Page 9 of Mountain Shadow

“I’m driving you to the Chamonix hospital.”

Panic set in at his words. She wondered if she should leave the vehicle after all. “No! I can’t go to the hospital.”

Jens stared at her for the longest instant before bringing his attention back to the road. “Okay … why is that, Sarah?”

She shook her head, afraid. How much could she tell him?

He’ll think you mad.

She opened her mouth to speak, but only a tight whimper came out.

Jens’s face narrowed, not with impatience, as she’d feared, but with understanding. His eyes didn’t leave the road. He picked up a bottle of water from the space between their seats and handed it over.

“Here. Have a sip.”

When she hesitated, he took the bottle back and opened it, careful to keep one hand on the wheel at all times. He brought the bottle to his own lips first and took a long pull. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. Only then did he offer it back to her.

Sarah nodded, taking the bottle from him. Her fingers shook, and for a moment she wondered if she was going to spill it, but she managed to hold on. The cool liquid felt delicious going down her parched throat.

“Tell me, Sarah … why can’t we go to the hospital?”

“You’re going to think I’m crazy,” she began, shaking her head.

“Try me,” he said in his deep, strong voice.

“Nobody can know I’m here,” she whispered.

Her stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly. Jens frowned.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Shit. There must be an energy bar somewhere in there,” he said, pointing to the armrest beside them. “It’s not much, but it should tide you over until we get to Chamonix.”

At the mention of food, Sarah felt slightly queasy—she was beyond hunger at the moment. The last time she’d tried to eat, she hadn’t been able to keep the food down.

“Please,” he said. “The sugar will help.”

Sarah looked inside the armrest and came up with a vanilla-flavored bar. Her stomach rumbled as she opened it with clumsy fingers. She took a small bite. Her mouth rebelled against the tough, chalky taste, but she forced herself to keep chewing until she could swallow. She paused for a moment, relieved when the food didn’t come back up. She chewed thoughtfully on a second piece, waiting for the sugar to hit her bloodstream.

“Thank you,” she breathed. “I’m sorry I fainted on you. It’s not like me, you know?”

Jens threw a worried glance at her. “Your vitals were strong, but you were unconscious for a while, Sarah. I still think we should head to the hospital, get you checked out.”

“I’m not going to the hospital. Hospitals make you fill in paperwork. He could find me again,” she finished, in a rush.

The man’s expression didn’t change. “He?”

“My stalker.”

“Somebody is stalking you?” Jens’s voice was a low growl.

“He wants to hurt me,” Sarah said, wishing her voice didn’t sound so weak. “Please believe me. If he finds me, he’ll ...”

If he finds me, he’ll kill me.

And anybody I’m with.

Despite the warmth seeping out from the air vents, Sarah shivered as the thought crystallized in her mind. She’d been so sure that coming here was the right thing to do, that Tess and Damien would help her, but that suddenly felt like a foolish decision. She should have gone anywhere but here.