Fuck, this was going to hurt.
I ran.
42
JEREMIAH
“This is,without a doubt, the shittiest homemade bomb I have ever seen.” Liam looked absolutely disgusted as kicked the front bumper of his 4Runner out of the way. “It barely did anything.”
“There could be more,” Seb pointed out. “They might be better.”
“At least we know we’re in the right place,” Mateo said.
I cut the engine and exited the now bumperless car. “We go on foot from here. Stay off the road and stick to the trees. Seb, get a call in to the sheriff and let him know what’s happening.”
Someone screamedmy name. “Jeremiah!”
Lennon. I held still, not even daring to breathe, every cell in my body listening.
“Jeremiah!”
There. It came from over there. I took off in that direction. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Did she know about the traps? Any bomb that could take off a car bumper could do serious damage to a human body. “Lennon!” I roared. “Don’t move! I’m coming to you!”
Trees blurred as I ran flat out. Branches scraped at my arms and face, but I didn’t care. I could hear the sounds of someone crashing through the trees ahead of me.
“Jeremiah!” Her voice was frantic, desperate.
I ran harder. “Lennon!”
And then there she was. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of me. I barreled straight at her. She leaped the rest of the distance and I caught her in my arms, lifting her off the ground.
“Gun!” she gasped. “Bombs! Traps!” Her hands went all over me, like she was searching for injuries.
“I’ve got you, honey. I’ve got you.” I was never letting go of her again. “You’re safe now.” I rained kisses on her cheeks, her nose, her lips, every inch of skin I could find.
“She’s not safe with you.”
Goddammit.
I gently lowered Lennon to the ground. She made a whimpering sound as I pushed her behind me. “I’m notthe one who kidnapped her or chased her through the woods with a gun, Cecily. That would be you.”
“She’s not safe with you,” Cecily repeated. “You’ll hurt her. That’s all men know how to do.”
“I know why you’re scared. I know what he did to you. But that’s not going to happen again. Not to you, and not to Lennon. I promise you that.” I had to keep her talking. Holly was on her six, Seb was at three o’clock, Mateo at nine. I had the feeling Liam was behind me, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off Cecily to verify that. “Put the gun down, Cecily. You’re surrounded. It’s over.”
Her lips trembled but then she squared her shoulders. “It’s over for me, but it’s not over for Lennon. I can still save her.” She wiggled the gun at me. “Step over there. Away from her.”
Lennon fisted her hands in my shirt. “No.”
I squeezed her thigh behind me. “It’s okay, honey. Let go. I’ll do what she says.” Holly almost had her.
“No.” Lennon moved in front of me. I grabbed her around the waist and tried to haul her back, but she latched on like a monkey. “No. You cannot kill him, Cecily. It would break my heart. The same way someone broke yours. Is that what you want? Do you want to break me?”
The gun lowered slightly. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “I?—”
Holly pounced.
There was a sickening crack of bone, one sharp scream, and then it was over in less than thirty seconds. Holly held the gun in one hand and Cecily’s broken wrist in her other. “We’re good!” she called cheerfully. “You okay, Lennon?”
