Page 69 of Deceptive Lies

Never in his life had he wanted to save someone as badly as he did this woman who had blasted into his life and wriggled her way under his skin with her bravery and strength. She was a fighter, and even now, she was hanging on. While her breathing was too fast, and her pulse beat a harsh staccato beat against his fingertips, each time he touched them to her wrist, she was still alive.

For now.

But would she still be alive when the sun rose again, baking them with its inescapable heat?

Cooper feared she wouldn't.

Even if she was, there was nothing else he could do for her. Unless water and shade suddenly sprung up out of nowhere, he didn't have the tools necessary to save her life. Another hour or two and even that wouldn't be enough. Once her body got past a certain point there would be no going back, even if he managed to find them a safe haven.

“Come on, Willow. Hold on for me. I know I'm asking the impossible, but I can't let you go. I need you to fight,” he pleaded as he brushed his knuckles across the hot, dry skin on her cheeks.

There was no way he wasn't going to blame himself for Willow’s death. What he could have done differently, he had no idea, nor did it matter. He’d failed her.

Bright lights suddenly broke through the darkness, and Cooper’s head snapped up.

Someone was coming.

Salvation or certain death?

Those were the only options.

It was either Tarek Mahmoud’s men who had finally managed to track them down, or a random person who could transport them to a town or village.

Carefully easing Willow’s head off his lap, he quickly moved away from her, wanting to put a bit of distance between them. If it was theprofessor’s men, he could always lie and say Willow had already died and he’d left her body behind. There was a chance they’d search the area anyway, and even if they believed him and only took him, it wasn't like Willow was strong enough to walk out alone. But it might give her a couple of extra hours and who knows what could happen in that time.

Knowing he could be signing his own death warrant, Cooper also knew he had no choice but to wave down the vehicle. If it was Mahmoud, then all that would happen was he’d hasten their deaths by a couple of hours, but if it was anyone else then he still had a chance to save Willow’s life.

Running toward the approaching vehicle, he shouted and waved his arms, praying that he wasn't making a mistake.

The vehicle slowed, it was make-it-or-break-it time.

Body tense, weak as he was, mouth dry as the sand surrounding them, sunburn on his exposed skin, dying for a drink of water, the beginnings of muscle cramps hindering him, Cooper was ready to pounce if these were Mahmoud’s men.

No way would he go down without a fight.

“Coop?”

His twin brother’s voice was the last thing he expected to hear in the vast desert.

“Connor?” he asked, barely able to believe what he was hearing. Was this the equivalent of a mirage? Was he losing it, too?

More figures climbed out of the vehicle. He recognized every single one of them. Connor, Cade, Cole, Jax, and Jake. His brothers. His team. Here. In Egypt.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, frozen in shock.

“Jumped on a plane when you didn't check in yesterday,” Cade explained.

Yesterday?

Was it really only a little over twenty-four hours ago that they’d been caught at the Step Pyramid in Saqqara? Forty-eight since he’d rescued Willow from that underground cell?

It felt like a lifetime.

While he wanted to know how his brothers had found him, it wasn't what was most important right now.

“Willow,” he said, turning and running back toward where he’d left her. His knees hit the sand beside her and his hand immediately reached for her neck. Relief slammed through him as her rapid pulse thumped against his fingertips.

Still alive.

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