Chapter 11 – Remi #2
“You okay?” I ask, biting back a chuckle when I notice his death grip on the handle above him and his other hand braced against the leather seat. “I thought you were used to these kinds of speeds.”
“I am,” he says, his voice tight. “When I’m in control. Not like this. But I trust you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
The road bends again, tighter, and I adjust my speed as I enter the curve, balancing the Demon’s weight through the turn and keeping her exactly where I want her.
Headlights flare up ahead, too many and way too close.
My focus sharpens as two cars pull out from a side road.
They aren’t part of the race, and neither one slows as they move to block the lane.
“Remi, brake.”
I don’t.
I cut left, then snap the Demon right, aiming for the narrowing gap as one of the cars swerves to close it. The Demon fights me for a fraction of a second before I muscle her through, clearing the bumper by inches.
The race route disappears behind us as I tear down a side road I’ve never driven before. It’s narrower and darker, but it’s open, and right now, that’s all I care about.
“Who the fuck are they? You think they’re looking for Rafe?”
“Whoever they are, they’re not friendly.” Papá reaches for his Glock. “You armed?”
“Always.”
“That’s my girl.”
One of the cars catches up fast and swings toward my rear, trying to spin us out.
I accelerate before he can make contact, putting enough distance between us to avoid the hit as I scan the unfamiliar roads and recalculate with every turn.
I’m not chasing a finish line anymore. I’m looking for a way out.
“Stay on it, Remi,” Papá shouts as he lowers his window.
He leans toward the opening and fires, three shots ripping through the night.
“Be careful!”
The car behind us jerks across the road. Papá fires again, and this time, it veers hard, tears off the pavement, and disappears into the embankment.
I check the mirror, but there’s no time to celebrate because the second car is still coming. Gunfire erupts behind us, bullets piercing Rafe’s roof and rear bumper.
Fuck.
“Papi! Are you good?”
“Not yet.”
He takes aim again, leaning too far out the window, giving them too much of a clear shot, so I reach across the center console to drag him back inside, but he fires before I can.
One shot, then another. Glass explodes from the car behind us, then swerves violently.
The tires scream right before it goes airborne, slams back onto the pavement, and spins across the highway.
“Get down!” I snap, yanking him back into the seat.
I wrench the Demon around the wreck as pieces of metal and glass scatter across the asphalt, then keep driving until the twisted car disappears from my rearview and there’s no sign of anyone else following us. Only then do I bring the Demon to a stop.
For a few breaths, neither of us moves. The only sounds are the ticking of the Demon’s engine and the rush of blood pounding in my ears.
Papá and I look at each other.
“We have to check.”
I throw the car into park and reach for my weapon.
“Remi, wait. I’ll do—”
I’m already out of the car and moving toward the wreck with my gun drawn. This is too familiar, too close to what happened four years ago. I need to know if it’s them, if they’re back.
“What are you doing?” he asks as he catches up to me. “More could show up, and we’re out here in the open.”
“I have to make sure…”
The rest dies on my tongue when I see the driver hanging halfway through the shattered windshield. His eyes are half-lidded and fixed on nothing, and the damage to the side of his neck leaves no question that he’s dead.
The passenger is still alive.
He drags himself free of the mangled car, his boots scraping through broken glass as one arm hangs at a sick angle and the other claws at the ground. Blood has soaked through his shirt and runs down his side as he tries to crawl away from us.
I raise my weapon, keeping my finger alongside the trigger.
“Don’t move.”
He freezes, chest heaving, then turns his head just enough to look at me. Blood coats his teeth when he tries to speak, and maybe my brain is fucking with me, because I swear his mouth pulls into something that almost resembles a smile.
I press my boot against the man’s injured arm, and he howls as I lean closer.
Papá catches my elbow. “Remi…”
“He tried to kill you. Kill us. He deserves this.”
His eyebrows pull together, and there’s something in his expression I’m not used to seeing from him when it comes to me. Concern. Not for what this man might do, but for what I’m about to.
I’m too worked up to care.
Crouching beside him, I bring the barrel of my gun to his temple while turning his bloodied arm over with my free hand. I hold my breath, expecting to find a scorpion tattoo, but there’s nothing there. I check the other arm. Bare too.
“What is it, princesa?”
“I thought…” I stare down at him, trying to make sense of it. “I thought he was one of them. Why else would they do this? No one knew I’d be here tonight, let alone driving that car.”
Before either of us can say another word, sirens blare in the distance.
“Gotta go, Remi girl. Leave him. He’s as good as dead.”
I search the man’s pockets, pulling out his wallet and a phone smashed beyond use.
“No loose ends, Papá.”
“Remi.”
I know that tone. But I also know what this man did. I rise and fire once into the back of his head.
Papá goes silent beside me.