Page 70 of Burning Justice

The others raced up the hill behind her. Rio caught up Skye. Raine ran to Orion where he, Saxon, Vince, and Hammer had set Tori down. Tristan came over. Crispin and Crew found Jade and JoJo.

“Hammer!” Mack raced up the hill.

The two brothers hugged, slapping each other’s backs hard. Hammer squeezed the back of Mack’s neck. “Did you steal a train, bro?”

Mack’s cheeks reddened. “Grizz helped.”

Maria fought back tears. “Is Tori okay?”

“She needs a hospital.”

“Let’s go.” She slid her arms from around Kane’s neck, reluctant to let go, but if they had to get Tori seen by a doctor, then there was no time to lose.

A helicopter’s rotor blades cut through the sound of the train, which was still in the process of coming to a complete stop.

She tensed. “Is that one of ours?”

A helicopter had shot at them just days ago. She didn’t want to have to run for her life to a slow-moving train. That wasn’t a great getaway vehicle.

Kane shielded his eyes with his hand. “It’s ours.” He glanced around. “Everyone back up and make a space!”

Orion crouched by Tori, and Maria saw the other woman open her eyes. She had a bandage of some kind on the side of her face and seemed a little singed, but she was alive.

All of them were alive.

Maria’s legs started to sag. Kane caught her. “You okay?”

“Just…thankful.” Too thankful for words. Thank You. Because it was God who had kept them all safe this far. Surely He would continue to do it. She didn’t think this thing was fully over. Elias was still out there. The canister. Her father.

Elias had tried to kill them all, but he hadn’t won.

She touched Kane’s cheek, and while he held her close, she pressed her lips to his. The kiss was full of a whole lot of relief, gratitude, and all those just-happy-to-be-alive emotions that overflowed until tears slid down her cheeks.

“Hey.” He swiped his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping them away.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Kane’s lips curled up. “Since you’re fine and all…”

“What?”

He dipped his head close. “I love you.”

Her hand on him tightened reflexively. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“I know.”

“But it’s a good ending.”

“Yeah?”

The helicopter whipped smoke and debris into the air, swirling her hair around her head. She leaned closer to Kane so she could whisper in his ear. “I love you too.”

The guys got Tori loaded in the chopper, and Orion climbed in. Kane held Maria while they waved at the departing helicopter.

“We should get moving or we’ll miss the train.” Mack grinned.

Hammer laughed, swinging his arm around his brother’s shoulders.

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