Page 170 of Loving the Tormentor

"Hello?"

"Hello, Achilles."

It takes me a moment to place the voice. I haven't heard it in so long.

"Catherine. How did you get this number?"

"What, a woman can't use the last connections she has for something useful? Your father never believed me when I told him that you weren't truly dead. He died in prison, did you know?"

"I did. Hung himself, like most former Shadows. Interesting, isn't it? Listen, if you want money, you'll get none. If you want to get in contact with the daughter you abandoned, that's a no too. In fact, if you keep following her, I'm going to stop playing nice and get rid of you the same way I have others who did her wrong."

"Actually, I just wanted to share information you might find useful. How fast do you think Nyx is currently driving?"

I sit up on the couch, knowing something is wrong.

"What?"

"I can see her now on the highway, and I'd say just shy of eighty miles per hour. Now let's see what happens if someone slams into her car, shall we?"

"Are you seriously expecting me to believe a woman as selfish as you is going to kill herself to take her daughter out with her? Don't make me laugh."

"I have nothing left, Achilles. My only plan is to make you suffer?—"

Her sentence is cut short by the sound of two cars hitting each other, metal screaming, tires screeching loudly, and then nothing.

I jump off my seat, starting to run to the door before my brain rings the alarm. Lyra.

"Fuck!" I hiss. I go to Chris's number right away. They live by the lake too.

It only takes a couple of rings for him to pick up, but it feels like an eternity.

"Hello?"

"Nyx is in danger. Come to my house. I have to leaveright now. Lyra’s alone."

He doesn't hesitate for one second. "On my way. What's wrong?"

"Nyx—" I cut myself off, unable to finish the sentence as I keep the front door open.

I can see his house from here. It’s only been a few seconds, but why isn’t he out yet? She needs me. She needs menow.

Finally, I can see him running down the shore from a few houses down.

"In her cot." That's all I say as I sprint, my heart ringing in my ears.

I'm in my car in a split second. Catherine said they're on the highway, and at this time, the only way Nyx would take is from Stoneview to Silver Falls to go pick up Sophie at Ella's dance studio.

I’ve never been so fast in my life, but still the world feels like it’s moving in slow motion. I can’t let any thoughts cross my mind, yet I can’t stop pictures of her wrecked car flashing in front of my eyes.

I'm not the first one on the scene, and I speed past an ambulance on my way here, so I know they’re on their way. I push past people, shouting at them to get out of the way. Catherine's car is completely wrecked, her dead body hanging through her windshield. But I don't care, running to Nyx's car instead. It's upside down in a field, smoke coming out of it.

"Nyx!" I shout as I sprint to her. "Nyx!"

Some guy is knocking on her window, and he turns to me as I approach.

"That's my fiancée!" I push him out of the way.

"The door is stuck."