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“Boss?” Brendan balked, eyeing Killian while Genevieve lost it in a fit of giggles.
Killian shrugged, peeked around the corner, and fired a few more shots. “Ms. Gen says you’re both my new boss. She wants to be called Gen. That’s fine, Ms. Gen suits.” He glanced at Brendan. “You want a different title, boss, then let me know what it is.”
Brendan stared at Genevieve in wonder.
“Killian is our new bodyguard,” she explained and bit her lip. “Well, at least he is if you pay his salary. I’m guessing he’s out of my price range. I promised myself I wouldn’t use any of your money, but given that our lives are in danger, I’ll make an exception.”
Bobbing his head, Brendan pushed his designer glasses back up his nose. He could care less if Genevieve spent all his money, but she cared if she did, so he wasn’t about to bring that up again. “You’re hired,” he called out to Killian. “Whatever Marshal’s paying you, double it.”
“Done,” Killian returned and handed him the phone. “Here you go, but I don’t think you need it anymore, boss.”
“Brendan,” he corrected, not able to take the boss thing anymore. He was no damn American Mafia Don.
Killian furrowed his brow. “Does Mr. King work for you? Brendan is too informal for my liking.”
Brendan nodded. “Fine.”
“Very well, then, Mr. King. Hmm…doesn’t really suit. I’ll stick with boss unless we’re in other people’s company.” He pointed across the desert at the Hummer speeding toward them. “No phone call needed, boss. Looks like your driver is already on it.”
Right on, Quill, Brendan thought while wrinkling his nose at Killian’s insistence on the boss title. He decided not to press it. The man could call him whatever he wanted after saving their lives.
He kissed Genevieve’s temple. “We’re almost out of here.”
Staring at the Hummer’s approach, she scrunched her features with unease.
“Gen?” Brendan brushed a loose strand of her golden-brown hair out of her eyes. “Is something wrong?”
She nodded at him before raising her voice loud enough to be heard over the battle noises. “Killian, my mom? Do you know where she is?”
Oh, shoot, her mom, of course. There was no way they could save her right now, not without backup, but how could he tell her that? It would crush her.
“Sorry, Ms. Gen, but our lives are on the line. We can’t help her right now.”
“Please, where is she?”
Bullets peppered the bushes in front of them, and Killian sputtered out a string of curse words before firing more shots around the corner. “Focus on staying alive, Ms. Gen. We’re barely hanging on ourselves here—they’re closing in. You’re no good to her dead. Just know that she’s safe. Mateo’s watching over her, and he’ll never hurt her.”
“Doubtful,” Genevieve grumbled with a troubled gaze. “He shot at us.”
“He shot at Mr. King, Ms. Gen, not you. He’d never fire at an unarmed person.” Killian dropped his pistol, reached out his hand, and waggled his fingers toward Genevieve. “I’m out of ammo. I need the gun that you nabbed from Marshal.”
Genevieve handed her pistol over to Killian without question.
As Quill converged with the Hummer, bullets pinged off the shiny black paint, leaving visible dents when the angle of the sun was just right. Brendan rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Less than a minute and Quill would be within range.
“Killian, what if my mom provokes Mateo?” She anxiously gnawed at her lip. “Momma has a habit of arming herself with household items.”
“Ms. Gen, I told him I’d break both his arms if one hair on Roxy’s head is harmed. Don’t worry. I like your momma almost as much as I like you.”
“Maybe we can get to her before we?—”
“No, Ms. Gen. Once you’re safe, we’ll talk about how to save Roxy.”
Brendan’s mouth dropped open. Maybe he needed to pay this guy triple what he made before.
The Hummer raced up, stopping directly in front of the lava bed nearest to them, and within seconds, gunfire sprayed out of a small crack in the slightly rolled-down driver’s side window. Pride in his best friend washed over him.
Killian reached for Genevieve’s hand and caught Brendan’s gaze. “Let’s go. I’m going to get Ms. Gen in the vehicle, and then I’ll assist you.”
