Chapter 12 Gwen
Iwent home as G.D. instructed, but I didn’t stay long.
My apartment felt too empty. I had a few errands to run anyway, including buying groceries and stopping by the bank to make a deposit.
No one waited for me outside this time. When I pulled out of the parking lot, I kept thinking I’d see Cin or my brother on their bikes. I didn’t.
The first stop was the bank. I pulled up to the ATM and reached for my purse. My wallet was tucked inside, and I grabbed it, unzipping it to pull out my bank card and the cash I planned to deposit.
Only it wasn’t there.
My bank card and credit cards were in their usual slots. The money I kept tucked in front of them? Gone.
It took a few seconds for the horrible truth to sink in.
Someone stole the money out of my wallet.
The list of people who had access was small.
I never left it unattended at the diner with Cary, and she’d never steal from me.
I had it tucked in the bottom of a box while I taught the class at the women’s shelter, but nobody saw me place it inside.
I left once to use the restroom, forgetting it was there, but I didn’t believe that was where the theft happened.
Only one other time remained—the coffee shop. I left my purse on the table while I ordered. Disappointment surged through me as I heard someone honk.
I shoved my wallet back into my purse and drove to the market, consumed with the certainty that Penny stole that money while my back was turned. The worst part? She talked to me and sat there for over half an hour knowing she took it and didn’t care.
Who did that?
Feeling betrayed, I wasn’t paying attention. I missed the turn I needed and pulled into another parking lot to cut through on my way to the store. By the time I walked inside to grab the things I needed, I felt sick.
I picked up my groceries and paid in record time. If not for feeling so violated and upset, I might have been proud.
I climbed into my truck and placed the heavier bags on the floorboards of the passenger seat. The chocolate, green tea, and garlic parmesan pretzels went beside me where I could snack while driving. Ever hear of car fries? I was a fan of car chocolate.
Unease tickled the back of my neck, and I frowned, glancing into my rearview mirror. That was when I noticed the same vehicle had been behind me since I left the market, even when I went through multiple intersections. Coincidence? Probably.
After five more minutes, I wasn’t so sure. The same black car was following me nearly all the way through town. They took every turn I made, keeping at the same distance, slowing to about four cars behind me, always staying within my rearview.
Just to test the theory, I didn’t drive home. Instead, I took a detour and ended up arriving at Deathrock Cemetery just about half an hour before the sun would set. To a casual observer, it might seem like I wanted to visit my sister’s grave. Maybe I bought flowers for her.
I didn’t come here for that. I came for Cin. Only I forgot he wasn’t here.
But maybe I was wrong. He could have come back here first. I didn’t see his bike or Ethan’s.
Shit. This was stupid.
But I had to risk coming here because I couldn’t go home. Or the police station and deal with the detective or the NCIS agent. My options were limited with whoever it was following and watching me. I didn’t want to lead them to my house.
My fingers trembled as I parked, shut off the ignition, and removed my key. I dropped it into my purse, clutching it close as I struggled to remain calm.
What if this person meant to harm me? What if they had a weapon and shot me?
I couldn’t stay in my truck, immobilized by fear. Pretending not to notice the car park across the lot from me, I got out and closed the door. I only took about five steps. After that, I heard the car’s engine rev before it sped toward me.
Shocked, I stayed rooted to the spot. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t. No one wanted me dead. Right?
Staring at the vehicle gaining speed, I didn’t notice I wasn’t alone until I heard the rumble of a motorcycle and Cin’s deep, sinful voice hollering for me.
“Gwen. Get on my bike. Hurry!”
I didn’t hesitate to sprint toward Cin, hop on behind him, and wrap my hands around his waist.
“Hold on!”
Cin didn’t drive out of the parking lot. He didn’t even stay on the asphalt. With wide, terrified eyes, I watched as we rode onto the grass and began to climb one of the hills beside the cemetery gates.
The scariest part? We weren’t alone.
The car followed us, bumping over the uneven terrain as I clutched at Cin, worried I would be thrown from his bike and run over.
I didn’t have time for a helmet, and nothing I wore would protect me from road rash.
As I heard the engine rev far too close to Cin’s bike, I glanced over my shoulder.
This had to be the craziest thing I’d ever seen.
Who would drive up the grass outside the graveyard with their car! ?
Cin kept looking in his mirrors with grim determination, forcing his Harley to pick up speed as he tried to outrun the car.
I risked another glimpse and didn’t recognize the driver.
All I could see was a big man behind the wheel wearing a black ski mask.
In hot-as-hell weather since we experienced an unseasonably warm spell this week.
Whoever drove that car wanted us both dead.
The car was gaining. It nearly hit the back tire as I screamed.
Cin shouted, “Don’t let go!”
“I won’t!” I promised.
The car revved its engine again. I could feel the heat coming off the grill, scorching my back. Or maybe I just imagined it since terror consumed me.
“Omen!”
I didn’t have time to wonder why Cin called for his pet, but one moment the car was right behind us, the next it was gone. The only explanation was the huge thud I heard right before it disappeared.
I had to look. A gasp left my mouth when I saw the car had crashed, with a massive dent in the side. Some unseen force dragged the driver out of it. Something big, strong, and powerful.
Like a grim.
“Hold tight!” Cin warned me as I whipped my head forward again. My bottom bounced on the seat as I clutched him as tight as possible.
I didn’t know what he meant until I saw the approaching fence. A fallen log lay in front of it. He wasn’t going to do what I thought. Right?
The front tire lifted off the ground as Cin rode onto it, skidding along the bark until we jumped over the fence. We landed hard enough to make my teeth click together.
I managed not to scream as we fishtailed and Cin straightened the bike, picking up speed again. We weren’t slowing down. If anything, Cin was purposely increasing speed.
In front of us, a large patch of graves loomed ahead, lined up in dozens of rows. One in particular was quite massive. I couldn’t see the name or who it belonged to, not that it mattered.
A whimper left my throat when I heard gunfire. The driver was shooting at Omen, us, or both. Cin leaned forward, and I pressed close, noticing two impossible things.
One, we were now going too fast to avoid a collision.
Two, Cin wasn’t steering us away from the object ahead or trying to leave the graveyard. In fact, he seemed determined to reach that object in front of us while still maintaining speed.
The last thing I heard was the echo of my scream as it reverberated throughout the cemetery and bounced off the solid weight of the headstone. . . right before we crashed into it.
“DON’T LET GO, GWEN!”
Cin’s voice sounded warbled and far away.
“Stay with me, baby!”
I didn’t know what was happening. My mind couldn’t seem to grasp reality.
I couldn’t feel anything. Couldn’t think. There was no pain or joy—just emptiness. Reality seemed distorted and muddy.
And then, without much effort, Cin’s voice commanded me to open my eyes, and I obeyed.
“Gwen. Wake up!”
Slowly, as if stuck in a fog, my eyes opened. “What happened?”
“You passed out.” Cin sounded concerned. “Scared the shit outta me, baby. You okay?”
“I think so.” My mind struggled to grasp where we were and how I ended up on the ground, held by Cin.
“You’re safe. Omen made sure of that.”
Safe? I blinked, staring at my biker in confusion until clarity returned with a swiftness that made me gasp. “The car chasing us!”
“That’s right. The driver is no longer a problem. The club will take care of the evidence.”
Take care of. . . oh.
“Omen had a snack, so he won’t need to hunt for a bit.”
A human snack? “I think I’m going to puke.”
Cin chuckled. “Please don’t. I’m not letting go of you, and I don’t want to wear it.”
“Not funny.” I slipped my arms around his neck as he stood and lifted me, holding me a little too tightly as he walked toward his bike a few feet away.
He straddled the seat, turning my body around to face him. “Wrap your arms and legs around me. I’m not taking any chances you’ll fall off.”
I couldn’t argue since I already passed out once.
Wait. There was a reason for that—the headstone. We crashed into it!
My head turned left and right as I searched for the big slab of stone we slammed into and couldn’t find it. The whole cemetery seemed different. None of the trees were located in the same place. The graves appeared altered.
“Cin?”
“You’re not imagining things. This isn’t the same cemetery.”
“Not the same cemetery,” I repeated, more confused than ever. “Where are we?”
“The closest one to Deathrock.”
“How?”
“You sure you’re up for hearing this right now?”
I lifted my hands and placed my palms on the light scruff of his cheeks. “Yes. Tell me.”
“We traveled by headstone.”
I just stared at him. That explanation wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. That would mean something I didn’t know I could accept. Like nothing I knew about the world up until now was right. The rules had all changed in an instant.
“You’re doubting my words.”
“No. I’m doubting it’s possible.”
“Anything is possible.” His lips kicked up at the corners. “Anything, Gwen. Life and death. The soul returning to claim a lost love.”
“You’re talking about reincarnation.”