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Jackal stood over her in a feral crouch. The downside of her plan to get Anya’s number was that there was no longer any computer in any office. Jackal’s enraged roar told her Harold was gone and she would pay.
As Monty sprinted, holding a piece of metal pipe straight out from his body, she held her breath. Jackal was momentarily shocked, but it wouldn’t last. She shifted her gaze back to Monty, seeing that he’d realized the same thing.
Harold’s fingers—no, Jackal’s—tightened on the tablet. His other hand moved closer, and she knew they had only a small window to make their move.
With all the strength she could muster, she rolled from her side to her knees, her ass in the air and her forehead pressed into the dirt for balance. She knew Monty was close. “Through the hedge!” she shouted, her voice quivering.
She watched as Monty shoved the pipe toward Jackal’s face, then headed to her. Jackal’s arm flew up, but not in time. The pipe beat his arm to his face. She would have loved to see the impact, but Monty’s muscular arm snaked around her waist, jerking her up and swinging her wildly.
It was a surreal sensation—the hard ground disappearing as she flew through the air. Even in her compromised state, Hartley recognized Monty’s touch. His scent—cologne, along with a blend of sweat and determination—surrounded her, and she couldn’t stop the tears that overflowed her eyes.
Nothing mattered now. She was with him, and if this was her last thought, that was okay.
An explosion erupted around them, led by Jackal’s piercing, exultant scream. The air burned her face, her throat, and the brightness blinded her. Instinctively, she turned her face into Monty’s solid back, seeking shelter from the impending inferno.
Montgomery’s strides were strong as he bullied his way through the thick hedge. The branches scratched Hartley’s skin, each abrasion a reminder of the danger they faced. Then she was flying again, dropping into a dark abyss. It felt like being swallowed by a giant, its throat full of jagged wooden teeth.
She barely had time to process her new surroundings before Monty landed heavily on top of her. The orange glow of the explosion illuminated him briefly, casting an ethereal glow around his silhouette. Then all the light disappeared with a low boom of metal.
“Are you okay?” he asked, huffing.
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” she stammered, their voices echoing. “Are we in the dumpster?”
“Yeah,” he replied, his hands reaching around to find hers, trying to deal with her restraints. “Sorry I had to throw you in like that.”
“It’s fine,” she murmured, burying her face in his neck. “But I reserve the right to give you shit about it later.”
“Hmmm,” he replied, working at her hands until the tie snapped. Then he did the same for her feet.
“Jesus, did that really happen?” she asked. Once her legs were free, she crawled on top of him, shivering and shaking and not able to get close enough.
“Yes. Let’s hope that lunatic went up in flames, so it’s really the end,” Monty replied, gasping when she squeezed him.
“Oh shit. I’m sorry,” she exclaimed, leaning away and gingerly touching his arm. “You’re hurt.”
“And you’re covered in slivers,” Monty said, humor in his voice as his hand reached unerringly for her face in the dark.
“I am,” she admitted, putting her hand against his where it touched her face. “And we’re probably lying on boards with nails and will get tetanus and die anyway, but…thanks for the effort.”
He laughed, the sound bordering on too loud in the small space. “Fucking hell, do you ever look on the bright side?” he asked with another hearty laugh. He pulled her hard against him, this time shifting her toward his good arm.
“I never used to, but I might start,” she admitted. “Although I have one thing to tell you that you might not be happy about.”
Monty shifted, his lips close to her ear. “Tell me now, while I’m in a weakened state.”
A hint of a smile crossed her lips. “I’m reneging on the divorce. Now that I know you can pick me up at a dead run and save me from an explosionanda madman, I’ve decided to keep you.”
His deep chuckle rumbled against her, a sweet sound amidst the falling debris that still pinged and clunked against the metal of the dumpster. “Do I have any say in that?” he whispered, his lips moving against her temple, then her forehead, then her eyes. He cupped her face, groaning as he used his injured arm as well, and her heart almost burst out of her chest.
“No,” she said, her voice wobbling as she kissed him back, kissed every inch of his face she could reach, squeezing the hands she would never let go. “You’re stuck with me forever, and there’s not a single thing you, or Eli, or—or your board, or anybody can do about it.”
She didn’t care about the waver that threaded her voice, or the muffling sobs that finally weakened her, leaving her to fall back against him. Nothing mattered anymore, as long as they were together. He could disagree with her and push her away, but she would crawl right back and fasten herself to his leg.
“Someone told me recently that you could be a real pain in the ass,” he said, hugging her hard with his good arm. “But you’remypain in the ass. So I guess I’ll let you keep me.”
His words sent a flood of calm through her unlike she’d ever felt. “Monty...” she began, searching for the right words.
“Yes, love?” he asked.
