I’d want them to know who did it. And why.
Fucker didn’t deserve to live after messing with Scout.
And now that he’s dead? I feel a moment of relief. At least he won’t bother her anymore.
Relishing the silence after shoving his body in the barrels and cleaning up the place, I’m the last to leave. I ditch my coveralls, burning them, then step outside. The crisp winter air scrapes my lungs clean. Peace eases the tension in my shoulders.
It was a good day’s work.
I stroll toward my loaner Lexus but pause when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Scout’s calling. Filled with hope that she’s forgiven me, I answer with a smile.
“Hey, tulip?—”
“Apollo? Help me.”
My heart pounds against my ribcage. “Wha— Where are you?”
A choked reply cuts through the phone. “I’m out on state route one fifty. And…”
I can’t breathe, but am already revving the engine and pulling out on the street. Foot flooring the pedal. “Andwhat, baby?”
“Someone’s following me.”
thirty
When stress hits,I run. I leave the city lights behind, chase the dark, and look for the stars. Just like my dad taught me on one of our monthly visits to the planetarium. It’s our thing, his and mine. But I still use them to find my way using their paths. Get lost in the nebula. Let the atmosphere quiet me.
Ellis. The exam. It’s all weighing on me. But the worst betrayal?
My husband.
He might as well have asked if I was on my period.
I thought things were moving between us. Shifting in a way that made me feel safe. His questioning shoved me over the edge. He feels like an enemy.
But every time that feeling surges, I remember him sitting on that step in the Sanguine Manor, a bit of fear and resolve on his face. Getting me to safety. The way his body shielded mine from that wild pack ofBetas.
And his eyes…
Those deep, solid brown eyes.
How they gazed at me on our wedding day at the altar. Like he was gifted with a prize he didn’t deserve.
Or, if I let myself believe it, like a man in love.
Without warning, the car swerves. My hands grip tighter, trying to correct the skid. A loud pop splits the silence, and the steering wheel vibrates hard. Front tires shudder. Then the back.
I’m shaking. Throat closing.
Pings of gravel hit the windshield as I attempt to pull the car over to the side of the two-lane. It’s pitch black out here. No streetlights or anything. Just woods lining both shoulders.
As I slow, I feel as though the car is riding on rails. The screech of metal twists my stomach. What happened?
Checking my surroundings, I turn on my flashers, then step out of the car. In the cold January air, there’re no sounds. No wind, either.
I turn on my phone’s flashlight and inspect my tires… Both of the front ones are flat. Confused, I aim the light in the direction I came from. Nothing sticks out along the road that I can see. Even when I venture back along the route I passed.
A high-pitched whine cuts through the dark. I freeze.
