Page 11 of Phantom Flower

Not the kind of fear I thought he would have.

His chest moved like he was about to pass out.

His grip on my arm was tight and scared.

Something moved in my chest. Not guilt. Fuck that. But I saw it clearly.

This reaction wasn’t normal.

Not for a simple fear of speed.

Something was off.

Trauma?

I eased off the accelerator and slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a violent stop on the side of a deserted road leading into the dark woods.

No one around.

Perfect isolation.

“We’re here,” I said flatly, as if nothing had happened. I pushed open my door and stepped out.

Rei stayed frozen in the passenger seat for a long second, breathing still erratic. I walked around the car, opened his door, and loomed over him. “Get out.”

He glared up at me, jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping.

“You’re a fucking monster.”

I leaned down, one hand braced on the roof of the car, the other gripping the doorframe, caging him in.

My voice dropped.

“And you’re the idiot who poked the monster, Rei. Now get the fuck out of the car before I drag you out myself. We’re going to have a little chat.”

Chapter 5

Rei Kurosaki

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t breathe.

The memory crushed into me, dragging me back one year.

The rain had been pouring so hard that night. I remembered the way his hands gripped the steering wheel as the car started to skid.

“Dad…”

The tires weren’t responding.

I could still hear the sound, the awful screech of rubber losing its grip on the road.

Everything happened so fast.

One moment, I was screaming. The next, my dad was throwing himself across the seat.

His body covered mine just before the impact.