"No. Peters brought them to the safe house. I hate wearing high heels."
He smiled at the memory of Taylor on the dance floor. "But you looked good in them."
Kam shoved the piece of cloth into the gas tank.
"If I had known you would have come back from the dead when I wore them. I would have worn them a long time ago."
"You looked beautiful"— Kam turned to face Taylor— "but I like this version of you better."
She propped her fist on her hip. "The kick in the door and arrest the bad guys look?"
Kam lit the cloth and grabbed her hand. They ran straight into the woods. Even though he knew the explosion would come, he still stumbled when the woosh of hot air threw them both. He tucked her against him and made sure he took the brunt of the fall. Rolling, he put her under him and prayed that they were far enough away that the falling debris wouldn't reach them.
He smiled down at her. "It's more of a faces down evil with a smile look."
She shoved him off of her. "Great. Now we have no vehicle. No communication. And no food." She stood and extended a hand to him. "What now, Ranger?"
Her nickname for him brought peace to him, like he was coming home. "Now we hike the two miles to Moose Pass. Weneed to keep to the tree cover, but they shouldn't be able to trace us anymore."
"You think that whoever this is can trace our SAT phone?"
"I know that they are connected. Someone doesn't frame an FBI agent as clean as you without the right connections."
The thwomp of rotors increased as a helicopter flew low over the trees. Kam ducked and dragged Taylor into a hollow log. Damp earth cancelled out the smell of the burning rubber. He waited until the thump of the rotors faded into the distance, then crawled out.
"We need to get going."
They hadn't taken two steps before the questions started. He should have known that she wouldn't let his last statement go.
"Do you know who did this?"
"Specifically? No. Who is pulling the strings? I have a good idea." He lifted a branch for her to walk under. As she walked past him, their hands touched, and she entwined her fingers in his.
"You know you're going to have to give me more of an answer than that. I'm trusting you. Trusting me isn't too hard an ask, is it?"
He wished she would have stayed with questions about her situation. She trusted him. Those were the words that he longed to hear since the moment he saw the doubt in her eyes, but she was still a federal agent. Revealing things to her, even if they were under the guise of taking down Spartak, could land him in a prison where he would live out the rest of his days without her.
"I see how it is." She pulled her hand from his. "I'm supposed to trust you, but you don't have to trust me."
In that moment, Kam knew that come what may, he needed her. He wouldn't lose her again because of his fears. He caught her shoulder and turned her around.
"It's not that I don't trust you. I just don't want to put you in a position to either arrest me or live with the knowledge that you should have."
"But you were undercover. I'm sure that whatever you did won't be held against you."
"You don't understand. I don't exist. If I get caught, no one is coming to bail me out. My country would not rescue me. And I would be exposed as the mastermind behind the bombing that took out my men."
Hurt, confusion then anger flashed across her face. "Well then, it is a good thing I'm not currently a federal agent." She put her hand up to stop his argument. "As soon as we get wherever it is we are going, I'm sending in my extended leave of absence."
CHAPTER 5
Adirt-covered Chevy Bronco slowed before them, kicking up dust in its wake. Taylor tensed, but Kam took her hand and led them toward the SUV. This must be his contact who had a safe house. If there was any such thing. Her confidence in ever finding a safe place to settle down was shaken. She had confidence in her fellow agents, but these people, whoever they were, had a far reach.
"Hey, Max." Kam gave the angry-looking man a handshake that turned bro hug, complete with a slap on the back. "This is Taylor Ertz."
Max bowed. "It is a pleasure to finally meet the woman who kept this man alive long enough to save my sorry skin."
Taylor looked at Kam, who gave her a sheepish grin and a shrug of his shoulder. The man's words and Kam's actions were not helping her keep her distance, but they did give her a glimpse of who Kam was today.
