Page 98 of Nothing But Air

“So you’ll risk your life jumping a canyon in near darkness?” Her voice rose. “That’s what you want to do?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want to do. It matters what Liam needs.”

“Teague, please.” Her voice cracked. “We’ll go around. We’ll move fast. But don’t?—”

“I have to.” He couldn’t look at her. “You don’t get it, Eden. I have to.”

She stepped in front of him again—palm flat against his chest, right over his racing heart.

“You think this is what Chip would want?” Her voice dropped. Tighter. “For you to die trying to make up for something that wasn’t your fault?”

The name hit like a blow.

“Don’t.” His jaw clenched. “Don’t talk about Chip.”

“Someone has to.” Her eyes were bright—tears she wouldn’t let fall. “Because you’re about to do something incredibly stupid because you can’t forgive yourself for something that happened five years ago that wasn’t your fault.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” Her voice was fierce. “I know what it’s like to blame yourself. To think if you’d just been better, smarter, faster—” She stopped. Drew a breath. “But this isn’t about saving Liam. This is about punishing yourself. And I’m not going to stand here and watch you die for it.”

Quick footsteps followed by a scraping sound cut through the tension.

They turned to see Marcus land on the other side of the gap, dusting off his pants.

“What—” Teague stared. “How did you?—”

Marcus shrugged. “High school long-jump record. Fifteen feet, three inches.” He looked back at them across the gap. “Also all-conference shortstop in baseball, but I doubt that’ll help.”

“You could have mentioned that before we spent ten minutes arguing,” Xander said.

“Do you want to know that I still hold the record for home runs in a season?” Marcus offered a half shrug.

Teague looked at the gap. At Marcus standing casually on the other side. At Eden’s pale, furious face.

“See?” He turned to her. “It’s fine. Marcus made it.”

“Marcus doesn’t have bruised ribs and an injured elbow.” Her voice shook. “Marcus got dinner before we left. Marcus?—”

“Can apparently jump fifteen feet without a problem.” Teague backed up, measuring his approach. “I only need seven.”

“Don’t pretend you’re doing this for Liam.” Eden’s voice went cold. “This is about your need to risk your life. Your need to prove something that doesn’t need proving.”

He stared at her. Saw the hurt in her eyes. The fear. The anger.

“I’m sorry. But I’m going.”

“Then you’re going without me.” Her voice was final. “I’m not watching this.”

“Probably best. Xander, take Eden around the long way. Meet us at their camp.” His voice came out hard. Distant. “Marcus and I will go ahead.”

He didn’t miss the devastation in Eden’s eyes. He’d fix it later. Apologize. Make her understand.

Right now, someone needed him.

“Teague—” Eden started.

He didn’t wait.