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“We can’t sit here forever. I guess we have no choice.”
“Unless you want to wait here while I go get help.”
“No.” The word torpedoed from her mouth, leaving no room for argument.
An awkward pause filled the air.
“Okay,” Jax finally said. “Let’s go.”
His hand took hold of hers with gentle strength, and they slipped from their safe haven into the night air. Despite feeling vulnerable out in the open, Seyla convinced her legs to walk forward. The rain had tapered to a light drizzle, seeping between their hands to fuse them together into one.
In a different scenario, they would’ve been a couple enjoying holding each other’s hand, strolling in the moonlight together. Except there was no moonlight. It had been choked out by thick clouds. And they weren’t a couple. So why did a warm thrill zing through her when he grasped her hand? Because she was cold and wet, of course. It had to be the welcome heat that shot from her hand right to her heart.
Seyla wiped the hair away from her face yet again and focused on the task of not tripping in the dark. Not an easy matter when she couldn’t see two feet in front of her. A warm hand wrapped around her arm with no warning. She stopped on a gasp.
“You’re freezing.”
He dropped the hand he held to skim both hands up and down her arms. She stood motionless, resisting the impulse to fold herself into the warm comfort of his arms. He wouldn’t appreciate it, and she didn’t want anyone’s pity. She’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
“I can give you my t-shirt. It’s wet, but it’s better than nothing.” Jax let go of her hand and grabbed the hem to take it off.
“No!” Seyla jerked away from him. “I mean, um, I’m fine. No reason to do that.” Was this what Joseph felt like, fleeing from temptation? She rushed ahead, intent on gaining some distance between them before she made a fool of herself.
She was Matt’s fragile, pitiable cousin to him, not an eligible woman.
Her focus had to stay on what mattered- protecting the sanctuary. Possibly from him. A sudden crack to her shin sent her flying face first toward the ground. Eyes squeezed shut, Seyla braced for the impact. The jarring force sent pain through her body.
Seconds later, hands lifted her from the soggy ground. When her eyes opened, she was held in the arms of…oh no. Heat flooded her cheeks. Suddenly, she appreciated the darkness. Jax hauled her against his chest and stood up, his arms moving to her waist.
“Are you alright?”
The words tickled her ear, his warm breath sending a shiver through her. It felt like…home. Like she was meant to be here, right here in his arms. However, she knew better. “Thanks. I-I think I’m okay.” So why didn’t she move away?
/////
Why wasn’t he moving away?
Seyla’s back pressed against Jax’s chest. He inhaled the coconut shampoo scent drifting upward from her, made stronger by the rain. He wanted to lean down, rest his cheek on her soft hair. He wanted to be closer to her. To wrap himselfaround her like a cocoon in order to warm her chilled skin and keep her safe.
The price stood between them, though, too steep to overcome. He couldn’t risk Uncle Sam’s life or Matt’s friendship for her. Seyla’s only interest in him lay in his ability to help her keep the sanctuary going. He proved useful right now, but he knew what happened to people who were no longer useful. His uncle’s safety had to come first. He didn’t want to betray Matt, either.
Friends were a luxury a boy with a secret couldn’t afford. Until he moved in with his uncle. Jax’s past made him appreciate Matt’s offer of friendship all the more. And a friend remained loyal, no matter what.
One by one, his fingers released their hold on her, followed by his arms. The intensity of the wave of loss surprised him. He scrubbed a hand against the back of his neck and down to his collarbone in an effort to mask the awful feeling.
Seyla turned to face him, and he crossed his arms over his chest. Then he dropped them to his sides. Shoved his hands in his pockets. Pulled one out to rub the five o’clock shadow on his jaw. “Um, okay, so…let’s keep going.”
The distant chugging whir of a quad stopped him mid-stride. He heard Seyla’s sharp intake of breath. “Come on,” he growled before taking off running.
So their assailant had returned. Why hadn’t he finished them off last time, though? It didn’t add up. Was the person getting a kick out of toying with them? Did their end game include murder, torment, or both? Their gunman’s behavior held a clue of some kind. Jax was certain of it. But the breakthrough remained fuzzy, a few millimeters beyond his mind’s reach. Unfortunately, they were running out of time to discover the truth.
Thank you, Lord, he prayed,for the thousands of night training maneuvers that almost broke me.Almost.
Jax forged ahead at a steady pace, warning Seyla when he sensed an obstacle in their path. She said nothing, although her wild, wide-eyed expression revealed her fear. She’d shown herself to be a tough woman, for sure. Pride infused him. Pride in her and her accomplishments.
If only circumstances were different.
They tore through the woods, branches slapping at their faces. The mud sucked at their shoes, seeking to rip them from their feet. The sound of nearby rushing water reached Jax’s ears. That wasn’t a good thing. If he could hear it over the rain and the quad, it had morphed from a gentle stream into a raging flood. And they were getting closer to it. But the quad was getting closer to them. “Seyla, wait!”
