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He wasn’t ready to die.
A roar of an engine.
An abrupt screech of tires.
Then the slam of a door and swiftly approaching feet.
Breck’s heart hammered frantically, his body shaking. Someone was coming.
“BRECK!”Kai’s alarmed shout. “Oh, Jesus, Breck!Don’t move! I’ll be right back!”
Breck’s mind spun as he fought to stay motionless.
Kai’s here? He came after me?Breck couldn’t believe it.
All around him, limbs creaked louder and louder.
His Altima shifted, pitching down a couple of inches.
Oh, God!His lungs started heaving.
Another door slam.
Hurry, Kai!
But then Breck’s car started to groan, steel straining against branches. Twigs scraped ominously against its body, against the glass.
Breck swallowed, unable to think, to move. Unable to tear his eyes away from the darkness below.
Kai’s voice was back again, sounding closer—and slightly more composed. “I’m coming, Breck. Just hold on… Almost there.”
Breck didn’t dare look up, or even brave a nod.
More branches snapped.
His backend started to slip. Which, in turn, sent the front of his car into a backward slide.
Breck shouted, sheer terror consuming him.
Strong fingers clutched his elbow. “I got you! Grab my arm!”
Survival instincts roared. Breck shoved himself toward Kai’s voice, quickly grasping hold as his ride dropped out from under him to lurch down a few more feet.
He connected with Kai’s body, his own plummet barely averted. His feet scrambled for purchase, his lungs wildly sawing for breath.
“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Kai grunted. “I won’t let you fall.”
For the first time since his crash, Breck lifted his head, tearing his gaze from impending doom to lock instead on salvation.
Kai’s face was obscured, a silhouette in the darkness, his Camaro’s bright headlights a brilliant halo behind his upper body. A makeshift harness was tied around his chest. Breck stole a glance past him to assess their position. A half dozen feet below the rocky shoulder’s ledge. Meaning Kai had scaled down the muddy mountainside with nothing more than a rope.
“Hold on!” Kai repeated more urgently.
Breck forced himself to focus and resecured his grip on Kai’s slippery arm. Kai hauled him against his body. “Got you,” he grated. “Now wrap yourself around me and don’t let go.”
Breck obeyed without a second’s hesitation, locking his arms securely around Kai’s chest. Kai twisted around and started back up the incline. Hand over hand along that rope, hauling them higher. When they reached the top, Breck tracked that rope to somewhere under Kai’s bumper.
Kai rose to his feet, chest heaving, body soaked, then heaved Breck up, too. Without any warning, he yanked Breck close for a brutal hug.
