Page 183 of Stolen Voices

The car jerks as I hit a pothole, going way too fast on the two-lane highway, and Callie screams again.

“Cal, I need you to breathe. It’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. I just need everyone to stay calm.” I hope Mason understands that I need him to calm down as well.

She squeaks out an, “Okay,” but I can hear her terrified, labored breaths beside me as I speed up.

The SUV stays on my ass, making it hard for me to see the last few numbers. Hitting the gas a little harder than I should, I move ahead, allowing myself to see the numbers.

“424. Did you get that Mase?”

“Got it. 4BSV424. Emery is on the line with the police, and I’m tracking your phone now.”

“Thank you.”

“Eli,” Callie whispers.

I don’t dare look at her, keeping my eyes trained on the car behind us as it speeds up to catch us.

“Yeah, princess?”

“I’m scared.”

“I know. Just stay facing forward and don’t put your hands out if we crash. Keep them tucked to your side, okay?”

My brother mumbles, “Fuck,” along with another string of curses, but I keep my focus on Callie and trying to get us out of this situation.

“Arms to my side,” she repeats as her breathing sharpens.

I want to console her, but right now, I need to get us out of this fucking mess. I’ve blown past the turnout, and there is too much oncoming traffic for me to flip a U-turn.

The yellow signs to my right warn me of the upcoming curve, just as the SUV rams my bumper, ripping it off with a crunch and sending my rear tires fishtailing. Screeching tires and the smell of burned rubber fill the cab.

Mason is shouting, Callie is screaming, and all I can think to do is let the car drift and correct itself. I loosen my grip on the steering wheel, but the car never has time to even out as the SUV behind me hits me again.

“Fuck!”

“Eli!”

“Eli!”

Sunlight bounces from the windshield behind me and off the rearview mirror, blinding me as I take the curve. I’m going too fast into a right-handed bend in the road. Adrenaline courses through me as I run through various scenarios and outcomes.

Double fuck.

All I can do is try to spin the car enough to make sure I take the brunt of the hit if the car behind me rams us again.

Fuck it.

“Sit back, Cal, and brace yourself, but don’t tense up. Mason…” I call out my brother’s name over the line. I don’t have to say anything for him to understand.

“First responders are on the way. I’m headed to the airport now.”

“Eli, no!” I ignore Callie’s shouts and take a deep breath. If this maneuver keeps her safe, then it’s my best bet and I’ll take it.

Recalling every car chase I’ve ever seen, I pull the hand-brake and slam my foot on the brake at the same time, and turn the wheel as hard as I can to the right as I hit the sharpest part of the turn.

It all happens in the blink of an eye.

Horns blare. Tires screech. Callie screams.