Scarred Seductress

Blood and Glass

“Mama, do we really have to leave now?” Leo whined as Selene tucked him into the back seat.

“I still want to play with Quinn,” he cooed.

Selene ignored him and slammed the door shut, sliding into the driver’s seat as panic clogged her guts for reasons she could barely name.

“She’ll be sad without me,” he cooed, pouting sadly as Selene started the car.

“Okay, Selene… you have to calm down.” She heaved, drawing in a deep breath to ease the tension inside her. She had feared something terrible must have happened to Leo, and now that wasn’t the case, there was no reason to panic anymore.

She pressed a nod and eased the car onto the quiet road, her lips curling between her teeth as her mind ran to Matteo. She wasn’t going to take Leo home from here—not yet. She was going to crash somewhere else with him until she figured out how to get rid of the baby and how to face Matteo.

She tapped the call button on the car console, exhaling another deep breath as Ava’s line rang.

“Ma'am?”

“Ava?”

“Ma'am, I can't find Leo… I just stepped out a few seconds and—”

“He’s with me,” Selene blurted, cutting her off.

A sharp gasp escaped Ava. “Really?”

“Yes, Ava… you have nothing to worry about.”

Ava exhaled a deep breath that sounded like relief to Selene.

“So… are you two on your way home?” she asked.

Selene shook her head. “No, Ava… it’s unsafe for now.”

Ava gasped again.

“So where are you taking him, ma'am?”

“I don’t know, Ava… I just know we’re not coming home.”

“But ma'am—”

“I’ll tell you when we settle somewhere. For now, just trust me and don’t ask questions.”

Ava heaved an anxious breath.

“I’m hanging up.”

Selene ended the call and trailed her eyes to Leo in the back seat through the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of a familiar car charging fiercely after them.

Her heart sank.

“Mama, I still wanna play with Quinn,” Leo whimpered.

Selene forced a smile onto her face to hide the panic shooting through her.

It was probably nothing to worry about. With a child in the car, no one would risk it; she would just park by the corner and let the car pass.

“Of course, baby… next time,” Selene mouthed, slowing down and easing the car off the road, about to halt when a loud bang echoed through the car, tearing a terrified gasp from her.

She turned quickly, terror flooding her spine as she caught another glimpse of the pursuing car crashing into them again—this time sending smoke, shards of glass, and pain exploding through the air.

“Leo…” she whimpered, clutching her head as blood trickled down, stumbling out of the car and watching the vehicle spin in reverse, speeding away into the distance.

“Leo!” Selene screamed, trembling, her tears breaking free as she forced her heavy body to the backseat and flung the door open.

Her blood ran cold as her eyes settled on Leo.