Page 40 of Rebel

The road curved again, moonlight flashing across Rio’s face.The freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks stood out against her pale skin, but it was the determination in her eyes that caught me.

“Going back could make everything worse.”

“Or it could save lives.”She leaned in closer.“You really want to sit this one out?Hiding while others fight?”

I shot her a look.“I don’t hide.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”A challenge glinted in her eyes.“Thought you were the one who told me the Devil’s Boneyard never leaves its own behind.”

The words stung because they were true.I’d said exactly that during one of our discussions.Looked like she’d been paying attention.

“We go back,” she pressed, “or I’m jumping out at the next curve and walking my ass there myself.”

“You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?”I muttered.

Her lips twitched.“Part of my charm.”

I slowed the SUV, the engine humming lower as I eased to the shoulder.“If we go back, we’re not rushing in half-cocked.We scout first, assess the situation.”

“Fine.”Rio nodded.“Smart.”

“And if I say we pull back, we pull back.No arguments.”

She hesitated.“If it makes tactical sense, sure.”

“Rio.”

“Fine.”She raised her hands.“Your call.But I’m not sitting in the car if our people need help.”

Our.I liked how she said that.Made me wonder if this meant she’d decided to stay, to be mine.She’d hinted at it when she’d decided to sleep in my bed, but we hadn’t exactly clarified anything.With everything going on, Charming hadn’t exactly asked us for an answer either.

I checked the mirror, the empty road behind us reflecting nothing but darkness.The decision was already made -- had been the moment we heard Viper and Phantom were hurt.But I needed Rio to understand this wasn’t about heroics.

“We’re not heroes,” I said, echoing my thoughts.“We’re smarter than that.”

“Never wanted to be a hero.”The edge in her voice was razor-sharp.“Just want to make sure the people who hurt ours bleed a whole lot more before this night’s over.”

I couldn’t argue with that.If they thought hitting our people would make us back down, they were dead wrong.Something told me they’d been prepared to either take Rio or hoped we’d just hand her over, deciding she was more trouble than she was worth.

“Comms silence from here on,” I said, putting the SUV in gear.“Who knows if those assholes have the ability to monitor channels.Shade said they were in encrypted, but we honestly don’t know what tech those guys might have access to.”

Rio nodded, then reached into the glove compartment for the burner phones.She handed one to me.

I made a U-turn, the SUV’s tires kicking up gravel as we spun around.The engine growled as I accelerated back the way we’d come, the night swallowing us once more.

“You know,” Rio said after a minute of silence, “if we survive this, the President is gonna have both our asses.”

I snorted.“Wouldn’t be the first time.Not for me anyway.”

“Won’t be the last either.”She grinned, all teeth and savage anticipation.

The miles ticked by faster now, urgency pushing my foot heavier on the gas.The curves came and went, the SUV hugging the road like it was made for it.We didn’t talk much after that.There wasn’t much to say.We both knew what waited for us back at the compound -- blood, chaos, and the very real possibility that things had gotten worse since that radio call.

Rio checked her weapon again, theclick-clickof the slide oddly reassuring in the quiet car.Her face was set, determined.I couldn’t help but think that the assholes who’d hurt her had only made her more dangerous.

“You ever regret walking into our clubhouse that night?”I asked, breaking the silence.

She looked at me, surprise flickering across her features.“Random time for deep questions.”

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