Free Pursue (Portland Street Kings Book 3) by Evie Harper

relief is only short lived when he pulls out his radio and talks into it while still staring at us. My gut churns.  
    Staring back up at the light, I bounce my knees.   “Come on. Come on.”
    Della looks over at me curiously while continuing to speak to Slater. I don’t dare voice my panic with Slater on the other end of that call.  
    The light finally turns green. I put my foot down, driving as fast as I can but within the speed limit so not to give the officer a reason to pull us over. As we put distance between us and the cruiser, I glimpse into the rearview mirror and spot the officer, still staring at us, his eyes focused solely on our number plate. Fuck! I don’t know what that means, but my gut is telling me Lucini has broadened his search for Della if Paulie has admitted to losing us. And if I’m right, and he has corrupt cops looking out for us and reporting back to him and Paulie, then there may be no place left for us to hide.  

    ***

    Thirty minutes later and seeing a sign for the next town, Cedar Rapids, my shoulders begin to relax. It feels as if I've looked into the rearview mirror more than the road in front of me. My hands loosen their grip on the steering wheel. I rub one at a time on my jeans, trying to get rid of my anxious, sweaty remnants.  
    Glancing over at Della, my chest squeezes. She’s tried starting conversations with me, but I could only give her short, clipped answers. Chaos reigned through my mind and what ifs. I was too focused to think or talk about anything except to drive, scan the road behind us and drive as fast as I possibly could without being pulled over. Every minute since leaving Iowa City has felt like an eternity. I’m hesitant to tell Della that Lucini has pulled his weight within the police force, and now there are eyes everywhere, in every city and state. It’s still only a guess. Maybe I’m more paranoid than I should be. I won’t tell her unless I’m certain. I don’t want to worry her any more than she already does. However, with each short answer I gave her, the more she pulled away. A knot forms in my stomach knowing she probably assumes my bad mood is because of last night. Her turning her back on me when I needed someone there for me. But I can’t explain right now. When we’re in Hastings and things have calmed down, I’ll fill her in, make her understand I was going out-of-my-mind crazy at the time. Right now, all that matters is getting Della to Hastings, to safety and with people I know who will go to any lengths to protect someone I love.
    “I am so sorry,” Della whispers, her voice cracking.
    I’m ripped from my thoughts at her sad tone. I glance away from the road quickly to view Della staring down at her fidgeting hands, her body pushed right up against the door as if she’s thinking hard, working herself up to say more, but needs to think on it a bit longer. My eyes land back on the highway. While the knot in my stomach tightens painfully, I start to reply, but the Cedar Rapids gateway sign catches my attention for only a second. It’s enough time though for Della to speak again.
    “I wanted you to know that I’m sorry about last night and I understand your anger today and also the hurt feelings you must have. I woke up this morning with a sick feeling in my stomach and a heavy weight on my chest. In the past, those sensations have guided me to realize I made a mistake and that I hurt someone. I don’t ever want to hurt you, Dom, but it seems in trying to protect myself, people and their feelings have been sacrificed. I’m going to work on that.” She finishes with a nod, trying to convince herself that she can become numb, but at the same time know when others need help. For four years, the marines tried to turn off my emotions so that I could be the best soldier I could be. It’s a fight most lose and few win.  
    “Dell—” Suddenly my body’s jerked forward from a crash at the rear of the car.  
    Della shrieks from the