Page 116 of Escape

It was all I could do not to succumb to the overwhelming feeling of despair in the pit of my stomach. I had no choice but to keep going, to get there faster, because if something happened to her, there wasn’t a chance I’d survive it.

THIRTY

Josie

“Lori? Lori, can you hear me?”

Despite my attempts to rouse her as I shook her shoulder with my hand, Lori didn’t respond.

I prayed she’d merely been knocked out. My heart ached. If something happened to her, if she was seriously injured as a result of my mess of a situation with Kurt, I’d never forgive myself. It was one thing to put and keep myself in that situation, and it was something else altogether for an innocent person to be hurt by him.

Lori had been driving, doing her best to get away from Kurt and to the police station, but he was right on our tail the entire time. Understandably, she struggled to remain composed.

I’d been so relieved that I got through to Huck, that he’d answered my call, I stopped focusing on what was happening with Lori.

And that’s when it happened.

As Lori slowed the car to make the turn, Kurt rammed into us again, and the car spun out of control. I couldn’t recall how many times we spun—twice, maybe—before the car slammed into one parked along the side street. It all happened so fast, even though there was a part of me that felt as though I was moving in slow motion. Somewhere amid the chaos, my phone went flying from my hand, and as we ground to a halt, the airbags deployed.

Whether it was having endured so much physical trauma over the years that helped me or not, I’d never know. But other than being momentarily stunned by what had happened, I hadn’t been knocked unconscious.

I reached down to unbuckle my belt, only to discover it was jammed. That’s when I started to panic.

Because when I shifted my attention to the window, I saw Kurt making his way toward me. He was seething mad, looking more terrifying than I’d ever seen him in my life. Keeping my eyes focused on him, my heart slamming against my chest, my hand fumbled around for my friend.

“Lori?” I called once more. “Lori, please wake up.”

She didn’t respond.

I had to get out, to get away. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, the seat belt wouldn’t release. Not only could I not unfasten it, but it was pulled taut against my body and wouldn’t budge. I had intended to climb out from beneath it, but the belt was holding me so tight to the seat, there was no way for me to get out.

A moment later, my door swung open. Kurt leaned in and brought his face to within inches of mine. “Did you honestly think I’d just let you walk away from me?”

“Kurt, please,” I begged.

He lifted his hand up to my face, cupped me beneath my chin, and pressed the back of my head into the headrest. “It’s been weeks of following you. Weeks of waiting for that asshole to leave you alone, so I could come back and get what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours,” I spat, the outward confidence a stark contrast to what I was feeling on the inside. I was silently hoping Huck was close to finding me. “I’ll never be yours again.”

A sinister smile spread across Kurt’s face. “Well, you’ve got that right. But the problem is that you won’t be anybody’s ever again, Josie.”

He slid his hand down, curling his fingers around my throat.

I swallowed hard, feeling his grip tighten against my flesh, and realized he knew precisely the effect he was having on me. “Someone’s afraid. You’re not so tough without that guy around you, are you?”

“You’re a coward,” I rasped as he began to choke me. “You can’t fight a man, but you can beat up a woman. You’re nothing but a gutless excuse for a man.”

“You think I care how you feel about me? You’re done, Josie. Done.”

Without another word, he squeezed my throat so tight, there wasn’t a chance I could dream of responding. My hands went to his wrist, and what ensued was a vain attempt to loosen his hold and free myself.

It was at that moment when I wished my recovery hadn’t taken so long. If it hadn’t, I might have been able to take those self-defense classes with Huck and learned what to do in this situation. I would have had some knowledge under my belt.

With my oxygen supply running short, my panic worsened. Then I recalled the sight of Huck’s knuckles when I first woke up in the hospital after he’d rescued me from Kurt’s place.

Fists.

I could use my fists.

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