Page 82 of Killing Emma

“I don’t know if this will connect to the system in the car anymore. It’s taken heavy damage.” He grabs the headset, and fumbles with the connector.

“Plane will be ready by the time we get there,” Henry steps in. “But it’ll still take almost four hours of flight time. I have Lydia on the way there now. She’ll be waiting for us.”

“Almost connected,” Jude mutters, clicking away. “I should be able to make this happen. Here we go!” Jude pumps a fist into the air. “It’s ringing.”

My heart squeezes but the feeling is replaced by the rage of betrayal. Nothing she can say will fix the fact she didn’t fucking wait. Emma has to pay for this. She will pay for this. I’ll make sure of it. This must be why Victor warned me about love.

“You can keep calling her, but I’m going,” I growl, growing numb. “And I’ll fucking kill her for this.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Emma

“What the hell?” I jump in my seat, the radio going quiet to the sound of ringing filling the car. My heart jumps to my throat as I see Home Calling on the screen.

Shit.

I start to panic, and quickly hit the decline. I’m too fucking close to give up. I’m two hours from Jared’s and I’m wired on energy drinks and anticipation. Major blinks his weary eyes as the ringing happens again.

And I decline it again.

“I have to do this,” I shout at the road. If he just would’ve listened, maybe I wouldn’t be doing this on my own. Maybe he’d be here with me. But he couldn’t get over himself enough to see this through with me.

“And he bailed on me,” I say to Major, trying to rid myself of the guilt.

The car falls into silence for nearly an hour, and I spend it lightheaded with anxiety. The fatigue isn’t great for my POTS, and I know that I’m pushing the threshold of my stamina. But I’ve eaten. I’ve taken breaks. I’ve stayed hydrated. My hands sweat on the steering wheel.

“Forty-three minutes,” I say to Major, breathless.

And then the ringing starts again.

Ugh. Why?

I decline it again, but this time it pings with a voicemail. My eyes widen as my heart leaps to my throat. Pulse in my temple, I press the playback button.

“Hey, this is Jude. You should probably know that he’s coming for you, and he’s not happy. So… You might want to prepare.”

I let the message go, ignoring it. I’ll deal with Luca. One step at a time. This is for me, and that’s what I tell myself as I finish the rest of the drive and pull right up into Jared’s driveway. It’s almost nine in the morning, which means he’s working from home. Alone. I grab the mask from the passenger seat, my heart pounding.

“Come on,” I tell Major as I open my driver’s side door. “I don’t wanna go alone.”

Major hops up from his seat as we make our way to the front of the nice, new house. It’s in a nice neighborhood, and I’m sure he shares it with his new lover, but I really don’t give a shit about that. I walk right up to the front door, my heart pounding and my head light.

And I smash the doorbell.

Major sits beside me, waiting patiently as I ring the doorbell again. I hear someone fumbling inside, so I hit it again.

And again.

And again.

“Hang on, jeez,” Jared shouts, his voice sending a wave of nausea through my body. The door swings open, and he looks up, shocked.

“Whoa…” He peers around me. “Emma?”

Major growls.

He jumps back, wearing a crisp white T-shirt and light wash jeans. “You… You got a dog? Where have you been?” His face fills with emotion. “I’ve been worried sick about you. Have you not seen the news?”

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