Page 143 of Deadfall

“There’s a path.” Angel jerked his head behind us to a steep switchback that was set against the side of the cliff. The wind had picked up, and the sound of the waves drifted up from the darkness where they violently crashed against the rocks.

“That’s not ideal,” I muttered.

“Where is the boat, Angel?” Griffin called.

“Five minutes!”

I moved to a boulder nearby and laid down cover fire. I couldn’t see shit in the darkness of the trees. Bullets whizzed by overhead and exploded against the granite, sending shards of rock showering over us. I leaned out to return fire and immediately felt two violent hits. I fell back against the rock, and my adrenaline flooded into overdrive.

“Seven!”

Griffin was there. “Where are you hit?”

“My ego probably,” I gasped.

I hissed through clenched teeth as Griffin grabbed my vest and pulled it aside. Blood bloomed across my side and quickly bled through another hole in my thigh.

“Don’t make that face,” I said breathlessly.

G’s jaw tightened. I looked over and was surprised to see a concerned look on Emersyn’s face too.

“Fuck,” I muttered and slammed my head back against the rock.

G quickly applied a field dressing to my side, his movements bordered on frantic. I could tell my wounds weren’t immediately fatal, but they weren’t good either.

“Boat’s here!” Angel called. “We need to draw them away.”

“I’ll do it,” I said.

“No,” G growled.

“It’s the only way,” I insisted. “You’ll be sitting ducks on that path.”

“I said no.”

“We need to move,” Angel insisted. “They’re going to make a push, and then we’re fucked.”

I grabbed G’s hands and forced him to look at me. “Go.”

“No.”

“Yes,” I smiled, but it was probably more like a grimace. “Get Emersyn home.”

G turned to Angel. “Take her to the boat,” he snapped.

Emersyn shook her head as Angel pulled her toward the path. She pulled away from him and knelt next to me. “Seven—I—”

“Tell me when you see me again, baby girl.” I interrupted and winked.

Her battle with something fierce crossed her face, but she finally nodded and hurried after Angel. I watched G as he tracked their progress. I clocked the moment he realized what I’d already known—absolute rage transformed his face at his realization that I wouldn’t be able to make it down that path before they got to us.

“Gabriel,” I said. “Look at me.”

Searing green eyes drilled into my soul and grounded me the way they always did. There was so much I’d never told him—expressed to him. I wasn’t going to do it now, but the thought that all of it was going to go unsaid made me incredibly sad.

“No,” he growled. “I’m not leaving you behind. That’s not what we do.”

“This time you do,” I said firmly.