Page 100 of Chasing Paradise

I trailed off as headlights came in our direction, making my stomach drop as I grabbed Vi’s hand before we both made a beeline for the trees.

The headlights drew closer then, suddenly stopped moving as the car parked at the side of the road.

Like it was… waiting.

“What the hell is he doing?” Violet asked, fingers crushing mine.

As if hearing her, the driver’s door opened and a figure moved out in front of the Jeep, gaze seeming to look right at us.

“No effing way,” Vi gasped, confirming what I thought I was seeing with my own two eyes.

Marco.

Our guide.

With our Jeep.

Waiting for us.

We moved out in unison. It was a slow, careful walk at first. Then a full-on run as we made our way toward him.

“Marco, how the hell did you find us?” I asked, noting a bandage on the side of his neck, wondering if maybe he hadn’t gotten out of that first shootout scot-free.

As an answer, Marco shrugged then waved up and down the street. I took that to mean he’d been driving up and down looking for us. Likely since we’d first disappeared.

Sure, I was paying him a lot of money. And he didn’t get the rest of it until he delivered us safelyfromthe rainforest. But that was some dedication I never expected.

Violet wasn’t up for talking, though. She ran to the Jeep, pulling open the back door, and climbing inside.

“Thanks for this, man,” I said, clamping a hand to Marco’s shoulder. His gaze slid to my hand, brows raising. “It’s been a long couple of days,” I admitted, getting a nod from him. From the car, I heard a little cry, knowing Vi was in there, her relief manifesting in tears. Marco’s eyes softened. “Yeah, for her, I’m gonna need you to drive me right to a fancy-ass hotel that has great food.”

To that, Marco nodded, and we made our way to the car.

To give Violet privacy, Marco cranked up the music.

As for me, I pulled her into my arms, running my hands through her hair, down her back, feeling a strange mix of relief and dread.

With the rainforest behind us, life was about to get very different. After a brief rest, we were going to have to finish compiling my evidence.

Then head back to the States.

Where she would have to turn me over to an unknown fate.

Once we left Ecuador, it was possible that all that had been growing between us—and the depth of feeling I never could have anticipated—might be over.

My heart felt like it cracked just at the thought.

Before I could fall into too deep of a depression over the future, though, Marco was pulling up in front of a luxury hotel.

“Marco, you have gone above and beyond,” I told him, digging into a hidden compartment in my pack for the rest of the cash I owed him. “If I get out of this shitstorm of a situation I find myself in, I might be in contact again.”

When I turned back to Violet, she was staring longingly at the hotel.

“Ready for luxury?” I asked.

“And coffee. Don’t forget about the coffee.”

“As if you would ever let me,” I said, wrapping an arm around her hips and giving her a squeeze.

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