Chapter 264 Chapter 264
Jesse pulled away from the docks. Evanna had been quiet since they’d dropped off Thera. “She’ll be fine, the center of attention.”
She nodded, “I think she will be.”
He reached over and took her hand. “You did good, meeting everyone.”
“I knew Leah couldn’t walk away from Thera, she said as much in a video to me.”
Jesse focused on the road, there were too many animals in this area. “I didn’t even know she made you one.”
“You were outside on the phone apologizing to the fence guys for Thera scaring them.”
He cleared his throat, “that’s your fault. I forgot all about them until he called last night.” He glanced over quickly to see her blush. “Leah was okay in the video?”
Evanna snorted, “she was giddy. I didn’t know she knew how to be giddy.”
Jesse cleared his throat to avoid saying something male and in turn, stupid. “That’s good, that she was happy. I was worried after the conversation about Thera.”
“Yeah.”
Her tone concerned him. “Are you happy with everything?” He lifted their hands and kissed hers.
“I am, I just,” she shifted in the seat and looked at him.
Jesse didn’t want to ignore her or hit any animals, so he slowed the van and pulled over. Putting it into park, he undid his seat belt and shifted so he was looking at her. “What is it?”
“My stupid brain.” She said with a smirk.
“Okay, what’s on your mind?” He watched the internal battle flash through her eyes.
“I’m not jealous.” She blurted out quickly. “I just,” she heaved a sigh, “are we different?”
Jesse knew his eyes widened for a second. He opened his mouth to answer and then closed it and nodded. It felt like a trap, that regardless of what he said it was going to be wrong.
“Okay.” She nodded.
He thought for a second that was it, problem resolved, then her brows drew together.
“Are you,” she locked eyes with him, “are you happier with one more than the other?”
“No.” He answered before he remembered no words were better. “After you yesterday, and this morning and Leah last night, I’m so fucking happy I’m surprised I can walk.” He cursed in his head, “you’re so damn distracting, we almost missed the boat and were late dropping off Thera.”
She blushed.
“Look,” he grasped both her hands, “you’re both different—I adore both of you, equally, but I can not, will not compare you to each other in any way—ever. I don’t think of you as two different women. You’re both parts of one woman. My mate. Understand?”
She looked at him for a moment, emotions going through her eyes, then she bit her lip and nodded.
“Damn, don’t do that.” He leaned over and kissed her mouth. “Every time you abuse that lip, I feel like I have to kiss it better.”
She smiled, a real one, that he could see in her eyes.
He groaned, “we must go. I want to be out of the woods,” he motioned out the window, “literally, before it gets too dark.”
“Thank you.” She said with another smile. “For understanding, this is all so new.”
He turned and put his seatbelt back on. “I hope it never feels old between us. Now,” he glanced at her, “try not to look so fucking sexy and don’t give me those sweet looks, or else I’m going to end up driving off the road.”
She laughed, “I will just sit here.”
Jesse gave his head a shake, “that will probably still distract me.”
He put the van back into drive and pulled out onto the narrow road.
“How long are we driving through this? I don’t remember it on the other trip.”
“That’s because we didn’t take it this way. I’m trying not to be predictable.” He slowed down for another sharp turn, “forty-five minutes and we should be out of this area.”
“Can I help? Watch for animals or something?”
“That would be good.” He heard her roll down the window and knew she wasn’t only going to look, but to use her sense of smell as well. “Have I told you how much I love your scent, now that it’s blended with mine?”
“Not since we got off the boat.” She said and he could tell she was smiling. “You smell pretty great too, now that you’re mine.” She told him quietly. “Now, stop distracting me so I can help you.”
“Yes, ‘mam.” He grinned and gave the road his full attention.
Jesse glanced over after he turned the corner. Evanna was sleeping soundly. It was no wonder, he thought, switching as much as they had in the past few days was exhausting, not to mention him keeping her occupied all day yesterday. His cat rolled against him inside, as if to say, ‘focus on what you’re doing and not on our gorgeous mate.’ He glanced in the mirror and saw lights coming around the corner.
This route wasn’t used much because it wasn’t paved. He tried to recall if there were any homes nearby. There were none he could think of. Leaning forward he tapped the GPS and then again so it would light up and he could see the screen.
His gut was suddenly tense, and he never ignored that feeling. “Shit.” There was only one road he could turn off on. He checked the mirror again; the car wasn’t moving any closer. He still didn’t like it.
“Evanna, wake up.”
She stirred in the seat, “are we there?”
“Not yet. I need you to wake up.”
She inhaled a sharp breath. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a car following us.” He leaned forward again and slid the map screen over so he could see what his options were. The one turn split into four corners a mile after it. He knew the one direction was a dead end and there were no homes on it because he’d run it with Foster on one of their long drives.
“Undo your seatbelt. Under my seat is a case with a handgun in it. Get it, load the clip, and put the other one in your pocket.”
She moved to do what he said without comment.
Jesse turned the corner without signaling or warning the car behind them. He’d told Devin they needed to get rid of the white vans and switch up the colors. Driving these were like huge beacons. The car followed him around the corner. He glanced at Evanna to see her zipping the spare clip into her pocket. “Safety on?”
She checked, “yes.”
There was no panic or fear in her voice. He reached over and grabbed her empty hand and gave it a squeeze. “We’re going to be fine.”
She nodded, “They’re not if they don’t drive away.” She said in a quiet voice.
He grinned and kissed her hand before releasing it. Reaching over, he brought up his dial pad on his phone and hit six, so it would call Zain.
“Jesse?” He answered on the first ring.
“Is that tracking app up and running now?”
“Yeah, I got everyone’s numbers loaded into it yesterday.”
“Start tracking mine.” He slowed so he didn’t go right past the turn-off.
“Shit. You in trouble?” He could hear Zain running.
“We have a tail and in about a minute I’ll know for sure.”
“Okay, it’s loading now. Shit, you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Yeah. I took a different route, but it still lands on the main road to head to Ed’s.” He saw the faded road sign ahead. “I’m about to drive up into a dead end, then we’re going to run into the bush and hide.”
“Shit.”
Jesse turned and then watched in his mirror.
Evanna shifted in her seat to look out the window. “They’re going slower.”
When the lights hit the van, Jesse stepped on the gas. “Zain, send help. Evanna grab my phone and our packs.”
“Yeah.” She turned in the seat to get them.
“I’m calling Devin, he’s at Blair’s with the chopper.”
“Okay, hang up now.”
“Run like the wind,” Zain told him.
“Get the phone and put it in my pack.”
Evanna hurried to do what he said.
“When I stop, get out and run straight ahead. The lights will stay on for about forty-five seconds. We must be out of sight by then.”
“Okay.” She shifted closer to the door.
Jesse was pissed that his mate had to go through this. “Don’t shift until we’re in the cover of the trees.” He undid his seatbelt.
“I’m ready.”
He slowed slightly and then hit the brakes. Turning it off, he grabbed the keys and jumped out. He turned to check how close they were. “Shit.” They were close.
Evanna was almost to the thicker growth. Jesse cursed again and went after her. If it had been just him, he would have waited until they were close enough and shot them. But he wasn’t alone.
He jumped across the trickling stream and slid a few feet on the wet ground. He didn’t hear them following but wasn’t about to waste precious seconds turning around and looing.
Something stung his thigh as he ran. What the hell, there wasn’t even any growth here. Reaching down, he felt something sticking out of his leg, he grabbed it. “Shit.” He’d been shot with a dart.
Growling, he reached for his cat. He had to get to Evanna before this affected him. As he hit the trees, he stumbled.
“Jesse.” Evanna was suddenly right before him.
“Tranq dart.” He held it up and he stumbled again. She caught him and dragged him over to lean against a tree. “Stay down out of sight...” He was having trouble seeing. “Shoot anything,” he gave his head a shake, “that moves.”
“I will.” She moved over so he could feel her right against him.
“If—” he tried to get his mouth to move.
“No ifs. I will protect us.” She said right in his face.
Jesse tried to turn his head to see if they were well hidden, but everything was fading. He thought he heard gunfire and then everything went quiet.