Page 11

Another bag. A new life.

I hold my breath as I pull the car onto the road and resume driving.

I speed past a sign twenty minutes later. Tempest, Montana.

Tempest. That’s how I feel right now.

Fighting a yawn, I rub my eyes. I shouldn’t be tired since I’m used to night shifts—but my body aches and I’m exhausted. I haven’t slept in two days, running on adrenaline, and I want nothing more than a soft bed, a plush pillow, and good dreams.

That’s when I notice the fog rolling in, making it harder and harder to see. I squint, the road almost swallowed up in the white mist.

“Shit.” Deciding I don’t need to add a car accident to my long list of worries, I pull the Pinto onto a side road, driving along the curve until I hit a gravel lot. It’s so dark out, I can’t see a thing. A squeak has me glancing over my shoulder. Ratson rattles his wheel, asking to be let out of his cage. “Rats, just give me a minute, okay?”

I grab my phone and open Google Maps. The bright blast of light illuminates the inside of the cab. Thankfully, I have service. I zoom out and out and out—

A tap sounds at my window.

“Miss?”

I gasp and jerk my head up to see an unfamiliar face. A deep voice cuts through the window. “You lost?”

Heart pounding, I inch it open a crack. A tall man with dark hair and a sharp jaw full of scruff leans down. Behind him, I can make out the silhouette of a motorcycle.

My hand blindly feels along the door, checking the button to make sure it’s locked. “Sorry, I am lost. I couldn’t see anything, so I pulled over.”

He holds up a hand. “No need to apologize. Can’t be too careful.”

“The fog, it’s wild.”

His forehead furrows. “That’s Tempest. It comes alive at night. You shouldn’t be driving.”

I bite my lip and tuck my cell phone into the pocket of my sweatpants. “Is there a motel around or…?”

“Twenty-five miles that way.”

My heart deflates. Twenty-five more miles? I wipe furiously at my face as if I can get a head start on the tears that threaten to fall.

“Where are you going?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure.”

He stares as if considering something. “You know, if you’re up for it, and it doesn’t sound creepy as hell, my family and I have a house you can stay in.”

“Really?” My voice sounds so small, hesitant. Hopeful.

“Really.”

I watch him carefully in the light of my cell phone, remembering advice Melly gave me when it was time to decide whether I’d go into a VIP room with a man. If they have mean eyes, they’ll give you trouble. Steer clear.

And this man…

His eyes are kind.

I consider my options. Taking help from a strange man isn’t the smartest idea—he could be a serial killer or a rapist—but what do I have to lose? I’ve already seen a man blow himself away in front of my eyes. Might as well make one more risky decision.

The man backs up. Some of my anxiety eases when I spy the baby carrier strapped to his chest. Tucked inside it is a small, floppy-eared puppy.

I giggle. “Is that a—”