Jake chuckles, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “If you say so, bug. But I bet he’s totally into you.”
I open my mouth to retort, but before I can, the SUV suddenly swerves sharply, throwing me against the door. “What the hell, Mitch?”
Mitch doesn’t answer, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. Jake’s head snaps up, his eyes alert. “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got company, boss,” Mitch grits out, his eyes locked on the rearview mirror.
I twist in my seat, my heart pounding as I see two black cars tailing us, gaining speed. “Jake…”
“It’s okay, bug. We’ll handle this.” Jake’s voice is calm, but I can see the tension in his shoulders.
Gunshots ring out, making me scream. Jake yanks me down, shielding me with his body.
“Stay down, Clara!”
Mitch swerves, trying to lose our pursuers, but they’re relentless. Bullets ping off the SUV’s reinforced exterior, each one feeling like a countdown to our doom.
I cling to Jake, tears stinging my eyes. This can’t be happening. We were supposed to have a normal summer, not be caught in the middle of some fucking car chase.
“Hold on tight,” Mitch growls, jerking the wheel hard.
The SUV careens off the road, plowing through underbrush and trees. I’m thrown against Jake, my breath knocked out of me. The car comes to a jarring halt, and for a moment, everything is silent.
Then Jake’s shoving me toward the door, his eyes wild. “Go, Clara! Run!”
I stumble out of the SUV, my legs shaking. Behind us, I can hear the screech of tires, the shouts of our pursuers. Jake and Mitch are on my heels, urging me forward.
We crash through the woods, branches tearing at my clothes, my lungs burning with each ragged breath. I don’t know who’s after us or why, but I do know one thing—we’re in deep shit.
A bullet whizzes past my ear, making me yelp. Jake grabs my hand, pulling me faster. “Don’t look back, just keep running!”
My mind’s reeling, trying to make sense of it all. Is this because of Dad? Because of the “family business”? I always knew there was something shady going on, but I never thought it would put our lives in danger.
We keep running, the sounds of our pursuers fading behind us. Finally, when we can’t run anymore, we collapse behind a large oak tree, gasping for air.
Jake pulls me close, his arms trembling. “You okay, bug?”
I nod, burying my face in his chest. “What the fuck was that, Jake?”
He shakes his head, his jaw tight. “I don’t know yet. But whatever it is, we’re in trouble.”
one
Clara
Leaves rusle above us. A quick shiver runs down my spine as I press tighter against the damp bark of the oak tree.
Jake’s breath is short and sharp next to me; every sound is a potential threat.
“Jake, what’s… going on?” My voice is barely a whisper, fear clutching my throat.
He didn’t answer.
Jake pulls his phone from his jacket, a stream of curses under his breath. Useless, no signal. His face is pale in the shadowed light, eyes scanning the dense green around us.
“Oh God, oh God!” My voice trembles, the words spilling out in a frantic rush. “Jake, what’s going on?” Tears prick my eyes, the fear bubbling over.
“Shhh.” Jake’s hand is sudden and firm over my mouth, his other arm pulling me down to squat beside him. His eyes are fierce, burning with something I can’t read.
