Page 93 of Cruel Secrets

There’s smashed glass from the jagged branch tearing its way through the windshield, but none of it seems to have made it to her. That’s a relief, but it doesn’t stop the rest of the worries circling around.

She might be injured in some other way.

She has blood trickling down the side of her face from a cut on her jaw. Tiny cuts cover her arms from the broken glass, making her look like she’s been through a battle and come out on the other side.

Except she’s not answering me.

With a groan, I reach over and shake her shoulder. “Gia, baby, come on. You need to wake up.”

She groans as the slam of car doors echoes down the side of the hill to us.

My heart squeezes tight in my chest as I wriggle around, reaching for the release on the seat belt. Pressing down, I wait for the inevitable fall from my seat and onto the roof of the car, but it doesn’t come.

Jammed.

Glancing around, I see the knife near some of the broken glass. Little shards snag the tips of my fingers, the pain like needles being driven beneath my skin.

At least Bianca is safe with Skyla.

My fingers wrap around the hilt, pain screaming in my shoulder from stretching at an odd angle. I grit my teeth, slicing the knife through the seat belt and bracing.

The thud my body makes as it collides with the roof is nothing compared to the glass sticking to my skin.

With ringing ears and the knife tight in my hand, I shove against the door, hoping it opens. The door barely budges, but there’s movement. I slam my shoulder harder into it and the door gives just enough.

As I wriggle out, the scent of smoke wafts toward me. Thin curls escape from beneath the hood as more doors slam on top of the bank.

Shit.

I round the car quickly, trying not to slide on the ice. Gia is still unconscious and upside down, her arms hanging loose around her head.

Her door doesn’t budge as I grab it and try to force it open.

Going through the window is going to be a tight fit, but it’s the only option I have right now. The smoke is growing thicker, and I can hear the men moving through the trees.

“Come the fuck on,” I mutter as I grab a branch and break out the rest of the glass from the window.

Blood continues to trickle down the side of Gia’s face, wetting her hair. I swallow hard, trying to keep calm as I lie on my back and crawl inside. She’s breathing as I shift beneath her, positioning her head over my chest the best I can to break her fall.

As I reach up and slice the seat belt, gunshots ring out, but they aren’t close. Not enough to hit us at least, but it’s only a matter of time until they are.

I ease Gia down as gently as I can, breaking her fall before gently positioning her to the side. She moans, eyes squeezing tighter shut.

“We’re going to get out of here, baby.”

I wriggle my way back out of the car before reaching in for her. My stomach lurches as I drag her through the broken glass, knowing that she’s going to be cut up and bleeding more by the time I get her out.

One of the men whistles in the distance. “I see the car!”

Gia whimpers as I haul her out of the car while flames start to flicker against the hood, licking at the metal and melting the snow around us. She shifts in my arms but she’s still not conscious.

My heart seizes in my chest as I get a good look at the jagged cut on her forehead. It doesn’t look bad, but I don’t know if any other damage has been done to her body either. The airbags might have damaged her ribs when they deployed, and I would be amazed if she doesn’t have at least a little whiplash.

Footsteps crunch in the blanket of snow, branches snapping beneath someone’s boots.

I get to my feet, lifting Gia even as my shoulder protests. She’s limp, nothing but dead weight, as I carry her deeper into the forest where the trees get a little thicker.

Though I don’t want to leave her, I don’t think there’s going to be much of a choice.

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