weight to the ground, leaning back against the rock. My shoulders sagged, letting my body mold into the smooth stone. All my bruises and hurts seemed muted, only dull aches as I relaxed my mind.

Will would find me here. I would be safe with him.

I could finally fall asleep, knowing that the love of my life was on his way back to me.

twenty-one

Will

Ihauled ass from my hiding spot, throwing off my sling as I sprinted toward the water.

You jump I jump, Claire.

I bulldozed Antonio, knocking him clear off his feet as I hurried after her. Antonio learned from his old mistakes, though, and grabbed my leg as I moved past him. His upper arm strength wasn’t enough to stop me completely, but he slowed me down enough to whip his body around and knock my legs out from under me.

I landed with a hard thump on my chest and scrambled across the ground, ignoring the stabbing pain in my shoulder as I tried to get to the river.Claire needs me.

Antonio scuttled after me, both hands clawing at my skin to try to get me to stop. I made it to the water but could only throw my body so far with Antonio grappling with me. I rolled our bodies further into the river, pushing his shoulders down so hewas submerged. I wouldn’t think twice about drowning him if that’s what it took to get to Claire and keep her safe.

He tried to grab at my face but I had the longer reach. His flailing legs did the trick, though, kicking me hard in the ribs. I stumbled away from those stupid steel toe boots and he came up with a vengeance, swinging wildly with his arms. He landed a few hits before I could block him, still reeling from the pain in my ribs.

I lost the Glock somewhere in the struggle, but could still feel Jim’s janky old Peacemaker in my waistband.

I grabbed hold of it, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

No hesitation, no remorse.

Antonio paused, looking stunned.

But only for a moment because the damn gun didn’t even fire. Stupid wet revolver! It was useless.

But it still had some heft to it. I swung my fist out, bashing Antonio across the head. The blow knocked him sideways out of the water and unconscious. So maybe not entirely useless. I crawled out of the river, looking around for anything else I’d need. There, Jim’s Glock. That one probably wouldn’t malfunction if it got wet since it was more modern.

Knowing the river would be rough, I put the safety on and zipped the gun in my jacket pocket along with Jim’s badge and wallet. Antonio was already starting to stir. I had to be fast if I didn’t want him to see where I went.

I turned back to the river and dove in.

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