Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
“Jackson,” I cry out, my voice shaky. “Ahead, there is a street, turn right before you get to it. We need to lose them.”
Jackson’s fingers are gripping the wheel as he accelerates, then, just as he’s about at the street, he swerves and goes down it. The truck skids, and we nearly lose traction at the speed we’re going. Bouncing over the sidewalk, we manage to just make it into the narrow street. Two cars manage to follow us down.
“Go toward any kind of bushland,” I frantically tell Jackson. “This truck can take it, their cars can’t.”
“I’m lookin’,” Spike growls, scrolling on his phone as he tries to look at a map. “Ahead, two miles, there is woodland to the left.”
Jackson puts his foot down and the cars get closer and closer as we weave through traffic. By some small miracle, we make it to the woodland, and, without hesitation, Jackson turns the truck and barrels into it. The grass is long and thick, and there are fallen logs and trees everywhere. The car bounces aggressively as Jackson manages to navigate it into the trees just enough for the cops not to be able to follow.
“Get out,” Jackson orders, unbuckling his seatbelt. “We run.”
I don’t question it, I leap out of the car, take Jackson’s hand, and we run. We go deeper and deeper into the woods as sirens and shouting comes from behind us. My chest is tight, and I’m struggling to breathe as we pick up the pace, weaving through trees and getting so deep into the scrub that it’s hard to continue.
“We need another car, right fuckin’ now,” Spike is barking into the phone. “A road is coming up, I sent you the location. Move.”
I don’t know who he is talking to. I don’t care.
I cling to Jackson and run, praying the cops don’t reach us first.
We make it to the road that Spike was talking about, and there a car skids to a stop with Cade and Addison inside. I don’t hesitate, I swing the door open and launch in, followed by Spike and Jackson. Then, we’re speeding off, and as we move, cop cars are filling the streets, their sirens blaring. They’re looking for us.
Thankfully, I think we managed to escape them.
Zipping through streets, we drive until we can’t hear the sirens and everything seems to go quiet. Nobody speaks, our hearts are all no doubt pounding as we realize just how close we came to getting caught. Jackson hasn’t released my hand, not once.
We come to a stop about an hour later. We are on an abandoned dirt road where Ciara and Janine are standing with Muff and about five other bikers from the club. Ciara is holding Ava in her arms, and I don’t stop for even a second before I throw myself out of the truck.
I don’t care if it’s safe or not.
All I can see is her.
I run toward my baby, and the moment I stop in front of her, I pull her into my arms, tears rushing down my cheeks as I breathe in her precious scent and kiss her chubby cheeks. I never want to feel the pain of thinking I might be ripped from her again. I never want to experience that kind of agonizing grief.
“Are you okay?” Ciara asks when I pull back from Ava’s face long enough to focus on her.
“I’m okay,” I croak, running my fingers through Ava’s soft hair.
“We don’t have long, honey.” She smiles, sadly. “It’s not safe for her to come with us, but Janine is going to take care of her.”
I shake my head, more tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I promise you nothing will happen to her,” Janine says, stepping up beside Ciara and reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “She will be safe.”
“I can’t leave her again,” I whisper, my voice shaking as Ava takes my hair and ties to put it in her mouth.
“It’s not safe,” Ciara says again, her voice careful and kind.
Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I know she’s right. I press my face back into Ava, breathing her in, kissing her cheeks, telling her over and over just how much I love her. I have never felt a pain quite as intense as the one I do right now. It’s soul consuming, gripping my chest like a vice.
“We have to go, honey,” Addi is beside me now, and she gently places her hand on my arm.
It takes everything I have to hand my daughter to Janine, but I know she’ll keep her safe, and, even though it kills me, I know it’s for the best. It is, without a doubt, the worst feeling I have ever experienced in my entire life. I never want to feel this again. I want this to be over so I can go home to my family.