Page 23 of Provoking Bryan

“Maybe, but I prefer over-the-knee to a piece of equipment. It’s more intimate.”

“Good to know,” he laughed.

“We need to move fast, if the boats are compromised. We’ll take the headland and stay low in the grass. It’s harder to track us that way.”

Bryan slung his bag over his shoulder, falling in step behind her. She moved like a shadow, her every step purposeful, her focus razor-sharp. It was impressive, watching her work, but he couldn’t ignore the strain etched in her features.

The tall grass swayed in the evening breeze, the sound of the waves crashing below masking their footsteps. The air smelled of salt and damp earth, but Bryan could sense something else—a kind of disturbance that had nothing to do with the natural world.

“Stick close to the edge,” Sara murmured, her voice barely audible over the wind. “The cliffs give us cover.”

Bryan nodded silently, scanning their surroundings. The golden light of the setting sun painted the headland in warm hues, but his instincts were on high alert. Something about the stillness felt wrong.

Then it came—a sharp crack that split the air, followed by the faint hum of a bullet slicing through the grass.

Bryan dropped instinctively, yanking Sara down with him as another shot rang out. The bullet hit the ground just inches from where they’d been standing.

“Sniper,” Sara hissed. “Move!”

They scrambled forward, keeping low as they crawled toward a cluster of rocks near the cliff’s edge. Another shot struck one of the rocks, sending shards of stone flying.

Bryan’s mind shifted into the calm focus he knew well from his time in the military. The adrenaline coursing through hisveins sharpened his senses, clearing away the fear and leaving only clarity.

“They’re not shooting to kill,” he said, his voice steady despite the chaos. “They’re herding us.”

Sara glanced at him, her jaw clenched. “They want to capture us.”

He nodded. “Which means they’ll move in close soon. We can use that.”

She hesitated, her eyes searching his face. “You have a plan?”

“I draw their fire,” he said simply. “You flank them.”

“Like hell you will,” she snapped, her voice low but fierce.

Bryan met her gaze, his tone firm. “Sara, trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

For a moment, she seemed ready to argue, but then she gave a sharp nod. “Fine. But if you get yourself killed, I’m not dragging your body back. I’ll feed it to the lions.”

Bryan allowed himself a faint smile. “Noted.”

He shifted his position, exposing himself just enough to draw the sniper’s attention. A shot struck the rock near his shoulder as the crack rang out. The impact sent debris scattering, but he held his ground, watching as Sara slipped into the grass and disappeared from sight.

Another shot hit closer, and Bryan shifted slightly, making himself a harder target while still keeping the sniper’s focus on him.

He spotted the sniper just as a sharp crack of a pistol cut through the air, and the sniper’s body slumped forward, his weapon clattering to the ground.

Bryan exhaled, relief washing over him briefly before the rustle of movement in the grass snapped him back into focus. Two more figures emerged, their weapons raised.

“Sara!” he shouted, warning her as one of the attackers fired.

The bullet grazed her thigh, but she didn’t slow down. Her return fire dropped the man with a single shot. Bryan didn’t have time to marvel at her precision—another attacker was closing in on her, a knife glinting in his hand.

Bryan’s body moved before his mind caught up. He raised his gun and fired, the shot echoing across the headland. The man dropped, the knife slipping from his grasp as he hit the ground.

“Are you okay?” Bryan asked as he reached Sara’s side, his eyes scanning her for injuries.

“I’m fine,” she said, though her voice was tight with pain.

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