She scoffs and walks away, heels angrily clicking until she becomes a figure in the distance, disappearing at the end of the hallway. My stomach turns as I reel from the encounter.
Damon comes close and takes me in his arms. “I’m so sorry, Clara. Had I known that she’d come around here, I would’ve raised hell to get back sooner.”
“You were in court, Damon, precisely for this,” I tell him. “It’s not your fault.”
“Still, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to deal with her. I promise, this really is the last time.”
He holds me close, and I welcome his embrace, the warmth of his body seeping through mine and filling my chest with a most pleasant feeling. I can’t help but laugh a little as I look up at him.
“Maybe you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. You’ve seen how persistent she can be. Like a damn mosquito. You shut the door, and it comes back through the window,” I say.
Damon smiles, but he seems strained. Embarrassed, even. “She’s impossible, I know.”
“It’s okay, Damon. It’s not your fault, and you are not responsible for any of her words or actions. It’s time for Elizabeth to realize that repercussions to her behavior can sting. It’s probably the only way she’ll learn.”
“I doubt we’ve seen the last of her,” he says, lowering his gaze. “This whole time, she’s been hovering, waiting. I doubt she can control herself.”
“She can’t, which is why you’re right—we are likely to cross paths with her again outside of court.”
“I meant what I said earlier,” Damon says with a deep frown. “I’ll drag her ass to jail myself, if I have to.”
I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him on the lips. “I know you will.”
As the days go by,I ignore text messages from Bill Lockwood, asking if I’ve reconsidered his offer. Shutting every thought of him out of my head altogether, I stay focused on Matty and my relationship with Carter, Jace, and Damon. I’m close to gathering enough courage to tell Carter about what happened that night with Stephan.
Jace was right, we can be stronger together as long as we stay open and honest.
With the last of the trust fund paperwork sitting on the passenger seat of my car and Matty in Jodie’s care for the rest of the morning, I drive back into Blackthorn Falls to sort out the bank account so I can have access to the money. All they need is my physical presence and my signature.
My phone rings from an unknown number.
“Could be the bank,” I mutter and swipe to answer, the Bluetooth kicking in over the speakers. “Hello?”
“Miss Barnes.”
I immediately recognize the voice, and it sends chills down my spine. “Bill. What do you want?”
“You didn’t answer my messages. I was hoping I might hear from you,” he replies. “The offer still stands.”
“I already told you; I don’t want your money.”
The pause that follows fills my stomach with dread as I keep my eyes on the road. I spot lights in the rearview mirror. Another car is approaching. There’s an uneasy feeling growing, a thickening of the air that makes me feel uneasy as the silence continues from Bill Lockwood’s end of the line.
“That’s a shame. I’d hoped you’d changed your mind,” he finally says.
Click.
The car in the rearview mirror is getting closer. I can hear the engine roaring, louder and louder. My heart skips a few frantic beats.
“What the hell is he doing?” I mumble.
It’s a grey pickup truck with Oregon tags. I can’t see much of the driver, but the way he’s driving makes me grip the wheel tighter.
He moves to flank me.
Alarm bell go off in my head as he swerves. He hits my car, and I nearly lose control.
I scream and hold onto the wheel for dear life, hitting the gas pedal so I can stay ahead of him.
