Garrett’s Destiny by Anna Blakely

Chapter 10

Two days later…

“What the helldo you mean, you’re not going?”

Avery woke to the sound of Garrett’s hushed voice coming from the door.

Stretching her legs, she tested her muscles, smiling at their delicious soreness. Memories from the last two nights flashed through her sleepy mind, and Avery closed her eyes as she replayed every amazing, tantalizing frame.

Garrett wasn’t just a sweet, caring man who put her needs before his own. He was a sexual god. One who, in two short days, knew more about her body than she did.

“Dude, these waves are kicking my ass.” Colt’s low voice joined Garrett’s. “I haven’t felt this sick since that time in the eighth grade when everybody in my class got the flu.”

Her intention wasn’t to eavesdrop, but the room was small, and she was right there. It wasn’t like she could really help it. But rather than make the situation awkward for all involved, she remained where she was, deciding she needed a few more minutes before becoming vertical.

“You don’t have the flu,” Garrett responded. “You’re seasick.”

Though she couldn’t see the two men from where she lay, Avery didn’t miss the humorous lift in Garrett’s voice. Neither did Colt.

“Glad you think this is funny, asshole,” he growled. “I was hugging the damn toilet the entire damn night.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s not funny.” Garrett was clearly trying not to laugh. “You try that patch they gave you down in medical yesterday?”

The ship had hit rough waters the night before last, and they grew even rougher yesterday afternoon. When Garrett and Colt returned from their snorkeling and stingray excursion, they’d invited her to join them for dinner. Avery had noticed then that Colt wasn’t a fan of the rough waters.

Lucky for her, motion sickness had never been an issue. As long as she walked with the tilt of the ship, rather than fighting it, she was fine. For Colt, however, this clearly hadn’t helped.

“I tried the patch, tilting my head with the movement like I read online…I even forced myself to go up to the main deck to try to talk one of the pizza guys into finding me some fresh ginger. Nothing’s working.”

“We’ll be docking soon.” Garrett spoke up again. “Once you get back on dry land, I’m sure everything will even itself out.”

“Even if that’s true, my ass is beat. Seriously, G. I got like maybe two full hours of sleep. There’s no way I’m up for a forty-minute hike, half a day in a river, and then a two-hour ride on a fucking rough as shit doon buggy. I’m sorry, man. My ass is staying in bed.”

“I understand. Get some rest. Weather reports are showing smooth sailing for the remainder of the trip, so hopefully you’ll start feeling better soon.”

“Thanks,” Colt muttered. “Sorry to ditch you like this. Hey, maybe Avery can take my ticket and go with you. I’m sure if you explain the situation, they’ll let her take my spot.”

“Yeah, maybe. I’ll see if she’s interested.”

Excitement filtered through Avery’s lazy bones. They were talking about the excursion she’d read about the night she booked the cruise. The one with the waterfalls.

Heck yeah, I’m interested!

When she’d first read about the adrenaline adventure, Avery didn’t believe she was up for something so daring. But now, she was bursting with excitement over the possibility.

Things had definitely changed these past few days. As much as she hated to admit it, Avery knew her sister had been right.

Since boarding the ship, she hadn’t merely come out of her shell…she’d practically shattered the damn thing.

And it wasn’t all because of Garrett, either. Though he certainly helped. The list Alex had snuck into her purse—that was almost completely crossed off—helped, too.

Stepping out of her comfort zone and experiencing new things was still a bit scary, but also invigorating. And somewhere within the last few days, Avery had gone from being the type of person to shy away from change and spontaneity to a woman who chased it.

Yesterday, while Garrett and Coop hung out with the stingrays—yikes—Avery had taken her time exploring the island of Grand Turk. She’d picked up a souvenir globe for Alex, a new hat and t-shirt for herself, and even visited with one of the locals for a few minutes.

But as enjoyable as the day had been, she’d often found herself wishing Garrett was with her. Things were just… better when he was there.

“Probably best if she goes with you, anyway.” Colt’s odd comment caught her attention once more.

“Why do you say that?”

“Dude, I saw how distracted you were while we were out and about yesterday.”

He hadn’t been distracted. Had he?

Avery’s ears perked up as Garrett scoffed. “I wasn’t distracted.”

“The fuck you weren’t.” There was no heat in Colt’s accusation. “It’s all good, though. I get it.”

There was a slight pause before Garrett relented. “Sorry, man. I really did have fun hanging out with you.”

“I know you did, bro. And there’s nothing to be sorry for. I like Avery. She’s good for you. Seriously. I haven’t seen you this happy since…I don’t know when.”

A smile spread across Avery’s sleepy face and warmth filled her chest.

“I like her, too,” Garrett confessed. “A lot.”

Her heart did a little flip. Garrett’s sweet, attentive demeanor and insatiable appetite these last two days had been a dead giveaway to his interest in her, but it was still nice to hear him say the words aloud.

“Think you’ll keep seeing her after we get home?”

Beneath the crisp sheets, Avery’s heart thumped wildly as she waited to hear his answer.

“We’ll have to work some things out as far as my schedule and all that. But I hope so.”

Yes!

Her inner girlie girl did a little happy dance. After their second round of sex last night, Avery had been wondering the same thing—whether or not this thing between them would continue on past their disembarking in a couple of days.

She’d wanted to bring it up but chickened out. Hope bloomed inside her hearing Garrett confirm his intentions for the two of them.

“Glad to hear it.” Colt clearly approved. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m pretty sure I need to throw up again. Have fun today. And try not to wreck the buggy.”

“No promises,” Garret teased his brother. “I don’t know what the service will be like, but you need anything, call the excursion company. Number’s in the email they sent. I’m sure they’ll be able to track me down.”

“I’ll be fine. Nothing a little sleep and a solid, stable bed won’t cure.”

Avery heard Garrett’s sexy rumble of laughter before, “We’ll check on you when we get back.”

“Sounds good, man. See ya later.”

The door clicked shut, and she couldn’t bring herself to close her eyes and pretend she was still asleep.

When Garrett appeared from the room’s small entryway, he caught sight of her stare almost immediately.

“Morning.” His oh-so-talented lips curved.

“Morning.” She held the sheet to her chest and shifted into a sitting position.

Walking over to her, Garrett leaned down, brushed some wayward hair from her face, and kissed her softly. “Sleep well?”

“I did.” She kissed him back. “Better than Colt, apparently.”

“You heard?”

Avery nodded. “Poor guy.”

“Yeah. He looked pretty green.” Sitting on the mattress beside her, Garrett trapped her with an arm across her blanketed legs. Keeping his weight propped up with one hand, he raised his other to her face, brushing the back of his knuckles across her cheek. “You’re so beautiful in the morning.”

An unladylike snort before she could stop it. “You’re delusional.”

“I’m serious.” He stared back at her in a way that made her believe him.

As ridiculous as it was, given the things they’d done to each other the past two nights, Avery felt herself start to blush. “Thank you.”

Garrett’s gaze held hers a moment longer before he asked, “So, what do you say? Feel like taking a forty-minute hike, spending half the day in a river, and then trekking through the countryside on a bumpy as shit ride?”

Laughing at way he’d repeated Colt’s description almost verbatim, Avery said, “Actually, I’d love to.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Believe it or not, I looked at that exact same excursion on the cruise line’s website the night I bought my ticket. I thought it looked amazing, but I wasn’t sure how the cruise was going to go, let alone an adventure like that. So, I decided not to book it.”

“And how do you think the cruise is going so far?”

In a bold move, Avery let the sheet fall to her waist as she reached her arms around him and grinned. “So far, so good. What about you?”

Garrett’s pupils grew with heat. He started to reach for her exposed breasts, his lips parting to speak, when a blaring announcement interrupted the moment.

“Attention passengers! Martin here!” Their jubilant cruise director came through the room’s speakers. “We have arrived at Amber Cove, the Caribbean’s newest port of call. Whether it be shopping, swimming, enjoying authentic Dominican cuisine, or more, the village offers plenty to do for all. If you have purchased one of the port’s excursion packages, we suggest you depart the ship within the hour, so you don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Groaning dramatically, Garrett dropped his hand and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Guess that’s us.” He rose to his feet. “If you’re sure you want to, that is. If not, we can skip it and find something else to do.”

As much as Avery loved the fact that he was willing to change his plans for her, she also didn’t want him making everything all about her.

“Oh, no. We’re going on that adventure.” She threw the sheet off and started getting dressed. With the clothes from last night back in place, Avery rose to her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. “Give me twenty minutes to take a quick shower and change, and then I’ll be ready to go.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Garrett drawled. “I’ll meet you at your room.”

Waiving over her shoulder, she opened the door and hollered, “See you in a few!”

Forty-five minutes later, excitement swirled in her belly as she and Garrett boarded the bus that would take them to their excursion sight.

At first, their view looked much like the previous islands they’d visited. Palm trees blowing with the morning breeze. People bustling around. Small shops that weren’t commercial, but rather authentic.

But as the bus made its way past the main tourist area and deeper into the tropical jungle of the Dominican Puerto Plata—the province where Amber Cove was located—Avery was struck with a sudden sense of sadness.

Watching the scenery pass them by, there was a noticeable change in the community vibe.

Trash littered the sides of the road. Cattle with visible ribs grazed on the sparse vegetation in the unimpressive fields. And houses that were little more than shacks stood side by side in yards made of little more than dirt.

Seeing this way of life made Avery realize just how much she took for granted in her own.

A handful of miles later, the bus turned onto a gravel road that dropped down in a steep decline. After breaking through a clearing of trees, they finally arrived at their destination.

“You ready?” Garrett gave her hand a light squeeze.

Avery turned to him and smiled. “Ready.”

The hiking came first. Forty minutes—all uphill—turned into an hour and fifteen with two short breaks in between. Dressed in a one-piece swimsuit and water shoes, she—like everyone else in the group—carried a lifejacket and helmet for the water portion of the trip.

Thanks to the treadmill in her apartment, Avery kept herself in relatively decent shape. But the steep incline and uneven dirt path—not to mention the thick, humid air—made the long walk a bit challenging.

For her, anyway. Garrett, on the other hand, barely broke a freaking sweat.

With his breaths even and relaxed, the frustratingly sexy man looked as though he was out for a Sunday stroll rather than a grueling trek through a tropical jungle.

Showoff.

What felt like an eternity later, they finally made it to the river’s entry spot. Avery blew out a breath, more than a little relieved…until she saw the bridge.

Made of wood that looked like it had seen better days, the bridge spanned fifteen feet across and twenty feet high. At least.

The portion of the small river running below it ran at a slow, calming pace. Avery had never been afraid of the water, but the ladder their guide was telling the group to climb down was utterly terrifying.

“Is there another way in?” She immediately began scanning the area for someplace closer to the water’s edge. A nice sandy bank where she could just ease herself in.

Picking up on her fear, Garrett cursed beneath his breath and blocked her view of the bridge. With his hands resting gently on her shoulders, he tipped her chin upward, so she’d look only at him.

“You’re going to be fine. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

But Avery was already shaking her head. “Garrett, I can’t—”

“Yes, you can.” His tone was confident and unwavering.

“No, I really don’t think I can.”

He was quiet for several seconds before asking, “Did you ever think you could take a cruise by yourself? Or sing karaoke on stage in front of a room full of strangers?”

“No, but that’s not the same thing.”

“Except it is.” He stepped a bit closer. With his lifejacket and helmet dangling from one hand, he used the other to palm the side of her face in a loving caress. “You’re stronger and more daring than you give yourself credit for. And if you need proof of that, all you have to do is look at us.”

“Us?”

His blue gaze softened, his voice lowering so only she could hear. “You ever think you’d spend two incredible nights letting some strange man make you scream?”

Garrett’s words sent a rush of heat crawling up her neck.

“You’re not all that strange.” A lame attempt to add humor to the situation.

One side of his kissable mouth curved. “Avery, you can do this.” He spoke with a confidence she didn’t feel.

She glanced over at the ladder and back to him. Opening her mouth—to say what, she wasn’t sure—she closed it, saying nothing.

“Tell you what,” Garrett spoke again. “If you truly don’t want to do this, we’ll turn around, and walk back the way we came. We’ll just meet up with the group down at the dune buggies.”

The offer made Avery’s heart swell. “You’d do that?”

“As opposed to forcing you to do something you don’t want to do?” He shot her an incredulous look. “Hell, yes.”

His answer was instant and sincere. And it made her realize what she had to do.

“No.” Straightening her spine, Avery took a step back and slid her lifejacket on. “I can do this.” She buckled the preserver in place and secured the helmet to her head with its chin strap.

“Are you sure?” Garrett frowned. “I seriously don’t mind if we—”

“I’m good.” She looked up at him. “Besides, you said you’d be right there with me, right?”

He tipped his chin in a single nod. “I’ll go down the ladder first. Be right behind you the entire way.”

“Okay, then.” Avery blew out a breath. “Let’s do this.”

With one final glance from those crystal blue eyes, he promised, “I won’t let you fall.”

And he didn’t.

Having the patience of a saint, Garrett moved down the ladder slowly, keeping the pace she’d set for herself.

Rung by terrifying rung.

Sweat covered her palms and Avery’s knees shook with the magnitude of a category five earthquake. But she didn’t stop.

Finally reaching the bottom rung, she stepped down to join Garrett on the small wooden platform overlooking the river. Together, with her hand in his, they jumped the remaining five feet into the water.

Avery beamed as she bobbed up and down with the lifejacket’s support. “I did it!"

“Yes, you did.” Garrett pulled her close. In front of the others, he kissed her gently and said, “I’m proud of you.”

She smiled wide. “I’m proud of me, too.”

For most, that one, small feat wouldn’t even register as a blip on their accomplishment scale. But for Avery, it almost felt like a defining moment.

The river was freezing, but she was having too much fun to care. Over the next hour and a half, she and Garrett—along with the others in the group—followed their guides as they made their way through the water to seven natural waterfalls on their way back to the base of the mountain.

As it turned out, the waterfalls were really natural waterslides. Decades of the river’s constant flow had smoothed and shaped the rocks, making it possible for a person to slide down them with ease, and then continue on with the river’s path.

Every slide they came to, Garrett would go down first and wait below to catch her. And each time she came up for air, he’d give her a sweet kiss and a smile.

After braving the final fall, the hike’s remaining thirty minutes was spent walking in ankle-deep water down the middle of the riverbed. She and Garrett held hands the entire way, him helping to keep her steady as they traveled over the small, uneven rocks.

Back at the business’s main building, the group was instructed to turn in their lifejackets and helmets before walking a few yards across the lot to where their dune buggies awaited. With a quick restroom and drink break behind them, Avery went with Garrett and the others to their designated spot.

Two guides with heavy accents ran through their standard safety spiel before showing each pair which buggy was theirs.

“You want to drive?” Garrett asked with a smirk.

Avery barked out a laugh. “Uh…definitely not.”

She may have discovered a new, braver side of herself, but death by dune buggy wasn’t something she cared to experience.

Giving her a wide, ornery grin, he nodded to the passenger seat’s harness and said, “Better buckle up.”

Something in his tone kicked her nerves into high gear. But this man had kept her safe in the river, and she had no doubt he’d do the same now.

Buckled in and ready to go, Garrett flashed her a panty-melting smile before sliding his black helmet over his head and firing up the buggy’s ignition. Determined to live in the moment, Avery donned her second helmet of the day—this one covering her entire head—and settled back into her seat.

Positioned second to last in a trail of ten vehicles, they waited their turn before taking off. With one guide leading the group in the front and the other picking up the back, they began riding along a dirt road in the opposite direction from which they came.

“Woohoo!” Garrett hollered over the sound of the engine. Avery laughed, loving how much fun he was having.

And it’s only just begun.

Letting the buggy in front of them gain a good distance from where they were, the daring man behind the wheel waited for the exact right moment and then pressed the gas pedal down as far as it would go.

Avery let out her own loud whoop and grabbed the safety bar in front of her as they began to fly.

The first part of the ride took them through the beautiful Dominican countryside. The narrow road snaked around a flat section of land with a gorgeous, peaceful creek running straight through the middle.

She watched from behind her helmet’s tinted shield as the vehicles in front of them took the small dip into the water. Once they were safely across, each one picked up speed, taking off down the road before disappearing around a sharp bend.

Garrett didn’t take the dip nice and easy. Instead, he exposed his adrenaline junky side and gunned the engine. They splashed through the cool water with such force it rained down on them in sheets.

“Ah!” Avery screamed and laughed as the entire vehicle became drenched.

Lifting the tinted shield on his helmet, Garrett slowed their buggy and turned his head toward her. “You doin’ okay?”

“This is so much fun!” she hollered over the engine’s rumble.

“It’s not too rough?”

Another dune buggy passed them by right as he spoke, and Avery waited for the noise to die down again before yelling, “What?”

Lifting his helmet off his head, he asked, “Am I going too fast or too rough for you?”

She shook her head vehemently. “This is great! Keep going!”

Garrett’s face lit up with a youthful grin and he leaned over to give her a chaste kiss. “Hold on tight, sweetheart. I’m gonna open her up and see what she can do.”

With a chuckle, Avery repositioned the helmet, and as instructed, she held on tight.

Over the road and around the bend, they became immersed in the long stretch of scenic beauty.

As they traversed the unfamiliar territory, Avery committed their surroundings to memory. She had the fleeting thought that she’d never had so much fun…or felt so free.

Looking at the road in front of them, she noticed the line was slowing down, and there was a row of buildings up ahead.

It’s a town!

Giddy excitement had her stretching her neck to see. As they drew closer, Avery realized ‘town’ was a bit of a stretch for the small community. It was more like a village, and from the looks of things, this one was littered with poverty.

Small storefronts lined both sides of the crudely paved road. The few cars that were parked along the street were older, most with rust or dents marking their bodies.

A few locals stood on one corner, one bartering with the other two over a cart filled with fresh melons and what looked like papaya. And as they approached a small four-way intersection, they saw an old farm truck approach, it’s back filled with the biggest heap of fresh bananas Avery had ever seen.

Children stood on the broken sidewalks with their parents, waving at each buggy as it drove past. Their little faces lit up, smiling back at them as if the caravan was taking part in some sort of makeshift dune buggy parade.

To those children, Avery realized that’s probably exactly what she and the others looked like. A parade of tourists catching a glimpse of how these people lived.

Filled with a sympathy for a community she didn’t know, Avery wished she could do more than wave and move past. Give them money or food or clothes. Something that would make their lives a bit easier.

Then she almost immediately felt ashamed. Despite her good intentions, those thoughts would probably be considered offensive if she were to ever verbalize them.

Though they couldn’t see her face, Avery pushed past the heart wrenching scene and smiled and waved as they came upon another group of young children.

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something else waving in the air. A flag flying high on one of the villages few electrical poles. She could tell from its design that it was political in nature.

Having taken Spanish in high school, Avery still remembered some of the words. One she recognized immediately was presedente, or president.

It’s a presidential candidate’s flag.

Looking around, she realized there were several more just like it posted around the remaining buildings. Some taped on doors or windows. Some flying from light poles or makeshift posts.

Emilio Garcia was the candidate’s name. And from the looks of things, he had the support of this entire village.

Suddenly curious about this country and its current political status, Avery made a mental note to research their upcoming election—and Emilio Garcia—when she got back home.

Reaching over to give her bare leg a playful tap, Garrett pressed down on the accelerator as the trail of buggies left the south end of the village and headed out into the countryside once again.

Several minutes later, they pulled onto another narrow street. A neighborhood of sorts, there were a handful of houses on one side of the road and a small, shelter-type structure on the other.

Falling in line, Garrett parked on the side of the road and cut the engine. Unbuckling, Avery removed her helmet and set it in the seat when she got out.

“This is incredible.” She looked around at the goings on as she moved over to where he stood.

A small group of older men sat in chairs under the shelter’s roof. Using the instruments in their hands, they began playing upbeat merengue music that made Avery smile.

“Come on.” Garrett took her hand in his. “I don’t know about you, but I could use something cold to drink.”

Same.

Walking up the hill to the shelter, they went straight to the small concession area located inside. Speaking fluent Spanish—which was both impressive and arousing—Garrett ordered for them both. The young man behind the partition exchanged two tall, canned beers for cash.

Looking closely at the label, Avery realized it wasn’t any she’d ever heard of.

“It’s local,” Garrett informed her. “And it’s good.”

“You’ve had this before?”

He nodded. “Told you, my job requires me to travel.”

“Here?”

“Not this place, specifically. But this isn’t my first time in the Dominican.”

Wow. He really did go far for his job.

Popping the top, Avery took a long, smooth draw of the ice-cold beverage. “Wow.” She took another sip. “That really is good.”

“Told ya.” Garrett winked. “Let’s see what they have over there.”

Turning, Avery saw three stands like the kind she’d seen at a farmer’s market. One selling had hand-made beaded jewelry, another shelved with small, souvenir-type trinkets, and the third was filled with the most beautiful wooden carvings she’d ever seen.

“Wow.” She went to the jewelry booth first. “These are incredible.”

“Gracias.” The middle-aged man running it gave her a nod.

“See anything you like?”

Shivers raced down Avery’s spine as Garrett’s lips brushed her ear from behind.

In the past two days, his talented fingers, tongue, and cock had brought her to orgasm more times than she ever thought possible. And still, the simplest of touches left her body primed and aching for more.

He’s doing that on purpose.

She smiled, loving the fact that her inner voice was right.

With a cleared throat, she zeroed in on one of the other man’s multi-colored bracelets. “How much for that one?” She pointed to the wide, stretchy piece of handcrafted jewelry.

“Ten.”

“Ten dollars?” She clarified.

“Si.” The man nodded.

Bending down, Avery started to pull the small roll of cash she’d tucked safely into her shoe, next to her ID. But a warm, recognizable hand on her lower back stopped her.

“Here.”

Avery stood to see Garrett handing the man a ten-dollar bill.

“You didn’t have to buy that for me.”

“I know.” He grinned, handing her the newly purchased gift. “I wanted to.”

Stretching the bracelet’s elastic over her hand, Avery held out her wrist to admire the bright beads. “I love it. Thank you.” She planted a kiss on his lips.

“You’re welcome.”

The group stayed in that location long enough to enjoy their drinks, a sample of locally grown fruit, and live music before saying their goodbyes and heading back to their buggies.

Following their guide, the train of vehicles drove through a more desolate area of the country filled with peaceful fields and trees, as well as the occasional run-down farmhouse.

With her head leaned back as she relaxed in the afternoon sun, Avery gasped and shot straight up when Garrett slammed on his breaks and brought them to a sudden, jolting halt.

Removing her helmet, she brushed some hair from her face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

He slipped the helmet from his head and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Avery could almost feel the change in his demeanor. The relaxed, fun-loving man was gone, replaced by a focused, intense warrior.

Straightening her spine, she tried to look over the buggy’s windshield to figure out why the entire group had suddenly stopped. But she was still too short.

“Looks like there are some trucks blocking the road,” Garrett explained.

“Are they stranded?” She looked in vain again. “Do they need help?”

Before he could answer, the group’s rear guide walked past in a rush. Speaking into his handheld radio, he spat off something in rapid Spanish, assumably to the other guide at the front of the line.

When the other man’s response came through the small speaker—also in Spanish—Garrett’s entire body locked down.

“What is it?” she asked, knowing he spoke the language and had understood the conversation. “What did he say?”

The sound of men yelling rose over their idling motors.

“Sweetheart, I need you to listen very carefully.” Garrett unbuckled his shoulder harness and reached for something behind his back. “There’s a group of men up ahead. They have guns.”

“Guns?” Her voice rose two octaves. Heart slamming against her chest, her mind whirled to accept what he’d just told her. “W-what do they want?”

“I don’t know.” He pulled his hand—and a pistol—free.

He had a gun, too?

What is happening?

Avery swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. With her pulse racing and fear zipping through her veins, she searched his eyes for answers.

“What’s going on?”

His lips parted to answer as tires squealed from behind. Jumping from the unexpected sounds, Avery turned her head just in time to see two men with really big guns climbing out of another truck and heading their way.

“Garrett…”

He slid the weapon she hadn’t even realized he had beneath his right thigh and reached for her hand. “I need you to stay calm.”

“Calm?” she spoke with a not-so-quiet whisper. “We’re being ambushed, and you want me to be calm?”

“Yes.” Garrett locked eyes with her. “Look, they’re probably just looking for money and jewelry. Just follow my lead and listen to what I say. No arguments.”

“O-okay.” Avery swallowed again.

Hell yes, she was going to listen to him. It wasn’t like she had a death wish.

Doing her best to keep her breaths steady, she sat and waited for whatever was about to come next.

The men coming from the rear waited until they were only a few feet away to begin shouting their orders.

“Get out!” one demanded.

Dressed head-to-toe in black—including some sort of thin, mesh masks that covered their faces—the men held their weapons in front of them. Their long barrels pointed directly at Avery and Garrett.

Oh, god!

“Do as they say, sweetheart.”

The quiet words were a calm in the midst of a terrifying storm.

Following orders, Avery fumbled to open the door, nearly stumbling as she rushed to get out. Her gut churned and legs wobbled to the point she thought she’d collapse.

Never, not once in all her twenty-eight years, had she ever felt such pure and utter terror.

Glancing down at Garrett’s empty seat, she looked to his hand, expecting it to be filled with the gun she’d seen seconds before. But he held nothing.

Where did it go?

She didn’t have time to figure it out because the two men holding them at gunpoint motioned for her to walk around to the other side, where Garrett stood.

Keeping her eyes on those guns, Avery focused on every step she took. When she got close enough for him to reach her, Garrett grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side before shifting his body to block hers with his own.

“Give me your wallets and phones,” one of the two goons ordered sharply.

Okay, so Garrett was right. All they had to do was give these men their cash, and then they’d be set free.

Pulling his wallet from his pocket, Garrett handed it over to the man. Following his lead, Avery bent at the waist, her trembling fingers struggling to dig into her damp shoe.

She started to pull the small wad of cash out when the second man rushed toward her and jabbed her in the ribs with his gun.

“Hey!” He pushed her to the ground.

Landing chest first, the air from Avery’s lungs was forced out in a rough woosh.

Panic thundered through her body, her blood turning to ice when the man shoved the weapon’s barrel against the back of her head. Avery cried out in pain.

No! He’s going to kill me!

“Don’t touch her!” Garrett growled.

From the corner of her eye, she could see him starting to advance on the man who’d assaulted her. But he was stopped short when the other man in black rammed the butt of the long rifle against the back of Garrett’s head.

He dropped to the ground next to her, groaning and fighting to stay conscious.

“Garrett!” she hollered for him, but his only response was another raspy moan.

Oh, God. This can’t be happening.

“He has a gun!” the asshole holding her at gun point yelled. “Back waistband.”

The man who’d struck Garrett bent down and yanked the pistol she’d seen earlier from his shorts. How he’d slipped it back beneath his shirt without her seeing was baffling. It was also irrelevant.

“You planning to shoot me, estúpido?” Asshole number two checked the chamber of the gun before pointing it at Garrett’s head.

“No!”

Before she even realized she was moving, Avery pushed herself onto her knees and flew to the side to cover Garrett’s prone body with her own.

“He wasn’t going to shoot anyone!” she spoke with in a terrified rush. “And I was just getting my money from my shoe! M-my phone’s in the buggy. Please. We’ll do what you say, just…please. Don’t shoot him!”

Half expecting the bastard to turn the gun on her and kill them both right then, Avery was shocked when the man started to laugh.

“Aren’t you a brave little puta? Jumping over your man like that. But what kind of man is he, really, letting his woman risk her life for his?”

The kind of man who will kill you the second he has the chance.

Avery had no idea where the thought came from, but in her gut, she knew it was the truth.

“Take her shoes,” he instructed his partner.

Less than a second later, she felt her water shoes being ripped from her feet. Her money and driver’s license were taken, the shoes tossed aside.

“Avery Webb,” the man who’d given the order stared at her I.D. “A simple name for such as beautiful woman.”

Fear raced down Avery’s spine and her gut churned. She hated the way that man had said her name. She also didn’t like the way he was looking at her from behind his mesh mask.

Even from behind the mask, she could see his heated eyes and sick, twisted smile.

“Get them up.”

Grabbing her arm in a bruising grip, asshole number two yanked her to her bare feet with such force, she was sure he’d pull her shoulder out of its socket.

Garrett was next, the man struggling a bit more to get him up. Thankfully, he was conscious and mostly alert.

And really, really pissed.

Sounding strained, as if he were in pain, Garrett locked his angry gaze onto hers and asked, “You okay?”

Not even close.“Yes.” Avery nodded. “You?”

“Enough!” Garrett was shoved from behind. “Let’s go.”

“Go?” She swung her head around. “Go where? Y-you have our money and our phones.”

“Avery.” The low warning came from Garrett.

More terrified than she’d ever been in her life, Avery continued with her efforts to talk them out of the situation. “Please. You got what you came for, so just—”

She stopped abruptly when the man who’d been giving the orders put himself directly in her path. Standing close enough she could feel his hot breath, he traced a finger down the side of her face. Moving lightning fast, he reached his hand around and grabbed the back of her hair.

Spikes of pain shot through her scalp, causing her to whimper.

“Get away from her,” Garrett’s voice sounded stronger. Deadly.

But the man standing before her ignored him.

Moving his mouth so close she thought he might try to kiss her, the jerk spoke with an eerie calm as he said, “You’re right, beautiful Avery. We have exactly what we came for.”