Part of him worried he’d pop a tire driving out of the forest so recklessly. The van jounced and swayed, throwing him back and forth and making him gasp in pain, as he navigated the narrow dirt road to the highway, but it didn’t take long to reach the pavement.

As soon as he did, he made sure he had the gun he’d grabbed as he got out of the back of the van and pressed the gas pedal down.

Evelyn, who’d been knocked about in the back, was still trying to right herself, so he checked his rearview mirror for headlights.

There was a pair coming up on him. They had their brights on, which suddenly dimmed.

He didn’t think it was the hunters. They couldn’t have been close enough to their vehicle when they came upon him to be able to jump in it and give chase so quickly.

Sure enough, the other car fell back and disappeared from view.

No one was coming after him, thank God. He was in the clear. Even if the hunters had reached their truck or car by now, they wouldn’t be able to catch him. He doubted they’d be able to tell the police, or anyone else, either—not before they got back to the city. No way did they have cell service. They were in the middle of nowhere, not even halfway to Fairbanks.

Evelyn, however, was still a problem. She was no longer tied up and she had access to whatever she’d used to stab him. He hadn’t had a chance to pick up whatever it was. He’d been too worried about reclaiming the gun.

Turning on the cabin light so he’d be able to see her, he checked his rearview mirror. After attempting, unsuccessfully, to get out the back and, he supposed, jump onto the road, which would probably have killed her, she was now trying to reach him with a hammer!

He jerked the wheel, throwing her off balance and knocking her down. But he had to keep driving like a maniac to make sure she stayed down, and he was afraid it would cause him to wreck.

He had to pull over so he could tie her up again and check his wound, and he had to do it right away.

While he was at it, he’d knock her out with that hammer she was wielding and give her a lobotomy. She’d had plenty of chances to behave. It wasn’t his fault he was going to cut into her brain while she was pregnant.

He gripped his side to slow the bleeding and ease the pain.

So much for trying to be nice.

She’d just caused him the last problem she’d ever be able to give him.

Between Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK—Thursday, 2:30 a.m. AKDT

When Brianne had called, it was just after six her time. Amarok assumed she’d wanted to talk to him before her mother got up. She was staying with her folks so they could help her take care of the newborn.