Page 19 of Holiday Hostage
“Almost there.” Tarron’s encouragement helped put an extra burst of speed into my steps.
We plunged over the hill, and I let gravity do the rest, sitting down and sliding toward the snowmobiles we’d left in the shadows.
Gunfire erupted behind us as I reached the first snowmobile and climbed on, setting Payton in front of me.
“Go. Go. Go.” Reed threw himself onto the second machine.
A whoosh sounded, and all three of us jerked toward the sound of a mortar launching.
The snowmobile furthest away from us burst into flames, the impact launching it into the air.
“They’re loading a second.” Tarron jumped on behind Reed and grabbed hold of his jacket. “Get us out of here.”
I revved the engine and we shot into the trees. Another resounding boom rattled the ground beneath us, but we’d already driven out of range.
“He said he wanted her alive.” What little of Reed’s face I could see had gone pale.
“Yeah, well.” I locked one arm around Payton’s waist to keep her from sliding off the machine.
Her body slumped forward so her cheek rested on my other arm.
She’d have one hell of a crick in her neck if I didn’t move her soon, but living was more important than a few sore muscles.
Icy air raced over my skin as we ducked around trees and wove our way deeper into the wilderness.
The way down to civilization rested on the other side.
The sooner we reached people, the quicker this would be over, and Payton would be home safe and sound with her father.
I wanted that for her, the peace and comfort of a home where she was loved and cared for—cherished.
A low-hanging tree limb thick with snow scraped over the top of my head, releasing a shuddering thud of snowfall behind me.
“We can’t stay on the snowmobiles much longer. The tracks are too easy to follow.” Reed jerked his chin toward a thick copse of trees. “I say we ditch them and hike out on foot. We should be far enough away to have a decent head start. If we keep going and they get back in range with that rocket launcher, we’re dead meat.”
“Agreed.” I angled toward the trees and slowed enough to pass beneath the branches without getting swept off the machine or running into the tree trunk.
Reed stopped and killed the engine.
The sudden silence roared in my ears. “They’ll know which direction we traveled. Sound is a bitch out here.”
Tarron climbed out from behind Reed and slung his weapon around to his back.
He’d ridden with it in one hand, his gaze scouring the land for danger.
Reed checked his phone, then looked at the sky.
The look of concentration dented the space between his eyebrows. “If our coordinates are right, and I know they are because I calculated them, there’s a safe place we can hide close by.”
“How close?” I lifted Payton into my arms.
Reed grinned, and it told me more than the words falling from his laughing lips. “Eight miles.”
“Fuck.” Tarron shook his head. “We can take turns carrying her.”
“No.” A sudden, possessive protectiveness rammed into my chest and tightened my arms around her. “I’ll take her.”
“Let us know if you change your mind.” Reed lifted his wrist and turned so the compass on his watch swiveled. “This way.” He ducked beneath the branches and set off at a brisk pace.
