Chapter 16 Shattering #2
Harold and Felicity live in town, just a few streets from town square. When I actually lived in the library basement and felt safe there, I would walk to their house for dinner.
I have no idea where I’m going to go if they don’t put Andrei behind bars soon. I can’t stay in Jett’s room at the manor forever. That’s going to be a problem, but I can’t focus on that until tomorrow. “Now I can’t wait to get home. Something to look forward to.”
He throws me a glance, and even through the dark I can see the heat in his eyes. “I can give you other things to look forward to, but I’m afraid it’s too soon.”
“Soon for you? Did you forget that I lost six years? I’m not sure anything is too soon.”
He reaches over and claims my hand to bring it to his lips. “Never for me. But for you?”
I may regret acting on impulse, but I’m also ready to start living my life. Right now, nothing seems too soon when it comes to that.
I’m about to tell him not to worry about me, but headlights fill the truck cab. I turn to see it just as Jett exclaims, “Fuck!”
Something much bigger than Jett’s truck strikes us from behind.
My seatbelt constricts against me, cutting into the skin at my neck.
I scream and reach for the dashboard.
I’m surprised the airbags don’t deploy, but Jett hit the gas when he saw the lights or else it would’ve been worse.
“What the hell,” Jett growls as his eyes shift from the road to his rearview mirror. “Dammit, they’re coming again. Hang on.”
I grip my door and console as I watch the side mirror in horror. “It’s a semi!”
Jett’s truck revs as he floors the gas to put distance between us. We’re on the edge of town on the country road that leads to the mountains and the manor. The lights on the tractor trailer swerve before they straighten to come at us again.
“Oh my God,” I whisper turning to look out the back window. “They’re coming again. What’s happening?!”
“Turn around and brace. I’ve got to get off this road.”
I turn forward and brace one hand on the dashboard. “There’s no way you can make that turn at this speed.”
What he doesn’t do is slow down. The engine hums at a high rate.
As we approach the turn, Jett hits the gas again.
He focuses on the rearview mirror once more as he tells me what’s going to happen.
“I’m going to hit the brakes and turn. There’s no way that truck can keep up on the switchbacks. You ready?”
No.
I am absolutely not ready, but I am a team player. “If you say so.”
I see the sign for the turn off to head up the mountain. Shit. We’re never going to make it.
“Now!” he yells.
I lurch forward. The truck fishtails, and Jett white knuckles the steering wheel to keep control.
I cringe.
When Jett swerves into the left lane, I glance at the side mirror. The semi is coming full force.
“Hang on!” Jett yells as he lets off the brakes and violently turns the steering wheel to the left. I squeeze my eyes shut just in time.
I don’t see it, but I feel it. It’s impossible not to.
We barely make the turn, but the semi clips us. It might not be a direct hit at ten miles per hour, but at our speed, it’s shattering.
Jett’s truck tips, and the worst happens.
We roll.
And we roll again.
I want to scream, but the only thing I hear is the ground and truck crashing together in a ferocious clatter.
Over and over.
We finally bounce and teeter to two wheels, but by some fate of God, we fall back to the ground on all four tires.
I’m still gripping the dashboard with one hand, and the other is pressed to the ceiling.
“Baby.”
My breaths are coming fast and hard. My lungs, heart, and brain barely keep up with what just happened. I force myself to move, but just barely. My eyes shift first and then my head.
Jett places a hand on my face and inspects me. “Are you okay?”
I focus on breathing.
It’s all I can manage.
“Answer me, Lennon,” he bites. “Are you okay?”
I allow my arms to fall and struggle to catch my breath. “What just happened?”
He turns my face farther and inspects every feature before running a hand down my arms and body. Despite what I wanted just moments ago, his touch is efficient. “Are you hurt?”
“I don’t think so. Are you okay? Your kidney—”
I’m not sure if he’s angry or still in shock like me. “I’m fine.”
“Are they gone?”
Jett looks out the back window before turning forward and messing with the gearshift. He turns off the engine and then tries to turn it on again. “We need to get out of here in case they come back.”
My tone is shaky. “Who was that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” He tries to turn the engine over two more times. “Dammit.”
“Jett—”
After the fourth try, the engine turns over. “Fucking finally.”
It sounds like metal grating on metal, but he gets it into drive and hits the gas. I have to hold on all over again as he maneuvers back to the highway over the low growing forest and rocks back to the pavement. When he turns back to the road that heads up the mountain, he flips his headlights off.
I turn to look at his profile as we bump along the highway. His alignment is off, and I wonder if we’re driving on one busted tire. His truck wasn’t new, but it was nice when we started off the night. I’m afraid to see what it looks like.
I have to find my voice. “Jett?”
He’s continually scanning the area around us. “Yeah?”
Tears aren’t a threat any longer. They’re streaming down my face. I have no idea what I’m going to say or what needs to be said. I’m sorry for what happened to your truck isn’t enough. Thank you for keeping me alive is lame.
I shake my head.
He reaches over for my hand and doesn’t press me for anything.
He knows.
This is because of me. This has to be Andrei.
“It’s okay, baby.” He gives my hand a squeeze that isn’t reassuring at all. “It’s all going to be okay.”