Headlights shine in my rearview. I squint, shielding my eyes, but before I can dim my mirror, Hugo’s car suddenly halts in front of me.
“Fuck!” I press my brakes and swerve, but not fast enough. I slice the bumper of Hugo’s car with Jared’s, careen over the side of the road as Hugo’s vehicle rolls, tumbling after me. I spot another car ahead of him, but it’s not Quinn. ATraverse?
My head hits the roof as the Mustang bounces over bumps into the brush, over rocks and protruding tree roots. Something hits my shoulder, a searing pain penetrating down to my bone.
The car rocks right, then settles left, and I finally exhale as the world falls still. “Son of a bitch.”
I’m right side up. I didn’t roll, but I look around me, finding Hugo’s car. It rests upside down, at least one figure inside scrambling to get out.
What the hell happened?
Unwrapping my fingers from the wheel, I grab my phone and open the door, climbing out. Walking over, I lean down to check Axel’s pulse, but in a moment, I’m being slammed to the ground instead. My phone flies out of my hand as a weight lands on my back, crushing me into the wet earth.
Hugo still hangs upside down inside of his car, inches from me, his hooded eyes finally noticing me as he fumbles with the seatbelt.
All three guys are still in the car, in fact.
Chills rise on the back of my neck. Who’s behind me?
“You been working out,” a familiar voice pants in my ear.
I freeze, Drew Reeves pressing his forearms across my shoulder blades and pinning me to the dirt.
He was in the car ahead of Hugo that stopped him short and drove us off the road.
“I’m bigger, too,” he taunts.
I heave myself off the ground, scrambling for my phone and checking to make sure Quinn isn’t here. Hopefully, she’s long gone.
Drew grips the back of my neck, shoving me into last year’s fallen leaves. He grinds my head into the open window frame of Hugo’s car, my eyes locked on the current leader of Green Street as he tries to reach his gun lodged between the dashboard and the windshield.
“Kill him,” Drew whispers to me.
Hugo breathes hard. “Piece of shit…”
“Kill him,” my old friend begs me, that smooth edge in his voice still so in control. “Who will stop him if I send you to jail? Who will protect Shelburne Falls if you go back to Dubai?”
Hugo pulls at the seatbelt, growling at how utterly helpless he is. “Axel!” he bellows, trying to wake up his guy. “Nick!”
A moan comes from the back seat.
“He knows about her,” Drew eggs me on. “Iknow about her.”
I growl, trying to push myself up despite the weight on my back.
Hugo’s seatbelt releases, and he drops to the roof.
“Who will stop him from hurting her ifhekillsyou?” Drew goes on.
No one’s going to kill me.
Hugo swipes up his pistol, and I scurry.
“Kill him and end it,” Drew breathes in my ear.
His weight comes off me, Hugo points the gun, and I yank his ankles, dragging him out of the car. I twist my neck around, ready for Drew.
But Hugo’s firing.
