Page 87

Oh my God.
I suck in a shaky breath, my stomach twisting violently.
My mind is spinning. If he knows who Mikhail is, he knows who I am.
He’s not taking me out of here to help me. From what Ryan said, I can assume he owes Mikhail some favor. Not surprising. The sting of betrayal takes my breath away. How could I have ever trusted him?
I need to act normal.
I need to act normal.
Before Alex notices I was listening.
I force myself to step away from the wall, walking casually back to the car. By the time I slip inside, my hands are shaking. A moment later, Alex climbs into the driver’s seat, tossing a bag of snacks onto my lap.
“You okay?” he asks, glancing at me briefly.
I nod quickly, too quickly. “Yeah. Just tired.”
He doesn’t push.
The moment Alex pulls the car onto the highway, my mind starts racing.
I have to get out of here.
I trusted him. I let him bring me into his home, let him talk me down when I was panicking.
But all along, he’s been working with Mikhail.
I sit still, gripping the snack bag in my lap, my heart slamming against my ribs. I force myself to keep my breathing even, to act like nothing is wrong.
Alex doesn’t speak much as he drives. He glances at me once or twice, but I keep my face turned toward the window.
I need a plan.
If he’s taking me back to Mikhail, I don’t have much time.
The bus station.
If I can get there, I can disappear again.
I scan the dark streets as we drive. I don’t know this area well, but I spot a sign just as we pass under a flickering streetlight.
Bus Station – 2 Miles
That’s my shot.
I swallow hard, shifting in my seat. My legs are shaking, but I can’t let him see. I have to wait for the right moment.
Fate hands it to me not even five minutes later.
Alex slows at a red light. There’s barely any traffic, just one other car waiting on the opposite side of the intersection.
I tighten my grip on the door handle.
It’s now or never.
The moment his eyes flick to the rearview mirror, I throw the door open and bolt.