Page 2 of Vengeful

She shoved past Parker and climbed into the back of the car. Blood trickled down her face from a gash in her forehead. Her face was pale, she looked dazed, but otherwise she seemed unhurt.

"Lucky your father sent you such a sturdy car." Parker stepped out behind her. He glanced at me and shrugged. Both he and Hunter seemed disappointed to see her alive.

My own feelings were conflicted. Part relief, part reemergence of fear.

I could almosthearmy father telling me I failed.

"You tried to kill her but she's still alive. You can't even do that right, can you? Maybe you deserve to be locked away in the dark forever."

I pressed the heel of my hand to my temple, as if I could physically push the thoughts away.

"I don't know what happened." Chloe shook her head. "I tried to stop, but the brakes… I guess I was going too fast and the car skidded on the gravel."

"You were going fast," Slade said. "Some may say you were driving recklessly."

She squinted at him. "Yeah." She seemed confused.

"I'm no doctor, but hitting your head might have given you a concussion," I said. "Maybe you should sit down." I gestured towards the back of Slade's SUV.

I should find a weapon and finish her off here and now. People would believe a blow to the head was from the accident. If they didn't, I could pay them off to say that.

I couldn't bring myself to move. Some small part of me wanted to put my arms around her and comfort her. To tell her I was glad she was alive. I wanted her to hug me back the way Hunter and Parker would have done to each other. Right before they killed whoever did this to them.

Instead, I watched her slump down in the back seat and turned away as the ambulance skidded to a stop beside the wreck.

Time stood still.

I watched as though I was watching a movie. The paramedics climbed out of the ambulance and tended to Chloe. One of them slipped into the Mercedes and placed one of those collars around Zachary's neck to keep him from moving too much.

Words were spoken, but only a handful filtered through into my brain. Concussion. Potential broken neck. Very lucky.

They forced Zachary's door open and carefully lifted him onto a wheeled gurney.

I stared down at him as they pushed him past me. His face was covered with blood. He looked paler than Chloe. If the paramedics hadn't said he was breathing, I might have assumed he was dead.

Somewhere in the middle of this, Dane DiMarco pulled up. His face was a mask of worry until he saw Chloe. He gently pulled her into his arms and cradled her, comforting her in a way I never could. I knew he loved her, but I'd never seen himdemonstrate it until now. If he lost her, he'd be devastated. Just as I'd be devastated if I lost the twins or Slade.

Someone said something to me, but I didn't hear until the second or third time.

"Lila? Lila? Hey, babe." Hunter wound his arms around me and drew me to him. "They're taking Zachary and Chloe to the hospital. They think they'll both make a full recovery."

I looked up at him through teary eyes. "This wasn't supposed to—" I couldn't finish the sentence. I was cold and numb all over.

"No, but with any luck, they'll blame your father for this. If Chloe thinks he's trying to kill her, she may choose to walk away."

"He'll deny it." I blinked until the tears trickled onto my cheeks.

Hunter wiped them away with the pad of his thumb. "So will we. This isn't the first time your father tried to kill all three of you. We'll say it was another of his tests. He can deny it all he likes; Chloe won't know what to think."

"Right." The last time was armed mercenaries attacking Brutham Academy. Cars with tampered brakes was something very different, but not implausible. The more I thought about it, the more it sounded like something he'd do.

He'd want to see which of us would just jump into a car, apparently gifted by him, and drive away in it. Honestly, if he'd sent them, I would have had the vehicle checked out thoroughly before I went anywhere near it. If there was anything I learnt this year, it was not to trust anyone except Hunter, Parker and Slade.Maybemyself.

Chloe evidently hadn't learned that lesson. That thought shouldn't have given me a surge of satisfaction, but it did.

"I see you understand," Hunter said proudly. "We can totally use this to our advantage. Your father will approve."

His words gave me a sliver of hope. "You think so?"

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