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It’s one heart-stopping moment before we both realize it’s an alert screaming from our phones, his smartwatch, the car’s phone system, even the tablet in the backseat meant to keep Willow entertained.
Demyen hisses a curse when he sees the dashboard.
Me? I feel like I’m going to throw up.
AMBER Alert: Las Vegas, NV. Child Abduction—5-year-old female, dark hair, hazel eyes. Suspect: Clara Everett. Early twenties. Presumed armed and dangerous.
“He actually did it.” The words tumble from my numb mouth. Everything feels numb. Drained. Hopeless. “He actually did it.”
The line clears up enough for us to pull into the reserved section, where we can see a small group of official-looking school administrators slowly gather. They smile at us as we drive closer, but those smiles feel as fake as the one Demyen’s suddenly plastered on his face.
He smiles at them and gives a little wave. The one who looks like she’s in charge responds with a polite nod, her hand gripping a walkie-talkie as she waits for us to approach.
Which we don’t.
Because Demyen keeps driving.
He doesn’t hit the gas; we’re still in a school driveway. But he also doesn’t pull into the orientation parking, or any other parking. He just… keeps driving.
“Dem?” I grab the doorframe. I don’t want to startle Willow, but I’m watching the faces of the administrators shift from fake geniality to confusion to concern.
“I know.” He taps the gas a little. We’re almost to the exit gate where another guard is stopping each car to verify whatever the hell needs so much oversight. “Almost there.”
We’re two cars behind.
People are walking faster toward the car. The guard at the exit gate listens to something in his earpiece and whips his gaze to us.
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I can’t believe Martin pulled this stunt. If he gets Willow, I can’t afford the attorney or court costs?—
“Hey, Wills?” Demyen glances at her through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah?”
“You buckled up?”
We hear a click. Then another. “Now, I am!”
I feel sick. She was so excited, so ready to just leap out of the car for her first day…
“Great. We’re gonna play pretend, okay? Pretend we’re on a rollercoaster.” Demyen grips the steering wheel tighter. “So I need you to hang on tight, okay? Just like on a rollercoaster.”
“Okay!”
I whip my wide-eyed stare to him. “Dem…”
He meets my gaze. Then grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I told you, babe. You’re mine.”
And that’s when he floors it.
62
CLARA
“It’s fucking bullshit.” Demyen grinds his teeth and listens to whatever Bambi’s saying on the other end. “Yeah, I know. But it’s still bullshit, and you know it. No, listen: I don’t care if he hand-carved her from marble and gave her the Breath of Life. He fucking lied and I need you to make him undo it.”
