absolute disbelief. It was obvious that the possibility of being left behind had never occurred to him.
"Stop," he yelled into the wind as the remaining soldiers gave up the fight and retreated. "Come back, or I'll see you all court martialed!"
Somehow Ransom doubted that would happen. Whatever power Fulmer had was slipping away. Somewhere among these troops a real commander would emerge and start calling the shots, one who knew enough to save his men for a fight worth dying for.
"I ought to kill you for that," Fulmer yelled as the last of the jeeps drove away. He yanked Gretchen’s hair in frustration and she stumbled, too exhausted from her heat to keep her balance. She was forced to grab onto Fulmer's belt to steady herself.
Or had she?
Ransom's eyes narrowed as she righted herself again. Sunlight glinted off something concealed behind her forearm. A whiff of cunning in her scent alerted him that she'd been waiting for her moment.
She was planning something.
Ransom could only hope it wouldn’t get her killed, because she still had a loaded gun pressed against her.
He gave her a pleading look. Don't do anything reckless.
She flashed a ghost of a smile in response.
Despite the chaos and danger, the connection between them held strong. Ransom had no idea how he’d been lucky enough to find someone so brave, so strong, so—
Gretchen suddenly wrenched her entire body, attempting to twist free of Fulmer's grasp, and Ransom’s heart leapt to his throat when the bastard managed to hang on.
Then a high-pitched scream ripped through the air. Not Gretchen’s—Fulmer's.
Ransom barreled forward as Gretchen tumbled to the ground. Knowing Fulmer still held the gun, he covered her with his body as a deafening blast rang out.
Ransom waited for the sting of the bullet, but it didn't come. When he lifted his head, he saw why.
Fulmer teetered on trembling legs, his hands covering his bloody crotch. Gravity slowly dragged him to his knees, squealing in unearthly pain. Between his fingers, Ransom spotted the hilt of a long tactical knife, its blade deep in Fulmer's nutsack.
So that's what Gretchen had taken from his belt during her 'fall'.
Ransom rolled off his omega and dusted himself off. There was no need to rush. The son of a bitch wasn't going anywhere.
This time there would be no escape.
Fulmer was writhing on the ground now, and Ransom placed his foot almost gently on his chest, pinning him. He bent down and grabbed a hank of the bastard's hair—just as he’d dared to do to Ransom’s omega.
Then he looked the beta dead in the eye. "No torture I could inflict on you can return what you took from me. So take this to your grave instead—you didn't break me. You didn't win. I've found love. I'm going to live a long, happy life, and you're going suffer in hell."
Damn, that felt good.
But there was one more thing.
"This is for my brother Ryan," he spat, and yanked his arm back with all his might. The beta's head tore from his neck with a wet pop.
And then it was over.
Ransom tossed the head far into the woods, unwilling to look at the face of evil even a second longer. That part of his life was over. Now it was time to move on to what really mattered.
"How are you, my love?" he asked, lifting Gretchen into his arms.
"I'm—I'm—" Her teeth were chattering so hard she could barely speak.
"Hush," Ransom murmured, kissing her hair over and over. "I'm here."
He carried her toward the river to wash the blood and gore from their bodies. Already he could feel her tension easing. Her racing heart slowed. She snuggled in close. By the time he reached the water's edge, her fear had calmed enough for her to speak.
"I'm fine," she said as he lowered her beautiful body into the water. The gentle current did its work, washing away Fulmer's sins. "Did you just call me 'my love'?"
"Don't tell me that surprises you, woman," he said with a smile. "I just took out a whole battalion to save your life."
She gave a laugh—a weak one, but a laugh all the same. It was the most beautiful sound Ransom had ever heard. "And I'm right back to being 'woman' again. Pick a pet name and stick with it."
"'My love' then," Ransom rumbled, nestling her closer against him, a sensation more perfect than any he ever thought possible. "You, woman, will always be my one love."
Chapter Nineteen
They'd been on the road for nearly an hour, long enough