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“Y-you left me.” I force out the words.
“I know.” He exhales again, banging his fist gently against the steering wheel. “But it’s okay now. I’m here, and you’re safe. And I’m never letting you go again.”
Warren stares down at me, his expression one of dark promise. For a second, I think he’s going to kiss me; to my relief, he doesn’t.
He fires up the engine and the car rumbles to life. “Ready?” he asks me, and I nod.
Even though I’m silently screaming “No.”
The ride back to Sterling Heights feels like forever. Warren keeps my hand in a death grip, refusing to let me go. He’s quiet, stewing on whatever thoughts are running through his mind.
The air in the car is thick, and I find it hard to breathe. Or maybe that’s just fear as we get closer and closer to the Heights.
“You know my old man has been real worried about you too, baby.”
I freeze at the mention of Warren’s dad.
“Got himself into a right state about it.” He squeezes my hand so tight I have no choice but to meet his gaze.
“He did?” I play dumb.
“Yeah. Had one too many and got into a fight with a door, stupid fucking idiot.” Something in his tone tells me he doesn’t believe a word of it, and my stomach clenches in fear for Conner.
“Is he okay?”
“He’ll live.” Something flashes in his eyes.
“Warren, the road.” I need him to stop looking at me. I can’t breathe with his evil, soulless gaze trained on my face, searching for my sins.
“Relax, baby,” he chuckles. “I know this place like the back of my hand.” Warren lets the car swerve a couple of times, laughing as my hands grip the dashboard to steady myself.
He’s crazy.
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Completely and utterly certifiable.
I steel my spine, pressing my lips together. My heart beats wildly against my chest, making me a little light-headed.
It’s still the middle of the night. Conner won’t wake up for at least another four hours. He won’t know I’m gone.
“Baby, what is it?” Warren’s thumb jams against the soft flesh of my cheek.
“I’m just tired,” I lie.
It’s something I’ll need to be good at if I’m going to stand any chance of surviving this.
As Warren navigates the familiar streets of the Heights, I try to assimilate all my memories of the last few weeks and lock them away tightly in the recess of my mind where he’ll never be able to corrupt them.
By the time the car crawls down the road winding through the trailer park, I feel better.
Stronger.
I feel ready to endure this nightmare.
So long as I’m here and Warren is mollified, Conner is safe. His family is safe.
It’s enough.
