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“I’ood,” she whispered

Zach cupped her injured face and pressed his lips to hers He’d coile connection they shared but had yet to define That was going to change Once this was over, he was locking that shit down Noto be his if he had to handcuff her to her bed and ht anymore

“Z, we need to roll, brother Mav ain’t good” Copper stood behind hi him to the hospital in Townsend”

Zach nodded “You okay to walk, Toni? We have flashlights”

“Yes, I can walk it,” she said

“Where’d you get that gun, baby?”

Toni gasped and grabbed his arm “Oh, Zach!” Her eyes flooded “It was Special K’s He was k—I mean they sho—” She shook her head and pressed a fist to her mouth “I can’t even say it”

Zach felt it like a sucker punch to the gut

Copper nodded, his face impassive

“I’ freely now She shook her head and a sob broke free “I tried to stop the bleeding And I didn’t want to leave him, but they found me”

“Not your fault, babe,” Zach said, rubbing a hand over her back “You didn’t do anything wrong”

Copper just turned and started through the woods “Get movin’, you two We need to catch up”

“It’s okay, babe,” Zach said as he caught Toni’s stricken look “He doesn’t bla He blames himself”

She nodded and took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders “Let’s go”

They made their way back to the truck at a rapid clip Toni shielded her eyes froround where Special K’s body had been His brothers must have moved him to one of the trucks farther out

Her eyes were solemn as she climbed into the pickup With Copper and Rocket’s help, they were able to maneuver Maverick into the back seat with her He lay across the bench with his head in Toni’s lap