Page 82 of Perilous Healing

“We can’t live forever.”

“No,” she replies. “We can’t.”

I lean in, resting my forehead against hers. I want so badly to kiss her. To feel her lips on mine, but doing so when I’m not sure we’ll even survive this feels wrong. It feels like a potential mistake that’s just going to make it even harder for her to do what she needs to do, if leaving me behind is the only way to save herself.

“Can we pray?” I’m almost afraid to ask it, afraid that the request will sound foolish coming out of my mouth after all of the doubt over the past few weeks.

“We absolutely can,” Bianca replies without hesitation.

“Can you do it? I’m still new to this.”

Bianca smiles. “I am, too, but yes. I can. Dear Lord, we ask that You wrap us in Your protection as we walk back into the camp. Please guide us so that we may free those who are being held there, and so that we can make it back home safely. Please work through us, Lord, and let Your will be done. Amen.”

“Amen,” I repeat.

“Amen, brother,” Michael, Elijah, and my cousins all say in tandem through the earpiece I’m wearing.

A lump in my throat makes it almost impossible to breathe, but as I pull away, I linger near Bianca for just a moment. “I need you to survive,” I tell her.

“I need you to survive,” she repeats. “We have unfinished business, Williamson.”

Chuckling, I pull away. “You’re not wrong there.” Straightening, I face the direction of the camp. We’re close, only about a quarter mile away, but the sun has already sunk on the horizon, and with each passing moment, it gets darker and darker. Which will be great for Bradyn and the others to sneak in, but not so good for us walking along the barren road. “Let’s do this.”

We begin walking again, and I think back to the last time I saw my cousins. It was at Sierra’s funeral. They’d driven in from the family ranch. While Bradyn and Dylan had gone back right after to tend to their brand-new business, Elliot, Riley, and Tucker stayed behind to help me go through Sierra and her husband’s things.

They’d helped me with Eloise those first few weeks, and without them, I’m not sure I would’ve survived the grief that threatened to drown me. They’d spoken of God to me then, too, all of them believers.

But I’d ignored them, choosing instead to wallow in my own anger.

How many years did I spend as a bitter man, hellbent on living my life in misery because I felt I didn’t deserve any joy? Even the happiness I’ve found watching Eloise grow filled me with guilt because my sister was missing so many milestones in her daughter’s life.

Will my cousins suffer the same fate as her tonight?

Or will they survive?

What about Michael? With Reyna back home, he’s likely going to be starting a family soon. What if he doesn’t get the chance? What about Elijah? What if he never gets to return to Andie and she’s forced to bury another loved one?

As though she can sense my panic, Bianca reaches down and threads her fingers through mine. When I look at her, she smiles, and a sense of peace settles over me.

It’s going to be okay.

It has to be okay.

“Stop right there!”

Both Bianca and I freeze. She pulls her hand from mine and puts both up in the air. I do the same as two of River’s guards come rushing toward us, the tactical lights at the end of their weapons blinding.

“What are you doing out here? Where’s your detail?”

“Gone,” I reply. “And I can’t say anything else until I speak to River.”

My cousin Dylan is recording everything that’s said, and with any luck, we’ll not only free the imprisoned, but we’ll also have enough evidence to put River Culvers away for good.

If we survive, that is.

“You’ll tell us what we want to know,” the guard says, then slams the butt of his rifle into my stomach. I groan, bile burning me from the inside.

“Stop it!” Bianca yells.

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