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“It wasn’t enough for you,” I guess. “What did you do?”
She takes a deep breath, her eyes hitting mine. “I took him,” she whispers.
Anger twists in my gut, but for some reason, it’s not for her.
“He called me mama, and never once did I whisper the word to him, and still” —tears fall from her eyes— “that’s what he called me.” She sniffles. “We only made it about a month before Rolland showed up at my doorstep. I thought he’d kill me, but he was overcome with emotion by the sight of his son, safe and warm. He showed me mercy. He paid for a year’s worth of therapy where they treated me for postpartum depression, but he made it clear, to come back was to leave in a casket. So I stayed away, and the little boy who lost his mom, lost another. Because I was selfish.”
“The girl,” I rasp, my heart pounding. “Your daughter...”
Her lips tremble, her shuddered inhale cracking. “Alive.”
“Where?”
Her wretched eyes find mine. “You know,” she breathes.
I swallow, looking away as I slowly push to my feet, moving for Bass’s car.
“Raven.” The hesitant tone she uses to call my name has tension wrapping around my shoulders.
I look, but don’t turn around.
“Don’t tell.”
Slowly, I turn to face her.
“You want me to keep a secret for you?”
“Please.” Her eyes fly between mine. “I don’t deserve anything from you, but please.”
“You’re right.” My jaw locks tight as I shake my head. “You don’t deserve anything from me, Maria.”
With that, I spin on my heels and rush for the car. I slide in the front seat, closing my eyes.
It makes sense now why Rolland said he’d only trust Maria with Zoey, because Maria loved her father like a son. He knew she’d love his daughter just as much.
When Bass sighs a few minutes down the road, I open my eyes.
He looks at me suspiciously.
“What?” I snap.
He runs his tongue across his lips, squinting as he looks away. “I’m trying to figure out what just happened.”
“Don’t.”
“Fine,” he huffs. “But you know as well as I do, the last thing this town needs is more secrets—”
“Bass, look out!” I scream, but it’s too late.
A car slams into the side of us, and everything goes black.The blare of a never-ending horn has my eyes peeling open.
The road is still dark, but lights shine from somewhere.
I start coughing, but the jolt causes an ache in my side, so I clamp my teeth together, clearing my throat the best I can.
“Bass,” I rasp, reaching to the side to feel for him, but I can’t turn my head.
My hand makes contact with his shoulder, so I shake him lightly.
“Bishop, wake up,” I say louder this time, shaking him harder, and finally he groans.
“Wha... fuck, Raven,” he hisses, shifting around in his seat. “My fucking seatbelt’s stuck. You okay?”
“My side and my ribs.” I squeeze my eyes shut.
After a moment, he says, “Not seeing any blood, that’s good.”
The crunch of glass against pavement has both of us going silent.
“Raven,” he whispers. “Can you open the glove box?”
I reach forward, under the airbag, feeling for a handle and tug but it doesn’t open.
“Shit,” Bass hisses, the footsteps growing closer. “Your knife?”
I hold in a groan as I slap my hand against my left pocket.
Bass reaches over, tugging on my jeans until the knife slides up. “Got it,” he says. “Close your eyes.”
My heart is pounding in my chest as I do as he asked, and not a second later, a shadow blocks the light that was creeping through my window, another set of footsteps joining.
“She alive?”
“She’s breathing.”
“Get her out.”
My muscles lock.
Are they fucking kidding me?
I keep my eyes closed, allowing them to pull open my door, push aside the airbag and cut through my seatbelt.
The second my ass and back are laid against the ground, I jerk my head up, nailing him in the forehead.
Leo groans, stumbling back.
Vienna darts in, wrapping her hands around my throat as she straddles me, but she was always a weak bitch.
I lift my knee, hitting her in the ass as she jerks forward, releasing me to catch herself before she flies over me.
Her wide eyes hit mine as her hands slam against the glass-covered road.
I jab her in the lungs and she gasps, falling over.
I shove her off right as Leo rushes back in but he’s laid on his ass when suddenly Bass is out of the car and putting him in a headlock, my knife pressed against his cheek.
I push my foot into Vienna’s chest.
“Please!” she shouts. “I’m sorry.”
“Sounding like a broken record, Vienna.” I use my weight to apply pressure as my strength is suddenly gone again. “I told you to get the fuck out of here.”
“I was leaving, I swear, but Leo found me at the bus station.” Her eyes fly to his.
