Without his NVGs, Xavier was forced to resort to his red-tipped flashlight to illuminate the ground directly beneath their feet. She followed close at his heels, stepping where he stepped as they moved slowly and silently, always on the alert for tangos and SEALs as they traversed the slippery rainforest.

The team knew better than to signal trainers if they spotted them in the woods. After all, they were being judged on their ability to move through the forest unseen. If they spotted him, they’d tuck down and hide, presuming Xavier was a fake tango on patrol.

There was nothing he could do to change that, not without exposing Audrey to the men who’d killed Jeb. One of those men had already come after her with a knife, while another had left Cohen’s finger on a worktable as a message.

He couldn’t let her become collateral damage in…whatever this war was they were fighting.

At last, they reached the woods behind the blacksmith shop. Xavier studied the silhouette of her SUV. It was only ten feet away, and he was barely able to see it in the inky darkness and shroud of incessant rain. With no other choice, he shined a light on the vehicle.

Motherfucker. The front tire was flat.

He shined the beam on the rear tire. Also flat.

Audrey’s audible curses were an echo of his mental ones. “Are those bullet holes in the gas tank?”

He focused the light on the rear panel and could just make out dark dots around the tank. He snapped the beam off. “Yes.”

Audrey’s SUV wasn’t going anywhere.

He pulled her into the darker shadows of the woods. He felt her shiver as this new reality sank in. “I’m sorry, Audrey,” he whispered.

She leaned her forehead against his chest. Rain hit her coat, splashing him in the face. “I knew it was too much to hope for, that there was a way out. That I could call for help.” She raised her face, and he could just see the shape of her nose and chin in the inky darkness. Her voice shook. “This is not my skill set. I’m a liability. I’m scared I could get us both killed.”

He cradled her face. “I’m safer with you than I am alone.” He ran his thumbs across her cheeks, wet from the rain. “And I will do everything I can to get you out of here.”

She pulled her head back, twisting slightly to remove his hands.

He’d overstepped. “I’m sorry. I—I—I’m just sorry. Sorry I got you into this. Sorry I touched you.”

“I started it. But…I’m just scared and not thinking straight.”

He reminded himself she had pretty much zero reason to trust him now or ever again. That she’d hung with him for the past hour without complaint was a testament to their predicament.