He stays right on my ass and my gut tells me that I already know who it is, but I refuse to believe it. I’ve only ever seen one other blacked out SUV in Aston Creek and that was the night Lucien came for Skylah.
This SUV is different, but not by much. Saying it out loud and being wrong is only going to terrify Skylah. It’ll set her back from all the progress she’s been making. Her hope of making it out of this alive will dwindle down to nothing and if shit goes south, I need her to fight.
The SUV sits heavily on my ass. If I nudge the brake even a little bit, he’s going to slam into the back of my truck. His headlights sit right in my rearview mirror, blinding me every time he flies over a bump.
Skylah goes into full-on panic mode and I glance over to see her watching the SUV heavily in the side mirror, struggling to calm her rapid breaths.
“We’re going to get out of this,” I promise her, wishing I could reach over and take her into my arms while wondering where the fuck the cops are to stop this guy.
I don’t want to risk pulling over as if it is Lucien, I can guarantee that this time he’s come a little more prepared.
We head towards the very creek which gave this town its name, though ‘creek’ is a massive understatement, it’s more like a river. I hit the beginning of the bridge and fly over it. I hate this damn bridge. It was due for renovations at least five years ago and the city just keeps putting it off.
Once we get off this stupid bridge, I’m going to have to find somewhere to turn around. I don’t exactly want to be here. It’d be better if this shit could stay in Aston Creek but then maybe it’s safer for the town if I can lead this guy away.
We get halfway across when the SUV’s headlights are set to high beam, absolutely blinding me as I try to navigate my way across the bridge. Skylah screams in terror as her head flicks from the front window to the back. “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.”
With my vision impaired, I have no choice but to ease up on the gas. It’s one thing driving like a fucking hoon but doing it blind is fucking stupid.
Within the blink of an eye, the SUV pulls out and speeds up. My stomach drops and bile rises in my throat.
No. Don’t you dare fucking do it.
I barely get a chance to even think before he swerves into my rear end, sending my Dodge into a wild spin. My tires screech in protest as Skylah screams. I do my best to try and right the car but it’s no use, at the speed we’re traveling, there’s no controlling this spin.
The car heads straight for the barrier but all I can concentrate on is Skylah’s piercing screams. The Dodge hits the barriers with a force that sends us both flying forward, catching on our seatbelts with a hard tug.
The Dodge crashes right through the barriers and we’re thrown right over the edge, hurtling down to the murky, dark water below.
Chapter 24
Slade
The car hits the water with a ferocious crash, instantly smashing the glass of the windscreen and sending sharp shards splintering across our faces. Skylah gets knocked around and her head is slammed against the door, leaving her with a massive gash that instantly starts spouting blood.
“FUCK,” Skylah screams, absolutely terrified as the freezing water comes rushing over the hood, filling the car faster than I ever thought possible. “What do we do?”
I reach for my seatbelt, desperate to get out of here but it’s not fucking budging. “We need to get free,” I tell her, feeling a panic coming over me while desperately trying to keep calm. If I panic, I won’t be able to help anyone and I need to get us out of here, our lives both depend on it but if Skylah drowns here tonight, that’ll be on me not being able to get to her in time.
The water pours in, smashing freezing water against my chest and making it hard to breathe but I don’t stop tearing at my seatbelt and when it’s clear it’s not about to release, I lean over and push Skylah’s hands away. If I can’t save myself then I’ll at least be saving her.
“BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG.”
Five bullets come shooting down toward us. One hits the back of the seat right beside my head as the other four send water spraying up around us. We both freeze, terrified of the shots when Skylah screams out in agony.
“Were you hit?” I yell, demanding an answer.