Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

“I need you to call your dad.” Not looking away from the road he puts his foot down and his Maserati pushes forwards with impossible ease as I fumble with my phone. My eyes darting between my screen and the dashboard, my heart hammering as the speedometer passes the one-twenty mark and I’m virtually glued to my seat.

It doesn’t stop climbing either, and when my dad answers his phone I can barely talk. The engine is growling so loud that it’s almost impossible to hear my father’s voice.

“We have a problem,” Leo shouts over the noise of the engine, his hands tight around the steering wheel. “We’re being followed.”

“Where are you?”

“Almost at Mum’s.”

With a growl Leo slows as we come off the A-road, the pavements widening on either side of us.

“You know what to do, don’t stop unless you have to. Hear me?”

Ironically, we come to a stop at the traffic lights, pedestrians cross the road oblivious to what’s going on inside our car. It’s just another evening to them.

Leo reaches across into the glovebox, taking out the dark metal weapon. I can’t help the chill that wracks through me every time I see it, but it’s a means to an end, one that will keep us alive.

“I’ll meet you at Ros’. I don’t care what laws you break; we’ll fix it after.”

“Got it.” Leo takes the phone form my hand and throws it on the dash, before grabbing my hand and curling it around the gun. “The safety is off. You use two hands to hold it, pull this back and you shoot.”

“I…I…” Shaking, I can’t hold my hands steady.

“Listen to me, Cass, it’s simple. Aim. Pull. Shoot. Aim. Pull. Shoot.”

“Aim. Pull. Shoot.” My God, my chest hurts with how hard my heart is gonging inside. It’s taking everything I have to breathe through my panic and surge of adrenaline.

“I’m going to floor it, but I need you to have my back.” Eyes darting to the rear-view mirror, his jaw clenches as he straightens in his seat, his hands wrapping tightly around the steering wheel. The sound of the engine revving punches through me like a wake-up call and I draw in a long, sharp breath. Breathing it out I loosen as much as I can, my high heels digging into the carpeted floor.

“I love you.” Winking, he smirks and it’s disconcerting as fuck. The words whirl around in my head like a tornado, I can’t think of anything else and as the lights behind us get brighter…closer, my fear is buried deep.

The moment the lights turn amber, Leo launches from the crossing. Horns going off and speed cameras flashing in our wake. The entire time I hold the gun as tightly as I can, my eyes flit from my wing mirror to the rear-view one. My heart’s crazed rhythm slowing as the bright lights fade into the distance.

Turning onto a dark street, he turns out his lights. Driving slower, in the faint glow of the sprawling houses on either side. He makes another turn onto a gated drive, and before the car has come to a complete stop, Wayne is yanking at my door, “Open the fucking car!” I watch the gates close behind us. They’re tall, dark, and finally I feel safe.

Letting go of the gun, I let Leo take it from me and before I can look at him, Wayne is pulling me out.

“You okay, Cassie?” he asks, carrying me into the dimly lit house.

I can only nod. My body feels limp and unable to hold its own as I shiver and shake.

“Give her space.” A warm, familiar voice sounds from behind us. “Let her breathe, Wayne.”

He’s only just letting go, when I?

?m swept up and pulled into Leo’s arms. My chest loosening as he sits on the stairs with me on his lap. His breaths heave as he brushes my hair back and strokes every inch of my face with his thumbs.

“Honestly, just give her some space!”

Feeling Leo tense around me, I look up and I have to do a double take, not just once, but a few times, before I’m sure my professor isn’t a figment of my fraying nerves.

She holds out a small glass with a soft smile, “Here, have a drink…it usually helps wash these things down.”

These things?

Car chases or…or…

“Cassie,” Leo grits, holding me tighter as I try to scramble off his lap.