Chapter 17

Silverbacks

“Nathan!” I put my arms around him as a new wave of relief washes over me.

“Shh.” He puts a finger over his lips. “There are still predators lurking around.”

I nod.

Right. Now that Nathan is here with me, though, I feel completely safe, as if nothing can harm me.

He’s my lion, after all.

“How did you find me?” I ask curiously.

“I placed a tracking device on your camera.” He points to it. “I know you’d never go anywhere without it.”

I look at the device. So, my camera saved my life, after all.

“When it showed that you were in a remote village, I knew you were in trouble. I started looking for you.”

I’m not sure I like the idea of being tracked like some sort of animal, but hey, it just saved my life.

“Thanks,” I tell him. “You know what? You always seem to know just when and where to find me.”

Like that time in the gardens of the Marriott and outside my apartment.

“And I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier. I let my emotions get the better of me. Again.”

“You should only let that happen in bed.”

I pause. Really? He’s thinking about sex at a time like this?

“But it’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” I say. “Your company has been dragged into some very nasty business. And it’s all Edgar’s fault.”

“I know.”

I blink. “You know?”

“Ever since we came to Africa, I’ve been hearing things. I’ve actually been investigating on my own.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me? Why did you…?”

“I realized things were getting dangerous. That’s why I said I shouldn’t have brought you. That’s why I wanted you to go back home.”

So, there is an explanation, after all.

You’re such a fool, Sam.

“Did you also find out my brother’s alive?”

“He is?” Nathan’s eyes grow wide.

So, he doesn’t know.

“I still don’t know what his reasons are for pretending to be dead or why he’s working with Edgar—”

“He’s working with Edgar?”

I nod. “But I know there are reasons. I want to find out. I want to talk to him.”

“I’ll leave him to you,” Nathan assures me. “As for Edgar, I’ll deal—”

Suddenly, Nathan stops. I do the same, turning my head as I hear a jeep approaching.

The same jeep that brought me here.

It still has the same passengers — Jack, Edgar and the tattooed guy. And it stops right in front of us as Edgar steps out.

“Did someone mention my name?”

I frown. How on earth does he know what Nathan and I were talking about?

Unless…

“Don’t tell me you put a tracking device on me as well.”

“A sophisticated one, I might add,” Edgar says. “The same one we programmed for that wildlife conservation society. I had Dave here put it under your collar earlier while you were unconscious.”

Dave. So that’s his name.

“Unconscious?” Nathan asks, his jaw clenching.

“Didn’t your girlfriend tell you Dave here knocked her out?”

Nathan’s fists clench as well. “You’ll pay for hurting her. And for dragging our company name through the mud.”

“If you live, that is,” Edgar says. “Don’t you want to know why I put a tracking device on her? It’s because I knew you’d come for her. And it’s you I want to get rid of, really.”

He gives a whistle, and Dave charges at Nathan like a gorilla.

No.

Nathan dodges just in time and fights back, throwing a fist at Dave’s jaw. Dave evades it and punches back but Nathan bends, swiping at Dave’s stomach and landing a solid hit.

Right. I forgot Nathan was in the Army.

Still, I’m worried about him as Dave is larger and seemingly stronger.

What if Nathan loses? What if he dies?

Trust me.

I’ve failed to trust Nathan twice before. I’m not going to make the same mistake.

I know he can handle Dave. I know he can. And surely, there must be something I can do, too.

Seeing the gun on Edgar’s belt, I pounce on him. I manage to get the gun and throw it away, but he grabs my shoulders after, pinning me to the ground.

“Why, you little…”

I kick him in the groin and run toward the gun. Just when I almost have it, he catches up to me, pinning me to the ground once more and placing his hands around my neck.

Shit.

“Sam!” Nathan calls out, but he must still be busy fighting off Dave because he doesn’t come to my rescue.

And I’m badly in need of rescue as my throat is getting crushed, my lungs becoming slowly deprived of oxygen. I claw at the ground at my sides and try to reach for something I can use as a weapon. I try to pry his fingers off me. But it’s no use.

Help… me…

Just then, I hear the gun being cocked. Jack has it.

“Let her go,” he orders.

Edgar obeys, getting off me. “Now, now, you’re not going to shoot me after all we’ve been through, are you?”

Jack doesn’t lower the gun. “I’m not going to do as you say anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Edgar steps toward him. “I never asked you to do anything. You’re the one who said you wanted to work with me, remember?”

I don’t believe it. Yet, the look on his face tells me it’s true.

“Jack?”

“I’m sorry, Sam. I—”

He doesn’t finish as Edgar takes advantage of his moment of weakness to try and get the gun from him. They fall to the ground, wrestling, while all I can do is watch and wonder who has the gun.

Then I hear it go off.

Bang!

Jack rolls off Edgar, clutching his belly.

“No!”

I run to his side as Nathan runs toward Edgar to get the gun from him while he is still in shock. From the corner of my eye, I see Dave unconscious.

Nathan’s safe. I’m safe.

But it doesn’t matter. Jack is dying.

“Jack.” I take his hand and press it to my cheek. “Please, don’t leave me. You’ve already left me once. Please…”

“Sam,” he whispers softly. “Listen to me. I’m… sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you.”

I shake my head. Pain? What pain?

The only pain I know is the one I’m feeling in my chest now.

“Jack…”

“You must be… wondering why I did it. It’s because of… love.”

Love?

“And hate. Gwen was killed by a rhino. I… was angry. I… loved her so much. I killed the rhino who killed her. Edgar… saw me. He threatened… to turn me in to the authorities if I didn’t work with him… so I did.”

“Oh, Jack.”

“I’m sorry. Please… forgive me.”

“I forgive you,” I tell him quickly.

“Bury me… beside Gwen, will you? Near our hut. It’s where… I belong.”

I shake my head. “Don’t leave me, Jack.”

“Like you said, I’m already dead.”

“No. I didn’t mean…”

“Shh. Don’t… cry.” He looks into my eyes, each word a gasp, a struggle as he clings to life. “You know… I never… want… to see you… cry.”

A tear trickles down his cheek, then his eyes become blank, his hand growing limp in mine.

“NO!”

I cry harder than I ever have before.