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“You can’t stop at the motel,” I stated calmly. “I need you to keep going.”
The man started, his head swiveling to the rearview mirror. Murky brown eyes met with mine for a beat, flickering away so he could return his focus to the road.
“You girls are in trouble then,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Do you have your phone?” I asked Emery, ignoring him.
She shook her head, still watching the truck behind us. “No. I left it in the car.”
Damnit. I gnawed the inside of my lower lip. We approached an intersection, nearing the turn that would have taken us down the toll road to get to the front of the motel.
The man did as I requested, making no indication he was going to turn off. There was another car idling at the stop sign, their brights shining. At the last possible second, it shot into the road, crossing over into our lane.
The familiar roar of its engine sent a chill down my spine.
“Look out!” the woman shouted, grabbing for her husband’s arm.
He jerked the steering wheel, sending the car careening onto the opposite side of the road. Unable to keep it steady at the speed he was going, the vehicle surged completely off road. There was a loud bang as the front end dipped down, one of the front tires taking a crucial hit.
We jolted along a grassy field, tires kicking up clumps of grass and dirt as the man slammed on the brakes. His wife’s body jarred; her head slammed against the passenger window.
“Kathy!” the older man called to his companion.
The Challenger and pick-up followed us off-road, both coming to a stop a few yards back.
Hearing multiple doors open, I unbuckled my seat belt, undoing Em’s at the same time.
“Go!” I yelled.
She complied immediately, sliding across the seat to exit from the passenger side. Tripp appeared just outside the door, using his massive body to keep us inside. We pushed against it together managing to shove him out of the way and make a narrow escape.
Unsteady on my feet, I lurched forward and stumbled, skinning my knees on tiny rocks hidden beneath the grass. Emery made it further ahead. She may have gotten away if she hadn’t made the mistake of turning back for me when she realized I wasn’t beside her.
Behind me came the sound of breaking glass, followed by two loud pops, like a set of loud fireworks. I pushed myself onward, my pace not quite as fast as before.
My muscles were beginning to feel the effects of everything that had transpired over the last twenty-four hours. I made it a few more steps before an arm circled around my waist.
“Gotcha,” Rhett purred in my ear, hauling me back against his solid form.
“Let go of me!” I wriggled my body from side to side.
He placed a hand firmly over my eyes, blocking my vision entirely. “You ready?” he asked someone I couldn’t see.
“Yeah, just keep her still,” a feminine voice replied.
“You hear that? You need to calm down, princess. This will be over much faster if you behave.”
He knew I loathed that pet name. I ignored him, continuing my attempt to break free. He held me tighter, securing me in an iron grip right before something pricked the side of my neck.
I sucked in a breath as an unfamiliar sensation took hold of my senses.
“There, all better,” Rhett soothed. He removed his hand so that I could see again, but kept his arm wrapped around my middle in an attentive fashion, holding me like a lover would.
My limbs began to weigh me down at an alarming rate. I had no choice but to lean against him for support.
“What did you do to me?” The question came out in a slur of words.
“Gave you a small dose of medicine to keep you calm.”
