Undercover Justice. Nico Rosso

can work with that.” He veered right and slowed enough for the police cars to catch up.

      “I’d have tried a different approach.” She tensed in her seat and braced her hand on the door panel.

      “We can’t agree on everything.” He sped forward again, then yanked up on the emergency brake and jammed the steering wheel to one side. Tires screamed as the car’s rear swung an arc in the cul-de-sac to bring them one hundred eighty degrees around. Once they were facing the oncoming police cars, Arash released the brake and hit the gas. “That would be boring.”

      The cops knew better than to play chicken and slammed on their brakes. The two cars staggered, blocking the way out. Arash charged forward, a small smile on his lips. She clenched her jaw and wrapped her fist around the handle above the side window. A hard impact could come any second. They were going fast enough to kill. At the last second, Arash swung the car off the road and into a driveway to the right. They bounced onto the sidewalk and paralleled the street for a second, sending the police cars to scramble into reverse.

      Arash turned hard again, taking them over the curb and crossing onto the street between the two cop cars. One car slammed to a stop. The other swerved and fishtailed before jamming its rear into a parked car, blocking the first car from the action. Arash drove back off the street and onto the opposite sidewalk, which was clear enough to get them completely away from the cul-de-sac.

      They cruised back onto a normal road, free from police. The engine calmed, but her heart still pounded. She gathered her breath and navigated Arash to the freeway on-ramp. He let out a long sigh once they were moving with the flow. But when they both spotted a highway patrol car stalking about a quarter mile ahead, the atmosphere tightened again in the car.

      “Use that semi for rolling cover.” She pointed to a truck hauling a tall load of cargo. Arash nodded and eased the car alongside, between them and the highway patrol.

      He kept pace with the truck, even though they had plenty of lane to pass and speed ahead. He grumbled, “Goes against everything I know about driving next to trucks.”

      “I feel you.” She always gave the rigs a large halo of space. “But it’s working.” From her perspective, there was no sign of the highway patrol, meaning they must be parallel with them. “I think we’re good to get up front.” Arash added speed and merged into the semi’s lane. She checked all around and couldn’t see the police, so they couldn’t see them.

      After two miles of staying within cautious cover of the truck, Arash moved into the faster flow of traffic. She stayed alert for highway patrol, but allowed her body to calm in waves. Her legs ached as she drew her feet back from being braced hard on the floor. The slowing of her heartbeat allowed for a new elation to take over through her limbs. Damn it. It was like good sex.

      Arash leaned more casually in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel, jaw relaxed and mouth less severe. She stared at the cords of his neck too long, wondering if she’d be able to feel his pulse match hers. He kept his face forward and put out a fist to her. “Job well done.” But there was a minor note in his voice, barely detectable.

      “I guess you can drive.” She bumped his fist with hers.

      He sneered a small smile. “Ask those cops.” Through his bravado was that dark thread. She tried to follow it, but the trail deeper into him dissolved before she could grab hold. For the best, she convinced herself. Keep him at a distance. But she still wanted to know.

      A text came through on her phone. “Olesk,” she reported. “Next stop—Reno.”

      Miles farther away from any safety. Deeper into the danger. Exactly where she needed to be going. Though, traveling there with Arash at her side shook her compass. She knew she would not waver in helping the victims in need, but she now questioned who she would have to become to get this mission accomplished, and how far her hunger for Arash would take her.