Page 98 of Fragile Sanctuary

My phone buzzed, and I fumbled to grab it. A wave of disappointment hit me when I saw my brother’s name on the screen. Fast on disappointment’s heels came guilt.

Cope

How about a trip to Seattle? I’ve got an extra playoff ticket.

I sighed, my fingers flying across the screen.

Me

Thanks, but I’ve got work and stuff with the house. But I’ll be watching from here.

Cope

Come on Rho-Rho. Come hang with your favorite brother for a week.

Me

You mean my favorite doofus? Sorry, can’t. But I know what you’re trying to do, and I appreciate it.

Cope

Worried about you.

Another wave of guilt hit me, but I couldn’t stay stashed away just because my family was worried.

Me

I’m being cautious. Promise. Love you, doofus.

Cope

Love you, too, dorkus.

I dropped my phone back into the cupholder and pressed the button to start the engine. Carefully, I backed out of my parking spot. The nursery was already empty, but you never knew what random detritus could be in your path.

In a matter of seconds, I’d navigated to the property’s exit and flipped on my blinker. One of the things that I loved about working out here was the commute. I wasn’t sure if you could classify fifteen minutes on winding country roads a commute, but I claimed it as one.

Every season brought a new landscape. Fall had crisp skies and forests occasionally dotted with orange and red. Winter produced stark, snowy landscapes and breathtaking ice-capped mountains. Spring ushered in the endless beauty of wildflowers. And summer gifted the land with the ripple of golden fields against the majestic Castle Rock.

The wildflowers were just beginning to pop up now—my very favorite season. Before long, the meadows I drove by would be dotted with color.

I was so distracted by searching for those hints of blooms that I didn’t notice the SUV behind me until it was right on my tail. Black and oversized with a massive grille, the driver gunned its engine.

I scowled into my rearview mirror and tapped my brakes inwarning.Freaking tourists.They were always in a hurry to get somewhere. Usually, the mountains or Castle Rock. Or maybe Crystal Lake, a couple of hours north.

The SUV didn’t heed my warning, only inched closer.

My heart rate sped up, those quick, tiny beats like a hummingbird’s wings. “Idiot.” He was going to get someone killed. Not that I could see through the sun’s glare on the windshield to tell if it was a male. But the vehicle screamedI have a small penis and must overcompensate.

I put my foot on the brake, slowing so he could—and hopefully would—go around me. But instead, the person behind the wheel gunned it and slammed into the back of my SUV. My head snapped forward, hitting the wheel with a force that had me seeing stars.

Biscuit let out a yelp from the back seat, but thankfully, the fabric divider kept him from doing a header into the front.

I pressed harder on the brake as my SUV slid to the side of the road, hitting gravel. I did my best to course correct, not wanting to slide down the steep embankment on my right. It wasn’t horribly deep, but it wasn’t shallow either, and I didn’t want to find out what damage it could do.

Behind me, an engine revved again, and I cursed.

My gaze flew to the rearview mirror to see the SUV backing up and then jolting into drive. Panic seared me, and blood roared in my ears. I pressed down on the accelerator, trying to find a route that would get me out of the black SUV’s path. But there was nowhere to go. Two lanes and a ravine on either side.

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