Page 175 of Hate Mates

Heavy winds blow the door shut, and a flurry of snow rushes inside.

“You’re out of gas.”

“What?” I turn to Lourdez before my eyes rush to the dash, where it does, in fact, show that my tank is empty.

Impossible.“I filled up before coming.”

“And how long does it usually last?”

“Longer than this. It must be something else.”

“Well, maybe something else made it run out quicker.”

“Or maybe it’s just something else.”

“Then why is your tank showing empty?” her tone is sharper, almost demanding an answer I don’t give because I have no fucking clue why my tank is empty.

I’m still eyeing the tank and its minimal miles when I grip my phone from the dash and make a quick call to a tow company.

The guy on the phone tells me they’ll get to me as soon as they can, but I know what that means. It won’t be any time soon. And I know there isn’t a fuel station for another twenty miles.

I won’t get there.

I slump back in my seat, and I don’t even try to stop the tears rolling from the corner of my eyes because there is absolutely nothing I can do until help shows up.

Why the fuck is this happening to me?

How the fuck didn’t I notice? I was too distracted by everything around me. The timer on my brother’s life, Lourdez being in my car.

Fucking everything.

Everything is just too fucking much, and I can’t take it anymore.

My fingernails scratch at the skin on my wrist, digging into the scar I gave myself when the police first released me after questioning.

The idea of prison didn’t seem as scary as death. Not my own, but I’d spend my life there if my brother could see out his to his senior years.

If only that were an option.

SEVEN

Lourdez

Lochlan hasn’t spoken for hours, choosing to spend the time we’d been waiting for help in silence.

The tears on his face have an icy shine from when he’d ventured out into the cold to flag down the only car that passed.

They’d ignored him, and help still hadn’t shown up. He’d called his dad and told him of the problem, explaining that help was on the way and that we should be there soon. His dad offered to come and get us, but the fear in his voice of not being there with Colten if something were to happen had Lochlan turning down his offer.

My teeth chatter, pulling his attention to me.

“I can’t do anything about you being cold right now, and it isn’t a spite thing.”

“I know.” My teeth continue their conversation with the cold air, letting it know it’s made its point.

“They should have been here by now.”

“Maybe there are lots of breakdowns.”

---