Page 230 of Gathered Sparkle

“Hold on tight, Trouble!”

The speedometer ticks to sixty-five.

We hit the ramp.

For one agonizing moment, time seems to freeze. My breath catches, the world narrowing to the roar of the engine and the sickening lurch of the car as it launches into the air. I check the dash one last time—the needle trembles a hair below sixty-seven.

Closing my eyes, my fingers grip my bracelet even harder as gravity drops away.

And we fly.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Nicholas

A deafening roar splits the night, freezing the chaos around me.

The crowd halts mid-panic, heads snapping upward as one. My own gaze follows, and for a moment, I think I’m seeing things.

The underside of a Lamborghini flies overhead, illuminated by the neon lights of the Strip.

They’re fucking doing it.

Before the thought even fully registers, Koen’s hand clamps around the back of my neck, “Move!” he barks, pushing me forward.

The crowd has gone eerily still, everyone gawking at the impossible sight above. It’s easier to push through now, but it takes everything in me not to crane my neck again, not to look up and see if they’re actually going to make it—or crash headfirst into the Heights.

Koen doesn’t stop guiding me, and my heart slams against my ribs, the cut in my lip sending a pulse of pain through me with every beat.

A dull thud crackles through the earpiece, followed by the screech of tires. Then, a loud crash.

The sound punches me in the gut, knocking the breath from my lungs.

They made it over, but they crashed the landing?

Sickness coils in my stomach, threatening to claw its way up. I risk a glance at Koen, whose face mirrors my own dread.Stricken.

“Faster!” Ezra barrels through the remaining clusters of people, almost carrying Levi, clearing a path for us, and we follow in his wake. My legs burn, but I don’t stop, not until the van comes into view.

“Sparkle?” Sylus asks hesitantly. “Ric?”

Koen is reaching for the sliding door, his hand brushing the handle, when Novalee’s voice crackles through the earpiece.

“Holy. Fucking. Shit!”

Alaric’s laughter follows, wild and unhinged.

“I hate you both.” Sylus’s voice is breaking, almost sobbing. “I hate you so fucking much.” Relief crashes over me so hard I almost collapse. Koen yanks the van door open, and we pile in, my adrenaline still coursing.

“Did it work? You guys out?” Alaric asks, panting.

“We’re in the van.” Koen grunts.

Ezra kneels in front of Levi, his chest heaving as he cups his face with both hands, scanning him from head to toe. “Are you hurt, love?”

Levi shakes his head, tears welling up in his eyes. “No. I-I’m fine.” His breath hitches, and then the tears spill over. “That was fucking scary. Thank you.”

Ezra crashes his lips against Levi’s, stroking his cheeks gently as Levi clutches his shoulders.

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