a knife and flicked it open. “I’ve got it. And I’ve got you. You’ll fall toward me once I cut you out.”
She braced herself. “Is it a cowboy thing to carry a knife in your pocket?”
“Nah. Just a practical thing.” Liam quickly sliced through the belt.
The full weight of her body fell toward him. He caught her against him, his face inches from hers. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” With those words, emotion and a deeper meaning lingered in his eyes.
Warmth surged through her. “What next?”
“I’m going to climb out and make sure it’s safe. I’ll need you to use the console and the dash, maybe support yourself up while I maneuver out. I knew I should have waited to cut your seat belt.” He winked. He wasn’t insinuating that he’d wanted her to fall into his arms, was he? She just had an overactive imagination that was taking her to crazy places in the worst of circumstances.
“Once I’m out,” he said, “make yourself comfortable in my seat. Then I’ll help you. Unfortunately, most of the broken windshield glass is scattered on the ground where we need to exit, so it’s going to be tricky, even with the blanket covering the glass.”
Using the steering wheel for support, she positioned her knees at the topside of the console and pushed away from Liam, giving him room.
He grabbed yet another blanket and handed it to her. “Extra blankets can save your life.”
Using the other blanket to protect him against stray shards, he scrambled over the steering wheel and climbed through the open windshield. She slowly lowered herself into the driver’s side. She sat against the door in an awkward position, her legs across the seat and over the console. But it was the best she could do unless she wanted to keep holding herself up. She watched him place the blanket over the ground.
He peered into the truck. “Wait here. I have to make sure it’s safe.”
Then he disappeared.
“Liam.”
Minutes ticked by.
“Liam? Where are you? You can’t leave me in here.”
He wouldn’t leave her. She knew he wouldn’t.
But her heart rate kicked up. She gasped for air. The cab suddenly felt like a box closing in on her, even with the wide-open snowy mountain range blasting arctic air at her.
Rae shoved down the panic. It made no rational sense. And yet she still couldn’t control it.
Whatever. She was getting out of there.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Palming his gun, Liam looked up at the evidence of their descent from the highway above. His heart still raced, and his hands still shook.
From here, Liam could make out a lone figure standing on the ledge, leaning over to look. The guy wore common enough attire—a ball cap and sunglasses—but Liam hesitated to call out for help. That was likely the man who’d tried to kill them. Still, other vehicles were on the road and had witnessed the whole thing. If their attacker was smart, he would have already fled the scene. He’d need to ditch the Hummer too. But if he was as bold as he’d been up to this point, he could put a bullet in Liam right now and then come after Rae.
A siren rang out in the distance, echoing through the narrow gorge. About time. But it sounded much too far away. The man disappeared. Liam guessed their attacker had wanted to see for himself if his handiwork had killed them as expected. But Liam was very much alive. It would be a stretch to hope the man believed Rae had died and would stop his attacks.
Liam eyed the ledge above him, wishing he could scramble up the rocky incline in time to find out who was behind this. Come down here and face me so I can put a fist in your face. Maybe some lead too, he thought. But confronting their attacker now was just too dangerous.
While acid boiled in his gut, he continued to squeeze the grip of his weapon. The rev of a big engine let Liam know the man was fleeing the scene. Liam kicked a rock.
“Liam!” Rae’s voice sounded distant and muffled.
He scrambled down to her. She was halfway through the windshield, but her foot had somehow caught in the steering column.
“What took you so long?” she asked.
“I told you I wanted to make sure it’s safe.”
“Safe or not, I need to get out of here,” she huffed.
“Hold still. I’ll get you out.” He leaned against the hood, reached through the windshield, and freed her foot. In that position, she