Page 26 of Shine: Sins of the Father
“It’s still our safest place. We can hole up there. At least I’ll know you’re safe until I take care of this guy.” He glances around, then points with his hand low. “We’re gonna circle around to that side and come up on the backside. Okay? I’ll opencover fire. Anything happens, you don’t stop until you get inside and lock the door, understand?”
My mouth dry and my heart pounding, I nod. I’m terrified for both of us, but so thankful Shine is with me. I don’t even want to think about this happening if I were up here alone. My eyes shift to the woods, searching for movement.
“Babe, look at me.”
I meet his gaze. “We’re gonna be okay, sweetness. Everything’s gonna be fine. I’ve got this.”
I nod and repeat his words. “You’ve got this.”
“Trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Stay behind me. Let’s move.”
The minute we move out from behind the tree, Shine opens fire, and we run. I can’t see the cabin yet, because there are too many trees. We’re running through the woods now, not on a path, and it isn’t easy going. There are tree branches on the ground and slippery pine needles, which mask the terrain.
I step in a small hole, twisting my ankle, and I almost go down.
Shine grabs my upper arm and hauls be up before I hit the ground. “Keep going.”
I ignore the wince of pain and run for my life, the gun tight in my grip.
Miraculously, we make it through the door.
“You okay?” Shine asks.
When I nod, he moves to the window and peers out the crack in the drapes. “Fuck.”
“What is it?”
“There are two of them. It’s the Sidler brothers.”
“What? Did they follow us here?”
“Must have. Maybe that’s what they were doing at my bike. Planting a tracker.”
“A tracker? Why?”
He shrugs. “So he can take care of me before I take care of him.”
He moves to the door, and I panic. “What are you doing?”
“I’m gonna end this right now. Lock the door and shoot anything that tries to get in.”
Before I can object, he’s gone. I back against the wall and slide down it on the other side of the couch, then take the safety off the gun. With both hands, I aim it at the door.
CHAPTER NINE
Shine—
Slipping out, I go around the side of the cabin and ease to the corner. Donnie Ray is crouched behind some bushes, but I don’t see his brother, and that has me worried. I don’t think Donnie Ray sees me, so I duck behind the bushes surrounding the cabin wall. I open fire on Donnie, surprising the shit out of him, and he falls back, firing wildly behind him as he runs.
I get the sense that Donnie’s not such a brave guy when he’s up against a man. Scared women are more his speed. Chasing after him, I’ve got him on the run now, but he’s got thirty yards on me, and he’s zig-zagging between trees. I can’t get a good shot, and I don’t want to waste the only clip I’ve got on me right now.
He makes a turn and heads toward the highway. I scramble up the incline after him.
Fuck. The burgundy sedan is parked on the shoulder, and he’s making a mad dash for it. I know I won’t make it to him in time, so I stop behind a tree and lift my weapon. I get off half a dozen shots.
