Page 115 of Crush

My bag was still inside, I had no phone. I was fucked.

“Help me, please!” I screamed but I knew the glass was soundproof.

Zander’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror and I turned away. I couldn’t meet that hateful gaze anymore.

Frantically searching the back of the car, I lifted a whisky glass and threw it against the screen which separated the driver from the back. It didn’t even shatter, it just ricocheted and bounced off my jean-clad knee. Pain shot up my leg.

Shoving the car into gear, gravel shot around the yard as Zander started to drive the car towards the gates into the estate.

I pushed back into the leather of the seat as I slid this way and that, the vehicle jerking as he aggressively changed gear. I couldn’t find my seat belt and planted my hands on either side of my body as my head bumped against the window.

As I straightened, rubbing my forehead, I saw a flash of blue as a large car veered in through the gates heading straight for us. Zander turned the wheel sharply to avoid a collision but the monster car hit us on the side and I went flying onto the floor. The sound of metal crumpling and glass breaking rattled around my ears as I braced for another possible impact. The airbag engaged which rammed Zander’s head back against his seat as I struggled to find my feet.

Placing my hands on the soft leather, I pushed my face towards the window, looking out at the bashed-up car that had hit us.

My head was ringing, and there was a moment of quiet until I saw him. An enraged Max kicked open the door of his Audi Q5, the front all mangled.

“Max,” I screamed as loud as I could but he didn’t even flinch. He was furious, his face taunt and determined and he stalked towards the car. Did he even know I was in the back?

Hope surged through me mixed with fear. Zander was coming around in the front and the thought of Max being hurt caused a dart of panic to shoot through me. I banged on the window, trying to get Max’s attention.

Max had a baseball bat and he started swinging it, hitting the bonnet and front windscreen of the limo. He was yelling, but I couldn’t hear due to the noise ringing in my ears from the crash.

Zander started to force the door with his shoulder. Eventually, it creaked open. As he untangled himself from the seat and airbag, I pressed the button to lower the privacy screen and it worked.

“Get out of the car,” Max yelled as Zander kicked the door wider.

“Max,” I yelled. “Please don’t. He’s got a gun!”

“Amber,” Max said, his face searching mine through the front windscreen. He lowered the bat and made a move to suggest he wanted to get to me but Zander was now free from the car.

And clutched in Zander’s hand was the gun I saw earlier. My heart sank as he pointed it at Max.

The man I now knew I loved more than life itself was about to die.

Max

As Harker and Iglaredat each other, the noise of several vehicles entering the estate caused a momentary distraction and we both turned toward the direction of the sound. Dust and stones were sprayed all around like bullets.

Three blacked-out SUVs and two large Transit Vans powered into the yard, engines revving. It all happened so quickly.

Fuck this shit, I needed to get to Amber. She was trapped in the back of the car. I had guessed as much when I saw Harker behind the wheel. That’s why I had hit the break just before impact. I needed to keep him from clearing the estate but be careful I didn’t injure Amber. My plan had worked but I hadn’t thought about the fact that he could be armed. I was screwed or at least I was until the cavalry arrived.

If they were the cavalry.

I hadn’t called anyone when I received the message from Dexter. Luckily, I’d been on my way over at the time.

AM*FFFBER INNN DANGER -@ HOUSE, his text needed no footnote and I knew from the errors that Dexter had somehow been incapacitated.

As the vehicles slid to a halt, all fucking hell broke loose. I shielded my eyes with my hands as brick dust tainted the air.

“What the fuck?” Harker grunted without lowering his weapon. I held the bat by my side, my brain scrambling to understand what was happening. Maybe it was the police? A glance at Harker told me they weren’t friends of his thank fuck.

Maybe if I pretended they were with me, he’d drop the gun.

The side doors of one of the vans slid open like a lion’s roar and two men dressed in black suits climbed out. From the other SUVs, men in black combat pants, boots and black leather jackets emerged. They all immediately drew weapons and pointed them in our direction, clearly professionals as they moved into a defensive/offensive formation. I then knewexactlywho they were; the Irish Mafia. Hope flickered.

And thenheemerged, Kai Kinlan. The man I had asked for help and heard sweet FA from. He climbed from the back of one of the vehicles, dressed immaculately in a navy blue suit with aviator glasses concealing his eyes. The man Hamish I’d met at his offices that day climbed out of the driver's side.

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