Page 19 of SEAL of Fate

“I am.” Sitting with his back to a tree, he dropped his pack on the ground beside him.

She grumbled for a few seconds, then sank to the ground. Every move revealed her exhaustion, but it didn’t erase the determination from her eyes or change the set of her jaw. Stubbornness was alive and well, and there was no doubt that she despised him. Not that he could blame her. She didn’t know he was trying to save her life because he hadn’t told her. Quite possibly, he should have led with that. Instead, he’d lost his temper and forced her to leave with him. As far as she knew, she was a kidnap victim with a questionable future. No wonder her eyes filled with scorn every time she met his gaze.

If only he hadn’t overheard Alex’s plans, but the thought of Brody killing her set his teeth on edge. Hell, she shouldn’t even be here. Something in her deep brown eyes spoke of sadness, and he suddenly wanted to know why. Not that she would confide in him after his brutish tactics, but at least she was still alive. If he stopped acting like a dick-head, he might uncover the gorgeous woman who’d trusted him enough to take her home a week ago.

Travis grasped his pack, stood in one fluid motion, and strode toward her. Trying a smile, he held out his hand. Surprise, confusion, and distrust paraded across her face in quick succession, and rejection seemed imminent. When he was almost ready to concede failure, she placed her hand in his.

One side of her mouth curved into an uncertain smile, and though it was a small step, it seemed huge. Resolve solidified in her clear eyes, and for the briefest moment, Travis entertained a suspicion that she was telling him what he wanted to hear. Yet, if he expected her to trust him, he’d have to reciprocate. Still holding her hand, he pushed away the worry, content with the positive move toward a tentative truce.

“Thank you.” Once on her feet, Jordan pulled her hand from his.

“My pleasure.” He motioned her to take the lead, and they started down the ridge.

*****

THE DAY DRAGGED ON, and the sun crawled westward as sweat ran down Travis’s back. He kept a close eye on Jordan. Her slender face was pale, streaked with dirt and perspiration. She walked mechanically, her gaze seldom rising from the ground in front of her.

“Let’s stop and rest.” He dropped his pack and pulled off his jacket. She didn’t argue but didn’t sit either. Without a word, he unzipped her coat, peeled it from her, and tied it around her waist. He offered the canteen, and she reached for it eagerly, sucking down several swallows.

“Thanks.” She handed it back and met his gaze briefly before looking away. “Why are you doing this?”

Good question.Travis drank sparingly from the canteen, unsure how close they were to Badger Creek and whether there’d be water or only a dry creek bed. He knelt beside his pack and pulled two jerky strips from a plastic bag, rose, and offered one to Jordan.

She hesitated, meeting his gaze again, her eyes demanding an answer. He waited silently, holding out the jerky until she accepted the food. From an inside pocket of her coat, she removed two energy bars like those he’d seen Brody eat and handed him one.

Travis grinned. “So, you weren’t just waiting around in Brody’s tent—you were stealing his food.”

As she chewed the jerky, her expression was the closest she’d gotten to amused since she’d appeared in front of the Jeep’s headlights. Still, she eyed him guardedly.Why would she trust me without all the information?He knelt on his haunches and motioned for her to sit.

Knowing he was still suspect in her eyes, he didn’t wait for her to comply. “I overheard Alex talking with Brody.” The breath left her lungs, and she dropped to her knees not far from him. “He gave Brody instructions that guaranteed you would never get out of these mountains alive.”

Another gasp escaped. “No. Alex wouldn’t do that. You must have misunderstood.”

“Look, I get that Alex is probably your boyfriend, and you want to trust him, but open your eyes, Jordan. He’s...”

She snorted, waving a dismissive hand in the air. “He’snotmy boyfriend—not even close. After he ambushed and killed Bambi’s father yesterday, I can’t get out of that relationship fast enough. But that doesn’t mean he would hurt me.”

Travis laughed, absurdly pleased that she wasn’t committed to Alex. “I’m glad to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, he was mad as hell at Brody for creating the problem by bringing you into the camp, but Alex couldn’t take a chance you would talk about what you’d seen.”

“I didn’t see anything. Yeah, I thought Kyle was going to kill me, and Brody—.” A shudder rolled through her. “What the hell’s going on?”

Travis cocked an eyebrow. “You really don’t know?”

“No!”

He considered telling her for a minute, but if he couldn’t get her somewhere safe before Alex caught up to them, the less she knew, the better. “Let’s just leave it at that for now.”

“Why? I deserve to know.”

“Yes, you do, and I’ll tell you once we’re far away from here.”

Wariness returned to her eyes. “Where are we going? Why should I trustyou?”

“That’s need-to-know too. Come on, let’s bounce. The sun will set soon.” He rose and grabbed his pack, stuffing his jacket inside. When he was ready to go, she was waiting, her eyes downcast, suspicion written all over her face as she rolled up the sleeves of her red checkered shirt.Damn it.He thought he’d gotten through to her.

Travis hadn’t seen any sign of pursuit, though he’d kept a careful vigil. They would probably be okay if they stayed away from the roads. It was much more likely that Alex would catch up to them in Mitchell, but Travis would deal with that when it happened. He’d spotted a couple of hunters earlier but avoided them without alerting Jordan. There was no sense involving any more innocents in this mess, and if no one saw them, no one would be able to share that information if asked. Besides, since he’d essentially kidnapped Jordan, it was safer if she didn’t have a chance to interact with anyone.

Dusk settled quickly once the sun disappeared behind the thunderclouds gathering in the west, taking the last of the day’s warmth. Travis found a relatively level spot below a rock overhang that would give some protection from the wind and rain if the storm let loose.

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