Gunfire erupts from the mansion doors again. More men spill out, armed to the teeth.
Oh shit, shit, shit—
Nico and Kieran sprint toward us. Car doors are yanked open so hard they slam against their hinges. Micah helps haul Judeup, blood soaking through his pant leg. They shove him into the back seat like they’re loading a body. Heather and Micah scramble into the third row back seats.
“You fucking bitch!” The blonde man shouts at Adriana, pulling the trigger.
She jolts back, blood bursting from her shoulder. Her scream is painful and scared, a sound that I hate to hear, even if I hateher. She stumbles into the car behind Jude, his legs in her lap, and her face pale like she’s about to vomit.
I climb in without thinking, sliding across the seat and pulling Jude’s head into my lap before the door even shuts. His skin is warm, and a sob explodes from me.We’ve got him.He’s here. If I die right now, at least I’ll die knowing that he’s in my arms again.
My Jude.
Nico dives into the passenger seat. Kieran is already behind the wheel.
“Go, go, go!” Rafe shouts from outside.
The engine roars to life. Behind us, Adela and Rafe don’t get in. Instead, they turn towards the violence, and they fire. Muzzle flashes light up the lawn like violent strobe lights. Men chasing us drop. Some of the fleeing guests are caught in the crossfire, collapsing into the grass like ragdolls. The sight punches the air out of me.
Heather screams, hands flying over her eyes. “Oh my god—oh my god—”
Micah pulls her into his chest, shielding her face, even as his own expression is wrecked.
Bullets ping against the side of our car, one of the bullets zipping between our heads and cutting a clean hole through the windshield. We all scream, and Kieran floors it. We tear off the pavement and onto the narrow forest road, tires spitting gravel, engine screaming as trees swallow us whole.
I whirl around to ensure my friends weren’t hit, and thankfully, they both nod, as in reassuring me.
“Are they going to be okay?” I choke out, trying to see through the rear window. “Rafe and Adela—”
Nico starts laughing. It’s wild and almost unhinged. “Okay?” he repeats, glancing back at me with blood splattered across his jaw. “They’remorethan okay. He wasn’t trapped in a room with those fuckers. They were trapped in a room withhim.”
Another sharp turn. The mansion disappears behind a wall of trees. No headlights follow. Just darkness. Stunned silence settles inside the car. I look down at Jude. His head is heavy on my lap. One hand rests limply against my thigh. I brush his hair back from his forehead with shaking fingers.
“Put your hands on his leg to slow the bleeding,” I command, my gaze locking with Adriana’s as she holds her shoulder.
She nods, abandoning her own wound immediately and placing her hands on Jude’s. “What the fuck are you guys doing here?”
“Saving you, dumbass,” Nico calls from the front seat. “Clearly.”
She scowls. “Where are we going? Alexei’s going to find you—”
“No, he’s not,” Nico answers swiftly.
She glares at him. “Oh, you’re fucking stupid if you think he won’t.”
Nico groans, suddenly turning up the music.
Kieran bats his hand away. “Dude, chill the fuck out.”
“She’s pissing me off,” Nico snaps.
Adriana finally quiets, focusing on Jude’s leg instead. I tear my gaze away from her, finding it insane that his abuser is here, and that he evenwantedher to be. It’s hard to ignore the pang of betrayal.Why did he protect her?
“You’re okay,” I whisper, even though he can’t hear me.
Behind me, Heather is trembling uncontrollably now that the adrenaline is draining out of her system. Her teeth chatter, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. Micah holds her tighter, staring out the back window like he’s waiting to see if we’re doomed or not. I check again, too. There’s nothing. But that doesn’t ease the knot in my stomach. Because Rafe and Adela are still back there. Still fighting. And the forest road ahead of us feels endless.
Chapter thirty-seven