"Sweetie?"
She looked up at him.
"I need my arm back."
Her face turned bright red. "Sorry." She quickly released it, but she kept her arms around his waist, anchoring him to her.
His heart pounded at the sight she made holding on to him to keep him safe. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he could taste her lips.
First, he had to protect her. Returning to his post, he started picking off their pursuers while Choo Co La Tah floored it. They were finally going fast and putting some distance between the truck and their pursuers.
Jess kept firing as the wind rushed around him. A tsi-noo screamed in frustration. Yeah, that's right. Cry, baby, cry. Go home to your daddy and tell him you failed. Let him kick your ass.
"Jess?"
He felt Abigail tugging hard at his shirt. Ducking back into the cab, he arched a brow. "Yeah?"
Choo Co La Tah cleared his throat then asked in the calmest of tones. "You wouldn't happen to know how to stop one of these devices, would you?"
Oh please no ...
Surely he'd misheard that. "Come again?"
Choo Co La Tah pressed the brake pedal all the way to the floor. A loud sound echoed
Nothing happened. The truck didn't slow in the least. Jess's stomach sank to his feet.
His arms spread wide over the giant steering wheel, Choo Co La Tah held on with a grip so tight his knuckles blanched. "I'm sorry to say, there seems to be a little bit of a problem. As you can see, it doesn't respond when I apply the brake."
And they were approaching an almost ninety degree turn they'd have to make onto the Valley of Fire Highway.
Jess considered their options. "Keep going straight. Don't try to make the off ramp."
"And again I say we have a bit of a problem."
Jess dreaded the next word. "Yeah?"
Abigail swallowed hard before she pointed down the road. "There are two jack-knifed trucks blocking it."
Shit.
And they were going way too fast. He'd say to ram the trucks, but one was hauling gas. They'd go up like a Roman candle.
Why, Lord, why?
Sasha leaned forward. "Hit the brake again."
Choo Co La Tah complied. Air blew back on him as a loud sssshhhh sound filled the cab. "I fear they're in ill repair, my boy."
"Yeah, but I think I know what it is." Sasha dove at the floorboard and started pounding against it with his fist. "C'mon, you little bastard. Work." He hit the brake with his hand.
As before, nothing happened.
Sasha growled low in his throat. "Send the wolf to watch them," he mocked in a falsetto. His nostrils flared. "I swear Z, if I live, I'm going to rip that damned goatee off your face and stick your shaving cream in the fridge." He locked gazes with Jess. "I'll be right back."
Abigail bit her lip as fear darkened her eyes. "Where's he going?"
Jess shrugged. "No idea."