Page 103 of Love Me Fierce

We walk to my car, our feet slapping the wet pavement. Everett pulls me close for one last embrace. I inhale his manly scent now mixed with the rain and a hint of sweat, reminding me of those stolen moments we shared. My heartbeat drops through my core, making my thighs tense.

I press my lips to his stubbled jaw, then he opens my door. I drop behind the wheel and he shuts me inside.

Driving off, alone, into this dark rain feels wrong. Tonight, Everett showed me a part of himself I don’t think he lets many people see, and it’s turned my heart inside out.

I don’t know if I’ll be any good at this, but I want to try.

Any good at what?

Being yours.

He’s been protecting those tender wounds for so long.

It takes everything I have to turn my car around while Everett stands in the rain, his hands shoved into his pockets, watching me go.

I pull onto the wet highway and accelerate toward town. Though it’s dark, I picture the jagged mountains on the horizon, guiding me to Ruby Gulch, and June and Nelson’s warm greeting when I get there. In the rainy darkness, Finn River’s lights are hazy as I pass, the inky black expanse of Bear Lake just below town invisible. There’s hardly any traffic at this hour, and without Matty’s chatter or his Kid’s Bop music, the swipe of my wiper blades and theshushof my tires cutting through the puddles sounds lonely.

I tell myself I’m just missing Everett. His touch, his kisses, the way he seems to know my body, my deepest cravings. The strength in his body, the desire in his eyes. The vulnerable hitch in his voice when he shared what was in his heart.

At the red light, a tan SUV pulls in behind me, its bright headlight beams making my eyes water, and its throaty hum filling my ears. I accelerate through the green light, down a long straightaway, the glow from town melting into the darkness. The rain is coming down harder now, the pale pavement covered with a watery sheen. I turn up my wipers to the highest setting and slow down a little. The SUV comes in closer, so I flip the tab below my rearview mirror to dim his lights. When the road curves away from the lake, the Suburban accelerates, like he’s going to pass me.

Jeez, talk about not safe. It’s too dark and we’re on a curve. Plus, we’re almost to the bridge, where the road narrows. I turn on my signal and scan the shoulder for a place to pull off when the Suburban’s lights fill my cab, and a hard jolt jerks me forward.

I grip the wheel, my heart racing. What the hell was that?

The giant SUV accelerates again and hits my back end, harder this time. My head snaps back and my tires skip over the pavement. Panic fires under my skin. I need to pull over. Now.

But the shoulder is narrow here. It drops away as we near the river valley.

The SUV accelerates into the opposing lane. I’m pulling over as safely as I can in this rain but there’s nowhere to go. The bridge is just ahead. The shoulder drops off. What do I do?

The SUV is so massive compared to my Kia I only see a flash of tan door as it swerves, slamming into my driver’s side. I punch the brakes but it’s too late, my right front tire skids over the edge of the pavement. My car drops onto the slope alongside the road with a sickening thud, the jarring impact yanking me sideways, the grip of the seatbelt like a vise.The highway and the SUV disappear as the side of my car rises up and the momentum carries us into the ditch. It happens so fast.

Metal crunches and glass shatters as the car flips. Falling rain and dirt and the whirling glow from my headlights fills my vision. Airbags pop and the smell of burning powder fills the cab. My hands fly off the wheel as the car rolls, reaching for anything that’s not moving. More metal screeches and crunches, the interior of the car twisting and contorting around me, like a living thing. Pain erupts in my temple. My kneecaps crack on something. I’m screaming but I can’t hear it over the rush of blood in my ears. My seatbelt digs into my ribs and shoulder, jerking me back and forth as my car picks up speed, thumping, shattering. Tumbling down.

My thoughts go to Matty.What if he was here right now?

Glass crunches and shatters. Metal crackling and popping. I’m like a rag doll being shaken, with pain erupting everywhere. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. Where am I bleeding? I’m breathing so fast my throat burns.

The rolling stops with a hard jolt, the car wedged on its right side.Rocks and dirt and trees and the silver streaks of rain dance through my before it all goes black.

Chapter Thirty

EVERETT

After Vivian leaves,I get in my truck while my emotions swirl like a storm inside me. She felt so good in my arms. Sharing everything with her like that…I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never said those things to anyone.

I thought I was scared to lose her before, but now?

I’m fucking terrified.

My phone chirps in my pocket, startling me back to my truck. Shit, it’s probably Logan.

But when I go to answer, it’s Luke Ballard.

I debate letting it go to voicemail for a second, then fish out my notebook from my coat pocket then slip out my phone.

“Hey, I know it’s late,” Luke says. “Got a second?”

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