Page 82 of Red Hunt

“Copy that. One ambulance coming up.” There was some commotion in the background, female voices, then the transmission went dead.

“Carter? Come in,” I said and waited.

“Milli is here. She’s safe,” Carter said. My stomach did a somersault and a sudden airiness spread through my body. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. Thank God she was safe. Thank God I’d gotten her back.

Lucas stepped outside, his grin spanning his entire face. “Are you strong enough to walk or do you need a ride?”

I flipped him the bird. “Can I leave you two? He’s in pain but not in immediate danger.” I nodded at the door. “There’s actually nothing I can do for him right now.”

Lucas took a step forward, his face turned all serious. Then he looked me deep in the eye. “Go get your girl, and Max…” He grabbed my shoulder and squeezed, just a little harder than was comfortable. “Don’t fuck it up this time. I’ve been hearing nothing else from Sharon for the past week. And if you hurt Milli again, I will be obliged to kick your ass. Understood?”

I reached out and clasped Lucas’s shoulder. I understood. Not that I had any intention of ever hurting her again. Or letting her out of my sight, for that matter.

But it was good to know people were looking out for her. Other than me, that was. Now all I had to do was grovel and beg her to take me back. And make sure she knew I would never, ever leave her again. I nodded, squeezed his shoulder once more, then turned around and went into a full-on sprint. I couldn’t bear for one second to wait any longer to check with my own eyes that she was okay.

56

MILLI

As it turned out, I was not bad at survival, not bad at all.

Bad Guys: 0, Milli: 1. Take that, asshole.

Once I came into closer range of the highway, I noticed the parked truck right at the off-ramp and immediately jumped back into the ditch.

Then I waited, invisible in the cover of darkness, slowly moving forward. I stepped into a puddle and froze. But they didn’t react. Didn’t know I was there. I hunkered down, listened to a couple of male voices, and then I heard her.

Belinda.

Belinda was here.

The relief broke out of me in a big sob, and tears welled up in my eyes. I crawled back on the road and staggered toward the truck, my legs like jello. When I came near them, the conversations died down. Then Belinda screamed, ran toward me, and took me in her arms. I might have laughed, or cried, or both, and fell against Belinda, my knees too weak to bear all my weight.

Then Max’s teammates were there. All three of them hoisted me back to the truck, and I plunked down very unceremoniously.

Tears were still streaming down my cheeks faster than I could wipe them away. My body felt boneless, depleted of all energy, and yet I felt so relieved.

“Girl, I’m so sorry.” Belinda crouched down before me. “I never should’ve brought you with me. Never should’ve exposed you to that kind of risk. How can I ever make things right?”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to make things right, Belinda. Watching you being the strong and determined woman you are made me realize how strong I am, as well.

How strong I can be.

“You might consider trusting the people on your team a bit more—asking for help from the people around you. They’re good men who respect you.”

My eyes went to Peaches’ who was hovering behind Belinda, his face showing anguish and concern. But not so much directed at me, as I realized, by his eyes, but fixated on the woman crouching in front of me. There was something going on between the Hulk and Belinda. Some budding feelings. At least on his side.

Interesting.

He helped Belinda up, and next in line were Goofy and Carter. A nagging voice in the back of my head was wondering why Max wasn’t with them.

He was the one I wanted with me. He was the one I wanted to hold me, check up on me, care for me. Was the fact that he wasn’t here a sign? He was the one chasing after the van, after all.

“How are you, little one? Where does it hurt?” Goofy’s face looked strained, his easy smile from the other night nowhere in sight.

“I’m fine. You found me in time,” I said. Except for my knee, my toe, a couple of bruises from the ride in the van, and my hand hurting like I’d hit someone in the throat with all my might, I was fine. Except for missing Max.

“Well, I stand corrected. You found us. You saved yourself, young lady. You’re a badass.” He put up his fist, but when I tried to form a fist and instead grimaced, he immediately took it in both of his hands and checked it out. “You need x-rays on your hand.”

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