Page 36 of Rescuing Nathaniel

She wanted to protest, tell him that was silly, that she didn't want him hurt for her, but there was no time. The rope reached them, and Nathaniel grabbed at it, making quick work of securing the harness around her, while she did little to contribute. Which was probably better and made it easier for him since she had no idea how the complicated harness was supposed to work.

Ava didn't know what it was.

Instinct maybe.

Her gut.

But something inside her suddenly insisted that she lift her head and look away from what Nathaniel was doing and over his shoulder instead.

If she hadn't, they’d both be dead. Nathaniel right now, and her when these people were finished with her, and she had nothing left for them to sell.

“No!” she screamed as she shoved with all her might at Nathaniel.

Given their size difference and the fact that she was still weak and sick, she didn't push him over, didn't even move him any more than making his body sway to the side, and she was pretty sure that was only because she’d caught him by surprise.

Still, he moved, and that meant the bullet that was supposed to pierce the back of his chest, hitting his heart and killing him, passed him by and instead burned along the side of her neck.

The sound Nathaniel made was more animal than human, and she’d never seen anything like the protective rage that flared on his face in her entire life.

In one fluid motion, he spun and fired a bullet into the man rushing toward him.

Ava watched with a hazy sort of distance as the man’s body dropped.

Dead.

Good.

She wanted him dead.

Wanted them all dead.

Every single person from that trafficking ring.

The world would be a better place without them in it.

Not without Nathaniel though.

The world needed men like him.

Needed him.

She was glad he hadn't died.

Now he looked worried, though, his face close to hers, his mouth moving only she couldn’t quite hear the words over the buzzing in her head.

Whatever it was looked important, and she did her best to focus.

Not that it seemed to help.

Things were growing more distant.

The world turning a little fuzzy at the edges.

Were they flying?

It felt like they were.

Soaring above the trees.

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