\[Rosco’s POV\]
When my feet hit the ground, I begin to move, making my way toward my car, and when I reach it, I quickly unlock the doors and gently place Denali inside.
“Are you crazy?” She gasps when I climb into the driver’s seat. “How can you possibly..."
“Would you prefer to be taken to jail?” I ask, slamming the gas and squealing out of the parking lot. “Because that was the alternate choice.”
At my words, Denali grows quiet, and I know that even if she is shocked by what I’ve just fucking done, she doesn’t want to go to jail, especially for something she didn’t do.
Taking her silence as acceptance, I weave my way into traffic as the sound of sirens reaches me. Fuck, they worked fast.
“Hang on,” I hiss, pushing the gas to the floor.
Yanking the steering wheel, I squeeze between two cars as police cars come into view, and once I get an opening, I zip into another lane. To my surprise, the cars following me manage to quickly follow me and appear behind us within minutes.
Cursing under my breath, I speed up and begin to switch lanes, dancing around in an attempt to shake them while Denali stares behind us with wide eyes.
“This is insane,” she whispers, and I’m not sure if she is referring to our current situation or just everything in general, but before I can fully decide, my back glass shatters as a bullet hits it.
“Get down!” I snarl, grabbing the back of Denali’s head and pushing her down. “These bastards have a death wish.”
Keeping my gaze on the road ahead, I pull my gun from the center council and then aim behind me, causing the car closest to me to swerve. After firing again, I jerk the wheel and send us screeching into a field to keep any possible passersby out of the range of fire.
“Rosco, maybe we should.”
“Just relax,” I murmur, hating that Denali was going through any of this. “We’re going to be fine.”
As I speak, I fire again and again, this time aiming for the cop car's wheels. After blowing out two, I watch as the car spins out and then stops, but its buddy is still following, and I’m running low on ammo.
Fixing my gaze on the horizon, I realize just what it is that I’m about to do and can only hope that it didn’t end up getting Denali and I killed.
Bracing myself, I speed forward while the second car continues to follow me, and when it realizes just what it is that I’m about to do, it slams the brakes. Quickly, it’s occupants climb out and begin to fire in an attempt to stop me, but I was Rosco fucking Torres; I didn’t fear death.
“Do you trust me?” I ask Denali as we draw closer to the edge of the cliff.
“What?” She gasps, finally sitting up and taking in what is going on. "I..." she continues, understanding dawning. “I do,” she responds. “I trust you.”
“Good,” I grin, speeding up and then sending us diving hood first toward the ocean below. “Then brace yourself for impact.”
When we hit the water, I smash my elbow against my window and then slice off Denali’s seatbelt. After she is free, I pull her to me and wait until the car is fully submerged before swimming out and heading for the rocky ledge just to the side of us.
Above, I’m sure that the officers are already waiting for us to appear, and I would be damned if they got what they wanted. For now, if they thought that we died on impact, we would be able to hide and figure out our next move, but what would that move be? As if now we were both wanted criminals and the world would be looking for us. At least all of the world except one person, and that one person was where I planned on going.
Once I reach the rocks that I was swimming for, I fight the surf to pull myself and Denali between them to the small bit of land that rested past them. And after I’m sure that we are safe for the time being, I collapse against the sand.
“That,” Denali pants, sitting up and taking in the area around us. “Was…”
“Hopefully I didn’t scare you too much, mi reina,” I sigh, pushing up onto my elbows. “I just couldn’t stand the thought of..."
“No,” she says quickly, cutting me off. “It was exhilarating.”
Exhilarating? Was the woman really saying a near-death experience was exciting? Did I manage to snag myself a crazy one?
“I’ve never felt more alive,” she admits, taking my silence as a bad thing. “I’ve just never..."
“I get it,” I chuckle, reaching out and touching her cheek. “But don’t make a habit of nearly dying.”
“No promises,” she giggles. “It seems that the world is out to get me.”
Her words make my heart squeeze painfully, but I know that she is right. Not only were Beatrice and Anastasia out to ruin her, but so was Nadia and now some mysterious stranger. However, they were the least of her worries; the thing that mattered the most was the poison that was slowly killing her from the inside. How the hell were we supposed to get the antidote when we were on the run like this?
“What’s our next move?” She pushes when I don’t speak. “We can’t stay here for too long. A full-blown search will be happening soon.”
“We’re going to Italy,” I respond.
“Italy?” She repeats, raising a brow. “But how? We can’t buy plane tickets.”
“Who needs those?” I chuckle, pulling my phone from my pocket and thanking the goddess that I got the waterproof model. “I just have to make a phone call.”
“A phone call?” She murmurs, waiting for me to explain.
“You said you trusted me, right?”
“I did,” she confirms. “But I’m just trying to figure out how you are able to do so much when the world is against us.”
“That’s because a king will always protect his queen.” I respond, pulling her against me so that she is forced to stare into my eyes.
“Even if it means destroying heaven and hell, I’m willing to do it for you, mi reina.”
“Even if I turn on you?” She asks quietly.
“Even then,” I confirm. “If it is my death you wish for, then I will make it happen.”
“Did you fall in love with me?” She asks quietly.
“Long ago,” I respond, reaching up and twisting my hand into her wet hair so I can pull her mouth against mine. “Before you even knew of my existence.”
“What?” She gasps.
“Later,” I murmur against her lips. “Right now, there is something else I want to do with you that doesn’t involve talking.”
“Oh yeah?” She whispers, giving me an expectant look. “Even if we are out in the open where anyone could see?”
“Let them see,” I growl, flipping us over so that I’m on top of her. “I don’t give two shits.”
Leaning down, I prepare to kiss Denali again, but stop as a hiss of pain escapes her. Frowning, I take her in until my eyes come to rest on a bloody spot on the hospital gown that she still wears.
“Fuck,” I growl, immediately sitting up. “It seems that we will have to take a rain check.”
“Why?” She pouts, clearly oblivious to her injury.
“Because you’re hurt, and if I do what I want, you’re going to be even more injured. Let me make that phone call, and then we will find a way to shore.”
“Wait!” Denali gasps, her eyes growing wide. “Before we go, there is something I have to get!”
“What’s that?” I ask, confusion flaring.
“My mother’s pocket watch. It should be in the debris of the beach house. I can’t leave it; it is all I have left of her.”
Nodding, I know there is no arguing with her over this.
“Alright, but let me get it for you.”