At the back door, he went up onto the van’s bumper step pad and leaned forward, propping his elbows on the roof. Good thing he was tall.

He found a stable position. Resting his cheek against the stock, he zeroed-in on Nabera.

Target acquired.

“You are stupid—a real dumbass,” Kit shouted, even as she edged even closer to Bull. She couldn’t help herself. It was taking all her courage to keep yelling at Captain Nabera.

His face had darkened, his expression furious.

More fear welled up inside her. Her whole body kept trying to sink into the dirt. The heavy body armor Gabe had insisted they wear didn’t help.

Her throat was so dry, her voice cracked.

Hearing it, Bull took over. “We can’t let anyone know we handed you the politicians, so…”

Tuning out the discussion, she darted a glance at the white van. Was their scheme working?

The two PZs in the road between them and the van were staring at her and Bull… probably waiting for Nabera to hit her. No woman ever raised her voice around him, let alone called him names.

If Bull hadn’t been with her, and if Nabera hadn’t agreed on safe conduct, she’d be dead.

With a hard breath, she made herself taller. “No.” She flipped her hand in the air at Nabera. “That’s not acceptable, you moron.”

“Woman, we’re talking,” Bull said loudly and gave her shoulder a shake before telling Nabera, “We’ll bring out the politicians if—”

“Stay on guard, people,” someone shouted from behind the lined-up SUVs.

As if reminded of his hostages, the captain turned toward the white cargo van.

No!

“The big bad Nabera doesn’t know what to do with real women,” Kit snapped out and almost laughed as his attention whipped back to her. “The PZs are terrified of women. There’s no other reason they’d try to make sure we don’t talk.”

As angry retorts came from the PZs behind the SUVs, fear blasted through her, and her bones felt as if they’d turning to water. Had she and Bull stalled long enough?

Get free, Hawk.

“Or maybe the PZs just have tiny dicks, and that’s why you joined.” She made herself smirk. “I know that’s true for nubby Nabera.”

“I changed my mind, you fucking cunt.” Nabera yanked his gun free of the holster. “You’ll be my prize and—”

Before he could raise it, a shot rang out from the SUVs even as something slammed into Kit, knocking her backward.

And then there was pain.

One of the bastards shot Kit.

No, fuck, no! He couldn’t live without her. And Aric. Blackness clamped down on Hawk’s mind.

She was still staggering—falling—when Bull plowed into her, taking them both into the far too shallow ditch next to the road. Hawk gritted his teeth against a scream of rage.