Crap, we’re going to get pulled over.
“Wanna slow down there?” I softly murmur.
She doesn’t listen, her speed actually increasing a little.
Okay, I’ll try a different tact.
I clear my throat. “What’s your name?”
She hesitates, glancing at me like I’m crazy, or maybe I’ll pull the trigger if she doesn’t tell me.
Crap! I hate that I’m doing this to her.
I force a smile and try to laugh. But does that make me sound more of a psycho?
Killing the sound, I clear my throat and shrug. “I’m just asking your name.”
“Why?”
“So I can use it when I talk to you.”
“Why would you want to talk to me?”
“Just tell me your name!” I snap.
She flinches and softly murmurs, “Kena.”
I feel bad for raising my voice, so I lower it to a smooth purr. “Kena? That’s nice. I like that. I haven’t heard that before.”
She gives me another you’re insane look. Her fear from before doesn’t seem so potent, and for some reason, her expression makes me grin.
Working my jaw to the side, I try to keep up the easy tone and lightly say, “So, listen, Kena. You’re driving kinda fast, and I need you to slow down so you don’t draw attention to us. Unless you’re trying to get us pulled over by the cops.” The thought makes my eyebrows dip into a sharp frown. I press the gun into her stomach. “Is that what you’re tryin’ to do?”
“No.” She blinks, her skin paling.
I can’t tell if she’s lying or not.
“Just take a few deep breaths and ease off the gas, all right?”
She lets out a scoffing laugh and shakes her head. “You have a gun pointed at my stomach and you’re asking me to take deep breaths?”
The way her voice trembles makes my chest hurt.
I want to apologize but figure that’ll kill the power I currently have. I need to stay strong until she’s done what I need her to do.
“Look, I don’t want to shoot you, okay? Just drive a few miles more, and then this is all over for you.”
She nods and lets out a sigh, like she’s been holding her breath since she met me. Easing off the gas, she checks her speed and we drive like normal citizens for a few minutes. The coil in my stomach starts to unwind just a touch.
I can do this.
I can regroup.
I can keep my promise to Jade.
“What’s your name?” Kena’s soft question pulls my attention back to her. Her voice is a little deep and husky. I like the sound of it.
“Deeks.” I study the way her mouth twitches into a barely there smile.
She has full lips. They’ve almost got a pouty quality to them.
“That’s a weird name.”
The comment catches me off guard, and I snicker. “It’s short for Deacon.”
She nods, obviously soaking in the information, and then her big brown eyes hit mine for a second. “I like Deeks.”
“Yeah, it’s better, right?”
She nods again, and her smile grows a little wider before dropping away.
It’s strange.
For a girl who’s just been carjacked and shot at, she’s unbelievably calm. No tears, no wailing, begging, pleading. I’ve seen women fall apart in front of Cruz before. Fear makes people willing to do anything.
But I can’t help wondering if this Kena chick would just stand there quietly and face it.
I’ve never met anyone like her.
It fascinates me, which should be a freaking red flag right there.
I’ve always liked women. They’re captivating. I like their kisses, their bodies, their smiles… the fact that they make this world a more beautiful place.
But this one driving… she’s something new.
Something I’ve never experienced before, and I can’t help wondering if when I say goodbye, she’s going to linger with me for a little longer than she should.
11
Very Not Good
“Take this exit.” Deeks directs me off the highway, and we’re soon driving down a country road that obviously leads to some kind of isolated forest, or…
Oh, there’s a lake.
The body of water comes into full view around the corner, the sun sparkling off the top like crystals. I avert my gaze, a shiver running through me. Keeping my eyes on the road, I try to figure out where we might be.
I’ve never been to this area before.
My brain’s so dazed, I don’t even know if we’re still in California.
We probably are.
I try to check my watch to see if I can figure out how long I’ve been trapped in this surreal experience, but Deeks taps his gun lightly on my hand.
“Pull into that rest stop up ahead.”
I do as I’m told, surprised by my calm. As soon as he said he didn’t want to kill me, I believed him. I may be the most gullible girl in the world, but there was something in his tone that made me relax, helped me breathe without feeling like I was going to suffocate.
I’m not sure what’s going on, really. I’ve been carjacked, held at gunpoint, and I haven’t been paralyzed by fear. What the hell is wrong with me?
Biting my lips together, I ease the car to a stop and glance at my carjacker.
His hooded green eyes study me for a moment before he looks out the windshield and scratches his stubble.
The bruising on his face is nasty, and he has a small vertical scar on his right cheekbone that cuts into the top of his stubble. It looks old, though, like not from a recent fight. The different shades of blue, gray and yellow on his face tell me he’s been in a few fights recently, and they’ve all layered on top of one another.
What kind of life does this guy have?
I’m trying to figure out how old he is.
My guess is early twenties. I kind of want to ask, but that’d be weird, right?
He’s holding a gun and has taken me hostage. You don’t start up casual conversations with people like that.
His sharp nose wrinkles before he glances back at me and almost winces. “You gotta get out.”
My mouth pops open, but no words follow, so I’m just sitting there gaping at him. Probably looking like an idiot.
Clearing my throat, I try again. “Are you planning on just leaving me here?” I glance around, taking in the dusty, dirty rest stop with the lake beyond. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“I know, I’m sorry. But there’s bound to be a town or something around here somewhere. Or you could hitch a ride?”
“My dad made me swear I’d never do that.” The words pop out before I can think about them. And suddenly they’re just sitting there, realization following too slowly in their wake.
My dad’s dead.
He isn’t here to tell me off for breaking the rules.
I slump back in my seat, void of breath.
“Listen, lady, I’m really sorry, but I’ve kind of got an emergency here, and I need you to get out so I can take off.” He runs an agitated hand through his scrappy hair and huffs. “I’m sorry about your car, okay? And the money I’m gonna steal off you… And the phone I’m gonna take as well. Can’t have you calling the cops on me.”