Page 71 of Until the End

Nah. We got some seltzers and beer.

I knew I loved you for a reason.

Oh, not because I’m your twin?

That one’s a given.

“Is Gia giving you shit?”

I show the text thread to Carson, and he cracks up. “Just don’t tell her we almost forgot it.”

“Never. I’m not about to get on her bad side.”

The SUV clunks a couple of times, and Carson and I look up at Daren. Leaning forward, I try to listen for it again. “What was that?”

The car jolts, making Daren slow down and pull over. “I’ll call Reggie to come get us. Something’s not right.” He scans the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

We’re only five minutes from my house, which means we’re surrounded by fields. Before Daren has a chance to pull his phone out, a car comes over the hill behind us. My first thought is that they’ll be helpful, but then Daren’s warning rings in my head.

“Daren…”

“I see them.”

“What do we do?”

He pulls a gun from his holster and turns his head to watch out the window. He doesn’t respond to my question, just waits to see what the car will do.

A man gets out of the car, his shaggy brown hair hanging over his eyes. When he pushes it off his face, I relax into my seat.

It’s not Wesley. Thank god.

Daren gets out of the SUV, keeping his gun held behind his back. Apparently, he’s still weary.

“You guys having car trouble?” the man asks.

“Yeah, it just sort of died on us,” Daren responds.

“I’m a mechanic. I could take a look for you.”

“We’ve got a guy coming to pick us up, but if you want to check it out, go ahead.” Daren pops the hood of the SUV, and in the half a second Daren has his back turned, the man pulls a gun from his waistband and has it pressed to Daren’s temple.

“Don’t move. I don’t want to hurt you,” the guy warns. “Give me the gun.”

Daren hesitates.

“Now.”

Slowly, Daren hands his weapon to the man, his shoulders slumping.

The stranger looks at the back window, despite it being too tinted for him to see us. “Virginia, I need you to come with me.”

I whip my head to look at Carson as he says, “Don’t do it, Goose.”

“Get out of the car, Virginia, or I will shoot him.”

“Carson…” I can’t let him hurt Daren. It would destroy me if I let that happen.

“Let me go first.” Carson steps over me to open the back door. He gets out with his hands in the air. “You don’t want to do this, man.”

---