Chapter 37
NASH
As soon as the Lamborghini hit the dirt, I jumped.
I didn’t want to leave Georgie, but getting thrown or crushed by the car would kill me. I hoped like hell that it had slowed down enough that I wouldn’t break every bone in my body.
But I was more worried about Georgie.
Be okay, sweetheart.
I hit the sandy dirt and rolled several times. The impact jarred every cell in my body. My already aching head throbbed harder. I came to a stop face down, the air knocked out of me. Sand sprayed my face and hair.
I stayed there for a second, a little stunned, dragging in air. I tried to clear my head.
I heard the crunch and squeal of metal.
Georgie.
I pushed onto my hands and knees. The entire world tried to climb sideways and I grabbed my head.
I heard the roar of an engine. I looked up.
The McLaren and the Aston Martin both screeched to a halt on the side of the highway. I saw dark silhouettes heading my way, and beams of cellphone flashlights cutting through the night.
Georgie. I turned my head and my insides squeezed to a tiny point.
Fuck.
The Lamborghini was a crushed, twisted mess, resting on its roof.
“No. No.” I struggled to my feet and ran toward it.
Bastian and the others caught up with me.
“Take it easy, Nash.” Landon gripped my arm.
“Fuck that.” I yanked free. “Georgie! Georgie!”
I raced to the passenger side of the car. Damn, it was just crumpled metal. My heart felt like a block of stone. If I lost her…
I dropped to my knees.
And saw her. She was hanging upside down, held in place by the seatbelt. There was blood on her face and she wasn’t moving.
“Georgie,” I whispered.
Bastian shone his phone flashlight inside the car.
Then she turned her head and opened her beautiful eyes. “Nash?”
My heart flared to life. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m going to get you out.” I looked back over my shoulder. “I need a knife.”
A blade was slapped into my palm. It was black, with a beautiful carved hilt. I knew it was one of Landon’s.
Then I heard a moan from the driver’s seat.
My jaw tightened. Snyder wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t my concern right now.
My priority was getting Georgie out.
“Hurry, Nash,” Alessio said. “The gas tank was ruptured.”
I smelled it now. The acrid scent of gas in the air. I reached in through the broken window and started sawing through the seatbelt. I wanted her out of the damn wreck.
Thank fuck Landon kept his knives lethally sharp.
The blade broke through the belt, and Georgie dropped down with a small cry.
“I’ve got you, baby. Hold on.” I handed the knife back to Landon and reached inside for her. The door was bent and space was limited. I grabbed her and pulled. Her fingers gripped my arms as I hauled her out of the car.
“Nash.”
I yanked her into my arms. I pressed her face to my chest and rocked. She clung to me.
She was alive. She was in my arms.
I realized now how truly afraid I’d been the moment I knew Snyder had her.
Her shaking hands cupped my cheeks. She had a small cut on her temple that was bleeding down the side of her face, but otherwise she looked fine.
She shifted, then pressed her mouth to mine.
I cupped the back of her head. I didn’t kiss her, I devoured her.
“I was so scared when you jumped on the car,” she murmured against my lips.
“I wasn’t letting him hurt you.”
She smiled. “I knew you’d come for me.”
“I will always come for you.”
A low, pained groan came from the car.
Georgie’s head whipped around, her face changing.
She wriggled, trying to stand. Then Bastian was there, helping her up. I rose and dusted myself off.
Georgie stomped around the car.
It was worse on the other side, the metal ripped and twisted. The scent of gasoline was stronger too.
Snyder was caught in the twisted metal. There was blood on his face and his chest looked crushed.
“Get me…out,” he croaked.
Georgie heaved in a breath. “You’re exactly where you deserve to be.” Then she reached over, and gripped the hilt of my gun resting in my waistband. She yanked it out.
Hand steady, she raised it and aimed at Snyder.
“No.” Snyder’s eyes went wide. “You can’t—”
The single shot echoed through the night. Snyder slumped forward, no longer moving.
She handed the gun back to me.
“It’s finally done.” She raised her gaze to the night sky. “It’s done, Viv. Like I promised. For you.”
I slid an arm around her and looked at the others.
Bastian nodded. “Let’s get out of here.”
I had one more thing to do.
“Anyone got a lighter?” I asked.
“I do.” Alessio slid a hand in his pocket, then handed it to me.
As we started to walk away, I ignited it with a click. Georgie glanced at the flickering flame, then at me. She nodded.
I tossed it behind us.
It hit the leaking gasoline and the flames rippled to life, engulfing the Lamborghini.
I kissed the top of her head. “Let’s go home.”
I hadn’t burned the entire world down for her, just Snyder’s world.
And I’d do it again in a heartbeat, for her.