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“For now,” I reply.
Tristan nods, and the look in his dark eyes is grave. “For now,” he agrees.
I know I should be more concerned with the imminent danger. But even as we race down the road, picking up speed again as Tristan navigates the winding curves like a pro, my guilt is nearly unbearable, somehow even worse than it was last night. This happened because of me. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, and now it’s all fallen apart. Forget everything I thought I learned. Lucas is on our tails, and one thing is clear: it doesn’t matter where we go. He’s never going to stop.
My stomach is tied up in knots, the guilt so intense it’s unbearable, and at last I can’t stand it anymore. Whipping my eyes away from the road behind us, I turn to Tristan, my voice cracking with desperation. “Tristan,” I say, “I need to tell you something.”
“Later,” he says, his eyes still glued to the road. “The most important thing right now is keeping you safe, Vivian.”
“But that’s just it,” I protest. “Tristan, the reason Lucas is here…”
But before I can even get the words out, Tristan slams on the brakes hard enough to make my head whip back. Fear rushes through me as I look out the windshield to see a terrible replay of the scene from last night unfolding in front of us: a hulking black SUV comes careening around a corner, tires skidding shrilly against the asphalt as it cuts us off dead ahead. I grope for my seat belt, ready to make a break for it, but Tristan is just staring straight ahead, his hands clenched on the steering wheel.
“What are you doing?” I demand. “We have to get out of here!”
Tristan’s blue eyes narrow.
“Tristan!” I shout, the sounds of the bullets still ringing in my memory.
“They’re with us,” he says abruptly, killing the engine and clambering out the driver’s side door.
I stare at him, flabbergasted, my heart pounding in my chest.
“It’s okay,” Tristan says, extending a hand to me. “Come on; we don’t have much time.”
I glance out the front window just in time to see two familiar figures climbing out of the intercepting car. Relief and affection wash over me as I allow Tristan to help me out the driver’s side.
“Theo,” I manage breathlessly, half-running to close the distance between us. “Liam.”
“Hey, kid,” Theo says, pulling me into his arms and pressing a kiss to my lips. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she’s happy to see us,” Liam quips as I slam into him, pulling him into a desperate hug.
I give him a playful swat and drag him down for a kiss. Part of me is surprised at how easy it is to kiss him in front of the others, but the worry over stress-testing this new relationship somehow pales in comparison to my relief at seeing them safe and alive.
“You protected her,” Theo says, putting a hand on Tristan’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
“I’d die before I did anything else,” Tristan says soberly, sliding a strong arm around my waist, and something unspoken passes between the three of them.
“What do we do now?” I ask, glancing from one to the next as they cluster protectively around me. “Hell, what are you guys even doing here?”
“We were on our way back already,” says Liam.
“James called me,” Theo explains. “He said there had been an ambush. Liam put us on track to intercept.”
“That explains the shit driving, at least,” Tristan says, shooting the blond a dry smile before turning to Theo. “And it wasn’t an ambush. It was a fucking assault. Lucas is there. I managed to shake him, but—”
“But he’s got a freaking army on our heels,” I interject, shaking my head as my shoulders slump. “This is all my fault.”
“Don’t,” Theo says, cupping my cheek and brushing my lips with his thumb. “Don’t go there, kid. We’re not letting him near you.” He nods to Tristan. “You good to keep going?”
“You know I am,” Tristan replies, his blue eyes gleaming in the low light.
“Good.” Theo turns to Liam. “Liam?”
“Damn straight,” he says. “Just get me close enough and I’ll kill the bastard myself.”
I glance from him to Theo, sensing there’s something I’m not following. “What’s going on?” I ask, grabbing Liam’s hand.
