Page 26 of Tainted Beginnings (Dark Syndicate 7)

“Fuck. Hold on tight!” Nick shouts.

He speeds up, driving way past the speed limit for this area, and we race across the grass, cutting through the walkway leading up to the town library. That takes us to the highway, where the prick continues to follow.

I can’t believe this is really happening, and there’s not a damn thing I can do besides sit here in this car and allow Nick to take me to wherever he’s taking me.

When we get onto the country roads, the traffic thins. Soon, we become the only two cars on the road. The asshole takes that opportunity to shoot at us.

“Take the wheel and keep it steady,” Nick orders

Summoning bravery, I grab the steering wheel while he takes out his gun and leans out the window to shoot back at the man.

Gunfire explodes all around me like a warzone, and the car gets hit multiple times. The back wheel on my left blows out, and the windows shatter.

Something explodes, and I lose control of the car. Nothing works.

Just before we go over the side of the road and into the ditch, I notice the other car following us, except the man inside is already dead.

When Nick and I land, the airbags automatically engage, blasting me back into the seat as we smash into a thicket of trees.

* * *

“Tennessee,” Nick says, but he sounds like he’s far, far away.

My eyes are closed. When I open them, I see his face looming before me. There’s a nasty gash over his eye and blood streaming down the side of his face.

I try to sit up, but my body feels shaken. Then I remember what happened.

Judging from the way Nick looks and everything else, I think I must have blacked out for a moment.

“Are you okay?” he asks, and I hand him back an incredulous glare.

“No. Of course I’m not okay.”

“Are you hurt?”

“I feel shaken.”

“That’s good enough for me. We have to get out of here.”

“Why is this happening?” I ask him in a croaking voice.

“Tennessee, we can’t stop to talk. We don’t know how far behind the others could be, and my phone’s broken. We’re on our own until I can get to a phone.”

“I need to know why these people are after me,” I insist.

“And I need to keep you safe. Let’s go.”

He grabs me before I can protest, and we climb out of the wreck through his side.

We walk over to the other car, and I can confirm if the man inside wasn’t dead when I saw him, the tree branch spearing his body like a skewer definitely killed him.

I bring my hands up to my cheeks and gasp at the horrific sight.

Nick, on the other hand, releases me to yank open the car door and starts searching the man. He takes the man’s gun and starts cursing in Italian.

“No fucking phone. Fucking asshole.” Nick spits on the man’s face and slams the door back shut.

A feral look enters his eyes when he faces me and takes my hand.

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