Page 61 of A Heart So Savage
“Freya. I’mbusy.” He nipped off a piece of plastic with his teeth tasting metal, then twisted the wires together, praying it would work.
“Abe—”
“Freya—”
“They’re coming.”
His head snapped up. Three men were charging toward them, weapons raised. Dirt puffed up from the ground as shots cracked through the air.
“Abe, I really think we should go now.”
He twisted the ignition.
Nothing.
Shit. Fucking shit.
He tried again, heart pounding as bullets pinged off the hood. What the hell were they thinking? Freya was no use to them to dead. Had no one briefed these morons?
The alarm cut out, and the engine sputtered, then roared to life.Yessss.
“Abe.” Freya ducked, arms covering her head as a bullet shattered the side mirror.
He threw the car into reverse and hit the gas pedal. The SUV lurched backward, stones spraying in every direction. He grunted in appreciation, his biceps straining as he swung the car in a tight circle, positioning it toward the open road.
Without missing a beat, he shoved it into drive and floored it. The SUV surged forward, dirt kicking up in a cloud behind them.
They were moving—at last.
He shot a quick glance in the rear-view mirror, catching sight of one man furiously kicking the tires of his disabled SUV.
Suckers.
He turned onto the highway, the rigidity in his muscles only slightly easing as the solid black tarmac stretched ahead. Right would take them back toward Reykjavík and Hellisheidi—straight into more danger. Left led into the wilderness.
No roads, no people.
He hooked the wheel left, tires squealing as he left a streak of rubber in their wake.
Abe droveendless ribbons of road until his eyes were gritty with exhaustion. He kept to minor roads away from prying eyes, knowing they had to ditch this vehicle soon. They might have slipped their pursuers for now, but Raptor wouldn’t be far behind. With limitless resources, they played hard to get what they wanted.
He pulled over at the side of the road.
Freya had fallen asleep slumped against the passenger door. Long lashes brushed her cheeks, and the soft movement beneath her eyelids hinted at dreams racing just beneath the surface.
For a moment, he wanted to reach out, to soothe whatever troubled her.
He shook his head, exhaling.Stay sharp.
Despite her prickly exterior, she’d handled everything thrown at her with more grit than he’d expected. Hell, maybe even more than he could have hoped for. But the way he was feeling around her?
That was dangerous territory.
He eased out of the car, shutting the door quietly behind him, and popped the hood. The still night air was a welcome relief against his heated thoughts. His feelings had no place in this situation. The past had taught him love and duty didn’t mix. Not after what happened with Mariam. It was safer for everyone to keep things simple and casual.
He leaned into the engine, searching more by feel than sight, his fingers skimming along the edge of the cavity. His hand closed over something smooth, a faint bulge in the wiring.
Got you.