Page 20 of The Hunt
Ten minutes later, my car had slid on ice three times and I had only just merged onto the highway. Despite still practically being naked, my chest was covered in sweat. She had better gone to another hotel closeby and not driven all the way home.
I swear to fucking god.
Snow fell heavily on the roads. My windshield wipers were on full blast, not doing a damn thing. The plows hadn’t been out yet. I had to drive so agonizingly slow, so I wouldn’t crash my damn car before I found her.
Every single minute felt like an eternity.
In this weather, out this late, with the streets this icy… she had to have driven off the road and crashed. There was no way that anything else would’ve happened, not in the state she left in with that note.
What if she was stuck and didn’t have anyone to help her? What if she was hurt and was bleeding out with broken bones somewhere in a fucking ditch? She didn’t know anyone around here. She barely talked to anyone at school. Who’d she call?
Blue and red lights flashed behind me, and I cursed to myself. For a moment, I debated whether or not to actually pull over, but if I didn’t, they’d continue to follow me and I’d probably get a ticket, or worse… jail.
Then I really wouldn’t be able to find her.
Once I finally pulled over, the policeman jumped out of his car and jogged over to me. I rolled down my window, still naked and covered with a small towel and a whole lot of sweat. My lips shivered.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
He shined a flashlight. “You shouldn’t be on the–Where are your clothes?”
“My girlfriend stole them,” I said. “I need to get home.”
“Stole them, huh?”
I tightened my hand around the steering wheel and clenched my jaw. “Yes, sir.”
After a slight pause, he nodded. “Where are you headed tonight?”
“Redwood.”
“Redwood? There’s no way you’re making it to Redwood in these conditions.”
“I need to.”
“Find yourself a hotel to sleep tonight, son. And some clothes while you’re at it.”
I blew a breath out of my nose and nodded. “Sure.”
Sure, not going to fucking listen to your stupid ass. I need to find my girl.
A gust of wind blew a bunch of snow in his face, and he waved me off and jogged back to his car. I rolled up the window and pulled back onto the highway, checking in my rearview mirror to make sure he wasn’t following me.
No headlights.
But then again, I couldn’t see shit in this storm.
I continued driving for another ten minutes, the snow not letting up once.
Where the hell is–
And then I saw it.
My stomach dropped. My throat closed. My fingers started shaking.
Her car. Parked on the side of the road. Half buried in snow. Lights still on. Door open.
I leapt out of my car and sprinted over to it. “Daphne! What are you–”
