SUV came to a stop.
There was still distance between me and the car.
I sat there, my hands on the wheel.
In my mind, I had this vision of hitting the gas pedal and crashing into the car.
How badass would that have been?
If I lived through what I did, what was a little exaggerated version of a fender bender, right?
But I couldn’t do that.
It would give me away.
It would only hurt Noah’s car. Which he could replace with a snap of his fingers.
I shut my eyes and pictured me hitting his car.
My teeth started to chatter and tears filled my eyes.
I took a deep breath.
I channeled my inner bitch.
My inner Tina - just like Momma, right?
I opened my eyes and took my hands off the steering wheel.
I wiped my eyes and curled my lip.
It’s time to fucking do this, Winter.
I got out of Tank Two and stood there.
I wasn’t prepared for this.
What was I going to do? What weapon was I going to use?
I walked to the back of Tank Two and remembered where to find the stuff to change a flat tire. A few years ago, Dad went on this kick where he claimed I needed to learn basic things in life. He was determined to teach me how to cook, clean, write a check, learn how to find and turn on a circuit breaker in the house, and how to cover basic maintenance on a vehicle.
Nothing really stuck with me because a week later he was out of town and we never talked about it again.
For the record, I remembered everything and I knew how to take care of myself.
I didn’t know the names of the tools to change the tire, but the thing to loosen the things on the tire… that metal bar… that looked like a good weapon to me.
I closed the back of Tank Two and walked toward Noah’s car.
There were a lot of options here.
I could break the windows.
Smash up the windshield.
Bust out the headlights.
I wondered if that was too much too soon.
I might have been better off scratching up the nice paint on the car.
Noah probably wouldn’t see it until morning.
That would leave his mind spinning…
I swallowed hard and smiled.
I had another choice to make too.
What to do…
Just scratch it up.
Or write something like fuck you.
As I thought about it, I realized I was going to chicken out.
I had to make a move.
Right now.
Right now, Winter! Do it!
I brought the metal bar back like a baseball bat and just needed to get that first swing out of the way.
As I tried to bring it forward, there was resistance.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice said.
Chills ran through my body… fuck.
I spun around, expecting to see Noah.
It wasn’t Noah.
It was a cop.
That made it worse.
Or did it?
My hand opened and the metal bar fell to the ground with a bouncing thud.
“Did you lock yourself out?” the cop asked me.
I looked around and saw his vehicle.
He was security.
Not an actual cop.
Not that it mattered. All he had to do was make a call and I was screwed.
“Cat got your tongue?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Oh, she talks.”
“I’m, uh…”
“You were going to hit that car,” he said. “With a lug wrench.”
“I was… I mean…”
“Stuttering right now is not your friend,” he said.
“I didn’t do anything,” I blurted out.
“Only because I stopped you.”
“But I didn’t do anything,” I said.
“Hey, look at me,” he said. “You don’t think I know who all these vehicles belong to? Are you kidding me? This is serious. What are you doing here?”
“Taking a drive,” I said.
“You’re not driving.”
“I stopped for a break,” I said.
“To smash up a car?”
“I’m… shark week,” I said.
“What?” he asked.
“Shark week,” I said. “My period. I’m hormonal. I’m angry. I’m confused.”
“Oh, come on,” he said. “That’s not going to work here. Listen, I need some identification. And then I’m calling the police. Don’t try anything stupid right now.”
My teeth chattered again.
I had the urge to cry but I shoved it away.
If I was going to get in trouble, I’d do so with a straight face.
“Come on,” he said. “Show me some identification and let’s get this over with.”
I started to point to Tank Two when I heard a noise from behind me.
“She’s with me,” a voice said.
The security guard’s eyes went wide.
I looked over my shoulder.
My eyes went wide too.
Chapter 10
the one more
He was in dark clothes.
Everything about him was dark.
With a zip-up hoodie unzipped, the hood up, sleeves pushed up, showing off tattoos that went down to