by Anna Blakely
“I see something.” He squinted his eyes for better focus. “It’s hard to tell from here, but it almost looks like...ah, fuck.”
“What?” Jake and Derek spoke in unison.
“It’s Fuller’s car.”
“Wait, you found them?” Jake asked.
“Maybe.”
Derek spoke up next. “What exactly do you see, Mike?”
“I see Fuller’s car...or what’s left of it. Looks like the asshole lost control. He ran it into a goddamn tree.”
Several low curses hit Mike’s ear, but all he could focus on, all he could think about, was that Juliet had been in that car, too.
As he got closer, he could make out the skid marks on the pavement and gouges in the grass. “I’m pulling onto the shoulder where the car went off.”
“Watch your back, dude,” Derek warned. “There are a fuck ton of trees around there. Plenty of places for that douchecanoe, Fuller, to hide.
“D’s right,” Jake offered up his two cents. “You don’t know what you’re going to walk up on so stay alert.”
Stopping the car, Mike grabbed the pistol from the passenger seat and jumped out. “I don’t know whether to be touched or insulted.”
This wasn’t his first rodeo, and both men damn well knew it.
“Just stay focused, asshole,” Jake grumbled. “Remember the goal.”
“Trust me, it’s the only thing I’m thinking about.” Mike raised the gun and started walking toward the wreckage. “I’m putting my phone into my pocket, so I can use both my hands. I’ll keep it on, though, just in case.”
Jake surprised him when he said, “Ryker’s got some guys headed your way, since we can’t be there ourselves to give you backup.”
Jason Ryker was a Homeland Security agent and R.I.S.C.’s handler when they took on jobs for the government agency.
“Ryker?” Mike jumped the ditch and ran up the opposite incline. “I thought you told him to go fuck himself after the shit he pulled with Bravo Team a while back.”
“I did. This is one of the many things he’s doing to make up for it.”
Bravo Team was the other R.I.S.C. security team. From what Mike had heard, some shit went down with that team’s leader, and Ryker had played a part in letting it happen.
“I’ll keep an eye out for them, too.”
Mike started to put his phone into his pocket when he heard Jake’s voice again.
“Hey, Mike?”
“Yeah?”
“Your sister will never forgive either of us if you get your ass killed.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry. The only one dying today is Fuller. Maybe Lopez if I can track his ass down, too.”
“Copy that.”
With the phone away, Mike used both hands to keep the gun steady as he approached the mangled car. He watched for any signs of movement, but all he saw was the steam dissipating into the air above the car’s crumbled hood.
The closer he got, the more conflicted he felt. From what he could tell, it didn’t look like Juliet or Fuller were in the vehicle. That meant they hadn’t been killed when it rammed into the tree.
Thank you, God.
It also meant, they both were out there, somewhere. Jules was quite possibly injured.
Forcing himself to stay focused, he kept his gun trained as he made his way around the back to the driver’s side. Both the driver’s and passenger’s seats were empty, and Mike’s first reaction was relief. Then he saw the blood.
Fuck.
There was a lot of it. Enough to make him believe whoever it belonged to had been hurt in a pretty significant way.
Horrified at the thought of it being Juliet’s, it took him a few seconds to realize the blood was in the driver’s seat. Not the passenger’s. Which meant it belonged to Fuller.
Keeping a close eye on his surroundings, he grabbed his phone and updated the others. “They’re not in the car, but Fuller’s seat is covered in blood, so I’m pretty sure he’s hurt.”
“Any sign of him or Jules?” Derek asked anxiously.
“Negative. The passenger door is hanging open, and there’s some blood on the window. Not a lot, though. She probably hit her head when the car lost control.”
The thought of her being hurt in any way killed him, but at least Fuller seemed to have gotten the worst of it. Mike looked down by his feet and noticed a trail of blood leading from the car into the trees.
He smiled. “I can track them.”
“Ryker’s men are about ten minutes out, Mike,” Jake informed him. “Wait for them before you go into those woods.”
Something cold and wet hit Mike’s nose prompting him to look up. He blinked as several large snowflakes peppered his face.
“Juliet doesn’t have ten minutes, Jake.” He headed into the forest. “She’s out there, somewhere, running for her life from that prick, and it just started to fucking snow. I gotta go.”
Unable to afford the distraction, Mike decided to end the call. Shoving the phone back into his pocket, he kept his eyes on the blood and did exactly what he’d set out to do.
He started hunting.
Chapter 15
Juliet ran. Her head and chest hurt, there was blood running down the right side of her face, and if she were a guy, her balls would be frozen by now. But she kept running.
Waking up in the car with Fuller next to her had been terrifying. Thankfully, the crash had knocked him out, too.
Would’ve been better if the bastard was dead.
It was the first thing she’d checked when coming to, and Juliet had actually cried a little when she saw his bulky chest rising and falling. Normally, she’d never wish anyone dead. But this situation was as far from normal as she’d ever been.
Knowing he’d kill her the second he woke up, she hadn’t wasted any time unbuckling and getting herself out of the car. Her initial thought was to run to the road, but then she remembered how desolate the area was.
Plus, if Fuller did come after her and she was out in the open, he’d have a clear shot. Being an FBI agent, Juliet knew if he were given the chance, the man wouldn’t miss.
So, she’d run into the trees.
Juliet had been running for what seemed like forever, but she didn’t dare stop. She wanted to, especially after the numerous times she tripped and fallen. But she didn’t.
Her speed had started to taper off, however, and though she had some cover from the evergreen’s branches, the snow that snuck through only made things worse.
What started as tiny, sporadic flakes had almost instantly changed to huge, fat ones that were accumulating quickly. She thought of the coat and gloves still hanging on the peg back in the cabin and kicked herself with every step for having taken it off when she had.
Her teeth chattered, and though she couldn’t see them, Juliet suspected her lips had turned a nice shade of bluish-purple. If she didn’t get herself out of these trees and someplace with people who could help her, she may not have to worry about dying by Fuller’s gun.
That was another thing she was kicking herself for. Not grabbing the gun before she ran. But in her defense, she’d just woken up from having blacked out and her thought processes were slightly impaired. Also, she’d been terrified that Fuller would wake up to find her body over his while she searched for the damn thing.
“You can’t run forever!”
Juliet’s footing stuttered and she tripped again. That time when she fell, she stayed down and listened closely.
Was that voice real, or did I imagine it?
“Come on, Juliet. It’s too cold to be doing this shit. Just come back here, and we’ll go find help together.”
Oh, God! It’s really him!
Ignoring the pounding in her head and the pain in her chest, Juliet jumped to her feet and took off, again. Several yards later, she caught site of a long stretch of white opening through the trees.
It was hard to tell if it was a road or what, but she decided to go for it, all the same. As she got cl
oser to it, she realized it was too narrow to be an actual road. A trail maybe?
Trails lead to things. Maybe this one would lead her to people...and a phone she could use to call Mike.
Her heart ached worse than her head, but she gritted her teeth and forced all of that away. Letting herself travel down that path would most certainly deter her from what needed to be done.
Small, white clouds escaped Juliet’s mouth with each breath as she broke through to the trail. She knew her boot prints would lead Fuller straight to her but avoiding them in the ever-accumulating snow was an impossible feat.
She’d just have to push herself faster. Put as much distance between them as possible. Best case scenario, his injury would slow him down enough for her to escape.
Worst case, he’d catch up to her and kill her. But hey, at least she’d die knowing she tried.
A tiny, hysterical laugh bubbled up and was set free. Juliet instantly rolled her lips inward to cut off the sound. If he heard her, he may be more motivated to keep coming.
Her body trembled, and her goosebumps had goosebumps. Her boots felt heavier and heavier with each step, but damn it, she couldn’t give up. She couldn’t...
There!
Juliet spotted a large clearing up ahead. The ground was covered, and the densely falling snow made it almost impossible to see anything beyond it, but it had to mean something. The edge of someone’s property, maybe?
Her renewed hope brought with it a sudden burst of energy. Juliet pushed herself harder. Faster. And before she knew it, she was at the trees’ edge and running through the clearing.
Big, fat snowflakes kept landing on her lashes, but she blinked them away. A chilly breeze blew past, instantly freezing several strands of her long, dampening hair, but she brushed them off her face and kept going.
You’ve got this, baby. Don’t give up.
It was as if Mike was by her side, cheering her on.
She smiled, picturing his handsome face and those heart-thundering eyes. Soon her imagination and wishful thinking began to take over, and before she knew it, she’d reached the end of the clearing...and the edge of a very sharp, very deep cliff.
Juliet cried out, her outstretched arms mimicking a helicopter’s blades as they swirled about at her sides to keep her from falling. The toes of her boots hung over the land’s edge and clumps of snow tumbled down into the wintery abyss.
Looking down, her heart thumped against her ribs when she got her first good look at what was almost her grave.
Steep, uneven walls seemed to go on forever, their surface littered with sharp edges and a few trees that had managed to find their way through the cracks.
A narrow river divided the deadly cavern. Its edges lined with piles of rocks that meant instant death for anyone unlucky enough to fall.
With her breath frozen in her lungs—almost literally—Juliet carefully slid herself back away from the ledge. First her left foot, then her right. She didn’t stop until there was a solid yard between her and the drop-off.
Exhaling slowly, Juliet’s chin quivered as she released a long, slow breath. Her entire body shook, the sweater and jeans she’d put on this morning useless against the frigid air. But she was still alive, so she had to keep going.
She turned away from the cliff to assess her surrounding and decide which direction to travel in next. But the man limping toward her—and the gun in his hand—prevented her from going anywhere.
“You’re a f-fighter.” Fuller trudged closer, the slowly trickling blood leaving drops of pink in his snowy wake. “Gotta...g-give you th-that.”
Tears froze at the corners of Juliet’s eyes. “Why don’t you j-just leave m-me here?” Her numb lips and chattering teeth made it difficult to talk. “I’ll d-disappear. Use a different n-name. N-no one will ever know I’m s-still alive.”
This was her last chance. A hail Mary. If she could talk him into letting her go, then maybe she could find her way back to Mike before she developed full-blown hypothermia.
Mike had lived for ten years under different names. If anyone could help her vanish, it was him.
“N-nice try...p-princess. No b-body...n-no paycheck.”
Shit. “I’ll pay you d-double. M-Mike can get you out of th-the c-country.”
“M-man of my word, p-princess.” The gleam in his soulless eyes doused whatever hope she’d felt a few minutes before.
He’s enjoying this.
Having had enough of his sick games, Juliet shouted at him. “You b-bastard!” Her voice echoed through the winter air. “Your w-word doesn’t m-mean sh-shit!”
“Doesn’t...m-matter.” He grimaced as he hobbled even closer. “Any final p-prayers you’ve got...you’d b-better say them n-now.”
Panic set in and Juliet wanted to howl to the universe at the unfairness of it all. She wasn’t ready to die. In many ways, she’d barely even begun to live.
They say your life flashes before your eyes right before you die. But the only image Juliet’s saw in her mind’s eye was the man who’d stolen her heart.
Mike was her soulmate. Her other half. And despite their unconventional beginning, Juliet knew he was the man she was meant to find.
I’m so sorry, Mike.
Fuller straightened his stance, preparing to shoot. Juliet closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate. Holding on to the last remnants of dignity she had, she stood there, waiting for her life to come to an end...and then she heard it.
She heard him.
“Drop the weapon, Fuller!”
Juliet’s eyes flew open, and she couldn’t believe what she saw.
“Mike!”
He was still several yards away, and the snow was still falling in sheets, but there was no mistaking that face. Running toward them, he appeared to be carrying a gun of his own. Its barrel was pointed directly at Fuller.
Fuller.
The man was turning around, too. His gun moved with him, away from her, and toward...
“No!” Juliet didn’t think. She just reacted.
Reaching out, she grabbed Fuller’s arm and pulled it back. The sound of the bullet firing through the barrel echoed all around them, but thankfully she’d prevented it from going anywhere near Mike.
“Jules!”
Fuller pushed against her, doing his best to force her to let him go. Her feet slid in the snow, and she felt herself moving backward, but she held on with everything she had.
“F-fucking b-bitch!”
The strong man swung his elbow toward her face, but Juliet saw it coming and managed to move just in time for him to miss.
“Let her go!”
Mike was getting closer, now. Close enough he could shoot Fuller.
Realizing this, as well, Fuller let out a loud roar and shoved Juliet again. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hold on.
Juliet fell backward, the snow doing very little to break her fall. With an oomph, she landed hard on her back, her head inches away from the edge of the cliff. She was pushing herself back up to her feet just as another shot rang out.
No!
Her heart flew into her throat, but when she raised her head, she discovered it wasn’t Mike who’d been shot. It was Fuller.
The killer-for-hire dropped his gun and stumbled backward. Fresh blood dripped from his right hand, the warm drops melting the snow the second they hit.
Finally managing to become upright once again, she started to move out of the way for fear the injured man would accidentally knock her over the deadly wall. In an unexpected move, Fuller turned his focus back on her.
With a hatred and fury unlike any she’d ever seen, he raised his uninjured arm and reached for her. Screaming, Juliet tried to move to the side, but her foot slipped, and she went down on one knee.
Mike fired his weapon again, the second shot hitting his target with perfection. Blood oozed from the new hole in Fuller’s chest. Right where his heart would be, if the bastard actually had one.
The large man took several st
eps backward. Juliet could tell he was about to go down...and she was right in his path.
“Juliet!” Mike shouted her name. He was running toward her and waving his arms, signaling for her to move.
Scrambling to get away, the snow and her frozen form made standing more difficult than it should’ve been, but she finally managed to get herself upright.
She took a step forward—toward Mike—right as Fuller’s limp body collapsed against her. She lost her balance, and though she tried desperately to find purchase, the snow was simply too slick.
Mike’s terror-stricken eyes grew as wide as saucers, and his screams of denial echoed through the mountains. But it was too late.
Juliet felt herself falling, and this time, there was no snowy ground below to stop her.
****
“No!”
Mike’s stomach dropped, his lungs seizing with fear as he watched Juliet disappear over the edge of the cliff.
Running as fast as his legs would take him, he slipped and nearly went down twice as he raced to save the woman he loved.
Please, God. Please, let her be okay!
The snow swirled in front of his face as it was carried by the freezing wind. The blizzard-like conditions made it almost impossible to see more than a few feet in front of him, which was why Mike had hesitated to shoot Fuller sooner than he had.
With Jules standing so close to him, he hadn’t wanted to risk hitting her. He hadn’t wanted to chance something happening and her going over the fucking edge.
Oh, God.
The idea that he may have just watched the woman that he loved die was enough to end him.
“Juliet!” His throat burned as he screamed for her. “Baby, talk to me!”
Refusing to believe she was gone, Mike dropped to his knees at the spot where he’d seen her go over. Praying for a miracle, he held his breath and leaned out over the edge.
“Mike!” Juliet’s voice reached him from below.
Tears of overwhelming relief flooded his eyes when he saw her. She was alive. His sweet, loving, incredible woman was alive. And hanging onto a broken branch.
Fuck! “Hang on, baby! I’ll get you up!”