Page 78 of Ruin

“At home, we're all here,” Miles replies.

“Plate number-”

“What?”

“Fucking plate number.” I look in the mirror again as Declan tells him the plate number, and I have a look for it. “And another, there are two.” What the hell is happening? I hear Declan tell Miles the number of the other car, as he moves in and out of cars.

“The cars were reported stolen last night,” Miles tells him, then I hear another voice.

“Where are you?”

“Hayden, pin my fucking phone,” Declan shouts at him. “Miles get me off the fucking freeway, there is only so much space I can get between us on here.” Declan continues to shift between cars, and my grip on his arm gets tighter. “Trixie, I need you to breathe.” I nod, not realizing I was holding my breath. “Miles?”

“I’m looking!” Miles snaps and then continues to tell him things. I hear another voice in the background asking how many cars are following us, I want to say it’s Mason’s voice.

“Two in one car, and one in the other.” Declan leans over and opens the glove box, and now I do feel my body tense up when he pulls out a gun. Why the fuck does he carry a fucking gun?

“Do you have your gun?” Hayden asks.

“Yes. Miles where the fuck are you taking me?” I look around the freeway, then back to the mirror to see if they are getting closer to us, and yes, they are. “Shit.” I hear from Declan but it’s not too loud.

Declan moves through the traffic, waiting for Miles to get him off the freeway.

“Where do I take him, that won’t put others in danger?” I hear Miles, he’s talking to everyone, and no one is answering him. “Take the next exit.” Declan moves into the lane, and Miles tells him where to go.

I hear Hayden asking Miles where he is going, and I hear Miles tell him he has no idea.

“It’s the middle of the day, everywhere is busy.” Miles snaps at him, and my hand grips Declan’s forearm, as he takes the exit at the last second, and he looks in the mirror to make sure they haven’t followed.

“Shit. I’ve lost one, but not the other.” Declan listens to Miles as he drives through the roads. “Miles?” Declan questions, and I look around.

It’s a new building site for homes, and it’s becoming a dead end.

“There should be a road-”

“There is no fucking road!” Declan roars out his reply. “Fuck.”

“There should be a road, my system-”

“Your fucking system is shit, did you fall asleep when Cain was teaching you asshole. You’ve trapped your fucking brother-” Declan stops talking, and slams the breaks and turns the car back around, and goes to drive but stops when the car following us is in front of us.

“Declan?”

“Cain, you need to teach your student better,” Declan snaps at him, and no one replies for a moment.

“You need to get out of there, get back on the freeway-”

“I can't, I'm trapped.” Declan looks around the empty space, I can see him working out what to do. “Fuck it.”

“Declan-”

“Stop talking.” He turns to face me. “If anything happens and I can’t get back in the car, take the car and my brothers will get you. Trixie, are you listening?” Declan cups my face to look at him, but I only see a blur as tears build in my eyes from fear.

I’ve been scared before, every night at home, but this, this is a new level of fear for me.

“Trixie, do you understand me? You drive until my brothers come for you.” I nod softly, and without another word Declan checks his gun, and gets out of the car.

“Are you not man enough to face me!” Declan shouts, and I hear his brothers talking about trying to get CCTV up from where we are, which makes me look around but there is nothing. No light posts, no trees, no houses, nothing. It’s almost like we are in the middle of nowhere. “You want me, you fucking got me.” Declan stops when the other car's engine stops, and two large men step out.

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