Page 100 of Every Which Way

Kenna said, “Don’t worry about me.”

He hit the gas, and they sped up, pushing her back into her seat. The car behind did the same. It put on a burst of speed and clipped the back end of their car at an angle from the license plate to the left corner, pushing them into a spin.

Kenna held on as her stomach swirled. The center median flashed in front of the car, then the trees on the side of the road. Cars around them honked.

The Audi clipped another vehicle and crossed the rumble strip at the shoulder.

And then, they were airborne.

She didn’t know how long it was before she woke up, but when she did, it wasn’t pleasant. Everything hurt. Like she’d been hit by a car and thrown through the air, inside Jax’s…

Jax.

She tried to say his name and heard herself moan, but no real words came out. All she had the strength to do was take in air to keep her heart beating, at least until she became more aware of the world. Herself. The situation.

Jax had slumped over the airbag. In front of her, his father had collapsed against the window, his head against the tempered glass. She unclipped her seat belt first. Then she would…

Someone hammered on the window. Kenna flinched around, which didn’t feel great.

Roxanne stood beside her door, pointing a gun at Kenna. “Get out.” The words were muffled behind the glass, and the company asset knocked on the window with the butt of the gun. “Now.”

Kenna hit the button and grabbed the handle. She twisted around with her knees and kicked at the door so that it swung out fast.

It clipped Roxanne, and she stumbled back, surprised but also amused. “Nice try.” She held the gun on Kenna and motioned for her to move. “You’re coming with me before EMS gets here.”

“I don’t think so.” There was no way she’d leave Jax and his dad unconscious. “You guys have taken way too much from me today. I’m done.”

Kenna leaned against the side of the car and lifted her chin. Her feet sank into the cool earth, dirt and grass with some twigs and pine needles. She really needed to find a pair of shoes.

She looked around and saw a few people had pulled over to help them. Maybe only two cars since the third was probably Roxanne’s.

The other woman took a step closer to her. “Move. Start walking or I start shooting places that won’t kill you.”

Kenna said, “I’m not leaving. You’re gonna kidnap me in front of witnesses?”

Roxanne’s expression indicated she didn’t much care.

“Put it down!” A man roared, and Kenna looked to see Bruce making his way down the grassy hill from the highway.

She ducked inside the car to see if Jax or his dad was waking up. They needed an ambulance for sure. So did she, probably, though she usually didn’t like to admit it. Who wanted to feel helpless? Far too reminiscent of the worst day of her life.

“I said, put it down!”

A second later, a gunshot exploded.

Kenna flinched, turning back to see Roxanne fall to the ground.

“Let’s go.” Bruce walked all the way up to her, right in her space.

She needed Roxanne’s gun just in case the woman wasn’t fully dead. Though, from the look of her, Bruce didn’t leave even a chance she was still alive. Kenna stepped toward the dead woman, hardly able to process what had just happened.

Bruce grabbed her shoulder, squeezing the side of her neck.

“What—”

Everything went black.

ChapterTwenty-Six

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