Under Fire (Love Over Duty #1)(39)

"Where are you?" he asked. He dropped the shopping basket to the floor and hurried out of the exit. Window locks were not going to be the answer to her prayers.

"I'm heading back from my mom's, but I saw this car outside the parking lot at church, and then it was behind me when  …  when I pulled into the grocery store. I think it's behind me now, about two cars back on the highway."

The highway. Damn. It would be impossible to get to her easily. He'd have to head north then turn around, attempt to come up behind her.

"Are you close to the Home Depot exit? Can you drive straight to me, Lou?"

"I'm a few minutes away." Relief washed through him. That made life easier.

"Okay, you're doing great. You don't need to do anything crazy, Lou. Just keep it steady but don't stop. Jump a red light if you need to. I'm gonna put the truck in the back left corner of the lot where there is a little more room. Just drive straight over to me."

"Do you think it's whoever tried to get me yesterday?" she asked, and he could hear the tears in her voice.

Six jumped into his truck and started the engine so he could move into position. "No idea, Lou. But just keep coming to me. Describe the car to me. What does it look like?" Once parked again, he pulled his SIG from his holster and stepped around the rear of the truck.



       
         
       
        

"It's silver, some kind of sedan. There were two men in it. It had a silver logo  …  Honda  …  Toyota  …  I don't know, on the front, but I don't know what make it was. I just pulled off the highway. Oh my God. It followed me, Six. They're only one car behind me." Her voice told him everything he needed to know. She was doing her best to stay calm, but it was an almost impossible task.

"Less than three minutes until you get to the store," he said, roughly. "I'm waiting for you. I'm behind the truck. Just stay focused." He witnessed the moment her Audi came into view. The silver car drove by the exit, but he had a feeling it wouldn't go far. "Rear left, Lou. You're headed toward me, drive straight in next to the truck then wait for me to come get you out."

She did as he asked, and he got a flash of her pale features and red eyes as she slid in alongside him.

He ran to her side of the car. There was no telling how long she had lost the silver car for. They were probably parked up by the exit, ready to pick her up again. Six yanked the door open, and she collapsed into his arms. Her body shook violently.

To keep her safe, he did the only thing he could think of-whisked her into his arms, spun her against the truck, protecting her with his own body, and pressed his lips to her neck. To get to her, they'd have to get through him, but it also had two other benefits. First, it would help snap her back into the moment, and second, there was the slightest chance it would hide her from those trying to find her. "You're safe, Lou, for now. But I need you to hold it together for just a little while longer."

She gasped in surprise, and he ran his hands up her ribs for effect. He knew the move distracted her. Damn. It was close to distracting him. Louisa froze as he tried to ignore the way she felt pressed up against him and focused on the task at hand. "Relax. Wrap your arms around me, sweetheart. I'm going to lift you into the truck. Okay?"

"Okay?" she whispered, her voice unsteady.

Six did as he'd promised and moved slightly, lessening his weight against her body but still using himself as a shield. It was unclear to him whether the people chasing her wanted her alive or dead, but he wasn't going to take a risk that they could get a shot off and hit her. He reached across her and opened the passenger door. In a move reminiscent of something a playful lover would do, he lifted her up onto the seat. "Buckle up, and when I pull out onto the road, duck forward and keep your head down. If they've been following you all day, I've got to believe they'll follow us now. I can't guarantee they haven't seen you switch cars, so we need to act like they did. They were armed last night, so we have to assume they will be today." 

"What will we do if they get us?" He skin was pale and her brown eyes wide as she did what he asked.

"They won't. Trust me."

He slammed her door shut, ran around to his door, and jumped into the truck. It didn't matter who was behind the wheels of that vehicle; he'd pitch his emergency driving skills against anybody. They'd gotten him clear of trouble more times than he could remember in Fallujah. He fastened his seat belt and placed his gun on the seat between him and Louisa.