Vain (The Seven Deadly, #1)(47)

I pulled my face back and ran my hands across his face. “Will we be able to drive?”

He followed my lead and ran his hands through my hair. “We’ll have to cover our faces the best we can, the dirt will be overwhelming, but, yeah, we’re only about an hour away from Masego.”

A small tear fell down my face. “We almost died, Ian.”

He wrapped his arms around my frame and brought my head to his chest. “We’re alive.”

“But...”

“Shhhh,” he spoke into my hair, “I told you I’d protect you, didn’t I?”

“You did,” I confirmed into his shirt.

“I would never let anything happen to you, Soph.”

Clarity came to me in that second because I believed him.

“Thank you,” I whispered, bringing my face near his. “It’s not enough, but I have to say it. Thank you for saving my life.”

“It was my absolute pleasure.”

I giggled despite myself. “So polite.”

“Trust me, Soph, I am trying really hard to be polite right now.”

My brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Well,” he cleared his throat. “You’re, uh, you’re sitting on my lap.”

“Oh.” I blushed. Actually blushed! Sophie Price, who hadn’t blushed since she was a schoolgirl, felt embarrassed!

I scurried off his lap and he stood, offering his hand to help me up. He reached into his glove compartment again and pulled out a flashlight, lighting up our small area with a click. We examined the damage. Since most of the windows were down except one of the back passenger windows, none shattered but that one and the windshield. There were bullet holes riddling the sides of the jeep but when Ian lifted the hood, the engine appeared to be unscathed.

“Thank God,” he breathed.

“Agreed.”

Ian rounded the side of the jeep and picked up his guns, placing them back in the glove box and the back of the vehicle. He grabbed an old t-shirt in the backseat and effortlessly ripped it in two.

“Here,” he said, handing me one half of the shirt, “tie this ’round your mouth and nose.”

I grabbed it and nodded. Following his lead, I wrapped it around my face and cinched it as tightly as I could behind my head.

“We look like we’re about to rob a bank,” I told him.

He chuckled and the corners of his eyes creased with the smile I so rarely earned. It was a shame I couldn’t see it for myself. He sighed loudly and opened my door for me. I hopped up and buckled myself in.

The drive to Masego was terrible, dirt flew in so badly it created a thick coating on our skin and clothing but we could breathe at least, despite how difficult it made it to see. It took twice the amount of time to get home because Ian had to drive slowly enough that rocks and debris couldn’t harm us too badly.

It was after eleven when we got home, so no one was there to let us in. I got out with Ian this time and helped him open and close the gates.

“I don’t want to scare Karina with the sight of this truck, so I’m going to park it where it’s semi-hidden.”

“She’s going to see it anyway,” I mused.

“Yeah, but hopefully she’ll see me first and it’ll give me a chance to explain.”

“Ah, I see. Should we go ahead and wake them up?”

“I don’t see the point. The plane won’t be here for another two days. Let them sleep.”

The grounds seemed peaceful and that made my heart and soul quiet down a bit from the night’s near catastrophe. Ian brought the truck behind our hut, out of view from Karina and Charles’ cabin and we got out. He removed his half of the now filthy t-shirt. I struggled with mine so he came around and helped work through the knots.

“Good Lord, Soph, how did you do this? Your hair is caught in it.” He laughed again.

“Note to self,” I said out loud, “Ian is happiest when in dangerous situations.”

He whipped my body around and his mouth gaped open, but it still couldn’t hide his grin. “What does that mean?”

“You’ve laughed twice tonight. That’s the most I’ve seen you laugh, especially if none of the kids are involved with their daily shenanigans.”

“So you watch me then?” he flirted, edging closer.

“About as much as you watch me,” I flirted back.

“I-I, uh-,” he stuttered.

“That’s what I thought,” I teased.

“Are you to grab a shower?” he asked.

“No, I am not to grab a shower. I was hoping to swim in this filth all night.”

“Sarcasm noted.”

He smiled and it was the most glorious thing I’d ever seen. I fought the urge to grab him and run my tongue along his teeth.

“Grab your stuff,” he continued. “I’ll meet you there.”

He startled me, but I didn’t let it show. I hurried to my half of the hut and tossed my shampoo, body scrub, etc. into my bucket before grabbing my robe. I practically ran to the showers and caught Ian mid-sweep.

“I knew you did this, by the way,” I told his back, stunning him still.

His shoulders sagged and he turned around and smirked. “How?”

I wasn’t about to rat Karina out. “It’s shockingly free of creepy crawlies every day, Ian?”