Page 119 of Untamed

I don’t now, and I never did.

“He’s too late,” Shawn growls in the driver seat. “He can’t have you.”

I twist my wrists harder, feeling my skin burn under the ropes.

Come on. Come on…

The car swerves violently as Shawn tries to lose whoever’s trailing us. I stifle a whimper, completely unable to stop myself from crashing headfirst into the door. Pain radiates along my skull with these stupid restraints holding me tight.

Gunfire explodes behind us. Shawn screams and curses, the car tilting dangerously to the right.

Shawn seems to be fighting for control, but whoever it is, is gaining on us. Something bumps the back of the car.

Has he caught us?

I can imagine exactly what he’s going through right now because I know him. Rodion wants to catch us and punish Shawn, but he doesn’t want to hurt me.

The way Shawn is driving, he might get his wish sooner than later. I’m straining against my wrists when I feel something hit my palm. Is it—I trace it with my fingers and realize it’s the tail end of the restraints he sloppily tied.

I work at the knot and feel a shift of movement.I can do this.

Rodion slipped a knife into a sheath on my thigh. If I can get to it?—

I have to keep my head in the game, have to stay on task here. He won’t notice if I undo my restraints. I shift the fabric of my dress, cursing the layers, when I feel the cold, hard metal of the knife at my thigh.

I swallow hard. Yes.Yes.

Who the fuck am I?

Maybe Iamcut out for mafia life.

I’m the wife of a hero.

Slowly, carefully, I move the knife out. It scrapes against my thigh as I pull it out and palm it. Shawn’s swerving and cursing. He hits something hard, and I stifle a scream when I prick my own damn leg with the blade.

He never would suspect I had my own weapon.

With trembling fingers, I slide the knife into my palm and shave at the restraints. I can feel it yielding even as I can’t see. Finally, my wrists swing free. I grab the blindfold at the back of my head and yank it off.

Shawn’s face is a mask of fury as another gunshot rings out. I contemplate stabbing him, actually tearing into someone’s flesh with a weapon, and the thought makes me want to vomit. But I have to get away. Does it make sense to hurt him while he’s driving though? My thoughts go crazy, and I can’t reel them in, no matter how hard I try.

Shawn curses, swerving dangerously close to a guardrail. The SUV scrapes alongside it, sparks flying. Another shot rings out. I hear a pop, and the side of the car immediately swerves. Another gunshot followed by anotherpop.

He’s here, and he’s shooting out the tires.

The SUV screeches to a stop because he can’t drive it another foot. It slams against the guardrail with a sickening crush.

My ears ring.

Silence.

I sit still, not sure where I can go next, what to do?—

Heavy footsteps.

Measured. Unhurried.

He’s here, and he’s going to enact brutal justice. I tremble and breathe a little more easily even as my belly clenches.

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