Page 66 of Now or Never
“I’m here to speak to Kenna.” The woman tore her gaze from the windshield through which she could see Kenna and Jax, and looked at Ramon. Then Zeyla. Her expression hardened.
Zeyla stuck one foot out and put her hand on her hip.
Jax muttered, “Uh-oh.”
Kenna watched the interplay. The nurse didn’t move.
“Tell us your name.” Ramon stood with his arms straight, his hands never too far from a weapon.
“You can call me Nurse Smith.” Her tone resonated with an attitude. She wanted what she wanted, and she was gonna get it.
Good luck with that.
Even better, Kenna didn’t put stock in luck at all. She had hope instead—and that hope had a solid foundation.
Zeyla muttered something Kenna didn’t catch.
“Is she getting out of the car, or do I make an appointment or something?” Nurse Smith looked from them, to where Kenna sat in the front seat of the car, then back.
Jax slid his gun from its holster but switched hands with it and reached over to hold hers.
Kenna checked the campsite around them. At least what she could see of it. No sense missing a threat that approached.
“Say what you have to say, then get out of here.” Ramon didn’t ask how she even knew where to find Kenna and Jax’s home on wheels.
Right now, Kenna would like to be anywhere but here. Preferably back in Wyoming. There was nowhere thatDominatuscouldn’t find them if they wanted to, but it felt safe there to her. Maybe it was all a delusion, or wishful thinking. It wasn’t that God had seen fit to provide them a place that was safe, although He absolutely could. She just liked the landscape in Wyoming, where the openness made it seem like she could see the threat coming.
More wishful thinking?
She would much rather trust God, no matter what the outcome. Kenna and Jax had no peace of mind in this, and yet they had the peace of God. The knowledge He had it all in His hands because they’d yielded their lives to Him and allowed Him to be in control of it all.
Nurse Smith looked to the side. They were far enough away that Kenna couldn’t assess the nuances of her expression, and it wasn’t like this woman had ever been her friend. But she looked scared. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go, okay? I need to talk to Kenna.”
“What’s going on?” Zeyla shrugged. “Thought you had a sweet gig going at that platform. What happened to that?”
“You know what happened.” Smith shook her head. “I wasn’t there. I was with the rest of the team on the island when it all went wrong. I escaped before one of you people could gun me down like some kind of animal.”
Kenna bit the inside of her lip. That wasexactlyhow most of them had treated her.
“So you ran.” Zeyla shifted her stance. “And you’ve been running since.”
“I tried to get back in. To rendezvous at one of the research facilities. No one would let me in.”
“We want to know where they are and who works there. Everything about their operation.” Ramon’s tone didn’t invite any argument.
“In exchange for what?” Smith huffed. “I’m running for my life here. People are dying!”
Zeyla said, “You think Kenna can protect you?”
“What else was I supposed to do?”
“So you came here with nothing to offer, and you want a pregnant woman to protect you?” Zeyla’s tone spoke volumes. Sort of like she thought Kenna being pregnant was the worst outcome, but probably it was just for show. Or it was about this woman’s intentions. Zeyla might even be worried that something could happen to Kenna and as a result it had come out sounding like that.
Smith brushed hair back from her face. “I can tell you stuff.” Her gaze searched the area. “I can give you information.”
“Who’s trying to kill you?” Zeyla asked.
“Kenna knows. He was there.”
