Page 20

Chapter Twenty

M ac

I stretched my arms overhead, feeling my shoulder joints pop, before turning to gather my purse from my locker.

I was used to working twelve-hour shifts, but this one had been downright brutal thanks to the thirteen car pileup on the parkway.

Wiggling my toes in my shoes, I groaned. My feet were sore, my lower back throbbed, and all I wanted was to go home and fall into bed with my man.

“Heading out, Davis?” Megan asked, leaning against the row of lockers beside me. Dark circles hung heavy under her eyes and her scrubs were as wrinkled as mine from the marathon shift we barely survived.

“Finally,” I sighed, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “I’m thinking takeout, a hot bubble bath, and then face-planting in bed for about twelve hours.”

She grinned, waggling her eyebrows. “What about that hot man of yours?”

Heat crept into my cheeks. “Seriously? You’re terrible.”

“And you’re blushing, which tells me everything I need to know. Brown Chicken Brown Cow .” She laughed, bumping my shoulder with hers.

My nose wrinkled. “I’m almost positive that’s not how it goes.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Go home and enjoy that man. Some of us will be living vicariously through you.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. “Good night, Megan,” I sing songed.

The hospital corridors were quiet as I made my way toward the staff exit that led to the parking garage. The day shift had clocked in, fresh-faced and full of energy, while us night-shift zombies shuffled our way toward precious freedom. As I pushed through the doors, the cooler early morning air hit my face and gave me the tiniest boost of energy. Lord knew I needed it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and smiled at the text from Rage.

Heading home? Dog’s been staring at the door for an hr

I typed back quickly as I walked.

Just leaving now. Tell our boy I’m bringing him treats

As I made my way to level three where my car was parked, I was mentally calculating how quickly I could get home if traffic cooperated. Seriously, I was exhausted and felt like I could sleep for a month.

Rounding the last corner, I stopped short.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

My front driver-side tire was completely flat, the rubber puddled against the concrete. I dropped my bag on the ground and crouched down to get a better look. There was something metallic sticking out from the sidewall. I ran my finger across it. It looked like maybe it was a nail or a screw.

“Perfect. Just perfect.”

I straightened, weighing my options. I could call Rage to come and fix it for me, but he’d just got home himself. Plus, it would take him at least twenty minutes to get here. There was always roadside assistance, but that would mean waiting who knows how long for them to actually show up.

Sighing, I pulled out my phone and called Rage anyway, knowing that if I didn’t, he’d be pissed and I’d never hear the end of it.

I listened as it rang twice and then went to voicemail.

“Hey, it’s me. I have a flat tire. I’m going to try changing it myself, so if you get this in the next few minutes, maybe you could talk me through it? Otherwise, I’ll figure it out. Love you.”

I hung up, staring at the traitorous tire.

Okay. You’re a capable, educated woman. You can handle this.

Walking around to the back of my car, I popped the trunk and pulled out the jack and tire iron. The spare tire was underneath a panel in the trunk floor.

“Loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car,” I muttered to myself, remembering my brother’s instructions from a million years ago.

Crouching back down, I fitted the tire iron over the first lug nut and pushed. It didn’t budge an inch.

“Come on you little bastard,” I growled pushing again, this time with all my strength. And still the nothing.

“Come on,” I grunted, trying again, this time putting all my weight behind it, until finally, slowly, the damn thing turned. “Yes!”

I was halfway through loosening the third lug nut when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

You know that feeling you get down in your gut when your Spidey-senses are screaming at you that something is way the hell wrong?

Yeah. I had that.

Slowly, I rose to my feet and glanced around the garage.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing off the concrete walls.

I kept looking around but didn’t see a thing.

It’s all in your head, Davis.

Shaking my head, I squatted back down in front of the flat and got back to trying to remove the last lug nut.

Just as I’d positioned the tire iron, a shadow fell over me and a familiar voice rumbled, “If it isn’t the bitch who poisoned my girlfriend against me.”

My flight or fight instinct kicked in and I spun around to find Chad standing not even a foot away. His face was twisted in a scary, sardonic smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

I swallowed around the lump that was forming in my throat. He didn’t look like the Chad I knew at all. His clothes were rumpled like he’d had them on for a few days, his hair was greasy and unkempt, and there was a wild, unhinged look in his eyes that made my blood run cold.

“Chad,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady considering the fear prickling along my spine. “What are you doing here?”

He took a step closer, and I instinctively backed up against the side of my car.

“Waiting for you,” he replied, his voice slurred. “Been waiting a long time. Had to make sure you’d stop.”

The flat tire suddenly made more sense. This wasn’t a case of bad luck.

“You did this?” I gestured toward the tire, fighting to keep my tone neutral. “Why would you?—”

“Shut up!“ he snapped, his face contorted with unveiled rage. “You don’t get to talk. Not after what you’ve done.”

I swallowed hard, eyes darting over his shoulder to the garage’s entrance. There was no one in sight. My fingers inched toward my pocket for my phone.

“What exactly did I do, Chad?” I needed to keep him talking while I assessed my options. I quickly glanced to the tire iron that I’d dropped on the ground. It was a few feet away. I just needed to?—

He laughed. “You poisoned Sarah against me. Filled her head with lies. Made her leave me.”

“Sarah left because you hurt her,” I countered, immediately regretting my words when his expression darkened even more.

Shit.

“I never hurt her!” he roared, taking another step toward me. “She… she...” He took another step closer. “It was a fucking accident. But you—” his eyes narrowed to slits. “You took advantage of her. Got her to run away with you and your loser boyfriend.”

Loser? Rage was ten times the man Chad would ever be. He’d seriously lost his damn mind.

My eyes darted around, looking for an escape, and that’s when I saw it. The outline of a gun tucked into his waistband, under his shirt.

My mouth went dry.

“Chad.” I forced myself to remain calm. “Why don’t we both calm down and talk about this like adults? I’m sure we can?—”

His face twisted with rage, and I knew I’d screwed up trying to reason with him.

“Calm down?” he hissed, his hand moving to rest on the gun. “You want me to calm down when you’ve destroyed my life? I lost my job yesterday. Did Sarah tell you that? I was late again because I was up all night wondering where she was. But you knew, didn’t you? You’ve been hiding her from me.”

My heart was racing. He really had lost his fucking mind. I held my hands up placatingly, every muscle in my body tense. “I’m sorry about your job. That must be really difficult. I’ll help you find another one—a better one, okay?”

His eyes shifted around the parking garage before landing back on me. “You know what’s funny?” he asked, his voice suddenly eerily calm. “I always thought you were hot. Always wondered what it would be like to have you instead of Sarah.”

My nose wrinkled. How disgusting could one man be? But considering all the vile shit he’d said to me over the last couple of years, it really didn’t surprise me.

“Oh, I see. Too good for me, right?” he said, noticing the look on my face. “Too busy being a little cock tease. Strutting around the apartment in those tiny shorts.”

I inched sideways, trying to put some distance between us. “You need help. This isn’t you talking, it’s the alcohol or?—”

“Don’t tell me what I need!” he roared, lunging forward.

My eyes went wide. Shit. I dove for the tire iron. My fingers closed around the cold metal just as his hand grabbed my arm and yanked me back with so much force I heard my shoulder make a sickening pop.

“Let go of me!” I shouted, twisting in his grip. “My boyfriend’s going to kill you for this,” I spat, fear giving way to anger as I fought against his hold.

Something dark flashed in Chad’s eyes and, with shocking speed for someone in his state, he pulled the gun free from his waistband.

“He’ll have to find me first.”

In that moment, I smelled the strong stench of whiskey on his breath and knew I had to fight if I was going to make it out of this alive.

“No more, Sarah, thinking she’s better than me. No more you filling her head with bullshit.“

I met his gaze, trying desperately to reach whatever humanity might be left in him. “People know where I am. They’ll be looking for me. This will only make things worse for you.”

He smiled, a feral smile that sent ice through my veins. “Nothing can get worse, Mac. I’ve got nothing left to lose.”

The sound of voices heading in our direction sent a shock of hope through me.

“Chad—” I tried again, but before I could finish, he shoved me hard.

My arms windmilled as I fell backwards.

BAM. My head cracked against the side mirror of my car and black spots filled my vision. Reaching up, I pressed my fingers to the side of my face as blood trickled down.

“I’m sorry. It has to be this way.”

I glanced up, my vision blurry, just as Chad took a step back and aimed the weapon in his hand right at me.

“Please,” I whispered, but it was pointless. He wasn’t listening anymore. His eyes had gone vacant. Mentally, he was somewhere else.

Then, as if it was all happening in slow motion, he pulled the trigger. Hot, searing pain like I’d never felt before ripped through my side. My eyes dropped at the same time my hand went to the spot. Somehow, I had the wherewithal to apply pressure to try and slow the bleeding.

“Why?” I croaked. I couldn’t believe what was happening. He’d actually shot me.

The second shot followed almost immediately, but I barely felt it as my body slumped to the ground.

The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me whole was a blurry figure kneeling beside me, hands pressing against my wounds, and a voice yelling for someone to get help.

Then nothing.