Page 116 of Heir

I dropped my phone on her lap. “Don’t freak out, but I need you to call my dad. And put it on speaker.”

“Kai—”

“Just do as I ask, okay? The code for the phone is 5776. Got it?”

“G-got it.”

I sped up and sure enough, the SUV did too. I weaved in and out of traffic, the SUV following close behind. Cars honked around us, but I ignored that, trying to lose our tail.

The fucker moved into our lane.

I pulled out of it, nearly clipping a fucking truck. He blew his horn, and Gemma let out a small scream, covering her ears with her hands.

Fucking hell.

“It’s all right, baby. Just call for me.”

Even in the semi-darkness of the car, I could see her hands trembling as she placed the call.

It rang three times before Dad’s voice came through. “Kai?”

“Dad, we’re being followed. A black SUV. I can’t read the plates. Also, I have Gemma in the car with me.”

A loud bang rang out, and it took me a moment to realize we were being shot at.

Gemma screamed.

“It’s okay, baby,” I said, taking a sharp turn. It took a while for the car to catch up, but he was still on us.

On the line, Dad let out a string of curses. “Where are you? I’ll send men over and see if they can chase the SUV while you take Gemma somewhere and hide.”

I didn’t say anything.

Fuck, but it went against everything in me to hide. I wanted to pull over and fucking beat the bastard with my own hands.

But Gemma was in the car, and I couldn’t risk her.

I looked up at the street. “We’re near the Sacramento River. Close to my apartment. I just turned onto 7th at G Street.”

“Got it. Keep making turns. The brothers will go around the block and see if we can cut this fucker off.”

“Okay,” I said, and he hung up. I looked sideways at Gemma. “Hold on, okay? I won’t let anything happen to you.”

And how fucking much I meant those words. I would not let anything happen to her. I fucking vowed it. I took another right turn. Another bang.

Gemma reached over and grabbed my thigh, moving closer to me.

She didn’t say anything.

I tried to remember where anything was, and where I was.

If I remember correctly, there was a parking lot a block away. If I timed it right, the brothers should be here, giving us a chance to cut through and wait there for the danger to pass.

I slowed down a little, throwing the fucker off.

“Baby, take the wheel.”

“What?”

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