Page 58 of Don't Look Back

“How far away are you?” Pecker asks after a few seconds.

“About two miles. He’s not leaving any space between our cars. He’s riding my bumper.”

“Tap your brakes. Begin to slow down a little.”

“Uncle Mason’s calling you,” Sophia breaks my concentration as she lifts my phone from the cup holder. “Hello?” She puts my phone on speaker too.

“Soph, where’s Zoey and Colt?”

“Right here. You’re on speaker.”

“If he’s not in Maple Springs already, he’s on his way.”

“You’re a little late, Uncle Mason. He’s following us in the middle of this blizzard. Riding our ass too.”

“Shit. Colt, keep my girls safe,” Mason growls.

“I'm trying, but I'm not with them. We’re in position. As long as they can get to us, they’ll be ok.”

Colt’s trying to keep the panic out of his voice, but I can hear it the slightest bit. He’s scared and that terrifies me.

“Zoey, remember what I taught you. If you hit ice, don’t try to over-correct it. Let the car slide and make small corrections. Slow down and hopefully he will too. If you speed, you’re all going to get hurt. Let’s only make the asshole hurt.”

“Do you think he has a gun on him?” Colt asks.

“I’d be surprised if he didn’t,” Mason sighs. “I knew I should’ve come to Maple Springs.”

“No. I don’t need more family members in the line of danger because of me. It’s bad enough that Sophia’s here,” I keep my voice firm and strong.

If something happens to me, that sucks, but it’s only me. I don’t want anything to happen to the ones I love. It’s bad enough Colt, Sophia, and Pecker are involved, I don’t need Uncle Mason too.

“We’re almost to you guys. I’m going to start slowing down and pretending we’re having trouble.”

I flick on the hazard lights and slow my car down. The one behind me slows, but only enough to avoid crashing into me. We come to a complete stop and I'm not sure if I'm even off the road all the way. There’s too much snow to really tell where the shoulder is.

I keep my gaze locked on the rearview mirror as I shift into neutral and rev the engine a few times. The driver’s door of the Explorer opens and a man climbs out.

“He’s getting out,” I whisper.

“Good. Let him come to you,” Colt says softly.

“Don’t let him see the phones, Sophia. We want him to be surprised,” Pecker adds.

“If he knocks on your window, roll it down an inch or two. Just enough for you to talk, but not enough for him to reach in,” Colt continues.

I suck in a slow breath and try not to panic. I’ve spent so many years running from this man and now he’s here and I have no clue what he wants from me.

A loud knock on the window has Sophia letting out a horrific scream. I stare at her for a moment before turning my attention to the window. The man motions for me to lower it and I comply, but only an inch or two like Colt said.

“Nice hiding place, Zoey. Or should I say Leslie Jameson?” His slimy voice wraps around me and makes my entire body shiver.

The stench of his cigarette breath seeps through the open window and has so many memories banging on my brain, begging to play out, but I try to push them all away. I need to focus.

I’ve spent the last few years praying I’d never have to come face to face with Jimmy again. Wishing he’d be found dead after one of his benders. Anything to know he could never come near me again.

“Get out of the car,” he growls. “I'm going to kill your cousin, then I'm taking you to my hotel. After you’re tied up, I’ll go after the sheriff for touching what’s mine.”

A soft whimper falls from Sophia’s lips and it makes a strength I didn’t know I possessed bubble up inside of me.

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