Chapter 7

“Oh my God,” Anna whispered. "I did everything Agent Jack told me to do."

And Jack had followed her to make sure she was not pursued.Someone had betrayed him, not that Jerome found that surprising. So he had an escape plan drawn up. And even that he only partially shared with Agent Jack, whom he trusted as much as anyone else. The truth was, he didn't trust anyone completely. After all, he hadn't seen her in three years.If he took her into the forest, he could take her to safety.

He turned to Anna and put his hands on her shoulders; he fixed her in a steady stare. “How they found us doesn't matter. What matters is our safety. And as you can see, I'm not taking any chances.I plan ahead. I can get us out of here.

She seemed to weigh his words, then said, "I know how to shoot a gun."

"Why am I not surprised?" he said, thinking there wasn't much to this woman.He bent down, pulled a Wesson 35 flashlight from a holster around his ankle, and handed it to her. "Six bullets, one in the chamber. I see?” She nodded. "Yes.I got it. I wish I didn't have to, but I do."

Jerome wanted the same, but had to admire her courage. No tears for this one.

He turned to Arnold and said, "Cover the east side of the hut so that we make it to the forest.He grabbed Anna's hand and pulled her to the kitchen window.

"What if they're right outside?" asked Anna as she opened the glass

"Arnold and his men will cover for us," he assured her.

"The same ones who made sure nobody found us?"

He Climbed onto the counter. She was right, but he didn't say that. "I'm going first to make sure it's safe.His fingers brushed her cheek. "Don't worry. Nobody knows these woods like I do. I grew up here. He dropped his hand.“And I endured bullshit from Pedro for three years. I have no intention of any of us dying before we inflict pain on this pathetic bastard. Then he lowered his voice, his words full of promise. "Trust me."

On the run the same man who had betrayed her the week before now held her hand and led her across the desert, her lifeline from those pursuing her.And they were on the run. For hours it seemed. They ran and ran some more.

Long ago Jerome had broken the heels of his boots, but not before painful blisters formed on her toes. Still, she didn't complain.They were near a couple of Pedro's men near the cabin, barely out of sight. That was enough to make Anna thankful to be alive.F*ck blisters. At the moment she had only one thing on her mind and that was to stay alive.

Jerome stopped abruptly and forced her to duck behind a bush. Anna obeyed, struggling to catch her breath as the air was thick and difficult to breathe.Her hair was sticky and uncomfortable at the nape of her neck. There was no wind, so the heat was a suffocating wall of discomfort. Thunder rumbled in the distance, warning of rain, and in that moment she was grateful for the relief it would bring. With a silent look, Jerome told her his intentions: He would peer ahead, as he had several times before. She barely lowered her head and he was gone, moving with a quiet, stealthy agility a man of his size should not possess.But then he stayed alive in Pedro's gang. Surely that must have required some fancy footwork. Living this life for three years was a long time.

It shouldn't surprise her that he had an alternative plan, a hiding place nobody knew about. She imagined in that those three years had made him inventive.

Alone now behind the bushes, she scanned the darkness, searching for trouble, her ears alert for any sound that might indicate danger. Anna caught her breath in surprise when Jerome was suddenly behind her, without an audible warning of his approach. Every time he touched her, awareness teased her nerve endings, taunting her with her inability to control its presence. She turned to face him, her thigh aligned with his, pressed tightly against him. Their eyes met, the

connection hit them with the force of lightning, attraction sparkling around them despite the danger they faced.But there was more than attraction that drew Anna to Jerome right now. Crazy as he was, this stranger, a man who had lied to her just a week ago, was offering her the comfort and reassurance she sorely needed now. "Not much further," he murmured, his voice a low whisper.

"Shouldn't we call someone?" she asked, matching his deep tone and wishing she hadn't left her cell phone in the cabin."Not necessary. An appointment is made with Jack if i gets into trouble. A time and place not too far from here. We just have to stay underground and safe until then. Also, we don't know who to trust and all calls could be monitored.”

“If I don't show up tomorrow, they can do something crazy to delay the process. I know you don't want this.

"What I want is to stay alive." He stood and stared at her while holding out her hand.

Anna took a moment to stare at the foreboding but oh so sexy man before placing her palm in his.His cheeks were chiseled, his jaw strong, there was something alert and lonely about those dark eyes. He was a stranger who had snuck past her guard in many ways, an undercover agent brimming with danger and sex, unaware of his sordid past. But in just a week she had placed her life and libido in his hands.

hands that she hoped were as skilled at surviving in the wilderness as they were at giving pleasure.

As Anna accompanied Jerome through the forested region, the rain began to fall in a slow and steady drizzle, which allowed her clothing to become drenched and cooled her skin. It was necessary to move branches and bushes out of the way and stay clear of them. The sky was unusually bright for a stormy night, giving the impression that it was lit up just before a tornado. Anna did not want to dwell on the subject at this time. She kept her concentration on trying to keep up with Jerome and did her best. That is, until the point where her foot struck a rock that penetrated a tender region on the sole of her foot. The pain rushed up her shins, and much to her chagrin, her ankle began to rotate out of its normal position.