Page 75

“Where’s your car?” He normally takes me home.

He swallows hard, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “Oh. I clipped it.” He shakes his head. “It’s gone in for repair before my father finds out.”

I snort on a laugh because I’m always telling him he needs to be more careful, but Brett thinks he’s an amazing driver and is constantly chastising me for being unable to drive.

“Okay, Richard Petty. Let me get changed, and then we can get you home.” I wink before heading off to the changing room.

“I’ll wait here!” he shouts, and I shake my head, giggling at his driving inability. It’s a good thing he’s solving this before his father finds out because that man is a bona fide lunatic.

“All ready!” I declare, opening the changing room door.

Brett is tapping away on his phone, and when he spins to face me, a curve of a smile creeps over his face, sending a shiver down my spine. What the hell was that sensation? “That was quick,” he remarks.

“What can I say, I’m talented at how quickly I can get undressed.”

His eyebrows shoot up, and he licks his lips.

“And redressed, obviously,” I clarify as heat creeps over my face. I divert my attention toward getting the hell out of here.

I’ve been aware for a while now about Brett’s crush on me, and it’s not something I want to encourage.

“Let’s go.” He grins down at me and throws his arm over my shoulder.

In the past, I wouldn’t have thought anything of this friendly gesture, but now, things are different. Jensen would not be comfortable with it, and honestly, neither am I. I shrug him off and step in front of him to push open the doors.

He doesn’t acknowledge my blatant brush-off and locks the pool doors behind us.

I lift my swim bag higher on my shoulder, and we walk toward the SUV.

“How long is it going to take to fix your car?” I ask as he trails behind me. Opening the SUV door, I slide into the rear passenger seat.

“Long enough.” He smirks, and his handsome smile transforms into a villainous sneer, causing unease to sweep through me.

What the hell is with all the anxiety today?

I should feel better that Amanda is gone, but I feel sick foreboding on the cusp of reality.

The divider between us and the driver winds down, and Brett slams the door behind him, locking us in, and my heart skips a beat.

As the screen lowers, my eyes lock onto the driver, and when I’m met with Amanda’s darkened scrutiny, I go in fight-or-flight mode. I’m not about to get out of this untouched, and the thought terrifies me.

I’ve been through hell and back, so I’m not about to let a psychotic bitch win.

What I didn’t bargain for was her to have a sidekick.

“Don’t scream,” he rasps in my ear, making my heart thud heavily. His hand slides up my leg, and I grimace. My stomach churns as I try to block out his touch by closing my eyes. My mind reverts back in time, and I sing the familiar lyrics of the song that haunts me in my head. “Did you ever see a dream walking? Well, I did.”

His touch disappears, and a flash of Jensen’s face rescuing me gives me the strength I need to open my eyes.

Brett bends to retrieve a bag from beneath the passenger seat. “Don’t scream, or I’m going to tear you apart.” I’m sure he can see the terror swimming in my eyes as I shrink back against the door, as far away from him as humanly possible.

I watch, frozen in fear, as he retrieves several items from inside the bag. His eyes light up with sadistic glee.

Each one turns my stomach more than the last.

A black bag.

My heart sinks.