“Smoke where there shouldn’t be any.”
“Where are you?”
I read off our coordinates.
Ruiz relayed them to someone in the background. “Stay where you are. We’re sending backup.”
“You know I can’t do that.” Nothing on this Earth could keep me from heading towards that smoke.
“Hayes—”
I hung up. I didn’t want to hear his arguments. I glanced at Calder. “You okay with finding that fire?”
He checked the rifle attached to his saddle. “That’s what we’re here for. Let’s go find your girl.”
The tight weave of trees meant that we couldn’t pick up to a gallop or even a damned trot. We had to plod a path through the obstacle course because we needed the cover. I noticed that we were following the curve of the creek. Maybe A
ddie had been right all along. Flowing water. Forest cover. It made for an excellent hiding spot. But the idiot hadn’t thought about the smoke giving him away.
Calder held up a hand, and we both stopped. I strained to listen. It was something. Could’ve been an animal, but it could’ve been human, too. Whoever and whatever it was, they were running.
I pulled my Glock from my holster at my hip and slid from the saddle. I handed Calder my reins and made a motion for him to stay quiet. He wrapped my reins around his saddle horn and pulled out his rifle. We’d picked these horses because they had steady experience but were young enough to go the distance. I just had to hope they wouldn’t spook at whatever we were about to face.
I crept forward through the trees, Calder and the horses on my heels. The sound of running grew louder, and then there was a scream.
Everything in me froze, my blood turning so cold it hurt as it traveled through my veins. The screaming picked back up, and then I heard the sounds of fighting. It was the only thing that kicked me into action.
I didn’t think, I simply moved, crashing through the trees until I reached the edge of the forest. There, on the bank of the creek, was the woman I loved. She thrashed in a man’s hold. He wrapped an arm around her neck and pressed a gun to her temple, stilling her movements. “I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. But I will.”
I raised my gun. “Don’t move. Carson County Sheriff’s Department.” Ben froze. “Now, slowly lower your weapon and release Everly.”
His hold on her only tightened. “She’s mine. Not yours. You put her at risk. I keep her safe.”
“If you want her safe, then you don’t want her so close to that gun.”
His finger was on the damn trigger. It would only take one wrong move for everything to be over. I met Everly’s gaze. Tears spilled down her cheeks and over her chin, landing on the dirt below. I wanted to kill him for those tears alone.
Ben shook his head with a manic ferocity. “No, no, NO! You have to leave.”
“Easy does it. Just calm down.”
“No! You ruin everything. She’s mine. She always was.” His arm around her neck tightened, and Everly began to cough.
“She can’t breathe,” I gritted out.
He loosened his hold a fraction. Everly sucked in air. “Please, Ben. Let me go.”
“No. If we’re going to die, then it’ll be together. Maybe that’s the answer. It’ll be in heaven, but we’ll be together.” He began backing up towards the edge of the creek.
I’d seen parts of Canyon Creek before, but it looked more like a river in this stretch. Even if he didn’t shoot her, they could still drown if he took them both in. “Just wait, Ben.”
He kept moving them backwards. “No more waiting.”
I adjusted the aim of my gun, but I didn’t have a clear shot. Everly’s gaze shot to mine, and she mouthed three words. “I love you.”
I would’ve given anything in that moment to hear the sound those words made. To have them whispered against my skin while we were curled up in bed. To have them come out on a laugh as she tipped her head back—anything but this.
Her hand twitched, and she pulled something I couldn’t quite make out from her pocket. In a flash, she lifted her arm and brought it down on Ben’s thigh. He howled in pain.