“Enough chit chat.” He waved the gun at her. “Let’s go.”
With no other choice, Sophie awkwardly got back up to her feet and started walking up the embankment.
As she got closer to the top, she spotted a large truck. The front end was crumpled some, but it was still running.
You can’t get into that truck. If you do, you’re dead.
She stopped walking.
“What the hell are you doing? Get your ass in the truck!”
“No.” She turned to face him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, but I think you will.”
He swung the gun around, pointing it toward the car. From this angle, if the man was any kind of shot, he’d be able to hit Jason through his shattered window.
“No, don’t!” Sophie panicked.
“I don’t want to kill your boyfriend, Doc. But I will, if I have to. Now tell me, where’s the bag you had in Djibouti?”
“It’s at the hospital,” she spoke the truth. “It’s been in my locker since I returned from Africa.”
It was her go-bag. Her spare stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and some basic first-aid supplies were still in there from the trip. Other than her time in Djibouti, she’d always kept it at work in case there was an incident requiring her to leave the hospital to treat a patient on-site.
Another thought hit her. This one nearly knocking her to the ground.
He’s the one who broke into my house. Colton’s the one who...
“It was you.” Sophie stared back at him with utter shock. “You were in my house. You son of a bitch, youshotme.”
A sudden rush of anger took over the fear. She not only welcomed it. She used it to keep herself in check.
“I didn’t mean to shoot you!” Colton snapped back. “You were fighting for the gun and it went off. Trust me, Doc. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.”
Keep him talking. If he’s talking, he’s not taking you away from Jason.
“I didn’t notice your bandage then. But you must’ve been injured because the news said your body had been discovered a few days ago.”
“I was wearing gloves,” he ground out. “Now come on.” He shoved the gun back in her direction. “Start walking or I swear to God, I’ll shoot him.”
Sophie looked back at the car. Through the window, she could see Jason in the same position he’d been in earlier.
He hadn’t heard them. He was going to wake up, find her gone, and...he was going to blame himself.
Just like he still blames himself for what happened to Shelby.
Her heart shattered into a million pieces.
With no other choice—because she’d never risk Jason’s life for her own—she looked back at the man she never really knew and nodded.
“Okay.” A sad resolve rang through her terrified voice. “I’ll go.”
****
Jason woke with a start, Sophie’s name flying from his lips as his eyes shot open.
“Sophie!” He tried sitting up, but someone was pushing against his chest.