Page 75 of Royal Flush

While I couldn’t tell if the one beside me was still alive, it didn’t matter. I had a bad feeling we wouldn’t survive the crash.

But the nightmare continued, the jerk’s foot pinned to the floor. As the SUV finally began its descent to the ground, I was pitched back and forth. Yet when the SUV landed on its side still moving, I let off another bloodcurdling scream.

The SUV slammed into something, the instant odor of gas assaulting my senses. Even as I tried to wrestle up from anguish tearing through my body, my mind so foggy, I felt arms gripping me from beside me.

There were other screams and loud noises.

The rush of smoke coming from an unseen location.

“Fire!”

“Call 9-1-1. People are trapped inside.”

Well, duh. Of course there were people trapped inside, one of them a monster. A sudden burst of energy rushed through me and I kicked the bastard in the chest even as he continued to try to drag me closer to him. Nothing was going to keep me locked inside. I unbuckled myself and fought to get to the door, screaming and hissing. I was completely disoriented, but I could tell the vehicle had landed on the driver’s side. Everything was surreal, horrifying but I wasn’t going to die this way.

Not this way.

I had so much more to live for.

The door was suddenly thrown open, light penetrating the space. After another series of popping sounds, the stench of blood becoming stronger, arms were wrapped around me. Something was in my eyes, the sting abominable. Everything was a horrific blur, every sound more muted than before.

“What? Help… Me.”

It was as if the voice of an angel trickled down from the heavens.

“I’ve got you, little koala. Now, I’m never letting you go.”

CHAPTER 20

Braxton

Blood.

Brains.

Carnage.

The scene was reminiscent of a gruesome movie, including Jasmine’s shirt splattered in a dead man’s gore.

Hell, so was mine but I’d experienced it before. If she’d noticed, there was no sign but that had to be given the level of shock I sensed she’d fallen into.

It wasn’t every day, month, or year a violent attempt at abduction was made on someone. However, I’d give her some credit for being stronger than most. At least she wasn’t screaming or worse.

No one would ever confuse me for some hero. I didn’t have that makeup inside of me, but I’d been determined not to allow anything to stop me from reaching Jasmine.

Or saving her.

To that end, I’d caused a wreck, had almost smashed into a concrete barrier, and had run through two red lights. I’d allowed my instinct to come into play after jumping from my vehicle, racing toward the coffee shop.

But my gut had told me if I was right, she wouldn’t be taken from the front of the store. That would cause too much commotion if the girl screamed and whoever had set their sights on her couldn’t risk police involvement.

And law enforcement was usually patrolling the neighborhood. That much I’d learned from the times I’d visited before.

Sirens blasted in the air, the noise of a crowd gathering around me almost drowning them out. The moment I pulled Jasmine to safety, someone in the group started to clap, which prompted others to do the same. Now a few of the onlookers were cheering.

Christ. I didn’t need this.

I was no 007 but I’d been lucky enough her purse and smashed phone were easy to grab. They were both safely shoved into my pocket, which should help prevent anyone from identifying her too quickly.

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