let me help you stay ahead of that bastard.” He paused. “I hated him on sight, by the way. Even before I knew he was a problem for you. I could tell he was a dick.”
“Um, that’s gratifying,” she said, distracted. “Good instincts. Better than mine.” Her mind raced. Nate knew. So there was no way to protect him anymore. Shit.
“Come now,” he urged. “Or you won’t make it through the day.”
Well, hell. She’d tried to keep him out of it, but he’d made his own decision. Now it was time to make hers, and the decision was made before she even thought about it. She wanted to live. Urgently. Passionately.
She got up and followed him. Because he was right. Getting help was now her only chance.
“Do you have a bag?” he asked.
“Just what I’m carrying.” She followed him down the steps. “I saw him out of my apartment window, so I left my suitcase there. It would have slowed me down.”
She’d never seen the car he led her to, a bright blue Jeep. She got into it, hugging her computer bag with arms that trembled.
“So,” he said finally. “Louisa? Elisa? What do I call you now?”
“Stick with Elisa,” she said. “I’m used to it. I like the person I’ve been with this name. I don’t want to be Louisa ever again.”
“So where do you—fuck. Get down!”
He pushed her head down over the center console. “What the hell?” she asked.
“Clemens. His black Audi. He’s here, with two of his guys. He must have had the same thought I did, after seeing your note to Demi. That you’d try to catch a bus.”
She lurched back against the seat as he accelerated out of the parking lot. “What’s he doing now?”
“Parking his car. He’ll check the passengers, and talk to the driver. Tell me something, Elisa. Did that guy ever hurt you? Physically hurt you?”
“With his own hands, no,” she said. “But he did hire someone to kill me. If that counts.”
He hissed through his teeth. “Yeah, that fucking counts. I’ll go back and end this right now. If I go for the goons first, I might be able to take them all down.”
“No!” she burst out. “Don’t attack him!”
Nate gave her a cautious look. “Why?” he asked, after a moment’s pause. His voice was harder now. “Are you still in love with this guy?”
“Oh, God, no. He’s a devil straight out of hell. But he’s got those two guys, and I’m sure they’re armed, so that’s three against one. And he has my little brother. If you hurt Gil, my brother Josh dies. So please. Don’t touch him.”
“Fuck.” Nate pulled out onto the road, picking up speed. “Fuck.”
“Can I sit up yet?”
“No. Stay down until we’re farther away.”
Elisa sank down to the floor, curling her legs up and resting her arms on the car seat. They drove for what felt like forever, but was probably less than a half hour. She stared at the side of his leg, and his big hand on the gearshift, inches from her eyes. They slowed down as the terrain beneath the car wheels changed. A bumper road. Then gravel, with a steep grade. Off-road bouncing—and the car stopped.
She gave him a questioning look. He answered with a nod. “You can get up.”
She clambered back up onto the seat and looked around at a sea of green. He’d driven off the highway and out onto a logging road.
“Relax,” he said. “No one can see us here unless they’re watching via satellite.”
Nate got out of the car and hiked over to a break in the trees. He stood looking out over the valley below, his arms folded over his chest. His back radiated tension.
Elisa got out and just stood there for a while. She had to hold onto the Jeep for balance. The cold was sweet, bracing. It smelled like snow.
Everything seemed so sharp and distinct, after her slow, lumbering bus to nowhere. She walked over to stand next to Nate. Her legs felt loose. Unsteady.
Nate turned to her, his eyes fierce. “What happens if he finds you?”
“I die,” she said simply. “He’s tried before. He’s killed before.”
“You should have told us a long time ago,” Nate said. “All of it.”
Elisa shook her head. “No. I should never have stayed in Shaw’s Crossing in the first place. It was sloppy and stupid. Now I’ve put you all in danger.”
“Fuck that. Who would even notice a little more danger at this point?”
“Trust me,” she said fervently. “You’d notice.