Total pages in book: 174
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
The automobile held back a fraction, keeping their distance as we twisted and weaved up the mountain, but I could tell they were making sure we were never out of sight.
Increasing their speed when I did and slowing when I let off the gas.
Tracking us.
Adrenaline surged, and my hands tightened on the steering wheel as I glanced between the rearview and driver’s side mirrors. Gauging where they were coming from. Trying to see if I could discern what car it was and exactly who might be catching up to us.
The list was endless.
Thoughts rolled to Silas and his crew. By my estimation, the likeliest source. Our connections blatantly attached to the Crimson Crows.
Then it spiraled directly to that monster who wished to do Daisy harm.
Violence surged. Bashing and banging at the walls of the reservoir where I kept it trapped. Begging to be released.
Didn’t matter who it was or where they came from. I wasn’t about to let them get close to Daisy or those kids.
A flash of fear suddenly erupted off Daisy’s skin, and she glanced at my clenched, tremoring hands gripped on the steering wheel before she looked over her shoulder through the rear window.
The breath she exhaled was haggard. A shuddering of terror that pulsed through her being. “Are we being followed?”
My insides coiled. The beast raring to life.
“Not sure,” I gritted.
“But you feel it?”
I barely nodded. “Yeah. Same as I felt it last night.”
Horror streaked through her expression. “You think it’s the same person?”
“I don’t know.” I peeked through the side mirror before I let my gaze jump back to her. “But it doesn’t matter who it is. Won’t let them get to you.”
A billow of regret and anxiety broke from her body. “If I brought trouble—”
My hand clamped down on her bare thigh, silencing her words. “Don’t fucking say it, Daisy. Don’t say you regret coming to me because I’m exactly the person you needed. But we don’t know who it is. It could very well be someone comin’ after me.”
“Why would anyone be after you?” she wheezed.
No question, she hadn’t wanted to accept all the warnings I’d given her. Didn’t want to accept the peril that was my life. Like she wanted to think of me as something better than the beast.
Or maybe she just wanted me to give her a straightforward answer.
“Told you my life isn’t right, Daisy. Told you I’m involved in things that you don’t want to know about.”
Things I doubted she could handle.
Anxiety shivered through her, her delicate features creasing in trepidation and the trust she shouldn’t be watching me with.
But she could trust me with this.
I peered through the rearview mirror. Headlights speared through the darkness. Curving right and left as we wound our way up the mountain.
Though they were growing closer with each turn.
I could finally discern that it was a large pickup truck.
A charge of aggression streaked beneath the surface of my skin. Every muscle in my body rimmed in tension as I kept scanning between the road and the car behind us.
Measuring the best course of action. If I should flip a U and head back toward town. Gun it and keep hurtling higher to see if I could break away. Wait it out and call for backup.
But I didn’t get to make that decision for myself.
The car suddenly accelerated. Accelerated so fast they erased the distance in a fraction of a moment. The roar of the engine filled the air with an omen of devastation.
“Hold on!” I shouted the second before the bastard slammed us from behind.
Metal tore and ground, and our SUV jolted forward.
Shocked, disoriented cries suddenly filled the cab. Those precious kids jarred awake by the impact and catapulted right into fear.
A swell of protectiveness rose up from the darkest depths of me. From the deepest place where I kept all my secrets shrouded. Where old hopes were sent to fester and the hatred toiled like venom before it was released to pump through my veins.
“Mommy!” Eva cried, hands outstretched for Daisy.
“What happened?” Addy rushed as she sat upright, a deep alarm taking her over.
Colin remained silent, though I could feel the absolute terror radiating from him.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Daisy gushed through her own panic in an attempt to comfort them.
My teeth grated as I processed what to do.
My heart a battering ram at my ribs as I glanced behind us to see the motherfucker was coming at us again.
“Brace yourselves!” I shouted, accelerating so the impact wouldn’t be as great.
But it was still there.
A violent crash that slammed into our tail and nearly sent us into a spin. The SUV tipping right then swerving to the left.
I struggled with the steering wheel, jerking a fraction to try to correct it.
Praying the skidding tires would hold traction as we came up on a bend.