Her body curled tighter around that kid as another round punched through the truck wall inches away.
She didn’t even notice.
Or maybe she did.
Maybe she just didn’t care.
And that—
That was dangerous.
I fired another burst toward the headlights.
“Hang on!” Lucas shouted.
The truck jerked violently off the road.
We slammed into rough desert hills.
Everything shook.
Metal rattled.
Children cried harder.
Gunfire echoed behind us for another few seconds—
Then faded.
The headlights disappeared behind the hills.
For now.
I kept my weapon trained on the darkness another beat before climbing fully into the truck bed.
The truck bounced beneath my boots as I crossed toward Olivia.
She sat against the side wall with the little girl still tucked against her chest. Dust streaked her face. Blood spotted one sleeve where she’d scraped her arm raw against the metal siding.
She hadn’t even noticed that either.
“Hey.”
My hand closed around her forearm.
Not hard.
Just enough.
Her gaze snapped to mine instantly.
There it was.
That tiny fracture in her composure.
Fear.
Not for herself.
