Page 73 of Perfect Liar

Then Will lowered his head and put a soft, haunting kiss on my mouth.

Ben accelerated.

So did the car behind us.

He hit the brakes.

Both cars skidded, tires screeching as rubber smoked and burned. The sedan plowed into the back of us.

Metal crunched. Glass shattered.

Will’s body absorbed the impact for me.

Ben threw the Rover into reverse and accelerated again, pushing back on the sedan until it dislodged from our bumper and lurched sideways. It slid into the gravel at the edge of the road.

Will and Thomas jumped out of the car at once.

In the time it took me to twist and track them through the broken rear window, they tore the two men out of the dark car and held them at gunpoint.

Ben stayed behind the wheel with the car running, ready to quickly pull away.

“Shit!”

He slammed the car into park.

And as he leaped out, he shouted at John and me to keep our arses in the goddamn car.

John held my hand, the sweat from our palms mixing.

Then he squeezed. Hard.

“Oh fuck,” he shouted.

CHAPTER 22

A police car’s flashing blue emergency lights approached from the opposite direction.

Pain and nausea struck my stomach. I put my head between my knees.

Five. Four. Three. Two?—

Ben jumped into the car, handed the guns to John, and put the windows down.

“Pull the mags and get them in the floor. Ellie, you sit up straight. Will has this in hand…it’s an unfortunate car accident and nothing more.”

I sat upright, and a blast of crisp air came through, slapping me in the face.

The rumbling of Will’s voice resonated, though I couldn’t make out what he said to the police officer. His serious expression suggested he was negotiating a deal. His tensed arms and shoulders said don’t fuck with me.

Once he and Thomas got back in the car, and Ben pulled away, I didn’t even ask. I held on to his arm and rode back to Eastridge quietly in shock.

My strength or the shock or whatever had gripped me crumbled as we entered my bedroom. I cried, and Will held me, smoothing my hair and soothing me with his soft words.

He placed a tender kiss on my palm.

“No more worrying, Elle. Everything’s okay. Have a soak in the tub while I touch base with my office and with Ethan.”

I nodded.