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Six months later. Valentine's Day.
Julian was slammed at work and he'd started seeing someone; he wanted to use the next few days to sit with their mother himself, with his girlfriend. That left Sera with time. Everett had a rare day off. They closed the shop early and agreed on a date.
Three in the afternoon. She was driving out to pick him up at the hospital. The road was empty — until a black car with blacked-out plates came up fast behind her in the coastal tunnel.
Something felt off. She gave the gas more pressure to clear the tunnel. The car behind her matched her and started ramming.
Her heart rocketed into her throat. She swung the wheel to get around it.
Whatever direction she went, the other car came with her. It kept hitting.
Teeth clenched, she held the wheel tight, braced her spine, and dialed 911 with one hand. GPS drop. She called Everett.
His voice, warm as always.
"What's up? You done?"
"Someone's trying to run me off the road. The plates are covered. I just came out of the tunnel. About three miles from you."
"I'm coming. Hold on."
She hung up and tried to swerve loose.
The other car drifted alongside and scraped her passenger door.
The shriek of metal was brutal. Her car pulled hard. She almost lost the road.
She wrenched the wheel straight, pale as bone, palms wet.
It hit her in one second. She was not getting out of this alone.
The other car was here for her.
Then — high beams ahead.
Everett's car.
Relief — and then the car behind her accelerated for a final impact.
Bang —
A massive impact. Two cars flipped, rolled, came to rest in the greenery smoking. The driver inside vomited blood and blacked out.
But the car that took the hit wasn't hers.
Another vehicle had come up hard from behind her and jammed itself between her and the other car — blocking the hit.
She slammed the brakes and turned around.
Damien. Damien's car.
She staggered out. His face was streaked with blood.
Her knees gave. Before she hit the asphalt, warm arms had her.
"It's okay. I'm here."
"I've called 911. The paramedics are on their way. He's going to be all right."