Page 66 of Brutal Kingdom

“Who said I was trying to make her give it up?”

“Aren’t you? Isn’t the whole point of proving your entitlement to this inheritance, so you can unseat her, and make her pay for whatever injustice she’s done to you?”

Her smile is sweet torture, putting me in a hypnotic trance, before she bares her fangs. “Broaden your strokes and color palette, Logan. The whole elitist system this school and your hometown are built on is a cancer that needs to be cut out.” Her eyes gleam with hidden purpose. “I’m not gunning for her throne. I’m gonna burn the whole fucking kingdom to the ground.”

My heart slows, my hands feel clammy, and there’s a ringing in my ears. She’s what? This isn’t a simple vendetta against Bella. Whatever else Jordanna has learned, she’s turning her anger on the entire family of elites. “Jordy, listen to me, you can’t do this.”

She stands on tiptoe, putting her lips against my ear. “Watch me.”

“Turn left up here.” The instructor says as I slow to a stop.

This is my fourth driving lesson, and I tried as hard as I could to get him to let me do donuts in a parking lot. He refused, saying just because he’s not my usual driving instructor doesn’t mean I’m getting off easy. This is also the first time I’m driving in the dark, so I’m hunched over the wheel. I can’t seem to relax, no matter how many times he tells me to ease up my grip.

We’ve left the heavily populated area of town and are on a stretch of road I’m unfamiliar with. The two-lane road, divided by the yellow lines, feels smaller than it probably is. My stomach tightens. I readjust my grip on the steering wheel, holding it as steady as I can, as cars come towards me and others rush around me. Instinctively, I apply pressure to the break. The instructor notices and tells me to speed up instead.

Sweat rolls down my back, and my vision blurs. “I think I should pull over and let you drive us back.”

“Nonsense. You’re doing great.” He says.

I’m not doing great. Not in a safe to operate a motor vehicle kind of way. My heart’s pounding in my chest and it’s getting harder to breathe. Finally, he says, “Stop here.”

“Here? Where?” I barely take my eyes off the road to look around, but I see nothing but more of the same road we’re traveling on.

“Just right up here, and start your three-point turn.”

“You want me to do a u-turn?”

“Yes.”

I do like I practiced in the parking lot. Turning the wheel all the way to the left, applying gas. Then to the right, and reversing. I’m moving forward for the second time and still haven’t made much progress on the turn. A car horn honks, and the vehicle swerves, going around me.

“Dammit.” I move up again, and another car zooms by. I look at the instructor.

He finally has pity on me. “Go ahead and put it in park. I’ll come around that side and you slide over.”

Sounds like a plan to me. He gets out of the car, and I slide over to the passenger seat. I look up from fastening my seatbelt in time to see him jog off into the dark. Did he need to pee or something?

I press the button to lower the window, but it doesn’t move. Neither does the lock on the passenger side door. I move back to the driver's side. Those buttons don’t work either. Another car zooms by, engines revving, horns blaring. I turn the key in the ignition, but it won’t start. How the hell is the car that was just on dead? I’m trapped in an electric vehicle with cars whizzing by.

Headlights bare down on me and I close my eyes, tears running down my face. I bang on the window, screaming, “Please, somebody help me,” even though I know nobody can hear me. This is my worst nightmare.

The driver’s side door flings open and I fall out of the car, landing with my hands on the ground. Somebody’s grabbing me, pulling me to my feet, but I’m still too caught up in my nightmare to open my eyes.

TWENTY-EIGHT

LOGAN

“Breathe. Jordy. Just breathe.” Her eyes are shut, and she’s pleading for someone to help her. We’ve thrown a lot of shit at her. I’ve thrown a lot of shit at her, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen her like this.

“I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you. You’re safe.” I crush her against me, kissing the top of her head.

The shaking starts and my brain says to act fast. “Stay with me, Jordy.”

She’s going into shock from being scared to death. I don’t know when she learned to drive, but when I find the idiot who sent her coordinates to the stretch of road where they drag race…

“I’m here. Baby. I’m here.” Her gut wrenching sobs shatter me. She holds on tight like I’m her lifeline. “I’ll make them pay. I promise. I’ll make them all pay.”

I walk us over to my car, opening the passenger door. “Come on. Get in.”

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