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Hunter points ahead to an offramp looming in the distance. “Take the exit. We’re going to switch seats.”
It’s crazy and we shouldn’t slow down, but I want out of the driver’s seat. I feel like I might puke at any second.
As we approach the offramp, Hunter springs into action. Before the car even comes to a stop at the bottom of the ramp, Hunter is climbing over. I hop into the backseat, my hands touching the glass while giving him the space he needs to maneuver. It takes less than ten seconds for us to make the switch. He hits the gas and we’re racing up the onramp to get back on the highway. I climb into the passenger seat, brushing the glass from my hands and nicking my skin in the process. A minor cut I don’t even feel.
I glance behind us and see our pursuers driving erratically once again.
“What do we do?” I ask. “How are we going to get away?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know but we’re not stopping.”
The sound of sirens pierces the air, and my heart lurches in my chest. Are we busted? Are we going to jail? I can't bear the thought of it. I look behind us once again and see the red and blue lights of a cop car racing towards us.
“Sit tight,” he warns. "We’ve done nothing wrong.”
More sirens and cop cars join the pursuit. “Do we pull over?”
“No. I’m not pulling over.” He glances in the rearview mirror and I see the relief wash over him. “They are.”
I turn around to look. The police have pulled over the men wreaking havoc on the highway in pursuit of us. We're in the clear—for now, at least. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, relief flooding through me like a tidal wave.
Hunter looks over at me and smiles. “That was one hell of a rush.”
“You’re insane. I’ve hooked up with a crazy person.”
He chuckles. “I don’t think I’m the crazy one in this duo.”
Chapter twelve
Hunter
After two days of non-stop driving, we finally arrive in Miami. We didn’t dare stop after the incident at the truck stop. How they found us, we don’t know, but no way were either of us ready to take that risk again. We put plastic over the place where the back window had been and took turns driving to keep us on the road.
I glance over at Paige, her face drawn and weary from the long journey. Her eyes are closed and her head resting against the window. She's been through so much in such a short amount of time, and yet she remains remarkably resilient. My cheek is sore from the fight and the bruising is beginning to spread. I would have taken a bullet for her if that’s what it came to in that parking lot. It's hard not to feel a sense of protectiveness towards her. She’s young, beautiful and undeserving of what’s happening to her. It infuriates me to know she had to give up everything and risk her life just so she could choose who she married.
"Where are we?" Paige asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
I take a deep breath and focus on the road ahead. "We're in Miami.”
Paige nods, her eyes filled with both relief and trepidation. We still have no idea if and when her pursuers will show up again. “We need to get a room,” she yawns and sits up a little straighter.
“And ditch this car. I think we could sell it for five hundred bucks in a hurry.”
She nods. “Okay. Whatever you think.”
I look over at her, a little sad to see the defiant, pampered creature I met days ago has been reduced to a woman that is exhausted and willing to give up control to a relative stranger.
“Hey, you escaped,” I tell her. “This was your plan. You’re going to be okay.”
“I don’t know. I thought it would be easier than this. I never expected him to put me in danger. I assumed he would be mad and maybe look for me, but not this. I’ve just been thinking—”
“Don’t say it,” I stop her. “You’re not going back. If your almost-husband was willing to do this to get you back, what is it going to be like for you being married to the man? He’ll make you a prisoner in your own home. You’ll never have freedom. He’ll never trust you won’t try to escape again. I’m not just saying that because I’m jealous. He’s not a good man. Your instincts were right. Running was the best thing you could have done.”
Paige sighed, looking out the window as we drove through Miami. "I don't know. It's just so hard to imagine a different life, you know? To start over, to be alone..."
"But think about the life you could end up living if you give up," I said, trying to reassure her. "Do you really want to go back to that? Do you want to be chained to a man who doesn't is willing to put your life in jeopardy to bring you back?”
She thought for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I guess you're right. I just need to hold onto that thought."
