Everything in me is screaming no. “Do I?”
“I think you do. Right now, I’m trailing your outlaw boyfriend. I bet he’s up to something interesting.”
“Why would you be doing that?”
“Because I’m all out of options.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You will soon enough. If you want to keep lover boy safe, you’ll do exactly what I say.”
I hesitate. Shadow is smart. He’ll see a trail coming a mile away.
“Trust me, I’m not the novice you think I am, and I don’t have a damn thing to lose. I’ll run the bastard down and let you listen to his death.”
There’s a lack of emotion in his voice that makes me sick. I lick my dry lips. “I’m listening.”
“Good girl. You’ve always been a smart one. You and I are going to play a game of Jamie says. You’ll get dressed, get into your car, and follow my directions. I’m timing you, Bluebell. I’ll know if you linger. And I’ll be on the phone the entire time. Place me on speaker.”
My heart is pounding in my chest. I have to get a message out fast. Something that hints toward what’s happening to me. “Okay.” I place him on speakerphone. “I’m moving to my closet now.” In my family, we have a code word if shit goes down and we can’t talk about things. It’s Bogus. I grab the note pad on my nightstand and move to the closet, rifling through my clothing to cover up the sound of my scribbling. “I’m setting the phone down to get dressed.”
“Good, wear that low cut black shirt I like.”
I cringe mentally, wondering how I missed this. This couldn’t be about our breakup. We’d been together for a year, not five. I’m missing a huge piece of this puzzle. I pray I’ll be alive long enough to figure it out. I put on a pair of bootcut jeans and the black shirt, tucking the knife my father bought me into a bootstrap. It was the first piece he’d given me for protection. I rarely wore it, but right now, I’m grateful for it. I slip my feet into a pair of worn cowboy boots, and call myself dressed. “I’m dressed, tell me what to do next.”
“Go to your car and follow my directions.”
I walk out of the house and get into my Charger. It’s the only time I wish I had a slower car. The engine purrs to life.
“Get onto the 1-5 down toward the Pendleton exit. Just past the turn off, you’ll find a viewing area, turn into it, and park in the middle and wait. Stay on the phone, so I know you won’t be making any other calls.”
My stomach cramps. What does he have planned for me? How long until they realize I’m missing? I wrack my brain for a way to get a message out. The note doesn’t seem like enough, and I have no clue what he has planned or how we wronged him. I’m sickened knowing I’d let this man inside my body and my life. Was I so desperate for a life away from my family, I failed to notice I was dating a sociopath? I pull into the parking lot and keep the engine running. My entire body is tense. I take deep breaths.
“I’m almost there, baby. You ready to have some fun for old time’s sake?”
“I’ll pass thanks.”
“She didn’t have a choice, why should you?”
“Who?” I ask, latching onto the comment.
“Shannon.”
“Who’s Shannon, Jamie? Come on, talk to me, Jam. It’s Blue. We were friends long before we were anything else.”
“Who was Shannon? My sister and your precious club ruined her. You disappoint me, you know. I thought you were different. That I could get my revenge in a different way. I had you there for a while. You backed off from them, spent all your time for me. I started really liking you. But when I tried to move it to stage two… Your jailbird came back and you broke free.”
“You know it had nothing to do with him—”
“Yes, it did! I had you, Blue. You wanted that life with me. It would’ve been enough. They could’ve felt what it was like to lose someone, but it would be worse. Because you would’ve chosen it of your own free will. Now, I have to get nasty.”
“You don’t have to do anything, Jamie.” I shift my car into reverse. I’ve bought Shadow enough time. Now, I need to save myself. I hit the gas and barrel into the car behind me.
“Too late,” Jamie crows.
“No.” I continue to press down on the gas, but I’m no match for his 4x4 truck. He forces me forward into the guardrail. Pinned. I remove my seatbelt, throw open my door, and take my chances. I pump my legs and arms, running full out. If I have to run into the freeway, I will. I can hear Jamie behind me. With his height, he’s eating up the ground separating us. I climb the guardrail that separates the road from the highway. I prepare to jump, but I’m snatched back by my shirt. I kick my legs and swing my arms, trying to break free.
He wraps an arm around my waist, and pulls me to him. Even though I scratch at his forearms, he wraps his other arm around my neck and squeezes.