Her lips twitch, “I left you in a dusty railroad.”
“A filthy underground tunnel with nothing but millions of dollars for company. That does something to a man.”
A snort escapes, a quiet laugh that sounds a lot like the breath I’ve been holding.
“Alright, Devil. One last ride.”
Ignoring the pang in my chest, I watch this woman walk over to my car and slide into the passenger seat. Her blonde curls are stiff and matted after a long evening, but the only thing I notice is how gorgeous they look against my dark leather.
How perfect she looks sitting there, waiting for me.
I clamber back inside, feeling my heart start to break. The laughing faces of my crew dangle from my rearview mirror,Horace’s cheeky grin swinging along my dash as I buckle myself in.
“We, uh, need to make one stop on the way.”
Gravel clouds my voice, scraping the shit out of my vocal cords as I force myself to release the brake.
“We?”
“He means me.”
The shadow shifts in my backseat, drawing Calista’s eyes to the kid who hasn’t said a word since handing over Maddox’s top hat.
“Hey, Evie. Glad to see you made it out alive.”
Silence stretches out, so long and thick I don’t think he’s going to respond.
“Thanks.”
It’s not much, but it’s a start.
Dawn cracks and spills across the sky as we drive along gravel roads, the start of something beautiful creeping around every turn. Birds whistle and deer bound through overgrown grass as the treacherous forest recedes and wildflowers take its place.
“Turn off here.”
Colourful petals and arching stems brush the side of my car as we pull to a stop. A meadow sits peacefully before us, the gentle trickle of a nearby stream drifting through Calista’s open window.
You’re safe now.
I glance at her, watching her soak in the paradise around us.
The stream that winds its way through wildflowers and unspoiled land. The kind of tranquility you hope lies on the other side.
The kind of parting gift you hope a victim receives.
“You alright, darling?”
She nods, not saying a word as she looks at the sliver of heaven she gifted so many women.
“He’s here.”
Evie blows out a quiet breath, cobalt irises pinned to a figure moving in the distance.
Blue streaks along the sky as the sun starts to rise, beams of sunlight dancing across a purple beanie covering frizzy strands of blonde hair. Child-like joy radiates through the soft folds of the boy’s face, a batch of mismatched flowers clutched tightly in his hand.
“Do you want me to...”
My backseat is empty before I have the chance to finish my sentence.
