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She blinked once, twice, her brain refusing what was right before her eyes. “Mr. Wilkerson?”
He smiled, like he was pleased she recognized him. “Yes, ma’am. Finally.”
She recoiled. “Why are you trying to hurt me?”
His expression went grave and he shook his head. “No, Emma, no. You have it all wrong. I want to keep you safe always.” He glared at Caine. “And I’ve already forgiven what you did with that…degenerate. We’ll not speak of it again.”
What the ever-living hell? How does he know anything? “Um, Mr. Wilkerson, can you just give me a minute to get my breath? I just feel like I need to catch up,” she said, slipping as much pleasantry into her voice as she could manage.
“I’m afraid not. At least, not here. Cops are coming. I need you to get in the truck now.” When he gestured at the rear door near to him, she realized the hand he pointed with held a gun.
Which was the moment she finally freaking remembered that Caine had given her his.
“Okay, okay, Mr. Wilkerson. Just give me a second. I’m a little dizzy,” she said, slowly forcing herself to her feet between Caine and the SUV with the pocket that held the gun facing the field. She hoped the oversized bulk of it would shield her hand just long enough.
Sirens. Way distant. They might as well have been a hundred miles away, assuming they were coming for them at all. Would they be able to track Caine’s 9-1-1 call? She didn’t know.
“Hurry, Emma,” Wilkerson said, the hard edge of impatience slipping into his tone.
“Okay, okay,” she said, pulling the handgun up into the long sleeve. Gingerly, she moved closer to the SUV, then alongside it, but not yet close enough for him to force her in.
“Now, girl.” All pretense of that slow politeness dropped away.
Caine stirred. His boot twitched. He groaned louder and tried to pull his knee up under him.
“You can’t have her ever again,” the man growled, going closer and raising the gun. Fully prepared to shoot an injured, unarmed man point blank in the back.
She raised her own gun. “Drop it. Now.” Even though she’d held and shot a gun before, her hand shook. There was no comparison between pointing at a target and at another human being.
He noticed, his gaze latching onto how the handgun quivered. “Your fucking another man is as much poor behavior as I can take from you, Emma. I can’t believe you’re going to make me discipline you on our very first night.”
“Drop it!” she yelled.
His hand moved. She didn’t know if he was preparing to fire at Caine or turn the piece on her. She didn’t wait to know. She pulled the trigger. Once, twice, three times, more.
Despite their proximity, it took several shots before she hit him where it counted enough that he finally went down.
But he did go down. She approached him like he was a snake that would strike again, and she kicked his gun away from his reach.
Bleary, hateful eyes glared up at her. “Such a disappointment, after all my…work.”
She raised the gun again. A hundred percent prepared to shoot and end this once and for all. But then a terrible gurgling sounded out from his throat, and he fell eerily quiet, utterly still.
Stunned and shaky, Emma went to the ground at Caine’s side again. Unfocused icy blue eyes swam up at her, and then he attempted to roll to his side, but couldn’t quite manage it. But that was enough to make her clutch his hand and squeeze it tight—and say everything she should have said sooner. “Thank God, Caine. Please be okay, baby. Please be okay so I can tell you how sorry I am and how much I love you.”
Slow blinks were her only response.
And then sirens bore down on them. Cars skidded to a stop. Voices yelled. Weapons waved. Emma threw away her gun and held up her hands. “Help us,” she cried. “He’s hurt.”
Chaos descended. Cops wanted to talk to her. Paramedics wanted to examine her. Other Raven Riders asked what’d happened.
But all Emma wanted was to get back to Caine. And make sure he was okay.
Chapter 16
Caine came awake on a hard gasp and found his chest and hips strapped down. He fought the restraints like a motherfucker—because they were keeping him from finding Emma.
“Emma!” he shouted. “Emma!” God, please let her have survived this. Please let her still be here. Please let me have kept my promise, just this one time. “Emma!”
Hands pinned his arms.
And then a face loomed over his. “Caine, stop. Stop, man. It’s us. Emma’s here. They’re checking her out.” Dare. It was Dare.
“She’s…”
He nodded. “Banged up but good.”
“Fuck, fuck, her stalker is after us! Let me…up,” he growled.
“He’s gone. It’s over,” Dare said.
Suddenly Caine was free. Up. On his feet and searching for the threat. But the road tilted and he landed against somebody’s chest. Hands held him upright.
