Page 74 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

“I’ve aced midterms in shorter amounts of time.”

“But have you ever fought for your life and come out the other side still breathing? Because that’s what this is right now. This isn’t college. This isn’t school. This isn’t a test. This is do or die.”

My shoulders slumped. “I know. I know. Trust me, I get it.”

“Come here, Dani. I’ve got you.”

I let him pull me back to his body before he tucked my head against his neck. I sighed heavily, reveling in his warmth as he slowly lay down. I relaxed on top of him, feeling his heart beating against my own. His hands softly explored me, never breaching my clothes as they languidly slid around.

And me?

Well, my stomach was one big knot of nerves.

I felt my confidence slipping away. Now that we were on the brink of fighting our way out of this, I felt terrified. I didn’t feel strong, like I had in that alleyway. I didn’t feel empowered, like I had talking to all of those men that night. I didn’t feel headstrong, like I had when riding with those guys over to the police station.

Now I just felt like Dani.

Little, sheltered, pointless Dani.

“Max?”

“Hmm?”

“Does it bother you that I’m scared?”

He stroked his fingers through my hair. “No. It doesn’t.”

“So if I were to ask you what we might do if this doesn’t go the way we planned, what would you say?”

He gripped my hair softly. “I’d say you’re looking too far into the future. And pulling your focus away from a present like this is almost always fatal.”

“So what if I asked you about being abandoned?”

He paused. “What?”

I lifted myself up. “What if we’re completely abandoned out here? What if Benji comes with backup or something and we’re completely outmatched? What if--?”

He sat up quickly. “Shhhh, sh-sh-sh-sh-sh. Slow down.”

I shook my head. “What if I’ve brought you out here to do nothing but die?”

His forehead pressed against mine. “Then I die with happiness in my heart.”

“Don’t say shit like that.”

“It’s true, Dani.”

He fisted my hair and pulled my head back softly so he could gaze into my eyes.

“You make me the happiest I’ve ever felt. And if this is where I die, I die knowing damn good and well I loved someone with my whole entire being.”

I sniffled. “Max, please.”

“You know as well as I do that we’re not alone out here. But even if we were--and even if something did go wrong--I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Understood?”

“Don’t die because of me. Okay?”

He chuckled. “You don’t get a choice in that. Because if the choice is my life or yours? It’s mine in a heartbeat.”

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