Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty Five
Naomi
It’s been nearly three weeks since I went to the club with Kolter.
Since then, he’s been avoiding me—or that’s the way it feels anyway.
Last night was the first time he picked me up, took me out then brought me back to his place.
I was starting to feel like he didn’t want to be with me or something.
Which I know sounds ridiculous and insecure since we literally text all day long.
It’s not the same, though. Something feels different, and I have this gut feeling it has everything to do with his dad.
I haven’t been able to shake the things he said about my mom.
Every syllable Matthew utters feels intentional, strategic.
I’m just trying to figure out what he has to gain by giving those pieces away, even if I think they’re bullshit.
I’ve wanted to bring it up to my mom, but we’ve talked about Kolter’s dad a lot throughout the years.
She and my dad went to school with him—he was always in trouble, always looking for a fight and was never good news.
And that’s where I thought it ended. Something about Matthew’s version makes me feel like there’s more to it, though.
Kolter had to go do something for the club this morning, and I need to get all these thoughts out of my head, so I’m heading home to talk with her.
Another person pops into my head. Nick. I haven’t heard from him since he blew up at dinner. It’s not like we’re the type of siblings to stay in contact all day, every day, but it’s been a while, and this radio silence needs to end.
I glance back and forth between the road and my phone before I hit call on Nick’s contact. The phone rings through my car speakers once, twice, three times.
“Seriously, you’re going to be that big of a child about all this?” I mutter, not realizing the call has connected until he says, “That really how you want to start this conversation?”
I straighten up in my seat like he can see me and shake my head. “Sorry. I didn’t think you were going to answer.”
“So you settled for talking shit behind my back?” he scoffs.
“No, I just…” I pause and take a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that Kolter and I being together upsets you. I’m sorry that it surprises you, and I’m sorry that you had to find out that way. I’m not going to apologize for the love we share or our relationship, though.”
I can practically see his sneer, along with his brisk pacing, given the uptick in his breathing.
“Relationship? Naomi, get a fucking grip. He’s using you. He groomed you to worship the ground he walked on, and when he’s finished, he’ll toss you to the side just like every woman that came before you.”
I’m stunned into silence at the anger in his words, then I shake my head again.
“You’re wrong.”
“Or maybe you’re gullible,” he throws back.
I let out a heavy exhale as I come to a red light. “When did it happen?”
“When did what happen?” Nick asks gruffly.
“When did you stop looking at Kolter like your best friend, like your brother, like the best man you knew, and start looking at him like he’s some vile monster? You and I both know everything you’re saying isn’t only not in his character, it’s ridiculous.”
Nick is quiet for a moment. “When did it happen?” he repeats.
I wait for him to continue.
“It happened the moment I found out he was fucking our little sister.”
The call goes dead, and I let out a scream of frustration as I slam my fist down on the wheel.
The light turns green, so I have no choice but to keep driving.
He’s so ridiculous. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying. He’s not using logic; he’s not listening. He’s purely emotional, and I can’t reason with someone like that.
There’s a right turn coming up, so I move over to that lane and hit my blinker, noticing that the black SUV behind me does the same. Frowning, I study it in my rearview mirror. The windshield is blacked out—all the windows are actually—so I can’t see the driver.
I’m supposed to take a left now, but something in me thinks better of it. Instead, I merge onto the freeway, heading in the opposite direction to my house.
The SUV does the same.
I sit up a little higher, and when I get the chance, I take a gap, jumping across all the freeway lanes to the very left. But the SUV does the same, maneuvering easily so it’s right behind me once more.
My stomach turns and my heart begins hammering in my chest. I’m making this up. It has to be just a coincidence.
I hit my blinker then merge two lanes to the right, and for a moment, I think that’s the end of it. Until the SUV takes a gap and is right behind me once more.
Fear seizes me, and I quickly dial Kolter. The phone rings twice as I sit there drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, my gaze bouncing between the road and my rearview mirror until he answers.
“Hey, Peaches. I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you—”
“I think I’m being followed,” I cut in.
The phone goes quiet, and for a moment I think I’ve lost him.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I was driving back to Mom’s, and then I noticed this SUV was following me. So I got on the freeway and switched lanes, but he kept getting right behind me. I don’t know if I accidently cut him off. I was on the phone with Nick, and I was distracted. Maybe I did. I just—”
“Shh, shh, deep breaths, Peaches. I need you to slow down and focus, alright?” Kolter says, cutting off my rambling.
The line sounds a little muffled before a motorcycle fires up in the background.
“Okay, where are you right this second?”
“I-I’m on I-5. Coming up to exit 162.”
“Okay, what lane are you in?” Kolter asks, the sound of his motorcycle revving echoing in the background.
“Second to the far right,” I say, looking in the mirror again.
“Take the exit. Quick,” he instructs.
Without indicating, I whip the wheel hard, taking the exit at the very last minute. I watch my rearview mirror closely, and when I see the SUV do the same, full-on terror takes hold of me.
“No,” I say nervously.
“What’s happening, Peaches?”
“He got off too. Where do I go? What do I do?”
“Listen to me,” he says. “They know that you see them. Just keep as much distance as you can. I’ve got your location. I’m two minutes out. Just hang a right and go straight.”
I nod to myself and do as he says.
“Wait, how do you have my location? We’ve never shared locations before?”
He scoffs. “Like I’m not going to know where my girl is at all times?”
“Creepy and kinda sweet,” I mutter, attempting to lighten the terrifying mood.
Kolter doesn’t laugh at my joke and, honestly, fair—I’m not laughing either.
I take a right, and the SUV does as well, but they seem to be done with the chase because they speed up and slam into the back of me. I let out a scream, but I tighten my grip on the wheel and try to drive faster.
“What’s happening?” Kolter shouts.
“They just hit me from behind!”
“They want you to pull over. DO NOT—you hear me? Keep driving.”
I’m about to agree, but they hit me again and again, forcing a whimper out of me.
“I’m so scared,” I choke out.
“I know, baby. I’m coming up. Keep going straight.”
The SUV takes the shoulder then, speeding up before hitting the side of my car, sending me spinning into the middle of the road. All I can do is scream and hold on to the wheel for dear life. The car skids for several feet before I slam into a lamp post.
“Kolter?” I ask in a daze.
He doesn’t respond, though.
I lift my head and look around to get my bearings.
A motorcycle comes peeling towards me, bullets flying past my car and hitting the SUV. They don’t go through the glass, though, just pepper it with indents. Bulletproof glass? Who the heck are these people?
The SUV’s doors open, and its passengers begin shooting at Kolter. He quickly pulls over, dumping his bike and ducking in front of my car as he returns fire. I lower myself in my seat as far as I can while still being able to watch everything that’s happening.
Kolter tosses his gun to the side and begins firing another one as men in black suits emerge from the SUV, one advancing towards Kolter while another comes to the side of my car. Quickly, I look around for anything I can use as a weapon and find a miniature can of hairspray.
As soon as my door is ripped open, I mace the guy with the extra-hold can.
He jolts in surprise, dropping his gun and clutching his face.
I take that moment to kick him in the balls as hard as I can—because that drops any guy, right?
When he tumbles to the ground, I grab my phone then jump out of the car and over him.
But I soon realize my mistake. Now I’m out in the open in the middle of a shootout.
To my left, there are two men in suits sprawled on the ground, bullets between their eyes, and one more still standing, with his gun pointed at—
“Oh shit,” I mutter as the man fires.
Someone throws themselves in front of me, but I don’t piece together it’s Kolter until I see the back of his leather jacket. He shoots a round of his own, dropping the guy and killing him instantly. Then Kolter wavers for a moment before dropping to the ground.
In a panic, I fall to my knees beside him, hauling his shirt up to find that he’s been shot through the chest.
“Oh my God! Oh my God. You’ve been shot! I need to call 911,” I say, scrabbling for my phone.
“No! No!” he says, grabbing me roughly, the pain evident on his face.
“Get me b-back to the club, Peaches. Can you do that?”
“What? You’re shot! You need a hospital! I’m calling them.”
He’s lost his mind. He’s in shock.
Kolter grabs my arm, his grip almost painful as he looks me in the eye.
“We can’t go to the hospital, baby. Get me to the club.”
I frown at him, but after a quick glance around the massacre, I nod and help him stand, so he can start limping towards the car.