“Where to now?” I climb on to the bike and strap on the helmet. “We’ll head back to the Lion’s Den. Regroup.”
“Do you think we should go to the cops?” I suggest. Now that my mind is right, I’m thinking a little more clearly.
“No cops. Waste of time. If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.”
Vigilantism. Fantastic.
“What would have happened if there was still someone in the house when you got there?” I don’t know why I ask the question. Morbid curiosity, maybe.
Ky glances back at me as he turns on the bike. “I would have shot them in the fucking face. Hold on.”
Ask an honest question, get an honest answer.
He releases the throttle, and I grab onto him just in time to keep me from being kicked off the back from the acceleration.
Jesus. I think I put him in a mood. Tough shit. Misery loves company. And right now, I’m fucking miserable.
The ride down the highway is uncomfortable. You can feel the tension surging through both our bodies like lightning conductors.
My emotions are a mixed bag of tricks, and I never know which one I’m going to pull out next. One side of me bursting with love for Ky. He came for me. He didn’t abandon me when I needed him most. He’s showing he wants to fix things. The other side is filled with anger. I resent him for walking out on me the second he found out something he didn’t like. That he accused me of things that weren’t true and didn't even entertain the idea of letting me explain. He made his own conclusions and left, opening me up to all kinds of vulnerabilities. My biggest concern is that he’ll do it again. That this is a habitual habit of his. That’s it’s a personality trait. I’m not perfect. No one is, and if he’s going to cut me out every time his trust is tested, there’s no hope for us. Trust is the foundation of a relationship, and if Ky has none, there can be no us.
An annoying rumble of an engine pulls me from my jarring thoughts. The black car next to us veers over into our lane, nearly hitting us.
“Holy shit.” I cling tighter to Ky, my pulse rate spiking.
“Asshole,” Ky spits as he accelerates a bit. He can’t go much faster because of the line of cars in front of us.
The highway is congested this afternoon, so switching lanes is difficult at the moment. The black car hangs back, giving us the room we need. Ky uses the little stretch of road allowed to break free from the cluster of traffic.
I hear the same roar of the engine again and turn to see the black car following us.
“Do you have any idea who that is?” I yell to Ky.
“Not a damn clue.” Just as Ky answers, the black muscle car is on our ass, accelerating at frightening speed.
“Ky, drive faster,” I screech as I see the tip of the headlight dangerously close to the back tire. One tiny bump, and it’s lights out Ky and Kira.
“Hang on.” Ky swerves out of the lane, but the car follows. A cat chasing a mouse down the highway at death-defying speeds.
The car catches up to us again, and again comes terrifyingly close to the back tire.
“Ky, watch out,” I scream in horror. There’s nothing around us, no doors or roof to protect us. No airbags or safety features. We are sitting ducks, and the highway is the Grim Reaper waiting to claim us as his own.
The engine in the black car wails, and I feel my life coming to an end. He’s going to hit us.He’s going to hit us. He’s going to hit us.
“Ky,” I wail into the whipping wind. I hold on tight, tears streaming down my cheeks as Ky takes matters into his own hands and shoots between two cars that are parallel to each other in front of us. Driving right down the dotted lines, he squeezes us into the barely there space. The sedans honk and curse, but neither of us care. We just need to get away from the psycho muscle car trying to kill us. Ky stays sandwiched between moving vehicles using them as a cover to escape. I don’t look back anymore; I just bury my face in Ky’s shirt, praying for our lives.
I only choose to look up when I feel the bike veer off the highway.
“Is he gone?” I stutter.
“For now.” Ky’s tone is chilling. It’s a mix of calm and crucify.
Once we arrive at The Lion’s Den, I all but fall off the bike onto the ground. I hyperventilate on all fours, never so grateful to feel dirt beneath my fingers.
“Just breathe, Snow.” Ky rubs my back, trying to calm me. “You’re safe now.”
“Safe? I feel like I’m in a fucking horror movie.” Tears careen down my cheeks and saturate my skin.
