Page 40 of A Shot at Love
“How many?”
He cocked his head, regarding her. “Eight.”
Twice as many as last time. Somehow, the knowledge of the increased number didn’t make her feel as secure as it should, knowing that Ky wouldn’t be counted among them.
“They’re all excellent agents,” he told her.
She sighed. “I’m sure they are.”
The groove between his eyes deepened. “I promise, you’ll be safe with them.”
She nodded and turned her head to look out the window again.
They rode in silence for a while.
“Approaching the outbound, Sir,” the driver said after several minutes. “Traffic’s moving well for this time of day.”
The SUV moved into the on-ramp lane and sped up to merge.
Ky turned to her and said, “We should be there in about a half ho—“
A loud blast exploded from the back of the vehicle and Gemma was thrown against Ky when it swerved. Another boom came from the back passenger side.
“We’re under fire!” the agent in the front passenger seat yelled.
“Get down!” Ky shoved Gemma’s head into the space between the seats. He’d drawn his weapon and was frantically turning left and right. “Speed up, Cassidy.”
The van pitched forward with such force Gemma fell forward, banging her head on the seatback in front of her.
“I don’t have a clear shot,” she heard the front agent call to Ky.
She watched in horror as Ky undid his safety belt and knelt up on the seat, facing backward. “Two, maybe three vehicles,” he shouted. “Get in the left lane.”
The driver zipped the SUV toward the left, causing Gemma to flail again. She reached out for the safety strap as an anchor to keep from being pitched around.
“Stay down!” Ky commanded again. He’d slid to her seat and opened the window enough to lean his weapon out. Three rapid pops blared as the sound ricocheted around her.
She heard two return shots pierce the back end of the van. Ky fired again in quick succession. The unmistakable sound of tires squealing filled the air next and then a loud crashing noise.
From her vantage point, Gemma couldn’t see what happened to the chasing car, but a red fire ball reflected off the windshield a moment later.
“Kilburn?”
“One still on us, Sir.” He leaned out the window and sent a barrage of bullets behind them.
Ky pulled back in and reloaded. “Get us out of here, Cassidy.”
“Trying, Sir.”
The SUV pitched forward. For several seconds Gemma felt the force of the vehicle increasing its speed and swerving left then right.
“Get off at the next exit,” Ky told the driver, “but don’t slow down until we’re almost there. I don’t want them to know until it’s too late.”
A series of bullets hit the side panel on the driver side, imploding the window. The van veered sharply to the right then corrected.
“Cassidy?”
“I’m okay, Sir,” the driver said. Gemma thought he sounded anything but. “Exit’s another mile.”
Cassidy kept up the speed as ordered, as another shower of bullets came from behind them.
Gemma felt the car jolt to the right, several horns blasting at them, as Ky and other agent continued firing from the windows.
“Don’t stop for anything,” Ky ordered.
“Copy that, Sir,” Cassidy said.
“He’s gaining,” Ky announced. He slid back over to the passenger side of the vehicle, glanced quickly down at her, and then opened the window, firing behind him.
Bullets rebounded at them, shattering the windows, glass raining down on the seats and floor. Ky had a bloody gash on his hand, another on his jaw.
The fire play continued.
“Cassidy?”
“Almost there, Sir.”
The van continued to move at speeds Gemma knew were beyond dangerous. Car horns blared loudly as she felt the car swerve in and out of lanes.
The van careened to the right suddenly and from her position on the floor, Gemma was bounced and tossed again. From behind she heard the sickening squeal of brakes slamming, then metal crashing against metal.
Horns continued to blast, as Cassidy navigated through what she assumed was now street traffic. He’d lowered their speed and from the movement of the van right and left, she knew he was weaving in and around other cars.
