Capture (Seaside Pictures 1)

"From you?"

"Bingo." He kissed my nose. "But if it's covered in marshmallows by the time you make it home, just remember, those aren't me."

"Zane." I laughed then frowned as Linc started walking toward a black Benz AMG. A memory flickered in the furthest part of my mind.

I stopped walking, my eyes squinting as Linc got closer and closer to the car. Then the lights flicked as he unlocked the doors. He turned around and frowned. "You okay? I thought you'd be happy I brought my car back from Malibu so you wouldn't have to ride in the truck."

The shrieking sound of tires peeling out of a driveway hit me hard between the temples. I covered my ears with my hands and squeezed my eyes shut as my mind went back to that night…

"Dani!" Demetri shouted. "Wait up. You forgot your phone." He jogged toward me just as a tall figure got into a nice black Mercedes with California plates.

I glanced but thought nothing of it. Jaymeson always had people visiting him from out of state. I was having movie night with Dem and Lyss because Jay had some sort of meeting.

I frowned as Demetri caught up to me. My eyes were still on the car.

"Damn." He whistled. "That's an expensive one."

"Hmm." I shrugged and tried reaching for my phone, but Demetri held it above his head. "Gotta catch it!"

"Oh, I'll catch it," I threatened as I jumped, somehow lost my footing and tumbled down the small hill that opened up into Jay's driveway.

"Hey!" Demetri yelled over the hill. "Are you okay? Did we spike your juice box again?"

"Ha ha!" I called back, trying to stand, and then the lights to the Mercedes flashed, reminding me of the accident, of the moment before my life shattered right in front of me.

It was like I was back in the car again.

And my dad was driving.

"Dad!" I screamed.

The car swerved.

But I was too late. If I would have woken up sooner, I could have saved him. I could have saved Mom.

But I was too late.

"No!" I shrieked as the black car surged toward me, its lights blinding me as I turned and cowered on my stomach in the grass. Was that my scream? Why was I screaming? It wasn't like the car was going to hit me. But it was so loud, so bright.

"Dani!" Demetri reached me. "Dani!"

But he was too late.

Trauma always comes back. It always comes back. And it's up to you to either let it win or fight.

"Dani!" Lincoln shouted my name over and over again, but I couldn't hear him. I couldn't hear anything but my own scream as I covered my ears and stared at the tear-stained sand in front of me.

"What's wrong?" Demetri was at my side. I could feel his hands on my back, while Linc was trying to cup my face.

"I don't know!" Linc shouted hysterically. "She saw my car and just started screaming!"

"Your car?" Demetri repeated, his voice calmer as my screams turned into silent sobs against his chest. "What car? You have a truck."

"What?" Linc's voice was hoarse from yelling my name. "I brought my car up because she's scared of trucks. It's right there."

Demetri tensed then swore violently just as Wes met at his side.

"Take her to Jay's." Demetri got up, and suddenly I was being lifted into muscled arms and carried away. Tears blurred my vision. I opened my mouth to speak, to say something like, "I'm okay, just freaked out that Lincoln has the same car," but the words died on my lips.

Because my brain was firing faster than my words.

And it had already put two and two together.

Linc had been there the night I lost my voice.

He was the one who had triggered it in the first place.

"How's that for irony?" I heard Demetri curse again and then fighting, like people were throwing punches.

The key to my voice had also been my curse.

"Shh," Wes whispered in a calming voice. "It's going to be okay, Dani. I promise."

But it wasn't.

It was so far from being okay.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Lincoln

THEY WOULDN'T LET ME SEE HER. Demetri had been in and out of her bedroom for hours. They even let marshmallow man in, or at least he was able to peek his head through the door while I stared helplessly at the doorknob, willing it to twist, praying she would walk out to me — better yet, run into my arms and let me hold her.

Damn it. I was trapped in the living room, driving myself insane with worry. Wes, Gabe, Saylor, and Kiersten left with Alec and Nat, meaning just Demetri, Lyss, and the rest of us remained at Jay's house.

I pressed my fingers to my temples while I tried to eavesdrop on the conversation Pris was having with Dani's therapist.

It all seemed so wrong.

To be talking about her like she'd died, when she was in the other room freaking breathing! She was eighteen! And they were treating her—

Like she was broken.

It wasn't the way I would treat her.

Guilt stabbed me in the chest, even though I knew in theory it wasn't my fault. I'd started a car, and it had scared her. End of story.

But at least the secret to the tattoo on the back of her leg was solved. Apparently it was too brief for me to actually put two and two together, but the minute Demetri explained everything, I knew. It also allowed him to get at least two punches in before Alec pulled him off me.

I touched my bleeding lip and winced as the stinging continued.