Beyond the Breaking Point - Lori Sjoberg Page 0,41
head forward and continued along the narrow incline, leaving him no choice but to follow.
Things had been weird between them all morning. That was his fault. For the life of him, he didn’t know what had possessed him to tell her about Guadalajara. Perhaps the dream had been too fresh in his mind, his raw emotions too close to the surface. Or perhaps the cover of night had made it easier to share his pain. No matter the reason, in the full light of day, he felt awkward and exposed.
Thankfully, Hope hadn’t said a word about it, though the empathy softening her eyes let him know she remembered every last detail. After breakfast, she’d helped them break camp before they set out on what passed for a trail. To her credit, she maintained a brisk pace, and although the guys were in prime physical condition, Wade heard them huffing and puffing behind him.
As for Wade, he paid no attention to his own breathing; his focus was fixed on the sway of her ass as she traversed the uneven terrain.
At last, the path led to a large rocky area, and the waterfall came into view. From a distance, it gave the illusion of a tranquil white stream, cascading over moss-covered rocks and into a peaceful pond that fed the river. But as they got closer, the noise amplified, until they had to raise their voices to be heard over the roar of the fall. A fine mist hovered above the water, while a rich, musty scent permeated the air.
Hope craned her neck to stare up at the fall, an odd expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Wade asked, his right hand resting on the butt of his pistol.
She shook her head. “Nothing. When I passed through before, I didn’t take time to appreciate how beautiful it is.”
Understandable, considering she’d been on the run from Aranza. He looked at the waterfall, then at her, and decided he preferred the latter view. “How much longer before we reach the compound?”
“I’m not sure. When I reached this point, I was still pretty deep in panic mode.”
She caught her full bottom lip between her teeth, a nervous habit she often displayed while working something out in her mind.
“I escaped around three in the morning. At the time, my only goal was to get as far away as possible. I just picked a direction and ran. It wasn’t until after the sun came up that I started trying to figure out where I was and how to get to the nearest town. By the time I got here, the sun was starting to set. I hiked for another hour or so before I found a good place to hide for the night.” She rubbed the side of her neck. “If I don’t get us lost, I suppose we’ll get there sometime tomorrow afternoon.”
Wade’s spirits rose. Another day and the justice he craved would be within his grasp. And once Roberto Aranza finally paid for his myriad crimes, maybe—just maybe—Wade could live in peace.
“We might as well break for lunch.” Austin stood to Wade’s left, his rifle in his grip. Dark sunglasses shielded his eyes. “Could you whip up something to eat?”
“I don’t see why not.” Besides, he’d promised Hope an actual meal once they reached the waterfall. She’d earned it—hell, they’d all earned it. Cooking some grub was the least he could do. “We ought to replenish our water supply while we’re at it.”
Austin collected the canteens and headed off toward the water.
“I wouldn’t mind taking a dip.” Hector stared longingly at the fall. “It’s been days since I took a shower.”
“Same here,” Jackson said. “It’s a wonder y’all can’t smell me from ten feet away.”
Navarre snorted. “It’s more like twenty, but who’s counting?”
Hector laughed, while Jackson cuffed Navarre upside the head.
As the laughter died down, Wade looked to Hope. “You got us this far; you can go in first.”
She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll help with the food.”
Her answer caught him by surprise. As a rule, people felt better when they were clean, and after so much time outdoors, he assumed she’d be eager to bathe.
Unless there was a reason for her reluctance. “Have we not already established that none of us would ever molest you?”
“Yes, we have, but that’s not it.”
“Can you swim?”
The question seemed to offend her. “Of course I can swim.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
She glanced at the water and then back to him, her lips pressed tightly together. “Critters.”