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He snorted. ‘If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t waste my time driving to a national fucking park, baby.’
She nodded, apparently satisfied.
A few minutes later, they pulled up onto the shoulder of a narrow, dirt track.
‘Out,’ Dornan said.
She eyed him warily. ‘I don’t have shoes.’
He grinned. ‘I know.’
He got out and circled around, opening her door for her. Fuck, he was such a gentleman. The irony made him chuckle.
She stepped out, walking tentatively over rocks and scrubby ground-cover weeds, until she reached the back of the car.
‘Stay there,’ he said. He popped the trunk, taking out a sniper rifle that would make GI Joe’s eyes water. It had cost the Brothers a pretty penny, and Dornan guarded it like a precious diamond. He’d killed a couple of guys with it, blew them to pieces actually. He wasn’t a long-range marksman, but she didn’t know that.
He slung the rifle over his shoulder and gestured up the hill in front of them. ‘We’re going up there,’ he said. ‘If you dawdle, I’ll tie you to a fuckin’ tree and let the ants feast on those pretty bare feet.’
She gave him a blank stare before falling into step beside him.
The terrain was harsh, unforgiving. He saw the way she winced as the sharp rocks in the limestone trail cut at the soft soles of her feet.
‘Almost there,’ he said. She gave a small smile of appreciation. Wait. Why the fuck was he comforting her? Because they’d fucked the night before?
When she crested the hill and he gave her a set of binoculars, she wouldn’t be smiling in appreciation anymore. She’d be bawling her fucking eyes out in despair.
He couldn’t figure out if the annoying buzz in his stomach was excitement or dread.
He was about to destroy the girl who already thought she’d lost everything.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
MARIANA
My feet were bleeding and blistered. We’d finally reached the peak of the trail, which was washed out in some places, and completely gone in others. Still, Dornan seemed to know where he was going, as he pressed on.
But the bastard was wearing hiking boots. He had water. I’d resorted to licking the sweat from my palms whenever I thought he wasn’t looking.
‘That won’t work,’ he said, as I pressed my palm to my mouth again. ‘Too much salt. You’re only making yourself thirstier.’
I glared at him, stopping where I stood.
He stopped a few paces ahead of me and turned sharply, sending rocks skittering from beneath the soles of his heavy boots.
‘You really want to test me?’ he asked. ‘You don’t know what I’m capable of.’
I blinked back tears. My top was clinging to my back, drenched in sweat. Flies buzzed around my face, trying to extract the last bit of moisture from the corners of my eyes and mouth. I swatted at them, but they were relentless.
‘Please,’ I pleaded. ‘My feet are bleeding.’
He pointed to a spot about a hundred metres up. ‘Just a little further. Then you can sit.’ He grinned. ‘I’ll even give you some water.’
He winked at me and pressed on, widening the distance between us. I hesitated a moment, taking a chance to get a breath and look around. This wasn’t the family hiking trail, oh no. We’d passed several signs that warned we were trespassing on private property, and to turn back. Dornan had ignored every one of them.
My hesitation evaporated as I took in the hot desert around us, punctuated by mountains and a salty marsh. The terrain was unforgiving.
If I ran, I’d die. Even if I managed to evade Dornan, the desert would swiftly claim me.
