Wild heat

with the usual rustling of unseen creatur

ght of the air, the way the tre

fully, his knife drawn. They both knew t

them weren't just hired guns. They were working for someone powerful, someone w

they had to g

opped short, ho

reath catching. "Wh

n front of them, sharp and

ched across the path, almos

rip

d slowly. "Th

to a cluster of thick foliage and beneath it, half-b

They're serious about

htened. "Or k

ut a small multi-tool. With steady hands, he c

ooby-trapped the entire rout

mines, armed mercenaries, and jungle pr

lance. "Still think

on in her chest. "Oh, we passe

ing almost amused in his expression unti

eren't

n't hesita

es, leaping over thick roots, thei

fting as they wove through the dense foliag

cking us," K

d under her

ealizat

. Their f

our trail," she s

k split the

hick tree just as bullets tore through the v

out, catching glimpses of dark

she br

darkened. "They

. "We can't outr

nched. "No.

s eyes, she knew exactl

en't goi

e going

, heart hammering. The gunfire had stopp

g his ammo. "We don't have enoug

pping her pistol. "Th

We need the high ground. If we can split them

ine surging through he

the thick underbrush. The jungle was on their

w shift

y passed a few feet away, his rifle scanning th

she m

react. He choked, struggling, but she was fast pressing her pi

dy wen

fully to the ground,

wn another man with a swift blad

n. More

the distance. "Sprea

enna a look

cape it was a weapon. Every tree, every thick patch of vin

t Sienna's ear, splinterin

hissed, divi

ontrolled. A scream cut through the a

retreating. The

ck, reloading. "We nee

Then she spotted it an old, rotted t

uld bring

She p

understanding instan

ing gunfire. Kai covered her, taking

ee just as more sho

ai said. "He

he rough bark. Together, they s

groaned

ay, crashing down into the ravine belo

le

ious voice echoed

var

ed. She recogn

o. His fac

nting them wasn't

eone from

anted th

f that furious voice, but its w

low, edged with danger dragged her

el T

e in years. Hadn't though

, he wa

ing

ing

show on her face. If Kai had history with Miguel, she needed to know how m

t with something unreadable. When he fi

ve," he said,

ressed in around them, the thick air damp with t

s posture. He wasn't just on edge he was coiled. Like a m

ded him

playe

he said, keeping her voi

ve through the underbrush with caref

he muttered

fed. "Yeah,

bating how much to say. Then he

," he said, voice clipped.

consider it. Work together.

pass, then aske

ess chuckle. "That's

't push.

ng her expression unreadable as

h her mind

al question wasn't

y he was

ll she was goin

le was c

ir thick with tension. Sienna moved with purpose, but her mind was ru

d

too da

the underbrush. He was all coiled tension, his

asn't just a proble

stomach

p did t

ng the jagged rock formations they'd been a

e low. "We hold position here. If Miguel's

r pistol steady. The jungle stretched out bel

uld feel t

ense. "We won't get anot

er grip. "Then we

t pas

er of m

g up. Through the trees, sha

el's

moving in a tight formati

d

figure a

gu

man who knew he was winning. His dark ey

k against the rock, gr

barely breath

oice cut throug

almost amused. "I

le

. "Come on, Navarro. Let's not w

jaw was locked, his knuckles whit

how this ends." A smirk tugged a

pulse h

n't just

as a

iting for Kai to

s muscles taut. "Stay he

ed her eyes.

thing raw flashing behind

head. "We do t

gue. Because they both knew the truth

ther we

e held it

a war drum. Below them, Miguel stood at ease, his men flanking hi

fe. His voice was a razor's edge. "

nce." His dark eyes flicked upward, sweeping the rocks. He k

ove. Neither

atrical. "Alright then. W

fted

red the signal before

nf

bullet ricocheted off the rock. The

were

e of Miguel's men dropped, but the others were

rough the underbrush, disa

ght a glimpse of Miguel through the trees, wat

squeezing

iguel

Too

his shoulder as he disa

h

rustle b

g. She ducked, twisting her body, driving her elbow into his ri

e to b

gle. The gunfire had thinned

he hell

uel. He was moving, slipping through the

s tra

ood we

n't af

s aft

ough the jungle, pushing herself h

la

grunt. A

ust in time to see Kai and Mi

a knife.

each other, b

. "Been a whil

answer. J

olent. Close. No

ere was no clean shot. They w

Kai against a tree. His blad

breath

. "Did you really think you

twitched waiti

teadied

just enough to glance a

ring when yo

't blink. "

el d

oved

cked Miguel's arm wi

na f

side. He snarled but didn't go down. I

isn't

he

ng her gun, but Kai

him

ead toward him. "

is lip. "He's not done

exhaled

had got

e'd b

next

anning to let