Page 94 of Living with Fire
CHAPTER 32
SAVANNA
I’m not sure how long I’m out, but when I open my eyes, we’re on the interstate.
My head is pounding, and dizziness threatens to swallow me, sending my stomach roiling. I know I’m bleeding before I reach up and touch the spot just above my temple where the gun hit me. Sure enough, my fingers are red and sticky when I pull them away.
I’m so screwed. I should have done something more when I had the chance. I should have alerted Brody in some other way. I should have stayed inside in the first place.
Most of all, though, I should have told Nate I love him.
“There she is,” Vincent says from beside me. It’s apparent from his tone that he’s calmed down since I screamed at Liam. Fingers brush across my forehead, moving through my hair a second later so he can push it out of my face. “You have a nice nap, bear?”
The fact he thinks what I had was a nap is disgusting and delusional. I wish I could tell him he hit me so hard I blacked out, but I’m pretty sure it won’t help my case.
Shifting in my seat to get as far away from him as I can, I press myself against the door, watching the outside speed by. “Where are we going?”
“Baby bear, I told you,” he coos at me as though nothing has happened. As though I haven’t been gone for six months. It was always the same after he hurt me. The period of sweetness, the soothing, the lull of a promise he wouldn’t do it again. “It’s a surprise.”
I don’t look at him. I’m frozen in my spot by a glimmer of hope. When I shifted, I realized my phone was in my back right pocket. If I can get it out, there’s a chance I can call for help.
Nate will know by now I’m gone. Liam would have made sure of that. They’ll have the police searching for me. If Nate answers his phone, maybe I can get Vincent talking and he’ll tell me where we’re going.
I chance a glance his way. His eyes are focused on the road, his fingers tapping the wheel to the tune of whatever rap song he has playing in the background. I always hated listening to his music, but the way he’s bopping his head to the beat has me feeling a surge of gratitude for it.
Keeping my eyes semi focused in his direction, I slowly shift my arm behind me, craning my wrist so I can grab my phone and pull it out with the tips of my fingers. I nearly lose it when it suddenly comes free, but I wriggle my entire body in a feigned shiver in order to keep my hold on it.
“Can we turn the AC down? I’m freezing.”
Vincent’s eyes flash to me and he grins, turning the AC down a notch. “California girl now, huh? Can’t stand the cold. I’ll admit, bear, the place has grown on me the last couple of weeks.” He nods appreciatively. “I heard they got snow in the mountains back home the other day, meanwhile I’ve been sweating my balls off. I could get used to it out here.”
I use his ramblings as cover to shift in my seat, making enough room on the edge that I can set the phone down for balance while I hold it and maneuver it with one hand. Another look in his direction tells me he’s watching the road, not what I’m doing.
I’m about to answer him to keep him distracted from what I’m doing when he suddenly swerves sharply to the right. I yelp in surprise, narrowly managing to hold on to my phone.
“Sorry bear. Almost missed our turn.” He chuckles sheepishly. “That would have been a shame. I can’t wait for you to see where I’m taking you. It’s gorgeous.”
“Great. I’m excited,” I say distractedly, swiping through my phone to get to my contacts.
“Me too, baby bear. You know, I was so damn happy to see that video.” He glances my way and I’m quick to look at him, trying my best to smile, though it isn’t easy given the circumstances.
“I forgive you, you know. For everything. Leaving without a word, not calling for the last six months, letting the internet see you in your underwear.” Vincent sighs, but it’s not entirely unhappy. “That one was a little harder to forgive than the rest, but it led me to you, so I can’t stay too mad.”
I swear he wasn’t always this delusional. I mean, looking back, he wasn’t well, and there were some definite psychopathic tendencies, but I wonder if leaving him made him snap in a way I didn’t realize he could.
Glancing out the front window, I fight the sick feeling in my stomach. “I appreciate that. So now that you’ve found me, what are we going to do?”
“Don’t you want to know how I found you?” he asks, smiling proudly.
I nod when he looks in my direction. Does it matter? No. But I need to keep him talking. The longer he talks, the safer I think I am.
“It was genius. I went by your apartment building, and there was a neighbor outside looking at the construction. The woman couldn’t stop chatting my ear off and was more than happy to tell me about the firefighters that saved the day.” He’s grinning wildly, and while his eyes are focused on the road, there’s a sinister glint in them that has a true shiver sliding down my spine.
I steal a glance down to my phone, finding my contacts and scrolling through. With Vincent this distracted, I feel safe enough to find Nate’s number, hitting the call button. I see it come up dialing, and suck in my bottom lip, praying it connects. A second later it does, and I know he’s picked up. On this secondary highway, however, and this close to the mountains, I worry that I may lose the connection at the worst possible moment.
“She told me about this place that firefighters hang out. Said if she were fifty years younger, she would frequent it daily, and pointed me in the right direction,” Vincent continues, his fingers tapping the steering wheel. “I went that night, thinking I’d strike up a conversation with some guys at the bar, see if they knew anything. Imagine my surprise when I heard your name not fifteen minutes after I sat down.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting one tear slip down my cheek. I know the catalyst for him being here was the video, but to know if some neighbor of mine had just kept her mouth shut, he might never have found me, causes a lump to form in my stomach.